Heinz Steinbring

Heinz Steinbring is a Professor at the University of Duisburg-Essen, where he leads the Steinbring working group within the Research Group EInmaL. His academic career centers on mathematics education with a distinct epistemological perspective, focusing on primary school learning environments and teacher development.

Research Focus: Steinbring investigates how visual materials, manipulatives, and mathematical signs function as epistemological tools in knowledge construction. His work emphasizes the interplay between social interaction and cognitive constraints in mathematical learning, particularly examining how students interpret visual representations and how teachers facilitate meaning-making through discourse. Key themes include the role of semiotic systems in transitioning from concrete to abstract thinking and the epistemological foundations of classroom communication.

Publication Trends: Analysis of his 15 most recent publications (2011-2020) reveals consistent exploration of visual-semiotic dimensions in mathematics education. His research demonstrates evolving sophistication in analyzing classroom interactions, with increasing emphasis on stochastic concepts, frame-based interpretation models, and epistemological barriers in primary mathematics. The corpus shows strong continuity in theoretical frameworks while expanding empirical applications across diverse mathematical topics.

Academic Leadership: As working group leader, Steinbring supervises doctoral fellow Katharina Mros and maintains active research collaboration within the EInmaL group. His email contact (heinz.steinbring@uni-due.de) and office location (WSC-O-2.43) indicate ongoing institutional engagement at the University of Duisburg-Essen.