Convenor

Dr Howard Tanner
howard.tanner@smu.ac.uk

The SIG (organised by the British Society for Research into Learning Mathematics) is a forum for bringing together educational researchers interested in a wide range of questions and concerns involving the teaching and learning of mathematical ideas, both inside and outside of formal educational settings. The intention is to be inclusive and accessible for all researchers, both new and experienced, encouraging them to work together to develop their ideas and methodologies. The SIG wants to embrace an eclectic range of methodological and conceptual approaches to mathematics education research. It provides academics and practitioners working within the field with a mechanism for sharing research ideas and disseminating findings. The SIG importantly also provides the mathematics education community an opportunity for debate and networking at a national level. In recent years many serious concerns have been raised in the UK about the state of mathematics education; official reports have made recommendations for its support and improvement and national strategies have been implemented. Politically it continues to be a time of crucial importance for shaping, planning and developing the structures which will support the enhancement of the mathematics education community through, for example, the proposed local and national networks. It is absolutely vital that this debate is informed by a robust evidence base of high quality research about the teaching and learning of mathematics. The British Society for Research into Learning Mathematics (BSRLM) has been a BERA Associated Society for a number of years, and it is clear that a stronger alliance between BSRLM and BERA benefits both societies, supports the strengthening of that evidence base and thus informs the debate.

For more information about BSRLM, please see the society’s website at: http://www.bsrlm.org.uk