From mathematics and education, to mathematics education

This chapter takes a historical view of the development of mathematics education, from its initial status as a business mostly managed by mathematicians to the birth of mathematics education as a scientific field of research. The role of mathematical communication is analyzed through the growth of journals and research conferences. Actions of internationalization and cooperation in facing instructional and educational problems are illustrated with reference to the journal L’Enseignement Mathématique and to ICMI. Curricular and methodological reforms in the 20th century which generated changes in school mathematics are considered. Starting from the acknowledgement that research in mathematics education demands more than the traditional focus on discussing curricular options at distinct grade levels, we identified several specialized clusters, debating specific issues related to mathematics education at an international level. We grouped the clusters into three main areas: relationships with psychology, the study of social, cultural and political dimensions, and the relevance of a theory for mathematics education.