Mathematics Education

Mathematics Education is an exciting, growing, and changing field. Graduate degrees in mathematics education prepare school leaders, mathematics curriculum developers, mathematics teacher educators, mathematics education researchers and college and university mathematics education faculty. Members of the Penn State Mathematics Education faculty are involved at the local, state, national and international levels. In addition to interests in the use of technology in secondary mathematics and theories about the learning of mathematics, members of Mathematics Education faculty also have interests in mathematics curriculum development and evaluation, mathematical understandings related to teaching, and the professional development of mathematics teachers. There are frequent opportunities for graduate student involvement in each of these areas of interest. 

Opportunities for assistantships and fellowships for graduate students in mathematics education usually include tuition. Research assistantships and fellowships are possible through several sources; in particular mathematics education doctoral students may have fellowships through the Mid-Atlantic Center for Mathematics Teaching and Learning or other research projects. Teaching assistantships also include summer tuition and research assistantships often include opportunities for continued employment during the summer months. In the recent past, teaching assistantships held by doctoral students in Mathematics Education have included teaching mathematics methods courses for prospective elementary teachers, teaching mathematics methods courses for prospective secondary teachers, and/or supervising preservice teachers in early field experiences.

Recent funded scholarships (National Science Foundation projects) have focused on (1) design, implementation, and evaluation of innovative technology-intensive school curricula; (2) research on the mathematical understandings of secondary teachers; (3) implementation of a professional development program in technology-based mathematics teaching for secondary mathematics teachers; and (4) design of curricula featuring leading-edge technologies. If you are interested in graduate study in mathematics education please contact M. Kathleen Heid (mkh2@psu.edu).