Constructivism,the psychology of learning,and the nature of mathematics: Some critical issues

Constructivism is one of the central philosophies of research in the psychology of mathematics education. However, there is a danger in the ambiguous and at times uncritical references to it. This paper critically reviews the constructivism of Piaget and Glasersfeld, and attempts to distinguish some of the the psychological, educational and epistemological consequences of their theories, including their implications for the philosophy of mathematics. Finally, the notion of cognizing subject and its relation to the social context is examined critically.