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On the Purpose of Mathematics Education Research: Making Productive Contributions to Policy and Practice

Wiliam, Dylan; Lester, Jr, Frank K; (2008) On the Purpose of Mathematics Education Research: Making Productive Contributions to Policy and Practice. In: English, Lyn D, (ed.) Handbook of International Research in Mathematics Education. (pp. 32-48). Routledge: New York, NY, US. Green open access

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Abstract

Why and for whom is research in mathematics education conducted? Is our research, as some cynically insist, simply an activity pursued by “ivory tower” academics intent on publishing articles that are read only by other academics? Or, as others believe, is its purpose to promote the development of robust theories about the teaching and learning of mathematics? Some hold yet another view, namely that research should focus on the pursuit of knowledge that causes real, lasting changes not only in the way people think about learning and teaching, but also in how they act. In this chapter we discuss these and related questions and propose a way to think about mathematics education research that can serve to move us toward making productive contributions to both policy and practice. The fi rst part of the chapter deals with how (and for whom) research in mathematics education has been carried out while the second discusses what counts as evidence in mathematics education research.

Type: Book chapter
Title: On the Purpose of Mathematics Education Research: Making Productive Contributions to Policy and Practice
ISBN-13: 9780203930236
Open access status: An open access version is available from UCL Discovery
Publisher version: https://doi.org/10.4324/9780203930236
Additional information: This version is the author-accepted manuscript. For information on re-use, please refer to the publisher’s terms and conditions.
UCL classification: UCL
UCL > Provost and Vice Provost Offices
UCL > Provost and Vice Provost Offices > School of Education
UCL > Provost and Vice Provost Offices > School of Education > UCL Institute of Education
UCL > Provost and Vice Provost Offices > School of Education > UCL Institute of Education > IOE - Social Research Institute
URI: https://discovery.ucl.ac.uk/id/eprint/1507209
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