Abstract
This article discusses major theoretical debates and paradigms from the last decades in general education and their specific influences in mathematics education contexts. Behaviourism, cognitive science, constructivism, situated cognition, critical theory, place-based learning, postmodernism and poststructuralism and their significant aspects in mathematics education are discussed. In a discussion that limits its size to that of one article, my main goals are to outline the main tendencies and debates that operate on various educational contexts and theoretical assumptions - the way they interfere and challenge each other and their connections to mathematics education research.
Highlights
Theories can be viewed as virtual reality systems that helps practitioners connect to day-to-day realities
What is the nature of mathematics and mathematics education and how can we set adequate framework and productive paradigms for research? What is the nature of teaching and learning mathematics and how can we interpret outcomes through our existing paradigms? What are the aims of mathematics education research and how can paradigms help? How should researchers and teachers approach various mathematical educational contexts and paradigms in which mathematics practices take place?
There are many theoretical frameworks coming from different traditions: mathematics itself, psychology, neurology philosophy, history, environmental science, sociology, cultural studies, or logic that have influenced mathematics education research
Summary
Theories can be viewed as virtual reality systems that helps practitioners connect to day-to-day realities. I discuss theoretical frameworks and paradigms that play important roles in mathematics education (Ernst, 1992), where some characteristics remain unclear or not enough understood and many debates are still left. Within a broad area of frameworks, theoretical paradigms, and ideological and practical issues, there are many specific questions that arise on placing these perspectives into various mathematics education contexts, and the following discussions are meant only to make brief points and should not be viewed as an exhaustive list. In discussing the most significant influences and orientation in mathematics education research, it is vital to review theoretical presumptions, frameworks, and paradigms and explore their importance. There are many theoretical frameworks coming from different traditions: mathematics itself, psychology, neurology philosophy, history, environmental science, sociology, cultural studies, or logic that have influenced mathematics education research. While an exhaustive discussion of these paradigms is not within the scope of this paper, the main goal is to provide some glimpses and chief points of theoretical alignment for researchers and educators in mathematics education
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