On the theoretical, conceptual, and philosophical foundations for research in mathematics education

The current infatuation in the U.S. with “what works” studies seems to leave education researchers with less latitude to conduct studies to advance theoretical and model-building goals and they are expected to adopt philosophical perspectives that often run counter to their own. Three basic questions are addressed in this article:What is the role of theory in education research? How does one's philosophical stance influence the sort of research one does? And,What should be the goals of mathematics education research? Special attention is paid to the importance of having a conceptual framework to guide one's research and to the value of acknowledging one's philosophical stance in considering what counts as evidence.