ZDM – The International Journal on Mathematics Education (formerly known as Zentralblatt für Didaktik der Mathematik) has released their first issue of this year, with the theme: “From Patterns to Generalization: Development of Algebraic Thinking”. The issue has the following contents (only the titles are displayed here – click on the links to investigate further!):

• Generalization in algebra: the foundation of algebraic thinking and reasoning across the grades
• Early algebra and mathematical generalization
• The effect of different representations on Years 3 to 5 students’ ability to generalise
• Algebraic thinking with and without algebraic representation: a three-year longitudinal study
• Elementary school students engaging in making generalisation: a glimpse from a Singapore classroom
• Middle school children’s cognitive perceptions of constructive and deconstructive generalizations involving linear figural patterns
• Iconicity and contraction: a semiotic investigation of forms of algebraic generalizations of patterns in different contexts
• Seventh-grade students’ representations for pictorial growth and change problems
• “Rising to the challenge”: using generalization in pattern problems to unearth the algebraic skills of talented pre-algebra students
• The role of examples in forming and refuting generalizations
• En route from patterns to algebra: comments and reflections