Department of Mathematical Sciences
Mathematics Education
The Department of Mathematical Sciences has a very active group of mathematics educators whose research interests lie in the areas of cognition, curriculum development, foundational issues of mathematics education, interdisciplinary mathematics, history and philosophy of mathematics and mathematics education, models and modelling research, mathematics gifted education, assessment, and technology education. The primary focus of mathematics education is the undergraduate program, but there is a graduate component. This component includes a mathematics education option in the Master of Arts degree and the Doctor of Philosophy degree. Typically, there is at least one seminar in mathematics education per semester open to graduate students and faculty. The Mathematics education faculty is involved in many major National Science Foundation grants: the Systemic Initiative for Montana Mathematics and Science (SIMMS), Six Through Eight Mathematics (STEM) Project, Systemic Teacher Excellence Preparation (STEP), the Show-Me Project, and The Center for Learning and Teaching in the West (CLT West). Because of the NSF grants, there are frequent mathematics and science education visitors to campus.
Mathematics Education Faculty:
Rick Billstein, Ed.D., University of Montana, 1972 [ STEM, STEP, Show-Me]
  1. Middle Grades MATHThematics, Book 1, 2 & 3 (with Jim Williamson), McDougal Littell Publishing Co., 2002.
  2. A Problem Solving Approach to Mathematics for Elementary Teachers with J. Lott and S. Libeskind, Addison Wesley Longman Publishing. Co., 2004.
  3. Billstein, R. and J. Williamson, "Middle Grades MATH Thematics: The STEM Project", chapter in Standards-based Mathematics Curricula: What are they? Do They Work?, Lawrence Erlbaum Associates, 2003.
  4. Barrett, G and R. Billstein, G. Burrill, H. Kranendock, R, Peck, M. Shaughnessey,
    Navigating through Probability in Grades 9-12. National Council of Teachers of
    Mathematics in 2004.
  5. Billstein, R. "Middle Grades MATHThematics", Developments in School Mathematics Education Around the World , National Council of Teachers of Mathematics, 1999, pp. 366-67.
James Hirstein, Ed.D., University of Georgia, 1978
  1. Walen, S. B. and Hirstein, J. Restructuring Mathematics Assessment: Suggestions from the Classroom. Needham Heights, MA: Simon & Schuster Custom Publishing, 1995.
  2. Hirstein, J. “Student Assessment in the Pilot Study.” In The SIMMS Project. Monograph 4: Assessment. Missoula, MT: The SIMMS Project, 1998, pp. 1-12.
  3. Day, Roger; and others (including J. Hirstein). Navigating through Geometry in Grades 9-12. Reston, VA: National Council of Teachers of Mathematics, 2001.
  4. Lott, J. W.; and others (including J. Hirstein). “Curriculum and Assessment in SIMMS Integrated Mathematics.” In S. Senk & D. Thompson (Eds.), Standards-Based School Mathematics Curricula: What Are They? What Do Students Learn? Mahwah, NJ: Lawrence Erlbaum Associates, 2003, pp. 399-423.
  5. Burrill, J. (Ed.); and others (including J. Hirstein). Mathematics Assessment Sampler Grades 6-8: Items Aligned with NCTM’s Principles and Standards. Reston, VA: National Council of Teachers of Mathematics, 2005.
  6. "Assessment and Mathematical Modelling", Sloyer, Blum & Huntley (Eds.), Advanced and Perspective in the Teaching of Mathematical Modelling and Applications, Yorklyn, DE: Water Street Mathematics, 1995, pp. 163-174.
  7. "Classroom Vignette: An Alternative Assessment Tool", (with S. Walen), Teaching Children Mathematics, v1 n6, Feb. 1995, pp. 362-365.
  8. "Integrated Mathematics Interfaced with Science", (with J.D. Austin, S. Walen), School Science and Mathematics, 97, 1 Jan. 1997, pp. 45-49.
  9. "Student Assessment in the Pilot Study", Monograph 4: Assessment, The SIMMS Project, 1998, pp. 1-12.
  10. "Restructuring Mathematics Assessment: Suggestions from the Classroom", (with S. Walen), Simon & Schuster Custom Publishing, 1995.
 Ke Norman, Ph.D., University of Minnesota, 2008

Bharath Sriraman, Ph.D., Northern Illinois University, 2002

Publications and Papers Presented
  1. Sriraman, Bharath. & Gabriele Kaiser (2006) (in press) . Theory usage and theoretical trends in Europe: A survey and preliminary analysis of CERME4 research reports. Zentralblatt für Didaktik der Mathematik, vol, 38, no. 1, pp.xx-xx
  2. Sriraman, Bharath & Günter Törner (2006) (in press). A century of mathematics education research trends in Germany and the United States, Zentralblatt für Didaktik der Mathematik, vol, 38, no. 1, pp.xx-xx
  3. Sriraman,Bharath (with Peter Liljedahl). (2006). Musings on mathematical creativity. For the Learning of Mathematics, vol26,no.1, pp.20-22.
