Aspects of Theories, Frameworks and Paradigms in Mathematics Education Research

Overview & Synopsis

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.