Central College assistant professor of mathematics Abby Rocha published new research in the journal “Frontiers in Education” on how mathematics teachers learn and grow their practice.

Her work, “Unpacking Constructs used to Describe Teachers’ Mathematics Knowledge for Teaching: Insights into MKT and MMT,” brings together multiple perspectives on how teachers learn and apply mathematics in their teaching. For the past 30 years, educators in the U.S. have been studying how teachers’ math knowledge affects their teaching. Rocha’s research looks closely at this topic, specifically focusing on what’s called Mathematical Knowledge for Teaching. Her review of existing research revealed various ways of thinking about this knowledge, including concepts like Mathematical Meanings for Teaching and Key Pedagogical Understandings. Her findings will help shape future research and teaching methods in math education.

Rocha joined Central’s math department in the Fall of 2024. She holds a Bachelor of Science degree from Western Illinois University and earned her Master of Arts and Ph.D. from Arizona State University.