Affiliation(s):

• Teacher Education Division, College of Education, Wayne State University

My scholarship has been centered around two interrelated areas: (1) the use of technology in mathematics teaching and learning and (2) mathematics teachers’ education and professional development. I have been focusing on different aspects of how to enhance the mathematics teaching and learning of secondary students and the training of mathematics teachers.

The utilization of technology in mathematics education is an intriguing research subject for me as a technology enthusiast. The knowledge in this area demonstrates a growing body of research indicating that digital technologies, including but not limited to computer software, mobile devices, graphing calculators, and advanced calculators with computer algebra systems can enhance students’ conceptual and procedural knowledge of mathematics. With every new technology, mathematical representations gain new capabilities; hence affecting the engagement of the learners. The multiple linked dynamic representations that new technologies offer was the focus of my dissertation work as a doctoral student when I studied the effects of multiple linked and semi-linked representations on students’ learning of linear relationships.

I also have been studying mathematics teachers’ knowledge and beliefs which later led to the study of their Technological, Pedagogical, and Content Knowledge (TPACK). One of my early projects in this line of research focused on pre-service teachers’ views of the use of advanced calculators in mathematics instruction. The TPACK framework was used as a conceptual lens for data analysis in some of the manuscripts that were produced as a result of this line of research. In later years, I have been focusing on the utilization of Lesson Study to improve both pre-service and in-service teachers’ content and pedagogical knowledge for teaching mathematics.

I would like to continue working on my current research interests. As I mentioned above, the technology changes every day, so I need to study how those changes might influence the effectiveness of the teaching and learning environments. Currently, we are working on completing two National Science Foundation grants that I am Co-Principal Investigator. One is Division of Undergraduate Education grant which aimed to improve student success here at WSU through the use of evidence-based pedagogies in early STEM courses. The second one is a Robert Noyce Teacher Scholarship grant titled TeachDETROIT with the aim of growing existing resources in Detroit-Area schools by recruiting students to become elementary mathematics majors and providing them with a rigorous teacher education program so they would have strong knowledge for teaching mathematics.

I do not have one favorite, but I truly appreciate any scholarly work demonstrating and unpacking the complexity of the knowledge required for teaching mathematics both at K-12 and higher education settings.

Many! Coming to United States for my doctoral degree was a turning point in my life and career. My professors and fellow doctoral students at OSU shaped my education and my professional trajectory. Currently, I still do research with and collaborate on other professional tasks with my colleagues from my OSU family. I would add my colleagues and students here at Wayne State to this list. I have been fortunate to collaborate with professors and students from Education, CLAS, and Engineering. I learn from them daily.

I am an avid Jazzerciser.