  4. Sriraman, Bharath . (2006). The challenge of discovering mathematical structures: Some research based pedagogical recommendations for the secondary classroom. Pre-Conference Proceedings of the 16th International Commission of Mathematics Instruction Study on Mathematical Challenges. (ICMI-16) Trondheim, Norway. 11pp.
  5. Sriraman, Bharath. (2006). Insights into Innovation: Implications for Gifted Education. Major Book Review of L. V. Shavinina (Ed) (2003). International Handbook of Innovation: Pergamon Press, 1171 pages. Gifted Child Quarterly, vol.50, no.1,pp.77-79.
  6. Sriraman, Bharath. (2006). Are Giftedness and Creativity Synonyms in Mathematics? A theoretical analysis of constructs. To appear in Journal of Secondary Gifted Education in vol.17,no.1,pp.xxx-xxx.
  7. Sriraman, Bharat. (2005). Polya revisited: The cognitive links between mathematical and analogical reasoning. Major Book Review of L. English (Ed) (2004). Mathematical and Analogical Reasoning of Young Learners. New Jersey: Lawrence Erlbaum & Associates, 224 pages. International Reviews on Mathematical Education, vol37,no.6, pp.506-508.
  8. Sriraman, Bharath. (2005). (in press) Major Book Review of L.V. Shavinina& M. Ferrari (Ed.) (2004). Beyond Knowledge: Extra Cognitive aspects of developing high ability. Lawrence Erlbaum & Associates, 248 pages. Interchange: A Quarterly Review of Education, vol. 35, no.6, pp. xxx-xxx.
  9. Sriraman, Bharath & English, Lyn (2005). Theories of mathematics education: a global survey of theoretical frameworks/trends in mathematics education research. Zentralblatt für Didaktik der Mathematik, (International Reviews on Mathematical Education), vol.37,no.6, pp.450-456.
  10. Moreno, Luis & Sriraman, Bharath. (2005). The articulation of symbol and mediation in mathematics education. Zentralblatt für Didaktik der Mathematik, (International Reviews on Mathematical Education), vol.37,no.6,pp. 476-486.
  11. Lesh, R & Sriraman, B (2005) . Mathematics Education as a design science. Zentralblatt für Didaktik der Mathematik, (International Reviews on Mathematical Education), vol37, no.6,pp. 490-505.
  12. Sriraman, Bharath. (with Astrid Beckmann and Claus Michelsen). (2005). Research considerations for interdisciplinary work on mathematics and its connections to the arts and sciences. In A. Beckmann et al (Eds). Proceedings of the 1st International Symposium on Mathematics and its Connections to the Arts and Sciences. May 18-21, 2005, University of Schwaebisch Gmuend: Germany. Franzbecker Verlag, pp.1-6.
  13. Sriraman, Bharath. (2005). Philosophy as a bridge between mathematics arts and the sciences. In A. Beckmann et al (Eds.), Proceedings of the 1st International Symposium on Mathematics and its Connections to the Arts and Sciences. May 18-21, 2005, University of Schwaebisch Gmuend: Germany. Franzbecker Verlag, pp. 7-31.
Click here for more publications by faculty members.
Emeritus Mathematics Education Faculty:
Johnny W. Lott, Ph.D., Georgia State University, 1973
  1. "Views on High School Mathematics Education", Notices of the Amer. Math. Society, 44, February 1997, 197-206
  2. "The Mathematics Education Doctorate Requires Definition", Teaching, Learning, and Learning Teaching, Proceedings of the conference held at California State Polytechnic Univ.-Pomona, (eds. J. Price and J. Jacobs). Reston, VA: NCTM, 1997
  1. "Curriculum Sampler: MCTM/SIMMS Integrated Mathematics: A Modeling Approach Using Technology. Simon & Schuster Custom Publishing Co., Needham Heights, MA: The Company, 1997.
  2. "1996 Report to the Public: The Present Reforms in Montana Mathematics and Science Education", MCTM, Missoula, MT: The Council, 1996.
  3. "The SIMMS Project Position Papers Monograph 2", MCTM, Montana Science Teachers Assoc., Montana Mathematics and Science Society, Missoula, MT: The Councils, 1996.
Other Mathematics Education Faculty:
There are currently 4 visitors in mathematics education in the math department:
  • Jean Howard
  • Mark Lutz, M.A.,
  • Bonnie Spence
  • Jim Williamson, MAT, University of Arizona, 1968
 Faculty in the School of Education often participate in the activities of the math department:
  • Georgia Cobbs, Ph.D., Ohio State University, 1995
  • David Erickson, Ph.D., Ohio State University, 1994
Mathematical Sciences | The University of Montana