Delineating the Epistemological Trajectory of Learning Theories: Implications for Mathematics Teaching and Learning

The purpose of this paper is to delineate the trajectory of fundamental learning theories and the way these theories have impacted the teaching and learning of mathematics over more than half a century. We argue that a critical examination of the depiction of learning theories and their inherent implications for the teaching of mathematics afford an understanding of the hierarchical evolution of the field of mathematics education. Needless to say, examining various learning theories in the mathematics education context unpacks epistemological and ontological core issues underlying the teaching and learning of vital topics that are assumed to account for the changes in global economics and business in a STEM world.