New center will conduct research on mathematics education

A new interdisciplinary center for research in mathematics education has been established that combines the efforts of faculty in the Department of Mathematics in the College of Liberal Arts and Sciences and the Neag School of Education.

The Center was developed by two faculty members, Tom DeFranco, associate dean of the Neag School, and Charles Vinsonhaler, a professor – recently retired – in the math department.

Last spring, after more than five years of effort, their vision of a Center for Research in Mathematics Education won approval from the UConn Board of Trustees.

DeFranco, the director of the new center, describes it as “a bridge between two cultures.”

As a professor in the Neag School who holds a joint appointment in the Department of Mathematics, he is well positioned to operate in both “cultures.”

He hopes the Center will be a blending of the math department’s orientation toward content and the Neag School’s interest in pedagogy and performance, from those with a desire to teach mathematics.

The seed for the Center was planted more than 10 years ago when DeFranco and Vinsonhaler, who was chair of the math department at the time, began discussing and working on issues in mathematics education.

This collaboration led to their writing a book on mathematical problem solving, co-teaching an innovative course on mathematics pedagogy to teaching assistants in the math department, co-authoring research articles, and jointly securing grant funding.

Most importantly, says DeFranco, their efforts resulted in the establishment of a “mathematics education presence” within the mathematics department.

Both DeFranco and Vinsonhaler have been recognized for excellence in teaching – they were named University Teaching Fellows in 2001 and 1994 respectively.