Event

Theoretical frameworks in science and mathematics didactics

Conceptual field theory and didactic situation theory Two complementary theories for thinking about and organizing mathematical learningIn the first part of this talk, I'll propose an introductory situation in literal arithmetic (Barallobres & Giroux, 2008) that will enable me to introduce and illustrate the main concepts and methodological tools of the theory of didactic situations developed by Guy Brousseau (Brousseau, 1997; Bessot, 2024). In the second part, I will give a brief presentation of Gérard Vergnaud's theory of conceptual fields (Vergnaud, 1990; Durand-Guerrier and Saby, 2023), then show how this theory helps to shed further light on the introductory situation.The contributions of the anthropological theory of didactics The Anthropological Theory of Didactics (TAD, Chevallard, 2001) aims to explain why and how a given knowledge lives in a certain institution, and/or is transformed as it passes from one institution to another. This perspective and some of its evolutions will be presented and illustrated in this talk.Students' activities and teachers' practices in the mathematics classroom: analysis methodology with Activity TheoryIn this talk, we will present the founding assumptions of the Activity Theory framework adapted to the Didactics of Mathematics (TADM, Vandebrouck, 2008), showing how this theory gives importance to fine-grained analyses of mathematical knowledge to appreciate classroom developments. We will then exemplify some of these aspects on the teaching of limits at university (Bridoux and Grenier-Boley, 2024).BibliographyBarallobres, G., & Giroux, J. (2008). Environmental deficiencies and regulations in validation situations. N. In Berdnaz, & C. Mary (Eds). L'enseignement des mathématiques face aux défis de l'école et des communautés. Actes du colloque EMF 2006 (CD-ROM). Éditions du CRP https://emf.unige.ch/application/files/1414/5390/4857/EMF2006_GT8_Barallobres.pdfBessot, A. (2003). An introduction to the theory of didactic situations. Cahiers du laboratoire Leibniz, 91. hal-00078794Bridoux, S., & Grenier-Boley, N. (2024). What teaching practices should be used to introduce the limits of functions in the first year of university? A case study. In A. González-Martín, G. Gueudet, I. Florensa & N. Lombard (Eds.), Proceedings of the Fifth Conference of the International Network for Didactic Research in University Mathematics (INDRUM 2024, 10-14 June 2024) (pp. 791-800). Escola Universitària de Sarrià. Univ. Autònoma de Barcelona and INDRUM.Brousseau, G. (1997). Théorie des situations didactiques. Lecture given at the award to Guy Brousseau of the title of Doctor Honoris Causa from the University of Montreal. http://www.cfem.asso.fr/actualites/archives/Brousseau.pdfChevallard, Y. (2001). Organizing study: 1. Structures and Functions. In J.-L. Dorier, M. Artaud, M. Artigue, R. Berthelot, & R. Floris Proceedings of the XIe École d'été de didactique des mathématiques. (pp. 3-32). Editions la Pensée Sauvage.Durand-Guerrier, V., & Nicolas Saby, N. (2023). Usages de la théorie des champs conceptuels en didactique des mathématiques. The example of transitivity. Caminhos da Educação Matemática em Revista, 13 (4),118-134. ⟨hal-04585866⟩Vandebrouck, F. (dir.) (2008). La classe de mathématiques: activités des élèves et pratiques des enseignants. OCTARES Éditions.Vergnaud, G. (1990). Conceptual field theory. Recherches en didactique des mathématiques, 10(2/3), 133-170. In practice Program18:00: Presentation by Viviane Durand-Guerrier 18:40: Presentation by Ghislaine Gueudet 19:20: Presentation by Nicolas Grenier-Boley and Stéphanie Bridoux20:00: Q&A around the three presentationsModalities Required registration via the PhD school website or direct link to the registration form.Or online participation link (via TEAMS).
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Charlotte Beaudart, Namuroise of the Year: reward for her research on ageing

Helping us to age independently and in good health. This is the aim of Charlotte Beaudart's research into sarcopenia, an age-related disease that can occur as early as the age of 50. The work of the UNamur researcher and member of the Narilis Institute has been rewarded once again, as she has just been awarded the title of "Namuroise of the Year", for the Sciences category!
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Raise awareness among future compulsory school teachers of the need to integrate sustainable development objectives into their courses

The university has a duty to set an example in terms of sustainable development, in all three of its dimensions: economic, social and environmental. Sustainable "in form" through the way it manages its infrastructures and assets, and sustainable "in substance" through its commitment to research and teaching activities, in order to actively contribute to the environmental transition. All in line with the United Nations' Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs).
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Medical Journal Club in primary care

