DIAZ COLLEGE

MIDTERM EXAMINATION

RESEARCH IN MATHEMATICS

Ericka K. Aguilar

Kindly answer the following:

1. What are the purposes of research in mathematics education?

Research in mathematics education has primarily two purposes: first to better understand the
nature of mathematical thinking, teaching, and learning; and second to use such knowledge in
practice for learning and teaching mathematics. Mathematics education is widely considered to
have a social and political component (e.g. the importance of mathematics in society; the
relevance of mathematics to other subjects; inclusion and exclusion in terms of gender, race and
social class).

2. What do theories and models look like in education as opposed to those in mathematics and
physical sciences?

3. What kinds of evidence are appropriate to back up educational claims?

4. What standards might one have for judging claims, models, and theories?
5. Kindly give your own insight about this quotation:
“there are no proofs in mathematics education.”
- Henry Pollak