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Illinois State University Mathematics Department

Mathematics Major: Teacher Certification Sequence

Faculty

Who are the professors in the program?

Illinois State University has the largest mathematics education faculty in the United States. This group teaches and supervises students who plan to become teachers for mathematics at all levels of schooling. Currently, eight mathematics educators serve a variety of roles for students in the Secondary Mathematics Education sequence of the mathematics major. They teach courses in the Mathematics Education sequence, supervise pre-student teaching clinical experiences in local schools, serve as university supervisors for student teachers, and provide individual advisement related to the program of study. Faculty members also supervise Honors Program projects, serve as mentors for Presidential Scholars, and take part in activities of the Mathematics Student Association.

Faculty Profiles

David Barker (Assistant Professor)

  • Ph.D., University of Missouri - Columbia, 2006
  • At Illinois State University since August 2006.
  • Research Interests:
  • Awards and Grants:

Tami Martin (Associate Professor)

  • Ed.D., Boston University, 1997
  • At Illinois State University since August 1997. Eight years of previous teaching experience at the university and high school levels.
  • Research Interests: Mathematics education issues at the secondary and post-secondary levels including students' understanding of geometry, calculus, and proof; secondary mathematics preservice teacher development.
  • Awards and Grants: University Center for the Advancement of Teaching grant to investigate the assessment and evaluation of mathematics student teachers (awarded 2000); National Science Foundation Grant to investigate student understanding of geometric proof (awarded 1999); University Grant to conduct pilot study of student understanding of geometric proof (awarded 1999).

Sharon Soucy McCrone (Associate Professor)

  • Ph.D., University of New Hampshire, 1997
  • At Illinois State University since August 1997. Nine years of previous teaching experience at the university and high school levels.
  • Research Interests: Mathematical discourse in the classroom at all levels; students' understanding of geometry and proof at the high school.
  • Awards and Grants: National Science Foundation Grant to investigate student understanding of geometric proof (awarded 1999); University Grant to conduct pilot study of student understanding of geometric proof (awarded 1999); University Grant to investigate the development of mathematical discourse (awarded 1998).

Norma Presmeg (Professor)

  • Ph.D., University of Cambridge, 1985
  • At Illinois State University since August 2000. Twenty-two years of previous teaching experience internationally at university, high school, and middle school levels.
  • Research Interests: Use of imagery and visualization in teaching and learning mathematics at all levels; equity and multicultural issues; use of prototypes, metaphors and metonymies in mathematical symbolism and semiotics.
  • Awards and Grants: National Science Foundation Urban Systemic Initiative Grant for School Board of Dade County, Florida to develop Master's and Specialist degree program for cohort of 250 mathematics and science teachers, using website technology, distance learning, and discussion groups (awarded 1996, renewed 1999); Florida State University Planning Grant for implementation of ethnomathematics principles in a Tallahassee High School class (awarded 1995-96).

Beverly Rich (Assistant Professor)

  • Ph.D., University of Iowa, 1990
  • At Illinois State University since August 1990. Over 25 years of previous teaching experience at all levels (Head Start to university), as well as experience as a children's librarian.
  • Research Interests: Technology as a tool in mathematics; mathematics teacher education; teacher's instructional decision making.
  • Awards and Grants: National Science Foundation Technology Equipment Grant (awarded 1994); National Science Foundation grant to investigate Influences on Preservice Teachers' Instructional Decision Making (awarded 1993-99); Middle School Mathematics Project funded by the National Science Foundation (awarded 1990).