Target audienceGeneral practitioners (in practice or in training)PharmacistsMedical and pharmacy studentsObjectivesShare and discuss scientific articles relevant to frontline practice in a friendly and caring atmosphereStrengthen skills in critical reading and evidence-based medicineCreate a lasting link between the field and the academic worldFederate an active and committed medico-pharmaceutical community.pharmaceutical communityWhy participate?Because science moves fast, and we all benefit from taking the time to read, understand, and question the literature together. Because quality care starts with shared reflection. And because it's the ideal opportunity to strengthen bridges between disciplines.Location and frequency of meetingsUNamur - Quai22 - 2 times a yearFirst meeting: 5/06/2025 (free with registration)INAMI accreditation required. I want to register
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Thomas Balligand: from Medicine to Fundamental Research at UNamur

Thomas Balligand, now a lecturer at UNamur, combines his passion for basic research with teaching in histology and cytology. After a diverse background in internal medicine and research, notably at Harvard, he is dedicated to training the next generation of scientists while pursuing his work on nanobodies and their potential in immunotherapy. His desire to awaken scientific curiosity in his students illuminates his new role at the university..
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Annual Research Day

The program 2:00 pm | Keynote lecture on the use of AI in research - Hugues BERSINI, Professor at the Université libre de Bruxelles: "Can science be just data driven?" 3:00 pm | Presentations by UNamur researchers3:00 pm | Catherine Guirkinger: Use of AI in an economic history project3:15 pm | Nicolas Roy (PI: Alexandre Mayer): AI at the service of innovation in photonics and optics: revealing the secrets of scrolls through the classification of animal species15:25 | Nemanja Antonic (PI: Elio Tuci): An in silico representation of C. elegans collective behaviour<15h35 | Nicolas Franco : The benefits and dangers of "predicting the future" with covid-like machine learning models 15h45 | Michel Ajzen : Managerial and human implications of AI in organizations <15h55 | Robin Ghyselinck (PI : Bruno Dumas) : Deep Learning for endoscopy: towards next generation computer-aided diagnosis4:05 pm | Auguste Debroise (PI : Guilhem Cassan) : LLMs to measure the importance of stereotypes within gender representations in Hollywood films16h15 | Gabriel Dias De Carvalho : Learning practices in physics using generative AI16h25 | Sébastien Dujardin (PI : Catherine Linard) : Where Geography meets AI: A case study on mapping online flood conversations16h35 | Jeremy Dodeigne : LLMs in SHS: revolutionary tools in a Wild West Territory? Reflections on costs, transparency and open science16h45 | Antoinette Rouvroy : Governing AI in Democracy17h00 | Keynote lecture on ethics and guidelines to consider when using AI in research projects and writing research articles - Bettina BERENDT, Professor at KU Leuven18h00 | Benoît Frenay and Michaël Lobet : Creation of an IA scientific committee at UNamur18:10 | DrinkA certificate of attendance, worth 0.5 cross-disciplinary doctoral training credits, will be issued on request. Contact: secretariat.adre@unamur.beThis event is free of charge, but registration is required. I want to register
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New impetus for the humanities and social sciences at UNamur

A new platform dedicated to research in the humanities and social sciences (SHS) is being launched at UNamur. The aim? To offer SHS researchers methodological support tailored to their needs and strengthen SHS excellence at UNamur. This platform, SHS Impulse, will provide various services such as financial support for training, consultancy, access to resources, or co-financed software purchases.
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Safer oral contraceptives thanks to natural estrogens

A major breakthrough for the health of women on oral contraceptives has been achieved by researchers in Namur. Every year in Europe, more than 22,000 cases of venous thrombosis or embolism occur among contraceptive pill users. A team of researchers from the University of Namur, in collaboration with QUALIblood (spin-off), has conducted an important study, the results of which could transform prescribing recommendations..
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Facilitating the authorization of pediatric and orphan drugs

Bringing a new drug to market, particularly when it is intended to treat a pediatric or orphan disease, is a journey fraught with pitfalls. The ERAMET project, coordinated by Professor Flora Musuamba Tshinanu, aims to overhaul the assessment procedures, so that regulatory agencies can take innovative technologies into account and thus make more informed choices.
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UNamur supports FNRS in its drive to make life worth living

On May 10, 2025, Vice-Rector Carine Michiels and Professor Anne-Catherine Heuskin handed over UNamur's cheque at the grand closing evening of Operation Télévie, which this year raised a record €13,351,977 for the Fonds National de la Recherche Scientifique. Télévie funds are used entirely to finance cancer research projects at universities in the Wallonia-Brussels Federation and the Grand Duchy of Luxembourg.
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Virology: a major breakthrough thanks to an innovative tool developed by a consortium of UNamur, ULB and ULiège

Researchers at the Universities of Namur (UNamur), Brussels (ULB) and Liège (ULiège) have just taken a key step towards understanding viral mechanisms. Their study, published in the international scientific journal PLOS Pathogens, focuses on a particular type of molecule produced by viruses, circular RNAs, and presents an innovative bioinformatics tool capable of better identifying them.
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