Anders Eickstedt Wiik

• Wiik, Anders E.; Reinhardtsen, Jorunn & Raen, Kristina Markussen (2026). Experiences of Fairness in Assessment of Mathematical Modeling Portfolios: Developing Criteria in Collaboration with Preservice Teachers. Journal of the International Society for Teacher Education. ISSN 1029-5968. 30(1), p. 42–62. doi: 10.26522/jiste.v30i1.5270. Full text in Research Archive Show summary

  This paper addresses fairness of assessment in the context of a developmental project to improve teaching and learning in an introductory mathematical modeling course for preservice teachers (PSTs). Their learning was assessed through a portfolio, and the PSTs and lecturers co-developed the assessment criteria for this portfolio. Through classroom observations and a survey, we analyzed the portfolio assessment and the students’ experiences of the unit in terms of fairness. We conceptualized fairness in terms of coherence and tensions among task demands, opportunities for learning, and transparent assessment. The results indicate that the co-developed assessment criteria were accessible and useful for the PSTs. Together with the portfolio format, the criteria were instrumental in achieving a high level of coherence among task demands, learning opportunities, and transparent assessment.

• Wiik, Anders E. & Engebretsen, Martin (2025). Are line graphs still shibboleths? Two dilemmas in contemporary data visualization. For the Learning of Mathematics. ISSN 0228-0671. 45(2), p. 37–38. doi: https:/flm-journal.org/Articles/59D7B6732B17A474366620666DD018.pdf. Full text in Research Archive
• Wiik, Anders & Vos, Pauline (2024). Making sense of journalistic COVID-19 data visualizations: An in-depth study of two adults’ visual-numeric literacy. Adults Learning Mathematics - An International Journal. 18(1), p. 7–27. Full text in Research Archive Show summary

  In 2020, the COVID-19 pandemic urged authorities to share quantitative information such as infection and death rates. One way of disseminating was through graphs, maps, and diagrams. Such data visualizations communicate numeric data in compact ways, but also require a particular mathematical literacy from readers. We conceptualized this particular mathematical literacy as visual-numeric literacy. To study it, we interviewed two young adults with higher education but low confidence in mathematics and asked them to make sense of COVID-19 data visualizations from journalistic digital media. An in-depth analysis of their visual-numeric literacy revealed that the two participants had developed various sense-making strategies. Their lived experience in the pandemic assisted them to overcome obstacles in mathematical sense-making, and gain insights from the data visualizations. We discuss out-of-school mathematics learning and provide recommendations for improving adults’ visual-numeric literacy.

• Vos, Pauline; Wiik, Anders & Martinez, Paul Hernandez (2024). “Imagine, maths is used anywhere, and we don’t get to know this”—upper secondary students and the relevance of advanced mathematics. Frontiers in Education. 9. doi: 10.3389/feduc.2024.1338205. Full text in Research Archive Show summary

  People are more motivated to put effort into learning when they know they will be able to put the learnt content to use. These relevance perceptions play a motivating role in the learning of mathematics, a subject renowned for its abstraction, hard examinations, and usefulness in many fields in society (research, industries, etc.). In this article, we describe a study on upper secondary students in an advanced mathematics course and their perception of the relevance of mathematics in future professions, in particular regarding two concepts in their curriculum (logarithms, trigonometry). We defined relevance as a connection between an object (relevance of what?), a subject (relevant for whom?), an asserter (relevant according to whom?), and a purpose (relevant to what end?). The aim of the study was to know (1) what relevance perceptions students held regarding the advanced abstract mathematical concepts, and (2) how students can develop these considering that students do not yet know exactly what future is ahead of them. We interviewed pairs of students (n = 14, 17–19 years old) in two parts. The first part of the interview revealed that students learned mathematics within a traditional school culture that emphasized practice-and-drill of pure mathematics and that did not in any way inform students about the use of mathematics in research and workplaces. After exposing students to authentic applications of logarithms and trigonometry, the second part of the interview showed the power of imagination when it connected students to future professions for which mathematics was relevant. Instrumental in effectively prompting students’ imagination were visualizations showing applications of the mathematical concepts within workplace contexts. Drawing on Leont’ev’s version of Activity Theory, we theorize students’ assertions of the relevance of mathematics through the dialectics of self and collective (relating one’s own goals and more general motives), the dialectics of use-value and exchange-value (needing mathematics for later life or for examinations), and the dialectics of mathematization and de-mathematization (while mathematics is used in many workplaces, it is hidden in instruments).

