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Mathematics education is the field that studies how mathematics is taught and learned, and that develops and tests ways of improving both. It is a research field in its own right, distinct from mathematics itself, from education research in general and from classroom teaching practice. This guide is written for researchers, research administrators and funders who need to place the field: what it studies, how it is organised internationally, who funds it in the United States, which methods it uses and where its evidence sits.
What is mathematics education?
The term is used in two overlapping senses. In the first, it names the practice: the teaching of mathematics in schools, colleges and workplaces, together with curriculum and assessment. In the second, which is the sense used here, it names the research field that investigates that practice. Researchers in the field ask, for example, how students come to understand a concept, what knowledge teachers need in order to teach it, how a curriculum or digital tool changes outcomes, and how assessment systems measure mathematical proficiency.
The field is sometimes called mathematics didactics in parts of continental Europe, reflecting a different intellectual tradition for the same subject. Whether it is best described as a science, a discipline or an applied design field is itself debated within the field, so a page that gives it a single fixed label would overstate the consensus.
How mathematics education differs from neighbouring fields
| Field | Primary question | Typical output |
|---|---|---|
| Mathematics | What is true, and can it be proved? | Theorems, proofs, models |
| Mathematics education research | How is mathematics learned and taught, and what improves it? | Studies of learning, teaching, curriculum, tools and assessment |
| Education research (general) | How do teaching, learning and schooling work across subjects? | Subject-general studies of policy, instruction and equity |
| Teaching practice | How do I teach this class? | Lessons, assessments, classroom decisions |
This table is an editorial summary of the usual division of labour, not a formal classification published by any single body. Mathematics itself is covered in What Is Mathematics?.
Mathematics education as a research field
Because the field sits between mathematics and the social sciences, studies draw on both. Common research questions fall into a few groups:
- Learning: how students develop concepts such as number, proportion, algebra or proof, and where they meet difficulty.
- Teaching: what teachers know and do, and how professional development changes practice.
- Curriculum and materials: how the intended, enacted and achieved curriculum differ.
- Assessment: what large-scale and classroom assessments can and cannot show. For a major US example, see the CASRAI guide to NAEP, the Nation’s Report Card.
- Technology: how digital tools and online learning platforms affect learning, including platforms built to support randomized experiments, as described in the guide to ASSISTments and E-TRIALS.
Who organises the field internationally: ICMI and ICME
The International Commission on Mathematical Instruction (ICMI) describes itself as the worldwide organization for research and development in mathematics education. According to the ICMI page on the International Mathematical Union site (read 2026-11-08):
- ICMI was founded in 1908 and has been a commission of the International Mathematical Union since 1952.
- It lists 88 member countries.
- Its stated aims include promoting international programs of activities and publications, and fostering efforts “to improve the quality of mathematics teaching and learning worldwide”.
- It sponsors the International Congress on Mathematical Education (ICME), held every four years. ICME-16 is scheduled for Prague, 9-16 July 2028.
- It commissions ICMI Studies, each addressing a subject of major current interest in mathematics education.
For researchers, ICME and the ICMI Studies are the main international venues for seeing the field’s agenda and state of knowledge in one place.
Who funds mathematics education research in the United States?
One prominent public funder is the National Science Foundation. Its Discovery Research preK-12 program (DRK-12), as described on the NSF funding page (read 2026-11-08), aims to catalyze research and development that enhances all preK-12 teachers’ and students’ opportunities to learn science, technology, engineering and mathematics, building knowledge about student and teacher STEM content knowledge and encouraging researcher-practitioner partnerships. Mathematics education projects are one part of that portfolio. Check the current solicitation for deadlines, eligibility and award sizes before planning a proposal, since programs are revised.
Evidence-focused organisations also shape the field’s methods and standards. See the CASRAI guides to the Society for Research on Educational Effectiveness and the Education Endowment Foundation.
Research methods used in mathematics education
No single method defines the field. The choice follows the question:
- Randomized and quasi-experimental studies estimate whether an intervention, curriculum or tool changes outcomes. They depend on sound sampling and on measures whose validity has been checked.
- Qualitative studies such as interviews, classroom observation and analysis of student work examine how students and teachers think and act. See the dictionary entry on qualitative research.
- Mixed-methods designs combine the two, for example by using an experiment to estimate an effect and interviews to explain it. See mixed-methods research.
- Design-based and classroom-based research develop and refine instructional materials in iterative cycles with teachers.
For choosing between designs in general, see the guide to categories of research design.
How to find and cite mathematics education research
- Start with the proceedings and ICMI Study volumes tied to ICME, then search education indexes and general scholarly databases using both “mathematics education” and “mathematics teaching and learning”, since authors use either.
- Where the work is European, also try “didactics of mathematics”.
- Record the study design, sample, grade band and outcome measure, because findings rarely transfer across age groups or contexts without qualification.
- Cite the specific report, article or Study volume rather than a secondary summary, and give the access date for web pages such as funder program descriptions.
Frequently asked questions
What is mathematics education in one sentence?
It is the research field concerned with how mathematics is taught and learned, and with improving both.
Is mathematics education part of mathematics or of education?
It draws on both. Institutionally it may sit in a mathematics department, an education school or both, and ICMI itself is a commission of the International Mathematical Union.
What is ICME?
The International Congress on Mathematical Education, held every four years under ICMI. The next, ICME-16, is scheduled for Prague in July 2028.
Which US agency funds research on teaching and learning STEM subjects?
The National Science Foundation funds such work through programs including Discovery Research preK-12 (DRK-12). Other agencies fund education research too; check each current solicitation.
Sources
- International Commission on Mathematical Instruction (ICMI), International Mathematical Union: https://www.mathunion.org/icmi, read 2026-11-08.
- National Science Foundation, Discovery Research preK-12 (DRK-12): https://www.nsf.gov/funding/opportunities/drk-12-discovery-research-prek-12, read 2026-11-08.
