JENNIFER CHRISTIAN SMITH

 

Assistant Professor, Mathematics Education

Department of Curriculum and Instruction

The University of Texas at Austin



Postal Mail:

1 University Station D5705

Austin, TX 78712

Phone:

(512) 232-9682

FAX:

(512) 471-9682

Email:

jenn.smith@mail.utexas.edu

Web Page:

http://teachnet.edb.utexas.edu/~jenn_smith

Research Interests

 

  • Undergraduate mathematics education, particularly cognitive issues in the learning of abstract algebra, number theory, and proof
  • Mathematical content knowledge and beliefs of K-12 mathematics teachers

 

EDUCATIONAL BACKGROUND

 

Ragsdale High School, Jamestown, NC, May, 1989, Honors, fourth in class of 250

BA in Anthropology, May, 1995, The University of Arizona, Tucson, AZ, Magna Cum Laude

BS in Mathematics Education, May, 1995, The University of Arizona, Magna Cum Laude

Certified to teach high school mathematics and anthropology in Arizona

MS in Mathematics, December, 2000, The University of Arizona

PhD in Mathematics, May 2002, The University of Arizona

 

PROFESSIONAL EXPERIENCE

 

Assistant Professor, Mathematics Education, Department of Curriculum & Instruction, The University of Texas at Austin, September 2002 – present.

 

Graduate Teaching Assistant, Department of Mathematics, University of Arizona, May1998 – May 2002.

 

Graduate Research Assistant, Department of Mathematics, University of Arizona, SWRIMS (Southwest Regional Institute in the Mathematical Sciences), an NSF-funded outreach program involving high school students and teachers, graduate and undergraduate students, and faculty), August1997 – May 1998, PI: William Y. Velez.

 

Program Evaluator for Eisenhower-funded Enriching School Mathematics Workshop, June 2001, PI: Elias Toubassi.

 

Mathematics Teacher, Cholla High School, Tucson Unified School District, Tucson, AZ, August 1995 – June 1997.

 

 

Publications:

 

“Undergraduates’ Representation Schemes for Modular Arithmetic,” Proceedings of the Twenty-Second Annual Meeting of the North American Chapter of the International Group for the Psychology of Mathematics Education, M.L. Fernandez (Ed.), Columbus, OH: ERIC Clearinghouse for Science, Mathematics, and Environmental Education, 2000.

 

“Undergraduates’ Conceptions of Congruence of Integers,” Proceedings of the Twenty-Third Annual Meeting of the North American Chapter of the International Group for the Psychology of Mathematics Education, R. Speiser (Ed.), Columbus, OH: ERIC Clearinghouse for Science, Mathematics, and Environmental Education, 2001.

 

An Investigation of Undergraduates’ Understanding of Congruence of Integers, UMI No. 3050286.  Doctoral dissertation, 2002.

 

“Connecting Undergraduate Number Theory to High School Algebra: A Course for Prospective Teachers,” Proceedings of the Second International Conference on the Teaching of Mathematics (at the Undergraduate Level), John Wiley and Sons, 2002.

 

“Dueling Definitions: The Role of Definition in Andrew’s Understanding of Congruence of Integers,” Proceedings of the Twenty-fourth Annual Meeting of the North American Chapter of the International Group for the Psychology of Mathematics Education, D. Mewborn (Ed.), Columbus, OH: ERIC Clearinghouse for Science, Mathematics, and Environmental Education, 2002.

 

 

 

Departmental Research Presentations:

 

“A Survey of Current Research on Students’ Understanding of the Function Concept”, Mathematics Instruction Colloquium (UA), October 31, 2000.

“How do Students Come to Understand Quotient Groups?”, Mathematics Graduate Colloquium (UA), November 15, 2000.

“The Concept of Congruence of Integers: Differences Between Undergraduates and Graduate Students”, Mathematics Graduate Colloquium (UA), January 17, 2001.

“A Guide to Mathematics Education Research for Instructors: What, How, Why?”, Mathematics Education Research Colloquium (UA), January 23, 2001.

“Congruence of Integers: What is the Nature of Undergraduates’ Understanding?”, Mathematics Education Research Colloquium (UA), September 13, 2001.

“An Overview of My Research,” Math and Science Education Forum (UT), October 8, 2002.

 

 

Research and Scholarly Presentations at Conferences:

 

Tucson Unified School District Conference on Multicultural Education, April 1996. Session:  “Making Math Fun” (with Carole Locklear and Judy Moffitt).

TUSD Conference on Multicultural Education, April 1997. Session: “Algebra for Everyone”.

TUSD Back-to-School Conference, September 1997. Session: “Introducing College-level Mathematics in the High School Classroom” (with Joseph Watkins).

MAA Regional Meeting, Pima Community College, March, 1998. Session: “Graduate Students’ Outreach Efforts in Middle and High School Classrooms” (with Alexander Perlis).

Conference on Cryptography as a Teaching Tool, NMSU, April 1998. Sessions: “Using Technology” and “Cryptography in the Middle School Classroom” (both with Aaron T. Ekstrom).

