Subject Matter Didactics in Mathematics Education
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Subject Matter Didactics in Mathematics Education Stephan Hußmann · Sebastian Rezat · Rudolf Sträßer
© GDM 2016
1 Introduction What is the role of mathematics within mathematics education research? This question is at the heart of mathematics education as a science. Every individual researcher within the mathematics education community and even the community as a whole has to take a stance regarding this question. Forty years ago Kirsch presented his particular German view regarding the role of mathematics within mathematics education research at the ICME 3 in Karlsruhe in his paradigmatic plenary lecture “Aspects of simplification in mathematics teaching” (Kirsch 1977; Kirsch and Scherk 2000). On the occasion of IMCE 13 we pick up the threads since the theme has not lost any of its relevance – especially, since recent publications in the field might evoke the impression that mathematics disappears in mathematics education research (Jahnke 2010). The aim of this special issue is to contribute to the discussion about the role of mathematics within mathematics education research. Stoffdidaktik has been a dominant approach to mathematics education research within the German speaking countries, which puts the analysis of the mathematical subject matter at its heart. It has been the prominent approach to research until the 1980s. Nowadays it still influences research in mathematics education in German speaking countries. Due to its focus on the subject matter it puts an emphasis on S. Hußmann () Fakultät für Mathematik, Technische Univeristät Dortmund, Dortmund, Germany E-Mail: [email protected] S. Rezat Universität Paderborn, Paderborn, Germany E-Mail: [email protected] R. Sträßer Universität Gießen, Gießen, Germany E-Mail: [email protected]
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a core of the discipline. Thus, a discussion of Stoffdidaktik is not just a retrospect of a historical strand of research in mathematics education in German speaking countries, which might be interesting from a cultural and historical point of view. Our hope is that the discussion of Stoffdidaktik and its recent developments contributes to the discussion about the identity of the discipline (Sierpinska and Kilpatrick 1998). In fact, mathematics is the unifying element in mathematics education research beyond the diversity of theories in the field. Thus, a minor role of mathematics within mathematics education research will result in a loss of identity. Therefore, it is important to reflect upon the role of mathematics within mathematics education research. Stoffdidaktik has taken a particular stance regarding this issue. The idea of a discussion of Stoffdidaktik is not to adopt this point of view, but to learn from it in terms of its affordances and its constraints in order to develop a contemporary and reflected answer to the question of the role of mathematics within mathematics education research.
2 Attempt of a Definition Generally, Stoffdidaktik is an approach to mathematics education and research on teachin
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