Students as partners in complex number task design

We report on a collaborative project at university level involving students as partners in task design for a bridging mathematics module (known in the UK as a Foundation module) which is part of gaining access to first year degree studies. Three teacher-researchers met regularly with four student partners who developed a set of tasks on matrices and on complex numbers which were trialled with students on this Foundation module. We show the mediational processes by which the tasks developed from ‘static’ designs to more ‘dynamic’ designs using the software Autograph. Our analyses highlighted various tools in the mediation of the learning of mathematics, in the mediation of task development and in the mediation of the engagement of all team members in collaboration.