[Maths-Education] What is the influence of educational research on mathematics education?

[Paul Ernest]

Dear Colleagues

What is the influence of educational research on 
mathematics education? This question is an important one 
and well worthy of discussion here. I think my views, and 
you - list members - is likely to differ from that of the 
politicians. And yet we would probably agree that some sort 
of impact on some aspect of mathematics education practice 
and its practitioners (which includes us all) is desirable!

However my goal is rather more mundane. I am contributing a 
chapter to the Second International Handbook of Mathematics 
Education, which will be published by Kluwer Academic 
Publishers in 2002. My chapter is on the influence 
of educational research on mathematics education, which I 
interpret to mean the impact of research on mathematics 
teaching, learning, and educational practice in general. 
As well as exploring the theoretical issues involved I 
will include a survey of exemplary projects in which the 
impact of research on mathematics 
education practice is evident. I would very grateful for 
suggestions and nominations of projects together with 
sources of documentation (eg references) where I can find 
out the nature, aims, effects and evaluations of such 
projects. I am interested in such projects in the UK and 
worldwide - indeed my knowledge of the latter is more 
limited.

Any thoughts or suggestions would be very welcome, but may 
I suggest you send them just to me - unless you think what 
you write is of general interest to members of this list?

I need such replies asap, and certainly within the next 2 
months.

With thanks

Paul

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