• Wiik, Anders (2022). Trends in everyday mathematics: the case of newspaper weather forecasts. In Nortvedt, Guri A.; Buchholtz, Nils; Fauskanger, Janne; Hähkiöniemi, Markus; Jessen, Britta Eyrich; Nilsen, Hans Kristian; Naalsund, Margrethe; Pálsdóttir, Guðbjörg; Portaankorva-Koivisto, Päivi; Radišić, Jelena; Sigurjónsson, Jóhann Örn; Viirman, Olov Lui & Wernberg, Anna (Ed.), Bringing Nordic mathematics education into the future. Proceedings of Norma 20, The ninth Nordic Conference on Mathematics Education. Svensk förening för MatematikDidaktisk Forskning - SMDF. ISSN 9789198402469. p. 257–264. Full text in Research Archive Show summary

  The story about the NORMA20 conference is the story about a conference that had to be postponed, as a pandemic prevented us from coming together to present and discuss our research. When we made the decision to postpone just after Easter in 2020, we were all sad and disappointed that all the efforts made by authors, reviewers, LOC and IPC members might be for nothing. However, during 2020, digital solutions for cooperation emerged so we could host NORMA20 as an online conference in June 2021.<p> <p>Delaying the conference had both positive and negative consequences. On the positive side, postponing allowed us to make a call for contributions in both 2019 and 2020, substantially increasing the number of submissions. Not only was the number of submissions large but the number of accepted submissions also increased. During the conference, 72 regular papers, 30 short communications, nine poster presentations, four keynotes, and one working group were presented. This made the NORMA20 conference the largest NORMA conference to date.

• Wiik, Anders & Vos, Pauline (2019). “I want a high-educated job that pays well and is fun”; secondary students’ reasons for selecting the Advanced Mathematics course. In Jankvist, Uffe Thomas; Heuvel-Panhuizen, Marja Van den & Veldhuis, Michiel (Ed.), Proceedings of the Eleventh Congress of the European Society for Research in Mathematics Education. European Society for Research in Mathematics Education. ISSN 9789073346758. p. 1573–1580. Full text in Research Archive Show summary

  Many students experience the content of the mathematics classroom irrelevant to their lives. At the same time, achievement in mathematics is widely regarded as an important part of general education. In this paper, we report on a study regarding students’ relevance beliefs. For this, we network Engeström’s cultural-historical activity theory with Skovsmose’s theory on foregrounds, and introduce the terms ‘realized’ and ‘emergent’ activity systems. Students provided a wide variety of beliefs, in which the belief of mathematics as door opener to higher education and key to options in life was leading. The belief in the exchange-value of mathematics overshadowed beliefs on the use-value of school mathematics (for other school subjects, for undefined jobs or for mental training). We recommend teachers and textbook authors to include more information on the relevance of mathematics in future studies and jobs.

• Wiik, Anders & Vos, Pauline (2018). Hvorfor lære om logaritmer? Tangenten - Tidsskrift for matematikkundervisning. ISSN 0802-8192. 29(4), p. 7–12. Full text in Research Archive

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• Vos, Pauline & Wiik, Anders E. (2026). Interactive workshop on academic writing for early researchers. Full text in Research Archive
• Wiik, Anders E. (2026). Nyhetene som hverdagsmatematikk: Muligheter og utfordringer, med eksempler fra værmeldinger og koronagrafer. Full text in Research Archive
• Christiansen, Atle; Wiik, Anders E.; Sundtjønn, Trude; Frejd, Peter & Muhrman, Karolina (2026). Slik kan elevene på yrkesfag få mer ut av matte-undervisningen. [Internet]. forskning.no. Full text in Research Archive Show summary

  Frisøren og bilmekanikeren bør undervises i frisørsalongen og på bilverkstedet. Det sier eksperter om å undervise yrkesfagelever i matematikk.

