Mathematics & Statistics

Bio: I am currently a Mathematics Education faculty member in the Department of Mathematics and Statistics, here at the University of Maine. I was brought here in the summer of 2018 to work on Precalculus. Here’s my CV. I also like hiking, movies, and writing puzzles.

Students: You can find course information on Blackboard (prior to Fall 2020) and Brightspace (starting Fall 2020).

Research: As an educational psychologist, my research focus is undergraduate mathematics education. I study theories of advanced mathematical thinking and learning, how those theories suggest students learn particular mathematical concepts, and how mathematical experiences should be constructed in formal learning settings like classrooms. My dissertation work examined how embodied cognition and APOS theory attempt to explain how students come to learn the formal definition of limit at a point in first-semester Calculus. From there my work has expanded to include concepts supporting limit, such as absolute value, and how theories of learning can be adopted to better support student thinking of limit.

My current work at focuses on Calculus preparation, specifically how students learn about functions through covariation. I have been helping my colleagues here and at high schools around the state adopt the Pathways Precalculus curriculum and am studying its effects on student learning.

COVID: For Spring 2022, I will not regularly be in my office in 418 Neville Hall. I will primarily be in 215 Estabrooke Hall, (207) 581-4671. You can also check twitter to see when I will be on campus.

Summer 2022 Precalculus: MAT 122 is offered this summer! The course runs six weeks (May 9 – June 17, NO JUNE START OFFERED THIS YEAR) and is entirely asynchronous. You’ll complete full lessons and homework on the learning platform (iMathAS), with a suggested pace of roughly one or two modules per day. The assignment pace is intentionally flexible to suit your needs and schedule. Assessments consist of weekly self-proctored quizzes, plus a proctored midterm (covering modules 2-4) and final exam (covering modules 5-7) with flexible scheduling. When you run into problems and need some help, MathLab will be open this summer (virtually over Zoom) and you’ll be able to ask questions through the online forums and “message my instructor” links in the assignments.

To register: if you are an undergraduate or nontraditional student contact the UMaine Office of Student Records, or if you are a high school student taking the course for college credit contact UMaine Division of Lifelong Learning.

NOTE: Summer MAT 122 students will be able to purchase direct website access and not have to buy the workbook typically used with the in-person course. Details coming shortly (curriculum has new publisher as of Summer 2022).