University of Colorado Denver associate professor Heather Johnson, PhD, received a $1,599,774 grant from the National Science Foundation last week. Johnson is an associate professor in CU Denver’s School of Education & Human Development where she focuses her work on STEM education. The grant-winning project, Promoting Mathematical Reasoning and Transforming Instruction in College Algebra (ITsCRITiCAL), is a collaboration with Metropolitan State University of Denver, Santa Fe Community College, and Texas State University.
“We want math classes to be places where students can engage in reasoning, not just find answers,” Johnson said. “We collaborate with faculty across institutions to create spaces where that can happen.”
This project aims to serve students in the United States by transforming education practices in college-level algebra to promote students’ reasoning. As society sees an increase in the need for STEM professions, it’s important for students to be prepared for the new changes. With this grant, Johnson and her colleagues look to reach three research goals to better STEM education.
