University of Pittsburgh School of Education

School of Education

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Margaret Smith

 
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Margaret Smith
School of Education
University of Pittsburgh
5515 Wesley W. Posvar Hall
Pittsburgh, PA 15260
PHONE: 412-648-7361
EMAIL: pegs@pitt.edu

Full Time Faculty - Associate Professor

School Affiliations

  • Department: Instruction and Learning
  • Department: Learning Policy Center
  • Program: Mathematics Education
  • Program: Cognitive Studies
  • Program: Elementary Education
  • Program: Learning Sciences and Policy

Education

  • Ed.D., Mathematics Education, University of Pittsburgh, 1995
  • M.S., Secondary Education Mathematics, State University of New York at Fredonia, 1980
  • B.S., Secondary Education Mathematics, State University of New York at Fredonia, 1975

Recent Publications

Book Chapters

  • Hughes, E.K., Smith, M.S., Hogel, M., & Boston, M.D. (in press). Case stories: Supporting teacher reflection and collaboration on the implementation of cognitively challenging mathematical tasks. In F. Arbaugh & P. M. Taylor (Eds.), Inquiry into Mathematics Teacher Education. Association of Mathematics Teacher Educators (AMTE) Monograph Series, Volume 5. Anticipated publication date: Fall 2008.
  • Markovits, Z., & Smith, M.S., (in press). Case as tools in mathematics teacher education. In T. Wood (Series Ed.) & P. Sullivan (Vol. Ed.), International handbook of mathematics teacher education: Vol.1. Knowledge and beliefs in mathematics teaching and teaching development. Rotterdam, the Netherlands: Sense Publishers.

Journal Articles

  • Stein, M.K., Engle, R.A., Smith, M.S., & Hughes, E.K. (in press). Orchestrating productive mathematical discussions: Helping teachers learn to better incorporate student thinking. Mathematical Thinking and Learning.
  • Confrey, J., Strutchens, M.E., Battista, M.T., Smith, M.S., King, K.D., Sutton, J.T., Boest, T., & Reed, J. (2008). Situating research on curricular change. Journal for Research in Mathematics Education^, 39 (2), 102-112.
  • Smith, M.S., Hughes, E.K., & Engle, R.A., & Stein, M.K. (in press). Orchestrating discussions of challenging tasks: Keeping your eye on the mathematics to be learned. Mathematics Teaching in the Middle School.
  • Smith, M.S., Bill, V., & Hughes, E.K. (in press). Thinking through a lesson protocol: A key for successfully implementing high-level tasks. Mathematics Teaching in the Middle School.
  • Boston, M.D., & Smith, M.S., (in press). Transforming secondary mathematics teaching: Increasing the cognitive demands of instructional tasks used in teachers’ classrooms. Journal for Research in Mathematics Education.

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Recent Course Instruction

Spring 2009 (2094)

Fall 2008 (2091)

Summer 2008 (2087)

Spring 2008 (2084)

