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  • Biographical Description

  • I am a Distinguished University Professor, the Kennedy Endowed Chair in Innovative Learning Technologies, and co-Executive Director of the Marsico Institute for Early Learning and Literacy at the University of Denver.  I conduct research on young children's development of mathematical concepts and competencies, implementation and scale-up of educational reform, professional development models and their influence on student learning, and implementation and effects of software environments (including those she has created) in mathematics classrooms. 

    Previously a high school teacher of mathematics and computer science, I also taught in the Gifted Math Program. I have since conducted research and published widely in the areas of:

    The learning and teaching of mathematics

    Computer applications in mathematics education

    Creating, using, and evaluating a research-based curriculum and in taking successful curricula to scale using technologies and learning trajectories

  • Curriculum Vitae

  • Vita Julie Sarama

  • Publications

  • BB_ECRQ.pdf

  • BB_JECR.pdf

  • Science - Intervention Clements & Sarama (2011).pdf

  • JREE TRIAD I Sarama et al 2008.pdf

  • TRIAD II BB JRME 2011 Clements Sarama.pdf

  • Gallery

  • Dr. Sarama advising
    Dr. Sarama advising
  • Drs. Sarama & Clements
    Drs. Sarama & Clements
  • Research

  • Research

    Dr. Sarama conducts research on young children's development of mathematical concepts and competencies, implementation and scale-up of educational reform, professional development models and their influence on student learning, and implementation and effects of software environments (including those she has created) in mathematics classrooms. These studies have been published in more than 80 refereed articles, 7 books, 60 chapters, and over 100 additional publications.

     

    Dr. Sarama has directed over 30 projects funded by the National Science Foundation (NSF), the U.S. Department of Education’s Institute of Education Sciences (IES) the National Institute of Health (NIH), and the Office of Special Education Programs (OSEP). For example, she is Principal or Co-Principal Investigator on Evaluating the Efficacy of Learning Trajectories in Early Mathematics; on a new center, Special Education Educational Technology Media, and Materials for Individuals with Disabilities (with colleagues from the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill); and on Professional Development in Early Mathematics: The Learning and Teaching with Learning Trajectories Tool, updating and disseminate a professional development software application (LearningTrajectories.org) that she developed and verified empirically in previous projects.

     

    Previously she directed on seven projects funded by the NSF, including Building Blocks—Foundations for Mathematical Thinking, Pre-kindergarten to Grade 2: Research-based Materials Development and Planning for Professional Development in Pre-School Mathematics: Meeting the Challenge of Standards 5000. She was Principal Investigator on , “Early Childhood Education in the Context of Mathematics, Science, and Literacy” which developed an interdisciplinary preschool curriculum C4L (www.connect4learning.com). She co-directed three large-scale studies funded by the U.S. Education Department’s Institute of Educational Studies (IES). The first, Scaling Up TRIAD: Teaching Early Mathematics for Understanding with Trajectories and Technologies was a large successful evaluation of a scale-up Sarama developed. The second is a longitudinal extension of that work, entitled, Longitudinal Study of a Successful Scaling Up Project: Extending TRIAD, which followed children from preschool to fifth grade (TRIADScaleUp.org). The third, with Dr. Sarama as Principal Investigator, was an efficacy study, Increasing the efficacy of an early mathematics curriculum with scaffolding designed to promote self-regulation, evaluating whether self-regulation and mathematics instruction can be combined synergistically. Another recent project, just funded by the Heising-Simons Foundation and the Gates Foundation, Scalable Professional Development in Early Mathematics: The Learning and Teaching with Learning Trajectories Tool, is updating and disseminate a professional development software application empirically supported in previous projects.

     

    Dr. Sarama has taught secondary mathematics and computer science, gifted math at the middle school level, preschool and kindergarten mathematics enrichment classes, and mathematics methods and content courses for elementary to secondary teachers. In addition, she was the Director of the Gifted Mathematics Program (GMP) at the University of Buffalo, SUNY.  She designed and programmed over 50 published computer programs, including Building Blocks software and her version of Logo and Logo-based software activities (Turtle Math™, which was awarded Technology & Learning Software of the Year award, 1995, in the category "Math").

     

    OTHER DETAILS ADD OR DELETE:

    Sarama was co-PI for the project Building Blocks—Foundations for Mathematical Thinking, Pre-Kindergarten to Grade 2:  Research-based Materials Development (http://www.gse.buffalo.edu/org/buildingblocks/), in which she developed mathematics software and activities; the first product from that project has recently been published by SRA/McGraw-Hill. The latest product will be a component of the research-based mathematics series Real Math, in which the Building Blocks  materials will constitute the complete PreK program, and Building Blocks software will supplement all other grades, K-6. This software constitutes a comprehensive set of pedagogical tools, including instructional activities, educational games, and mathematical tools, all structured within research-based learning trajectories. (For more on these learning trajectories, see two recent works both co-edited by Sarama. The first is a special issue:  Hypothetical learning trajectories [Special issue]. Mathematical Thinking and Learning, 6(2), 5004. The second is a book resulting from her and Clements’ Conference on Standards for Preschool and Kindergarten Mathematics Education (co-funded by NSF and ExxonMobil Foundation, http://www.gse.buffalo.edu/org/conference/index.htm): Engaging young children in mathematics: Standards for early childhood mathematics, LEA, 5004.]  Previously, for Planning for Professional Development in Pre-School Mathematics: Meeting the Challenge of Standards 5000, she conducted multiple research projects on professional development for early childhood mathematics education.

  • Photos

  • Playing "Close to 100" with elementary students
    Playing "Close to 100" with elementary students
  • More "Close to 100"
    More "Close to 100"

    Game such as this raise motivation, and simultaneously develop arithmetical fluency, mental computation, and number relationship competencies.

This portfolio last updated: 16-Aug-2019 10:12 AM