Aspects of the nature and state of research in mathematics education (Q1126879)

What are the issues, the research questions, the methodologies and the results of mathematics education as a scientific and scholarly discipline? All these questions are faced and answered in this important paper of Mogens Niss whose authority and international prestige in the field of mathematics education indorse his ideas. The author defines mathematics education as ``the scientific and scholarly field of research and development which aims at identifying, characterizing, and understanding phenomena and processes actually or potentially involved in the teaching and learning of mathematics at any educational level''. From this point the author starts a lucid analysis of the field presenting key topics, different approaches, activities, ends, findings, etc. Then some major findings are described in a precise way: the astonishing complexity of mathematical learning, the role of domain specificity, obstacles produced by the process-object duality, students' alieanation from proof and proving, and the marvels and pitfalls of information technology in mathematics education. The style of exposition is clear and good concrete examples are given. This paper may become a classical reference for mathematical educators and it may play a crucial role in presenting to all mathematics people Mathematics Education.