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ALM is an international research forum bringing together researchers and practitioners in adult mathematics/numeracy teaching and learning in order to promote the learning of mathematics by adults.
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Introduction
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The summer holidays may be well underway but memories of our annual conference, held at the end of June in Oslo, are slow to fade. Trude Sundtjønn and her team provided an excellent venue, hospitality and organization to support a stimulating programme of keynote sessions, individual presentations and topic group discussions. In this issue we include some personal reflections on the conference and report briefly on the Annual General Meeting.
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This is also a time when we welcome new trustees for 2026/27 and say goodbye to others. The work done by the trustees is essential to the ongoing development of ALM and I am very grateful to those who give up their time voluntarily to carry out various tasks. Those who are stepping down this time have made a huge contribution to the work of ALM over the last few years and will be very much missed. For more details, please read on.
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Diane Dalby
Chair of ALM trustees
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Reflections on ALM33
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We were treated to some informative and inspiring talks by our keynote speakers at ALM33, and enjoyed a variety of delegate presentations, workshops, and discussions in topic groups. Here are three short reflections from people who attended the conference. We hope these will provide a taste of the experience, especially for members who were not able to attend.
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Maryam Kiani (USA) writes …
“Participating in The Adults Learning Mathematics - 33rd Annual Conference was a valuable professional experience that provided both inspiration and opportunities. One of the aspects I appreciated most was the welcoming and supportive environment. The conference brought together educators and researchers from diverse backgrounds who were genuinely interested in sharing ideas, discussing challenges, and learning from one another. The open and respectful exchange of perspectives made the experience especially rewarding.
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As a university mathematics instructor who primarily teaches calculus, I was reminded that success in advanced mathematics depends on a strong foundation in numeracy and algebraic reasoning. Throughout the conference, many presentations and discussions reinforced my belief that while students may enter college ready to take higher-level mathematics courses, many still struggle with basic algebraic concepts. These gaps often become significant barriers to learning calculus and developing confidence in mathematics. This experience strengthened my conviction that building strong numerical reasoning and conceptual understanding should remain a priority at every level of mathematics education.
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Overall, attending this conference was an enriching experience that broadened my perspective on mathematics education and reaffirmed my commitment to promoting meaningful learning. I returned with new ideas, valuable professional connections, and renewed motivation to continue supporting students as they develop the numeracy and algebraic skills that serve as the foundation for success in advanced mathematics and beyond”.
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Asia Majeed (Canada) adds her highlights …
"Attending ALM in Oslo for the first time was a wonderful experience. As a graduate student, I really appreciated the supportive and welcoming community. I enjoyed the open discussions and the willingness of everyone to share ideas and help each other. It was an inspiring conference, and I learned a lot."
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And finally Jenny Stacey (UK) summarizes her experience …
“It was great to be back in the room with so many like-minded people who share a common purpose. As a teacher of adults in various settings, ALM meetings are one of the few places where, as a practitioner and an aspiring academic, I don't feel like an outlier!”
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Annual General Meeting
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Our Annual General Meeting took place on July 1st 2025, in Oslo during the ALM conference. Nine trustees were elected for the coming year, including two new trustees, Monique Pijls (the Netherlands) and Brooke Istas (USA) plus Kathy Safford-Ramus (USA) who is returning to the trustees after a break of several years. We also said goodbye to three long-serving trustees: Charlotte Arkenback, Marcus Jorgensen, and Lena Lindenscov. Charlotte, Marcus and Lena have made very valuable contributions to ALM over the years, and we wish them well for the future. A full list of the current trustees can be found here on the website. The minutes of the AGM will be posted here in the next month.
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Upcoming conferences
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The trustees are proposing to hold the next ALM annual conference (ALM34) online in June/July 2027. Please watch the website for more information in the autumn.
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The next Congress of the European Society for Research in Mathematics Education, CERME 15, will be held in Bratislava, Slovakia, 8-12 February 2027. Please follow the link to CERME 15 for more information and note the closing date of September 15th for paper or poster proposals.
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ALM32 Conference Proceedings
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We are pleased to announce that the Conference Proceedings from ALM32 can now be accessed on the ALM website by clicking on the relevant conference link. Thank you to all those who contributed papers to the Proceedings and to the reviewers (Catherine Byrne, Diana Coben, Graham Griffiths, and David Kaye) who supported the process, from initial proposals to completed papers. A special thank you also goes to Javi Diez-Palomar for assisting Diane Dalby with the final editing.
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ALM Membership
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Becoming a member is a way of showing your commitment to the aims and work of ALM. Members pay a small annual fee, which contributes to costs such as hosting seminars, website maintenance, and journal production. You can find more information here about membership and how to become a member.
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Future bulletins
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We hope that you are enjoying the regular ALM bulletin. If you have news from your part of the world that may be of interest to our international community, please email the ALM Chair by September 1st 2026 for inclusion in the next issue.
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Privacy Policy
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We do not send advertisements. We do not send data to third parties. Your membership data are stored offline. You can always ask to have your data removed permanently by sending a request to the membership secretary.
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By subscribing to the ALM-bulletin or by joining ALM, you agree to our Privacy Policy
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