Ida Maria Landgärds-Tarvoll

• Landgärds-Tarvoll, Ida Maria & Fidje, Anders Skarpeteig (2026). From mathematics to economics: The student mentor perspective on relevance. International Network for Didactic Research in University Mathematics : INDRUM. Show summary

  This study examines how student mentors perceive and communicate relevance of mathematics within economics education through video resources. Eight second- and third-year economics students participated as student mentors, addressing the challenge of perceived relevance during the transition from school mathematics to mathematics in economics education. The mentors emphasised the use value of mathematics, primarily by contextualising mathematical concepts for later courses, and reflected on their role as ‘bridging people’ drawing on recent experience to support first-year students. While prioritising use value, some examples intersected with exchange value, particularly through references to examinations, indicating that relevance may combine both dimensions. Keywords: Mathematics for economists, relevance, use- and exchange value, qualitative, video resources.

• Basic, Matija & Landgärds, Ida Maria (2024). TWG3: Mathematics and other disciplines. International Network for Didactic Research in University Mathematics : INDRUM. Full text in Research Archive
• Landgärds, Ida Maria & Göller, Daniel (2024). Bridging mathematical and microeconomic perspectives: a praxeological analysis of the Lagrange multiplier method. Teaching Mathematics and its Applications. ISSN 0268-3679. 43(4), p. 314–337. doi: 10.1093/teamat/hrae020. Full text in Research Archive Show summary

  This article investigates the challenges that economics students face when they make the transition from service mathematics course(s) to microeconomics courses with a focus on how the concept of the Lagrange multiplier method is used in constrained utility maximization problems. The study aims to identify and understand discrepancies in the application of the Lagrange multiplier method as introduced in the mathematics course and subsequently applied within the microeconomics course. For this purpose, we conducted a comparative praxeological analysis of textbooks used in the two courses. The analysis reveals significant differences in the techniques and technologies used in both textbooks, which may cause difficulties for students in their transition between the courses. Additionally, the analysis revealed total mismatches in praxeologies within the textbooks. The article concludes with suggestions on topics for service mathematics teachers to address for aligning their instruction with the microeconomics application of the Lagrange multiplier method.

• Landgärds, Ida Maria (2024). Understanding the challenges of the secondary-tertiary transition in mathematics for economics in higher education: a literature review. Teaching Mathematics and its Applications. ISSN 0268-3679. 1, p. 1–21. doi: 10.1093/teamat/hrad011. Full text in Research Archive Show summary

  This review paper examines the issues identified by research regarding students transitioning from school mathematics to service mathematics modules within economics education at the tertiary level. Literature was gathered in four steps, mainly through hand-searching strategies from journals, books, conference proceedings and reports. The results show that existing research addresses the challenges of students to cope with changed roles of students and teachers, as well as with new approaches to teaching and assessment, in the transition phase between education levels. Special issues identified for service mathematics in economics education are (i) issues of heterogeneous mathematics background in the student group, (ii) of mismatch in expectations about mathematics level and demand and (iii) the issue of relevance of mathematics. This review helps practitioners gain deeper insights into these multifaceted issues of transition. Furthermore, several potential directions for further research in the field are recommended.

• Landgärds, Ida Maria (2024). Bridging the gap: curriculum development addressing the transition into mathematics in economics education. International Network for Didactic Research in University Mathematics : INDRUM. p. 406–415. Full text in Research Archive Show summary

  This paper concerns the transition issue of economics students’ diverse mathematics school backgrounds. The study explores curriculum discontinuities between school and university mathematics-for-economics education in the secondary-tertiary transition phase. A two-step content analysis reveals six key mathematics areas that many of the first-year economics students previously had not had the opportunity to study, despite their relevance for the mathematics-for-economics course. This paper contributes to the limited educational research on mathematics in economics education and addresses how curriculum misalignments impact students transitioning into economics courses, by identifying critical gaps in mathematical learning opportunities essential for success in economics education.

• Fredriksen, Helge Ingvart; Goodchild, Simon; Hogstad, Ninni Marie; Kanwal, Shaista; Landgärds, Ida Maria & Liakos, Yannis [Show all 8 contributors for this article] (2022). Early Developments in Doctoral Research in Norwegian Undergraduate Mathematics Education. In Biehler, Rolf; Liebendörfer, Michael; Gueudet, Ghislaine; Rasmussen, Chris & Winsløw, Carl (Ed.), Practice-Oriented Research in Tertiary Mathematics Education. Springer Nature. ISSN 9783031141744. p. 715–736. doi: 10.1007/978-3-031-14175-1_34. Full text in Research Archive
• Landgärds, Ida Maria (2021). The Impact of a Mathematics Bridging Intervention on the Inclusivity of a University Economics Programme. Nordic Journal of STEM Education. 5. doi: 10.5324/njsteme.v5i1.3904. Full text in Research Archive
• Landgärds, Ida Maria (2019). Providing economics students opportunities to learn basic mathematics. Nordic Journal of STEM Education. 3(1), p. 185–189. doi: 10.5324/njsteme.v3i1.2992. Full text in Research Archive
• Landgärds, Ida Maria (2018). Mathematics Teaching for Economics Students, But How? International Network for Didactic Research in University Mathematics : INDRUM. p. 187–188. Full text in Research Archive

