Development of local theories in design-based research in mathematics education.

Saved in:
Bibliographic Details
Title: Development of local theories in design-based research in mathematics education.
Authors: Komatsu, Kotaro1 (AUTHOR) komatsu.kotaro.ft@u.tsukuba.ac.jp, Shinno, Yusuke2 (AUTHOR), Stylianides, Andreas J.3 (AUTHOR), Stylianides, Gabriel J.4 (AUTHOR)
Source: Educational Studies in Mathematics. Nov2025, Vol. 120 Issue 3, p407-428. 22p.
Subject Terms: *Mathematics education, *Research methodology, Design research, Hypothesis, Design, Empirical research, Scientific method
Abstract: Design-based research (DBR) develops interventions and associated local theories about ways of supporting students' learning of particular mathematical topics through iterative cycles of empirical investigation and retrospective analysis. Although DBR has been conducted in mathematics education for various topics and at different educational levels, the theorising processes that take place in DBR studies have received little attention. In the current conceptual paper, we address this issue by exploring how elements of a local theory in a DBR study are generated, revised, and organised over multiple research cycles. We first draw on relevant literature to develop a framework for representing the structure of a local theory in DBR, and we then apply this framework to examine and illustrate the incremental theorising process in one of our completed DBR studies. Our discussion shows how prior scholarship plays a range of roles in the development of a local theory in DBR and how these roles intersect with empirical investigation over the DBR cycles. We conclude by discussing how our framework can serve not only as a methodological tool for analysing theory development in DBR but also as a useful tool for supporting such development. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]
Copyright of Educational Studies in Mathematics is the property of Springer Nature and its content may not be copied or emailed to multiple sites without the copyright holder's express written permission. Additionally, content may not be used with any artificial intelligence tools or machine learning technologies. However, users may print, download, or email articles for individual use. This abstract may be abridged. No warranty is given about the accuracy of the copy. Users should refer to the original published version of the material for the full abstract. (Copyright applies to all Abstracts.)
Database: Education Research Complete
Full text is not displayed to guests.
FullText Links:
  – Type: pdflink
Text:
  Availability: 1
Header DbId: ehh
DbLabel: Education Research Complete
An: 188798263
AccessLevel: 6
PubType: Academic Journal
PubTypeId: academicJournal
PreciseRelevancyScore: 0
IllustrationInfo
Items – Name: Title
  Label: Title
  Group: Ti
  Data: Development of local theories in design-based research in mathematics education.
– Name: Author
  Label: Authors
  Group: Au
  Data: <searchLink fieldCode="AR" term="%22Komatsu%2C+Kotaro%22">Komatsu, Kotaro</searchLink><relatesTo>1</relatesTo> (AUTHOR)<i> komatsu.kotaro.ft@u.tsukuba.ac.jp</i><br /><searchLink fieldCode="AR" term="%22Shinno%2C+Yusuke%22">Shinno, Yusuke</searchLink><relatesTo>2</relatesTo> (AUTHOR)<br /><searchLink fieldCode="AR" term="%22Stylianides%2C+Andreas+J%2E%22">Stylianides, Andreas J.</searchLink><relatesTo>3</relatesTo> (AUTHOR)<br /><searchLink fieldCode="AR" term="%22Stylianides%2C+Gabriel+J%2E%22">Stylianides, Gabriel J.</searchLink><relatesTo>4</relatesTo> (AUTHOR)
– Name: TitleSource
  Label: Source
  Group: Src
  Data: <searchLink fieldCode="JN" term="%22Educational+Studies+in+Mathematics%22">Educational Studies in Mathematics</searchLink>. Nov2025, Vol. 120 Issue 3, p407-428. 22p.
– Name: Subject
  Label: Subject Terms
  Group: Su
  Data: *<searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Mathematics+education%22">Mathematics education</searchLink><br />*<searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Research+methodology%22">Research methodology</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Design+research%22">Design research</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Hypothesis%22">Hypothesis</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Design%22">Design</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Empirical+research%22">Empirical research</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Scientific+method%22">Scientific method</searchLink>
– Name: Abstract
  Label: Abstract
  Group: Ab
  Data: Design-based research (DBR) develops interventions and associated local theories about ways of supporting students' learning of particular mathematical topics through iterative cycles of empirical investigation and retrospective analysis. Although DBR has been conducted in mathematics education for various topics and at different educational levels, the theorising processes that take place in DBR studies have received little attention. In the current conceptual paper, we address this issue by exploring how elements of a local theory in a DBR study are generated, revised, and organised over multiple research cycles. We first draw on relevant literature to develop a framework for representing the structure of a local theory in DBR, and we then apply this framework to examine and illustrate the incremental theorising process in one of our completed DBR studies. Our discussion shows how prior scholarship plays a range of roles in the development of a local theory in DBR and how these roles intersect with empirical investigation over the DBR cycles. We conclude by discussing how our framework can serve not only as a methodological tool for analysing theory development in DBR but also as a useful tool for supporting such development. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]
– Name: AbstractSuppliedCopyright
  Label:
  Group: Ab
  Data: <i>Copyright of Educational Studies in Mathematics is the property of Springer Nature and its content may not be copied or emailed to multiple sites without the copyright holder's express written permission. Additionally, content may not be used with any artificial intelligence tools or machine learning technologies. However, users may print, download, or email articles for individual use. This abstract may be abridged. No warranty is given about the accuracy of the copy. Users should refer to the original published version of the material for the full abstract.</i> (Copyright applies to all Abstracts.)
PLink https://search.ebscohost.com/login.aspx?direct=true&site=eds-live&db=ehh&AN=188798263
RecordInfo BibRecord:
  BibEntity:
    Identifiers:
      – Type: doi
        Value: 10.1007/s10649-025-10398-w
    Languages:
      – Code: eng
        Text: English
    PhysicalDescription:
      Pagination:
        PageCount: 22
        StartPage: 407
    Subjects:
      – SubjectFull: Mathematics education
        Type: general
      – SubjectFull: Research methodology
        Type: general
      – SubjectFull: Design research
        Type: general
      – SubjectFull: Hypothesis
        Type: general
      – SubjectFull: Design
        Type: general
      – SubjectFull: Empirical research
        Type: general
      – SubjectFull: Scientific method
        Type: general
    Titles:
      – TitleFull: Development of local theories in design-based research in mathematics education.
        Type: main
  BibRelationships:
    HasContributorRelationships:
      – PersonEntity:
          Name:
            NameFull: Komatsu, Kotaro
      – PersonEntity:
          Name:
            NameFull: Shinno, Yusuke
      – PersonEntity:
          Name:
            NameFull: Stylianides, Andreas J.
      – PersonEntity:
          Name:
            NameFull: Stylianides, Gabriel J.
    IsPartOfRelationships:
      – BibEntity:
          Dates:
            – D: 01
              M: 11
              Text: Nov2025
              Type: published
              Y: 2025
          Identifiers:
            – Type: issn-print
              Value: 00131954
          Numbering:
            – Type: volume
              Value: 120
            – Type: issue
              Value: 3
          Titles:
            – TitleFull: Educational Studies in Mathematics
              Type: main
ResultId 1