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Recent Presentations

  • Four Frames for Conceptualizing Links between Research and Practice
    Battista, M., Boest, T., Confrey, J., Lehrer, R., & Smith, M.S. (2008, April). Four Frames for Conceptualizing Links between Research and Practice. Panel discussion presented at the Research Presession held in conjunction with the annual meeting of the National Council of Teachers of Mathematics, Salt Lake City, UT.
  • Improving the quality of mathematical discussions: Linking research and practice.
    Boerst, T., Smith, M.S., & Sztajn, P. (2008, April). Improving the quality of mathematical discussions: Linking research and practice. Presentation at the annual meeting of the National Council of Teachers of Mathematics, Salt Lake City, UT. (Joint session of the NCTM Research Committee and the Editorial Panel for the Journal for Research in Mathematics Education.
  • Knowledge-for-Teaching as Represented in a Lesson Plan.
    Davis, B., Hiebert, J., Kirshner, D., & Smith, M.S. (2008, April). Knowledge-for-Teaching as Represented in a Lesson Plan. Panel discussion presented at the Research Presession held in conjunction with the annual meeting of the National Council of Teachers of Mathematics, Salt Lake City, UT.
  • Using Geometric Pattern Tasks to Develop Mathematical Understandings and Set Classroom Norms.
    Smith, M.S., Hillen, A.F., & Rupert, C. (2008, April). Using Geometric Pattern Tasks to Develop Mathematical Understandings and Set Classroom Norms. Presentation at the annual meeting of the National Council of Teachers of Mathematics, Salt Lake City, UT.
  • Examining the Instructional Practices of Mathematics Teachers Over Time: Are Instructional Improvements Sustained?
    Smith, M.S., & Boston, M.D., (2008, March). Examining the Instructional Practices of Mathematics Teachers Over Time: Are Instructional Improvements Sustained? Paper presented as part of a symposium, “The Enhancing Secondary Mathematics Teacher Preparation Project: Research on Mentor and Preservice Teachers' Instructional Change" at the annual meeting of the American Educational Research Association, New York, NY.
  • Linking Professional Development to Changes in Secondary Mathematics Teachers’ Instructional Practices
    Boston, M.D., & Smith, M.S. (2008, March). Linking Professional Development to Changes in Secondary Mathematics Teachers’ Instructional Practices. Paper presented as part of a symposium, “The Enhancing Secondary Mathematics Teacher Preparation Project: Research on Mentor and Preservice Teachers' Instructional Change" at the annual meeting of the American Educational Research Association, New York, NY.

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Current Professional Participation

  • National Council of Teachers of Mathematics (NCTM)
    • Elected Member of the Board of Directors (2006-2009) Board Liaison to the Research Committee (2006-2009) Board Liaison to the Professional Development Continuum Task Force (2007-2008) Board Liaison to Research Agenda Conference Planning Task Force (2007-2008)

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Recent Consulting

  • Member, National Advisory Board for the NSF-funded Urban Math Project (Despina Stylianou, City College, Director), 2005-2009.
  • External reviewer for the mathematics program, West Liberty State College, West Liberty, West Virginia, March 17, 2008.
  • City College of New York [August 7-8, 2007] Collaborated with Despina Stylianou in designing and conducting the Urban Math summer workshop for middle and high school teachers in New York City.
  • External reviewer for the mathematics and statistic department, Miami University, Oxford, Ohio, October 30 - November 1, 2007.
  • Horizon Research, Inc.
    • Meeting on Designing Mathematics Professional Development Materials, sponsored by Horizon Research, April 30 – May 1, 2008, Chapel Hill, NC.
  • Pittsburgh Public Schools
    • Pittsburgh Public School District, Pittsburgh, PA [2007-2008] Designed and provided professional development for mathematics coaches as part of the Institute for Learning’s effort to support systemic mathematics reform in urban school districts (6 full-day sessions and 2 site visits).
  • University of Michigan
    • Co-chair, National Advisory Board for the NSF-funded Center for Proficiency in Teaching Mathematics, (Deborah Ball, University of Michigan, Jeremy Kilpatrick & Pat Wilson, University of Georgia, Co-Directors), 2003-2008.
  • WestEd
    • Member, National Advisory Board for the NSF-funded Research on Mathematics Leader Learning Project (Judy Mumme, WestEd, Director), 2006-2008.
    • West Ed [June 25-28, 2007] Collaborated with Mark Driscoll (EDC), Judy Mumme (WestEd), Nanette Seago (WestEd), and Laura Van Zoest (Western Michigan University) in designing and conducting a conference for preservice teachers educators focused on adapting practice-based materials for use in teacher education.

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Recent Grants

  • Cases of Reasoning and Proving in Secondary Mathematics (CORP). The National Science Foundation, September 1, 2007 – June 30, 2012. [Co-principal investigator with Fran Arbaugh, University of Missouri] Award amount: $2,100,000.
  • Measuring Classroom Discussions in Mathematics and Literacy. LRDC Internal Grants Competition. May 1, 2008 – April 30, 2010. [Kevin Ashley, Richard Correnti, Margaret McKeown, Margaret Smith, and Mary Kay Stein] with Kevin Ashley] Award amount: $150,000.
  • Enhancing Secondary Mathematics Teacher Preparation (ESP). The National Science Foundation. [Co-principal investigator with Ellen Ansell, Beverly Michael, and Paul Gertside] Award amount: $998,000.

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