| dc.description.abstract | How do people read RUME papers? This may be a difficult question to answer, because “mathematics education research involves the application of the methods of an established discipline that research can come complete with that discipline’s jargon and be as opaque as technical discussions often are to ‘non-specialists’” (McKnight, 2000. P. viii). In investigating this large question, I wanted to ask a more specific question: Do non-RUME students and RUME students have conceptual differences when reading mathematical education research papers? I define conceptual differences using Tall and Vinner (1981) concept image/concept definition framing. I believe this is important to the RUME community as it is necessary for those individuals to be able to read and understand the ideas that are being portrayed. Mathematics education research, carefully conducted, is something far more fundamental and widely useful than might be implies by its use by the advocates of innovation in undergraduate mathematics education (McKnight, 2000, p. vii). Another value to the RUME community is that it illustrates that not everyone reads and construes research papers identically. What one person may interpret may not be what another person takes away. This should be noted as researchers should be able to present the material in a way that many readers can understand it. Finally, I believe this research is very important to the RUME community because if RUME researchers are the only people that we are reaching, then we are just keeping the community small and not allowing room for growth. | en_US |
