LAUSR

As you begin to read this issue of the Canadian Journal of Science, Mathematics and Technology Education, we hope it can provide a diversion from your current day-to-day life. In recent months, we have all become familiar with concepts like ‘physical distancing’, ‘self-isolation’, and ‘flattening the curve’—all part of our individual and collective efforts to slow and limit the spread of COVID-19. Collectively, we have done our utmost to protect the health and safety of our community and the wider population. Our hope is that you remain safe and are able to continue to learn about educational issues in this challenging time. In this issue, we start with a Special Theme on Re-Imagining the M in STEM: Mathematical Actions for Innovative, Resilient and Culturally Rich Communities. The editors for this special theme, Cynthia Nicol, Kathleen Nolan, Florence Glanfield, and Krista Francis, provide an introduction by asking: ‘How can the mathematics of STEM and STEM education be reimagined to contribute to more sustainable practices, more innovative, resilient and culturally rich communities?’ This Special Theme explores howmathematics education, mathematics teacher education, and STEM education might contribute to our understanding of ecological challenges across national and international contexts. In the Introduction to the Special Theme, the authors position the papers in the Canada 2067 report (Parkin, 2018), with an emphasis on the need to create opportunities in STEM education to acquire knowledge in cross-cultural understanding, problem solving, and critical thinking. These are key skills for students as they engage in addressing climate change, and other sustainable issues. The articles in this Special Theme provide insights into decolonizing mathematics education (Nicol et al., 2020); authentic mathematical experiences (Leung et al., 2020); mathematics tasks for peace and sustainability (Yaro et al., 2020); multispecies flourishing (Khan, 2020); living landscapes, topographies, architecture, and algorhythms (Glanfield et al., 2020); and teaching and learning emerging from and computing to community (Wiseman et al., 2020). There are two commentary papers: one from Yasmine Abtahi of the Western Norway University of Applied Sciences and the other by Michael Marker and Shirley Anne Hardman of the University of British Columbia. Abtahi (2020) examines the ways in which mathematics has been instrumental in establishing certain knowledge and ways of being. She further describes how mathematics has been part of the Can. J. Sci. Math. Techn. Educ. https://doi.org/10.1007/s42330-020-00096-5