Review of "Proof in Mathematics Education: Research, Learning and Teaching"

In the last few years edited books discussing issues that surround the teaching and learning of mathematical proof have been published at an alarming rate (e.g. Boero 2007; Stylianou et al. 2009; Hanna and De Villiers in press). This is not surprising in view of the growing research literature on proof and proving in educational settings. While most mathematicians and mathematics educators consider proof to be a defining characteristic of mathematics, proof is known to be difficult for students to master, and epistemologically controversial amongst both philosophers and research mathematicians. As a consequence there are complex and unsettled issues surrounding how proof can and should be taught at all levels of education. Current research efforts include investigating students ' beliefs about the nature of proof, different approaches to reading and validating proofs, and instructional designs that can facilitate a deeper appreciation of proof in the classroom. Reid and Knipping (R&K) have made an interesting and unusual contribution to this growing literature. Rather than compile another edited volume bringing together new empirical or theoretical analyses, or write a short chapter reviewing the literature o