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• Landgärds-Tarvoll, Ida Maria (2026). Framtidas videregående skole: Hva skal videregående forberede elevene på? Arendalsuken . doi: https:/www.arendalsuka.no/program/framtidas-videregaende-skole-hva-skal-videregaende-forberede-elevene-pa. Full text in Research Archive
• Landgärds-Tarvoll, Ida Maria & Egelandsaa, Lillian (2026). Matematikk i alle fag – Tenk fort og vinn. Full text in Research Archive
• Landgärds-Tarvoll, Ida Maria (2026). Hvordan kan vi sørge for bedre overganger mellom videregående skole og høyere utdanning? Full text in Research Archive
• Nygren-Landgärds, Christina M. & Landgärds-Tarvoll, Ida Maria (2026). Pedagogisk grundsyn. Full text in Research Archive
• Landgärds-Tarvoll, Ida Maria & Fidje, Anders Skarpeteig (2026). Bruk av studentproduserte videoer i økonomimatematikk. Full text in Research Archive
• Göller, Daniel & Landgärds-Tarvoll, Ida Maria (2026). AI Tutors for Mathematical Instructions in Economics Courses. Full text in Research Archive Show summary

  Artificial intelligence (AI) is increasingly integrated into higher education, yet its potential to serve as a mathematics tutor in economics remains underexplored. This study examines whether AI tools can improve students’ performance on mathematically demanding tasks in microeconomics. We conducted a randomized controlled trial comparing students who practiced mathematical tasks in an microeconomics class with AI support to those using traditional resources. Performance was assessed through a test under exam conditions without aids. Students in the AI-supported group achieved higher scores, indicating that structured AI integration can enhance short-term performance. Gains were consistent across gender and independent of prior mathematics achievement. This study offers a promising starting point for integrating AI tools as mathematics tutors in disciplines such as economics and highlights the need for longitudinal research to examine lasting effects.

• Larson, Niclas & Landgärds-Tarvoll, Ida Maria (2026). MatRIC er ikke et spøkelse. Full text in Research Archive Show summary

  I sesongens niende episode av Spøkelser etter avdøde størrelser har Niclas Larson og Ida Landgärds-Tarvoll en semistrukturert samtale om hva som har skjedd med MatRIC, dvs. the Centre of Research, Innovation and Coordination of Mathematics Teaching. MatRIC var i ti år, fram til og med 2023, et Senter for fremragende utdanning, plassert på UiA. Etter det har MatRIC fortsatt med å tilby Drop in, som en støtte til matematikkstudenter. Men finnes det en framtid for MatRIC eller er det på vei å bli et spøkelse? Det viser seg at det finnes tydelige planer for MatRIC, med Ida som ny leder. Hun forteller om planene for «Nye MatRIC». MatRIC vil fokusere på tre saker, der den første er en fortsettelse av systemet med Drop in, men med ambisjonen å nå studenter på alle fakulteter og ikke fremst på TekReal. De andre to delene blir presentert i episoden, der Ida også prater om sin tidligere forskning med konstruksjon av et forkurs i matematikk for økonomistudenter på UiA.

• Landgärds-Tarvoll, Ida Maria; Hitier, Mathilde & Feudel, Frank (2025). Differentials across disciplines: Conceptions used in economics, physics, and chemistry. The Learning and Teaching of Calculus Across Disciplines – Proceedings of the Second Calculus Conference. Full text in Research Archive
• Landgärds-Tarvoll, Ida Maria; Feudel, Frank & Mathilde, Hitier (2025). Differentials across disciplines: Conceptions used in economics, physics, and chemistry. Full text in Research Archive Show summary

  Although mainly supplanted by the limit definition, differentials are still commonly applied in economics and the STEM disciplines. In this exploratory study, we investigated how differentials are understood in different disciplines: macroeconomics, chemistry and physics. Our results point out several conceptions of differentials that are used across these disciplines, while others seem more discipline specific. Keywords: differentials, ways of understanding, teaching and learning of specific topics in calculus, mathematics practices related to calculus across disciplines.

• Göller, Daniel & Landgärds-Tarvoll, Ida Maria (2025). AI Tutors for Mathematical Instructions in Economics Courses. doi: https:/inerme.org/wp-content/uploads/2025/11/inerme_2025_extended_abstracts.pdf. Full text in Research Archive
• Landgärds-Tarvoll, Ida Maria & Fidje, Anders Skarpeteig (2025). Enhancing First-Year Economics Students’ Engagement with Mathematics Through Student-Produced Videos. doi: https:/inerme.org/wp-content/uploads/2025/11/inerme_2025_extended_abstracts.pdf. Full text in Research Archive Show summary

  In an effort to enhance the quality of teaching and student engagement, the SPVME (StudentProduced-Videos-in-Mathematics-Education) project integrates the ‘student voice’ into instruction by involving student mentors to create video resources on key mathematical concepts relevant to the first-year students in the mathematics course.

