Perspectives on Scholarship and Research Methods

Abstract

The interest of scholars in Mathematical Education about problems associated with the teaching and learning of mathematics has been strongly expressed and discussed, during the past quarter century, in carrying out their investigations. Romberg, in this article, intends to identify in the social sciences the broad research trends that are related to the study of teaching and learning in school settings and to determine how those trends have influenced thestudy of mathematics in schools. As an aid for understanding the basis of these trends, the author begins by describing some features of mathematical education as a field of study. He then sketches the activities of researchers and outlines the variety of research methods now in use. Finally, he presents five general research trends and their relationship to studies in mathematical education, which are identified and briefly described. Key words: Mathematical Education; Research Methods, Activities of Researchers; Research Trends in Mathematical Education.