• Christiansen, Atle; Wiik, Anders E.; Sundtjønn, Trude; Frejd, Peter & Muhrman, Karolina (2026). Yrkesfageleven får mer ut av matematikken utenfor klasserommet - Universitetet i Agder. [Internet]. Universitetet i Agder. Full text in Research Archive
• Jacobsen, Tone Røed; Wiik, Anders E.; Sundtjønn, Trude; Frejd, Peter & Muhrman, Karolina (2026). Forskere vil gjøre matematikk mer relevant for yrkesfag i videregående. [Internet]. Utdanningsnytt. Full text in Research Archive Show summary

  Flere forskere mener matematikkundervisningen må knyttes tettere til yrkesfag og arbeidsliv i videregående. Slik kan elever få økt motivasjon, bedre læring og se hvorfor matematikk er viktig i framtidige yrker.

• Wiik, Anders E. & Eriksen, Astri Horn (2026). Mathematics in the News: What Can Weather Forecasts and Corona Diagrams Tell Us About Everyday Mathematics? Full text in Research Archive Show summary

  Numbers and graphs in the news are a prominent form of everyday mathematics that is of great importance for participation in democratic processes and social issues. Nevertheless, many adults have challenges in taking part in this discourse. In this presentation, Anders presents some of his doctoral research, where he looked closely at how mathematical representational forms in weather forecasts have changed between 1945 and 2020, and what opportunities and challenges arise in young adults' encounters with numbers and graphs from the news related to the corona pandemic. We will also talk about reactions to his research, including the reaction from Astri. She has an interesting relationship with mathematics that reflects many of the themes in Anders' research. Further, she has recently co-authored a book on cooking-based mathematics. This book is currently being implemented in Oddevall elementary school in Lier, aiming to introduce elementary mathematics through practical and playful teaching that reflects everyday uses of mathematics. Experiences from Oddevall may be a venue for future masters' theses and research. 

• Wiik, Anders E. (2026). Mathematics in the news: What can weather forecasts and corona diagrams tell us about everyday mathematics? Full text in Research Archive Show summary

  Numbers and graphs in the news are a prominent form of everyday mathematics that is of great importance for participation in democratic processes and social issues. Nevertheless, many adults have challenges in taking part in this discourse. In this presentation, I present some of my doctoral research, where I look more closely at how mathematical representational forms in weather forecasts have changed between 1945 and 2020, and what opportunities and challenges arise in young adults’ encounters with numbers and graphs from the news related to the corona pandemic. I will also talk about reactions I have received from parents, teachers and individuals who have read about my research.

• Wiik, Anders E. (2025). Mathematics in the news: What can weather forecasts and corona diagrams tell us about everyday mathematics? Full text in Research Archive Show summary

  Numbers and graphs in the news are a prominent form of everyday mathematics that is of great importance for participation in democratic processes and social issues. Nevertheless, many adults have challenges in taking part in this discourse. In this presentation, I present some of my doctoral research, where I look more closely at how mathematical representational forms in weather forecasts have changed between 1945 and 2020, and what opportunities and challenges arise in young adults' encounters with numbers and graphs from the news related to the corona pandemic. I will also talk about reactions I have received from parents, teachers and individuals who have read about my research.

• Sællmann, Siv Kristin & Wiik, Anders (2025). Distriktsnyheter Sørlandet: NRK TV. [TV]. NRK. Full text in Research Archive Show summary

  Forstår ikke hva matten skal brukes til

• Sødal, Viktor; Lund, Camilla Gjerde & Wiik, Anders (2025). Elever aner ikke hva matten skal brukes til – mener det skaper matteangst – NRK Sørlandet – Lokale nyheter, TV og radio. [Internet]. NRK.no. Full text in Research Archive Show summary

  Følte du at matematikken du lærte på skolen var ubrukelig? Fersk forskning viser at flere føler det slik.

• Christiansen, Atle & Wiik, Anders (2025). – Skolematematikken skaper unødvendig matteangst | Tu.no. [Internet]. Teknisk Ukeblad. Full text in Research Archive Show summary

  Matteforsker vil knytte matematikken i skolen nærmere hverdagen.

