ERIC Number: ED502311
Record Type: Non-Journal
Publication Date: 2008-Aug-18
Pages: 30
Abstractor: As Provided
ISBN: N/A
ISSN: N/A
EISSN: N/A
Dissertation Abstracts: Scientific Evidence Related to Teaching and Learning Mathematics
Cicmanec, Karen B.
Online Submission
This categorical analysis explores the mathematics education doctoral dissertations archived in UMI "Digital Dissertations" (1991-2005) and 115 abstracts of doctoral dissertations from 46 institutions offering doctoral degrees in 2004. The goal of this study is to a) index changes in the numbers of mathematics education doctoral candidates and b) describe major dissertation elements. The underlying purpose of the study is to help researchers identify under-researched topics in mathematics education. Trend data suggest little change in the numbers of mathematics education dissertations produced in the past 15 years. Categorical analysis of the 2004 abstracts of dissertations produced with a mathematics education focus suggest that the majority (65%) of the dissertations use qualitative methods, there is an nearly equal representation of research on college, secondary, and middle school levels, the ratio of male to female dissertation authors is approximately 1 to 2. Recommendations from the research suggest that carefully written abstracts may offer the best options for strengthening research strands needed to inform the teaching and learning of mathematics. Other recommendations suggest that the development and application of a more extensive taxonomy or coding scheme to document dissertation research that focuses on mathematics education may help to identify under-represented topics in mathematics education. (Contains 1 figure and 3 tables.)
Publication Type: Reports - Research
Education Level: Higher Education
Audience: N/A
Language: English
Sponsor: N/A
Authoring Institution: N/A
Grant or Contract Numbers: N/A