Research in Mathematics Education: Some Issues and Some Emerging Influences

Abstract

Research carried out by members of the British Society for Research in Mathematics Education (BSRLM) is not only grounded in knowledge of developments in the field and of mathematics classrooms and other sites where mathematics teaching and learning occurs, but is also influenced by developments in education generally (in both practice and policy) and in closely related fields such as psychology and sociology, as well as mathematics itself. Recent research, such as that contained in this volume of BSRLM research papers, has been undertaken against a backdrop of severe criticism of the quality of education research in general, although little of this criticism appears to have been especially directed at mathematics education research. Nevertheless, emerging UK and international developments, some a direct consequence of the general criticisms of educational research, are likely to have a considerable impact on educational research in general, and on research in mathematics education in particular, in the coming years.The purpose of this chapter is to introduce the papers in this collection of extended research reports from BSRLM [1]. We do that by first reviewing the general criticisms of educational research, looking briefly at the (possible) relationships between research, policy and practice. We then locate this collection of research papers in relation to some of these issues. As research in education is coming under increasing scrutiny it is appropriate to consider the likely impact of emerging research policy developments. These are considered in the second part of this chapter USES AND ABUSES OF EDUCATIONAL RESEARCHUsers of educational research are, it is claimed, most interested in 'what works'. Griffin (2001), for instance, has observed that the types of 'products' of research in the social sciences that best meet the needs of policy makers are:• those that provide answers;• those that provide clear questions in the absence of clear answers;• those that demonstrate a clear accumulation of findings over time;• those that can be distilled to a single set of bullets. Teachers, according to Desforges (2000), want the following from education research:• standard and stable models of learning;• coherent, organised, well-established findings;• vibrant working examples of success; Research in Mathematics Education volume 3• research results converted as far as possible into the technologies of educationinto curriculum or other pedagogic materials. Desforges argues that teachers "cannot work with models that change with the wind" and that they "do not have time for literature searches or for refined academic debates". He also suggests that, for teachers, "That something works is one thing. Examples of how it can be got to work are crucial." (p.3, emphasis in the original) Such observations indicate ways in which educational research is said be useful, providing, for example, evidence that can inform both policy and practice. Yet, as Edwards notes: