Laura Kent
Associate Professor
Curriculum and Instruction
309 Peabody Hall
Phone: (479) 575-8762
FAX: (479) 575-6676
lkent@uark.edu
Degrees:
Ph.D., University of Wisconsin-Madison, Curriculum and Instruction, 1996
M.S., Purdue University-Calumet, Hammond, Ind., Mathematics, 1992
B.S., Purdue University, West Lafayette, Ind., Mathematics, 1987
Professional Biography:
- 2006-present University of Arkansas, Associate Professor, Mathematics Education, Secondary Education Program Area
- 2002-2006 University of South Carolina, Associate Professor, Mathematics Education, Program Coordinator: Middle Level Education
- 1996-2002 University of South Carolina, Assistant Professor, Secondary Mathematics Education
- 1995-1996 University of Wisconsin-Madison, Instructor, Elementary Mathematics Methods Course
- 1995-1996 National Center for Research in Mathematics & Science Instruction, Cognitively Guided Instruction, Principal Investigators: Dr. Thomas P. Carpenter and Dr. Elizabeth Fennema
- 1993-1995 National Center for Research in Mathematics & Science Instruction, Mathematics in Context: A Connected Curriculum for Grades 5-8, Principal Investigator: Dr. Thomas A. Romberg
- Fall 1992 Indiana University-Northwest, Gary, Ind., Adjunct Faculty, Mathematics Department
- Fall 1992 South Suburban College, South Holland, Ill., Adjunct Faculty, Mathematics Department
- 1987-1992 Tolleston Middle School, Gary Public Schools, Gary, Ind., 7th-8th Grade Mathematics Teacher
Publications/Presentations:
Books
Kent, L. B. (ed.) (2001). Mathematics in Context Summer School Program. Chicago, IL: Encyclopaedia Britannica Educational Corporation.
Swick, K. J., Winecoff, L., Nesbit, B., Kemper, R., Rowls, M., Freeman, N. K., Creech, N., Mason, J., & Kent, L. B. (2000). Service learning and character education. Clemson, SC: National Dropout Prevention Center & South Carolina Department of Education, (pp. 1- 36).
Refereed Journal Articles and Book Chapters
Kent, L.B. & Caron, T. (in press). I can relate to this! “Leveling up” mathematics curriculum and instruction through personal relevance and meaningful connections. In S. L. Schramm-Pate & R. B. Jeffries, (Eds.), Grappling with diversity: Readings on civil rights pedagogy and critical multiculturalism. New York: SUNY Press.
Kent, L. B. (2005). Professional development programs that enhance students’ opportunities to reinvent significant mathematics. Teacher Education Journal of South Carolina.
Kent, L. B. & Mason, J. (2004). Designing and managing learning environments using a service learning pedagogy. Teacher Education Journal of South Carolina.
Kent, L. B., Pligge, M., & Spence, M. (2003). Enhancing teacher knowledge through curriculum reform. Middle School Journal, 34 (4), 42-46.
Kent, L. B., Arnosky, J., & McMonagle, J. (2002). Using representational contexts to support students’ multiplicative reasoning. In B. Litwiller (ed.), Making sense of fractions, ratios, and proportions: 2002 NCTM Yearbook. Reston, VA: National Council of Teachers of Mathematics.
Kent, L. B. (2001). Using the bar model to teach the "three" percent problems. The Mathmate. South Carolina Council of Teachers of Mathematics.
Kent, L. B. (2000). Integers and meaningful contexts: A direct connection. Mathematics Teaching in the Middle School. National Council of Teachers of Mathematics: Reston, VA, 62-66.
Brinker, L. (1998). Using recipes and ratio tables to build on students' understanding of fractions. Teaching children mathematics. National Council of Teachers of Mathematics: Reston, VA.
Abels, M., Roodhardt, A., Clarke, D., Clark, B., Shew, J. A., Spence, M., & Brinker, L. (1998). Triangles and patchwork. In National Center for Research in Mathematical Sciences Education and Freudenthal Institute (Eds.), Mathematics in context: A connected curriculum for grades 5-8. Chicago: Encyclopedia Britannica Educational Corporation, 1-42.
Kindt, M., Wijers, M., Spence, M., Brinker, L., & Pligge, M. (1998). Graphing equations. In National Center for Research in Mathematical Sciences Education and Freudenthal Institute (Eds.), Mathematics in context: A connected curriculum for grades 5-8. Chicago: Encyclopedia Britannica Educational Corporation, 1-44.
Kindt, M., Abels, M., Spence, M., & Brinker, L. (1998). Packages and Polygons. In National Center for Research in Mathematical Sciences Education and Freudenthal Institute (Eds.), Mathematics in context: A connected curriculum for grades 5-8. Chicago: Encyclopedia Britannica Educational Corporation, 1-38.
Roodhardt, A., de Jong, J. A., Brinker, L., & Middleton, J. (1998). Triangles and beyond. In National Center for Research in Mathematical Sciences Education and Freudenthal Institute (Eds.), Mathematics in context: A connected curriculum for grades 5-8. Chicago: Encyclopedia Britannica Educational Corporation, 1-44.
Van Galen, F., Querelle, N., Wijers, M., Shew, J. A., & Brinker, L. (1998). Reflections on Number. In National Center for Research in Mathematical Sciences Education and Freudenthal Institute (Eds.), Mathematics in context: A connected curriculum for grades 5-8. Chicago: Encyclopedia Britannica Educational Corporation, 1-44.
Keijzer, R., Abels, M., Brinker, L., & Shew, J. A. (1997). Ratios and Rates. In National Center for Research in Mathematical Sciences Education and Freudenthal Institute (Eds.), Mathematics in context: A connected curriculum for grades 5-8. Chicago: Encyclopedia Britannica Educational Corporation, 1-46.
Roodhardt, A., Streefland, L., Cole, B. R., & Brinker, L. (1997). Dry and wet numbers. In National Center for Research in Mathematical Sciences Education and Freudenthal Institute (Eds.), Mathematics in context: A connected curriculum for grades 5-8. Chicago: Encyclopedia Britannica Educational Corporation, 1-44.
Keijer, R., van den Heuval-Panhuizen, M., Wijers, M., Shew, J. A., Brinker, L., Pligge, M. A., Shafer, M., & Brendefur, J. (1997). More or less. In National Center for Research in Mathematical Sciences Education and Freudenthal Institute (Eds.), Mathematics in context: A connected curriculum for grades 5-8. Chicago: Encyclopedia Britannica Educational Corporation, 1-40.
Van Galen, F., Wijers, M., Shew, J. A., Cole, Brendefur, J., & Brinker, L. (1997). Some of the parts. In National Center for Research in Mathematical Sciences Education and Freudenthal Institute (Eds.), Mathematics in context: A connected curriculum for grades 5-8. Chicago: Encyclopedia Britannica Educational Corporation, 1-37.
Brinker, L., Winecoff, L., & Markham, F. (1997). The Dreher story: An evolving partnership. Reflections on practice series: National network for educational renewal. Center for Educational Renewel, 12-20.
ABSTRACTS AND ADDITIONAL PUBLICATIONS:.
Kent, L. B. (1999). High School Mathematics Contest. South Carolina Independent School Association.
Brinker, L. & Hart, F. (1998). Teaching is hot! Education Report. University of South Carolina.
Brinker, L. (1998). Middle school mathematics contest. South Carolina Independent School Association.
Brinker, L. (1998). High school mathematics contest. South Carolina Independent School Association.
Brinker, L. (1997). Middle school mathematics contest. South Carolina Independent School Association.
Brinker, L. (1997). High school mathematics contest. South Carolina Independent School Association.
TECHNICAL REPORTS
Master of Teaching: Secondary Mathematics NCATE Program Report. Submitted in 2002; Rated as “in compliance” (or passed) with National Council of Teachers of Mathematics in 2003.
Master of Arts in Teaching: Secondary Mathematics NCATE Program Report. Submitted in 2002; Rated as “in compliance” (or passed) with National Council of Teachers of Mathematics in 2003.
REFEREED PRESENTATIONS
The Pedagogical Residue: Impact of the Institute on STEM Faculty (with S. Pickard). Paper presented at the American Education Research Association Annual Meeting, April, 2005, Montreal, Canada.
Keeping up with Reform: How Professional Development Schools Support Innovative Practices in Mathematics Classes. National Association of Professional Development Schools Annual Conference, March, 2005, Orlando, FL.
Frog jumps and forest fires: Activities to support learning slope and linear equations. National Council of Teachers of Mathematics 2003 Regional Meeting, November 7, 2003, Charleston, SC.
Contextualized models for slope and linear equations. International Group for the Psychology of Mathematics Education Annual Meeting, July 2001, Utrecht, The Netherlands.
Engaging students in mathematical problem solving. South Carolina Middle School Association Annual Meeting, March 2001, Myrtle Beach, SC.
East or West, North or South: Activities and games to enhance students’ understandings of operations with integers. National Council of Teachers of Mathematics Annual Meeting, April 2000, Chicago, IL.
Negotiation of meaning and students' developing notations for integers. Paper presented at the annual meeting of the American Educational Research Association Annual Meeting, April, 2000, New Orleans, LA.
Examining teacher change within the context of mathematics curriculum reform: Views from middle school teachers (with M. Pligge & M. Spence). Paper presented at the annual meeting of the American Educational Research Association Annual Meeting, April 2000, New Orleans, LA.
Mathematics in Context: A Connected Curriculum for Grades 5-8. South Carolina Council of Teachers of Mathematics Annual Meeting, October 5, 2000, Myrtle Beach, SC.
The transformation of activity: Towards a theory of mathematical notating and knowing (with S. B. Empson, R. Ambrose, M. Pligge, & J. Baek). Paper presented at the National Council of Teachers of Mathematics (NCTM) Research Presession, April 1999, San Francisco, CA.
Students' "not so mathematical" understandings: Insights from precalculus lessons on the concept of functions (with R. Ratterree). Annual meeting of the National Council of Teachers of Mathematics, April, 1999, San Francisco, CA.
Social interactions and Rachel's strategy choices. Paper presented at the European Conference of Educational Research, September 1998, Ljubljiana, Slovenia.
Using knowledge of students' thinking for instruction: The case of the secondary mathematics curriculum. Paper presented at the American Educational Research Association Annual Meeting, April 1998, San Diego, CA.
Using structured representations to solve fraction problems: A discussion of seven students' strategies. Paper presented at the annual meeting of the American Educational Research Association Annual Meeting, March 1997, Chicago, IL.
Arts and Sciences and the PDS. Symposium/round table presentation at the annual meeting of the American Educational Research Association Annual Meeting, March 1997, Chicago, IL.
ADDITIONAL/INVITED PRSENTATIONS
Mathematics in Context: Presentation for Principals and Supervisors. New York City Public Schools – Chancellor’s District, July 2000, Bronx, NY.
Algebraic Thinking and the MiC Curriculum, City College of New York, May 1, 2000, New York, NY.
Mathematics in Context: The Development of the Number Strand. New York City Public Schools Math Supervisors and Coordinators Meeting, January 21, 1999, Brooklyn, NY.
Mathematics in Context: A Connected Curriculum for Grades 5-8. National Council of Teachers of Mathematics Southern Regional Conference, February 1999, Charlotte, NC.
How Can You Implement the Standards when You Don't Have Enough Time? South Carolina Middle School Association Annual Meeting, March 1999, Myrtle Beach, SC.
Teacher Cadets. Service Learning in Teacher Education Institute: Empowering a New Generation of Teachers Through Service Learning, June 1999, Clemson, SC.
Mathematics in Context: A Connected Curriculum for Grades 5-8. South Carolina Council of Supervisors Annual Meeting, November 1999, Hilton Head, SC.
4MAT Learning Styles (with J. White, J. Zenger, & F. Splittgerber). South Carolina Middle School Association Annual Meeting. February 1998, Myrtle Beach, SC.
Using Models and Contexts to Support Computations with Fractions. South Carolina Council of Teachers of Mathematics Annual Meeting, November 1998, Hilton Head, SC.
Mathematics in Context: A Connected Curriculum for Grades 5-8. Ovec/Prism Conference, June 1997, Louisville, KY.
Grants:
Eisenhower Professional Development Grant – Applications of Research-Based Approaches to K-5 Math Instruction. South Carolina Commission on Higher Education, Summer 2003, $7,982.
Improving Teachers’ Content Knowledge for Math Instruction In the Middle Grades. (2001-2002). South Carolina Commission on Higher Education ($74,538.00). Co-Principal Investigator (with E. Dickey).
Mathematics Inquiry Project. (2000-2001). Teacher Quality Grant. University of South Carolina ($900.00). Department of Instruction and Teacher Education.
University of South Carolina Teacher Cadet Partnership. (2000-2001). South Carolina Center for Teacher Recruitment ($8500.00). Co-Principal Investigator (with R. Dedmon).
University of South Carolina Teacher Cadet Partnership. (1999-2000). South Carolina Center for Teacher Recruitment ($8500.00). Co-Principal Investigator (with R. Dedmon).
University of South Carolina Teacher Cadet Partnership. (1998-1999). South Carolina Center for Teacher Recruitment ($8500.00). Co-Principal Investigator (with F. Hart).
University of South Carolina Teacher Cadet Partnership. (1997-1998). South Carolina Center for Teacher Recruitment ($8500.00). Co-Principal Investigator (with F. Hart).