• Larson, Niclas; Rueness, Helene Sophie Vold; Bartho, Mira Megrund; Høgnes, Kristine; Botnmark, Halvor Venstad & Landgärds-Tarvoll, Ida Maria (2025). Student på UiA (del 1): Industriell matematikk & Økonomi og administrasjon. doi: https:/podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/student-p%C3%A5-uia-del-1-industriell-matematikk-%C3%B8konomi/id1586322365?i=1000698843960. Full text in Research Archive Show summary

  Sesongens femte episode av Spøkelser etter avdøde størrelser vil på en måte samtidig være den første. Det blir nemlig tre episoder på rad med fokus på rekruttering til UiA, framfor alt til programmene med mye matematikk. Og i den første episoden er det fokus på bachelorprogrammet Industriell matematikk og på programmet Økonomi og administrasjon, begge er på campus Kristiansand. Niclas Larson har truffet totalt fire studenter og det blir også en prat med Ida Landgärds-Tarvoll, som blant annet er lærer i matematikk på Økonomi og administrasjon. Ida forteller kort om det forkurs de har første semester i studiet for å forberede studentene til matematikkurset som går på vårsemesteret. Dette tiltaket har gjort at mange flere studenter klarer matematikken. Medvirkende: Helene Sophie Vold Rueness, Mira Megrund Bartho, Kristine Høgnes, Halvor Venstad Botnmark, Ida Landgärds-Tarvoll, og programlederen Niclas Larson.

• Landgärds, Ida Maria (2024). Bridging the gap: A mathematics intervention to enhance inclusivity and success in university economics - The case of the University of Agder in Norway. Full text in Research Archive
• Landgärds, Ida Maria (2024). Bridging the gap: Curriculum development addressing the transition into mathematics in economics education. Full text in Research Archive
• Göller, Daniel & Landgärds, Ida Maria (2024). Integrating Mathematics and Microeconomics teaching and learning through Praxeological Analysis of the Concept of Lagrange Multiplier Method. Full text in Research Archive
• Landgärds, Ida Maria (2023). The transition between mathematics and microeconomics: introduction to Lagrange’s method. Full text in Research Archive
• Brekke, Morten; Gjesteland, Thomas & Landgärds, Ida Maria (2022). Erfarne studenter er løsningen for tidenes viktigste førstesemester 2022. Full text in Research Archive
• Landgärds, Ida Maria (2018). Nytt matematikk-opplegg - med mål om å gi alle studenter en rettferdig sjanse til å lykkes! Full text in Research Archive
• Landgärds-Tarvoll, Ida Maria (2025). Institutional transitions related to mathematics in economics education: from school to university and from mathematics to economics. Universitetet i Agder. ISSN 9788284272443. Full text in Research Archive Show summary

  This thesis addresses the international problem of high drop-out and failure rates in the service mathematics course for economics education. The problem is addressed by investigating the institutional transitions students must make related to mathematics as they move from upper secondary school to university economics education. The aim of the thesis is to contribute to the limited research on transitions related to mathematics in economics education, and to provide educators with research based and practical insights and examples for addressing various aspects of the transition challenges. The overarching research framework of the thesis aligns with the Anthropological Theory of the Didactic, especially focusing on the alignment of the knowledge to be taught in the different courses. The transitions are explored in terms of relations that students must establish to the institutional knowledge. The basis for the thesis constitutes five empirical studies that, from an institutional research perspective, investigate the transitions. That is, the transition from school mathematics to service mathematics in a first phase and from service mathematics to mathematics used in economics courses in a second phase. In the studies both qualitative and quantitative research approaches are used. In the literature review, Article 1, three categories of transition issues specific for mathematics related to economics education are identified: issues of heterogenous mathematics background in the student group, issues of mismatch in expectations about mathematics level and demand, and issues of relevance of mathematics. The first two issues, which consider the vertical institutional transition from upper secondary school to university service mathematics, are addressed in Article 2 and Article 3. Specifically, the research explores the design and effect of a pre-course intervention implemented to mitigate these issues. Articles 4 and 5 delve into the issue of relevance, specifically focusing on the horizontal transition from service mathematics to economics courses using mathematics. In these articles, the relevance issue pertains to the distinct practices employed in service mathematics and microeconomics concerning the concept of the Lagrange multiplier method. Three different approaches of qualitative text analysis were used in Articles 1, 2, 4 and 5, while regression analysis was used in Article 3. The results underscore the importance of aligning the curriculum across educational institutions to facilitate the transitions between them. Despite the division into vertical and horizontal institutional transitions, it is important to view the transition from school to university economics mathematics as a holistic process. In this context, the service mathematics course plays a crucial role in bridging the educational institutions and facilitating students’ progression between them. The results also point to various potential areas for future research, which are essential for enhancing the teaching and learning of service mathematics in economics education.

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