• Christiansen, Atle & Wiik, Anders (2025). – Skolematematikken skaper unødvendig matteangst - Universitetet i Agder. [Internet]. uia.no. Full text in Research Archive Show summary

  Matteforsker vil knytte matematikken i skolen nærmere hverdagen.

• Barbakken, Hermine & Wiik, Anders (2025). Ny studie: Elever forstår ikke hva matematikk kan brukes til. [Internet]. Utdanningsnytt. Full text in Research Archive
• Christiansen, Atle & Wiik, Anders (2025). – Skolematematikken skaper unødvendig matteangst. [Internet]. forskning.no. Full text in Research Archive Show summary

  Matteforsker vil knytte matematikken i skolen nærmere hverdagen.

• Wiik, Anders; Reinhardtsen, Jorunn & Raen, Kristina Markussen (2025). Experiences of Developing Assessment Criteria for Mathematical Modelling Portfolios in Collaboration with Pre-service Teachers. Full text in Research Archive
• Wiik, Anders (2025). Hvordan formidle statistikk så folk forstår. Full text in Research Archive
• Wiik, Anders; Tørresen, Anna Rut & Olsen, Aleksandra (2024). Du må være smartere enn du tror når du leser værmeldingen. [Internet]. https://www.nrk.no/sorlandet/vaermeldingens-utvikling-krever. Full text in Research Archive
• Wiik, Anders & Tørresen, Anna Rut (2024). Bedre i matte. [TV]. https://tv.nrk.no/serie/kveldsnytt/202401/NNFA23010524/avspi. Full text in Research Archive
• Wiik, Anders & Tørresen, Anna Rut (2024). Værmeldingene gjør oss bedre i matte. [TV]. https://tv.nrk.no/serie/distriktsnyheter-soerlandet/202401/. Full text in Research Archive
• Larson, Niclas & Wiik, Anders (2024). Det regner symboler i værmeldingene. [Internet]. Apple Podcasts. Full text in Research Archive Show summary

  I tredje sesongens femte episode av Spøkelser etter avdøde størrelser har Niclas Larson fått besøk av Anders Wiik. De er kolleger på Institutt for matematiske fag ved Universitetet i Agder, der Anders nå er i slutten av sin doktorgradsutdanning i matematikkdidaktikk. I sin forskning fokuserer Anders på hverdagsmatematikk, der han blant annet har sett på hvordan værmeldinger og koronastatistikk blir presentert i media. Et resultat som har fått nokså stor oppmerksomhet på for eksempel NRK er hvordan værmeldingen har endret seg fra midten av det forrige århundret, da den stort sett besto av tekst som beskrev det spådde været, til å i dag til stor grad bestå av tabeller og symboler som leseren må tolke. Anders peker på at den nye typen værmeldinger krever mye mer matematisk kunnskap og at dette med krav på å tolke tabeller og statistikk også har blitt vanligere i kontakt med myndigheter. I sin tur stiller dette nye krav på folk i stort for å kunne være en del av samfunnet, noe som Anders mener også bør påvirke matematikkundervisningen.