Cryptography as a Teaching Tool, NMSU, April 10, 1998. Session: “Cryptography with Spreadsheets in the Middle School Classroom”.

TUSD Back-to-School Conference, Tucson, AZ, September 1999. Session: “Cryptography in the Algebra Class”.

NCTM Western Regional Conference, Phoenix, AZ, December 2-4, 1999. Extended Session:  “Cryptography in the Algebra Class”.

NCTM Annual Meeting, Chicago, IL, April 2000. Extended Session: “Cryptography in the Algebra Class” (with Aaron T. Ekstrom).

Fifth Annual Conference on Research in Undergraduate Mathematics Education, Chicago, IL,      September 2000. General Session: “Undergraduates’ Representation Schemes for Modular     Arithmetic”.

PME-NA, Tucson, AZ, October 2000. Poster Session: “Undergraduates’ Representation Schemes for Modular Arithmetic”.

AMS-MAA Joint Meetings, New Orleans, LA, January 2001. Sessions: “The Saturday Mathematics Workshop Series at the University of Arizona: An Outreach Project Connecting Undergraduate and Graduate Students to High School Students” (alone) and “Cryptography as a Theme in a Course on Functions” (with Aaron T. Ekstrom, Alfred University).

Sixth Annual Conference on Research in Undergraduate Mathematics Education, Chicago, IL,      September 2001. General Session: “Undergraduates’ Conceptions of Congruence of Integers”.

PME-NA, Park City, UT, October 2001. Poster: “Undergraduates’ Conceptions of Congruence of Integers”.

AMS-MAA Joint Meetings, San Diego, CA, January 2002.  Session:  “Undergraduates’ Understanding of Congruence of Integers.”

SIGMAA on RUME MathFest presession, July 2002.  Session: “The Development of Sociomathematical Norms in a Number Theory Class.”

PME-NA, Athens, GA, October 2002.  Research report: “Dueling Definitions: The Role Of Definition In Andrew’s Understanding Of Congruence Of Integers.”

AMS-MAA Joint Meetings, Baltimore, MD, January 2003.  Session: “The Role of Definition in Undergraduates’ Understanding of Congruence of Integers.”

Conference on the Role of Mathematics Education in Mathematics Departments, Tucson, AZ, February 2003.  Panel discussion: “Collaborations Between Mathematicians and Mathematics Educators.”

Legacy of RL Moore Conference, Austin, TX, March 2003.  Report: “The Role of the Modified Moore Method in Undergraduates’ Development of Proof: A Preliminary Report.”

 

Conferences Regularly Attended

 

Annual Conference on Research in Undergraduate Mathematics Education

Annual Meeting of Psychology of Mathematics Education, North American Chapter

AMS/MAA Joint Annual Meetings

Association of Mathematics Teacher Educators Annual Meeting

American Educational Research Association Annual Meeting

National Council of Teachers of Mathematics Annual Meeting

NCTM Western Regional Conference

 

 

Teaching

 

High School Mathematics Courses (Tucson, AZ):

Geometry (Elementary Euclidean geometry, introduction to proof)

Extended Algebra (Three semester sequence covering first year algebra)

Applied Mathematics (General mathematics course, applications in many subjects covered)

Algebra (Two semester sequence covering first year algebra)

Pre-calculus (One semester functions course)

Trigonometry (One semester course)

 

Undergraduate Mathematics Courses (University of Arizona):

Finite Mathematics - Math 119, Summer 1998

Understanding Elementary Math - Math 301, Fall 1998, Spring 1999, Spring 2000 (Content course for pre-service elementary teachers)

Mathematics Education Workshop - Math 397a, Spring 1999, Spring 2000, Fall 2000 (Workshop on elementary mathematics content for pre-service secondary teachers)

Math in Modern Society - Math 105, Fall 1999, Spring 2001 (Mathematics for liberal arts majors)

Pre-Calculus – Math 120R, Fall 2001

 

Courses Assisted (University of Arizona):

Introduction to Algebra and Number Theory - Math 315, Spring 2000 and Spring 2001 (Content course for pre-service secondary teachers)

Topics in Mathematics Education Research - Math 596A, Spring 2001 (Topics course for mathematics education graduate students)

Introduction to Mathematical Reasoning – Math 323, Fall 2001 (Required course for mathematics majors)

 

Undergraduate Education Courses (University of Texas):

Knowing and Learning Science and Mathematics – EDC 371, Fall 2002 and Spring 2003 (UTeach course in professional development sequence for pre-service secondary science and mathematics teachers)

 

 

SERVICE / OUTREACH

 

·       Coordinator of the Saturday Mathematics Workshop Series, 2000-01. (A program which holds

Mathematics workshops for high school students.)

·       Web site coordinator for MAPPS, 1999-2001. (An NSF-funded project involving parents in school mathematics, PIs: Marta Civil and David Gay.)

·       Revised instructor’s manual for Math 301, a content course for pre-service elementary teachers, summer and fall 2000.

·       Mathematics Awareness Week Committee, 2000, 2001

·       Judge at Southern Arizona Regional Science and Engineering Fair, 2000