Research Commentary: The Promise of Qualitative Metasynthesis for Mathematics Education

Abstract

Mathematics education has benefited from qualitative methodological approaches over the past 40 years across diverse topics. Although the number, type, and quality of qualitative research studies in mathematics education has changed, little is known about how a collective body of qualitative research findings contributes to our understanding of a particular topic within the field. Through a process of qualitative research metasynthesis, our knowledge base can be broadened to provide insights into attitudes, perceptions, interactions, structures, and behaviors relevant for mathematics teaching and learning. The purpose of this commentary is to provide a rationale, definition, and procedure to conduct qualitative metasynthesis as a means of synthesizing and interpreting qualitative studies in the field of mathematics education.