• Vos, Pauline & Wiik, Anders (2024). Ut av matematikk klasserommet – mot en bedre forståelse av voksnes uformelle og implisitte læring av matematikk i hverdagssituasjoner. Full text in Research Archive
• Wiik, Anders (2024). Værmeldinger og koronadiagrammer: Hva forteller de om hverdagsmatematikk? Full text in Research Archive
• Wiik, Anders & Christiansen, Atle (2023). – Vêrmeldinga viser at folk kan meir matematikk enn dei trur. [Internet]. https://forskning.no/matematikk-partner-universitetet-i-agde. Full text in Research Archive
• Wiik, Anders & Christiansen, Atle (2023). “Weather forecasts show that people know more mathematics than they realise”. [Internet]. https://www.uia.no/en/news/weather-forecasts-show-that-peopl. Full text in Research Archive
• Wiik, Anders & Christiansen, Atle (2023). Vêrmeldinga viser at folk kan meir matematikk enn dei trur. [Internet]. https://www.uia.no/nyheter/vermeldinga-viser-at-folk-kan-mei. Full text in Research Archive
• Wiik, Anders (2022). Studies on data visualizations in journalistic media from the perspectives of everyday mathematics, visual-numeric literacy and mathematization. Full text in Research Archive
• Wiik, Anders (2021). Trends in everyday mathematics: The case of newspaper weather forecasts. Full text in Research Archive
• Wiik, Anders (2021). Trends in everyday mathematics: The case of newspaper weather forecasts. Full text in Research Archive
• Wiik, Anders (2021). Exploring university students' visual-numeric literacy. Full text in Research Archive
• Wiik, Anders (2020). Long lines in science communication: Identities, discursive roles, and relations in Norwegian weather forecasts 1945-2020. Full text in Research Archive
• Wiik, Anders (2020). Longitudinal research on science communication: Identities and discursive roles in Norwegian weather forecasts 1945-2015. Full text in Research Archive
• Wiik, Anders & Vos, Pauline (2019). Å lese værmeldingene i norske aviser (1945-2015): Hvilke matematiske ferdigheter forventes? Full text in Research Archive
• Wiik, Anders (2019). Mathematization, visualization, communication: Mathematics in the social. Full text in Research Archive
• Wiik, Anders (2017). Data Vizualizations Through Logarithmic Scales and Plots. Full text in Research Archive
• Wiik, Anders (2025). Data visualizations in journalistic media studied from the perspectives of visual-numeric literacy, everyday mathematics and mathematization as a social process. Universitetet i Agder. ISSN 9788284272436. Full text in Research Archive Show summary

  Data visualizations (DVs) are visual representations of quantitative data, which are used to convey information. The aim of my PhD research was to better understand the implications for readers of the use of DVs in journalistic media. Journalistic DVs were explored from the perspectives of (1) Visual-numeric literacy (VNL), which describes the capabilities that DVs demand from readers, (2) Everyday mathematics, which is the mathematics that people engage with in various life situations (school, work, domestic life, etc.), and (3) Mathematization as a social process, the tendency of some human practices to become increasingly quantitative and mathematical. In this PhD, the main theoretical perspective was social semiotics, but it was also informed by a sociological perspective of late modernity. The empirical base for the studies in this PhD was textual analysis of newspaper weather forecasts (NWFs) in the period 1945-2020 and journalistic COVID-19 DVs, and an analysis of interviews with young adults on their sense making of COVID-19 DVs. The analysis revealed that NWFs shifted over time from verbally ‘telling’ readers about the weather, to offering abundant information in tables and maps that the readers must organize and interpret themselves. The senders’ voice changed from being a conversationalist or scientist to a blend of an advertiser and a scientist. These changes relate to processes of mathematization in meteorology and journalism. The analysis of journalistic COVID-19 DVs showed that the DVs convey much information (how many, where, how it changes, etc.) through numerous formats (maps, line graphs, etc.), complex sign systems (coordinates, relative numbers, color codes, etc.) and flexible use of conventions (e.g., missing vertical axis). Readers were expected to make sense of these DVs and interpret their significance and implications. Cues about data sources, data handling methods and errors invited readers to reflect on the trustworthiness of the data and their visualization. The interviews showed that adults have unequal opportunities for making sense of DVs. It was observed that the three aspects of VNL, decoding, acting (e.g. toggling in a DV, using a DV for making decisions) and reflection were mutually supporting one another, and a readers’ background knowledgeabout the situation (i.e., COVID-19) supported the understanding of the sign system. Regarding VNL, everyday mathematics, mathematization as a social process and the connection between these perspectives my research offers evidence that the use of DVs in journalistic media has increased over time, that they mediate information from experts (meteorologists, epidemiologists) to lay people, that the VNL required of readers is quite sophisticated, and that journalistic DVs have changed everyday mathematics. The changes do not consist of more or less mathematics, but of an increased variety of quantitative information presented in visual, flexible and informal systems. A sociological synthesis relates the complexities of reading DVs to mathematization as a social process. For example, globalization and reembedding (of journalism, DVs, meteorology, epidemiology, data collections, mathematical models, VNL, etc.) enable readers of DVs to access more and more diverse information yet creates obstacles for intimacy and trust through the increased opacity of underlying data collections and mathematical models. Insight into these mathematical processes is necessary for reflecting critically on DVs. Mathematics education can play a key role in helping students to develop their VNL and pave the way for participating in society, and lifelong learning.

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