Current Projects

Research in Mathematics Education is focused on access and equity for all children in mathematics, working directly with teachers, policy makers, and parents at the state, national, and international levels to systemically address and support the gaps in mathematics education.

 

LIME: Leaders Investigating Mathematics Evidence

Funder: U.S. Department of Education Office of Special Education Programs (Grant No. H325D210061)

There are few special education programs at institutions of higher education (IHEs) that focus on preparing teachers and researchers to support positive outcomes for students with disabilities in mathematics. This five-year project was awarded $3.6 million to fill this gap by developing 12 scholars into researchers who are prepared to aid the learning of students who experience learning disabilities in mathematics. 

Learn more about LIME

MMaRS: Measuring Early Mathematical Reasoning Skills

Funder: National Science Foundation (Grant No. DRL-1721100)

This project will develop and evaluate the validity of universal screening assessment tools for Grades K-2 focused on two foundational and predictive early mathematics constructs, numeric relational reasoning and spatial reasoning. The primary goal of the Tests of Numeric Relational Reasoning (T-NRR) and Tests of Spatial Reasoning (T-SR) within the Measures of Mathematical Reasoning Skills system is to help teachers determine students who are at-risk for difficulty in these constructs so that they can provide early intervention and prevent later difficulties.

Learn more about MMaRS

PAR: Promoting Algebra Readiness

Funder: Institutes of Education Sciences (Grant No. R324A230007)

The purpose of the project is to expand the growing but limited body of research on effective middle school interventions targeting foundational fractions content needed to ensure access to advanced mathematics including Algebra. This project is an efficacy study of Promoting Algebra Readiness (PAR), a mathematics intervention focused on properties and operations with whole and rational numbers to support the mathematics learning of 6th grade students who are identified as students with or at-risk for mathematics difficulties.

Learn more about PAR

SCALE: Scalability, Capacity, and Learning Engagement for Fraction Face-Off

Funder: U.S. Department of Education Office of Education Innovation and Research (Grant No. S411B210032)

Project SCALE will examine the effectiveness of Fraction Face-Off (FFO), a math intervention with moderate evidence (as determined by the What Works Clearinghouse). We conduct randomized controlled trials with diverse student populations and settings to determine the extent to which FFO improves fraction knowledge and if improved math outcomes of students experiencing mathematics difficulty (MD) can be replicated.

Learn more about SCALE

STAIR 2.0: Supporting Teaching of Algebra with Individual Readiness

Funder: U.S. Department of Education, Institute for Education Sciences, under the Research to Accelerate Pandemic Recovery in Special Education (Grant No. R324X220102)

The purpose of Project STAIR 2.0 is to support middle school students with mathematics disabilities in overcoming foundational gaps (pandemic recovery) by training special education teachers on Data Based Individualization (DBI). Our team develops teachers’ math knowledge, use of DBI, and algebraic readiness through twenty weeks of virtual or face-to-face coaching.

Learn more about STAIR 2.0

"Dr. Geller, Dr. Clark, and Dr. Larson sitting next to computer showing Minecraft."

Integrating Human Computer Interaction, Machine Learning, Game Design, and Educational Assessment in a STEM+C Curriculum

Funder: National Science Foundation (Grant No. DRL-1933848)

Corey Clark, Ph.D., Leanne Ketterlin Geller, Ph.D., and Eric Larson, Ph.D. were awarded a $1.5 million four-year grant to research teaching computer science and computational thinking via Minecraft. The STEM+C project will assist in creating a more stable, ethical, and inclusive data science workforce by broadening the interest in data science to a more diverse population of students.

Learn more about STEM+C