Professor Rebecca McGraw, Department of Mathematics, University of Arizona, and Professor Peter Wiles, Department of Mathematics, University of Arizona

The topic of this RTG would be research in mathematics education. The first lecture would provide an overview of research topics and research methods in mathematics education. The second lecture would consider a small number of important, exemplary studies focusing on student learning of mathematics at the secondary and undergraduate level. The third lecture would focus on research on the impact of instructional methods and materials on student learning of mathematics and the fourth lecture would focus on research on the influence of technology on mathematics learning.

During the second semester, students who have selected one of the mathematics education topics would work with either Peter Wiles or Rebecca McGraw on a research project related to that topic. For example, a student who chooses to focus on the influence of technology on mathematics learning might design and implement (with a small number of subjects) a task-based interview that investigates the ways subjects use a particular technology (e.g., graphing calculator, spreadsheet) to solve a mathematical problem. Ideally, such an investigation would draw (voluntary participation from) subjects who are taking or recently have taken a departmental course in which the specific technology is used.