Preface to Part I

Abstract

In the chapter, Sriraman and English offer a wide-ranging survey of theories and philosophies of mathematics education. They begin by pointing out that each of those theories needs to clarify its ontology, methodologies, and epistemology and that these might form the foundations of a philosophy for the field. The work and influence of Lakatos get special consideration in that regard. The authors’ attention then shifts from philosophy to questions of theory and theory development, noting the proliferation of complexity in our field—in both phenomena and issues. They maintain that theory is more prominent today in mathematics education than in the past and ask what that theory might be, how it has changed, what the effects of those changes have been, what Europeans think about theory development, and what the future might hold. Theory, they claim, needs to be better harmonized with research and practice if the field is to move forward.