Abstract

The reference Mathematical Working Space (reference MWS) clarifies the environment in which mathematical work should be undertaken in an educational context. This chapter looks at how the reference MWS can be described and accessed through different approaches: institutional–organizational, historical–epistemological and cognitive. We situate the role it plays in the theory and explore how it is perceived and implemented by its developers and users. We also show how it can be used to characterize mathematical work. Finally, we address the specific issue of paradigms in the theory of Mathematical Working Spaces and the correlation with the reference MWS.