Interbreeding Paradigms in Research on Mathematics Knowing and Learning

Interbreeding Paradigms in Research on Mathematics Knowing and Learning
Thorsten Scheiner & Marcia Maria Fusaro PintoOften, structuralism and constructivism are framed as competing paradigms in mathematics education from which one seems to have to choose. Here, we present emerging theoretical insights that recognize, rather than deny, individuals in the creation of the meaning of a mathematical concept, acknowledging the complex interaction between individual and subject matter: An individual’s knowledge system is shaped by the meaning of a mathematical concept, but the knowledge system also shapes the meaning of a mathematical concept. These recent advances in research on mathematics knowing and learning allow interbreeding of seemingly contradicting paradigms.