Professional Preparation

Ed.D. in Early Childhood Education. University of Massachusetts, Amherst (1983). M.S. in Curriculum, Instruction, and Supervision. State University of NY, Albany (1976). B.S. in Elementary Education, minor in Mathematics. University of Connecticut, Storrs.

Research Interests
Mathematics Education K-6, Constructivism, Teacher Development, Digital Environments for Professional Development

Professor Fosnot is the author of several books and numerous articles on Constructivism, Mathematics Education, and general Teacher Education. Two of these books have received the "Significant Contribution Award" from the American Educational Research Association. Fosnot's main area of research relates to the application of current models of cognitive psychology to the teaching of mathematics. Funded by a series of grants beginning in 1995 from NSF, the New York City Board of Education, and the Exxon-Mobil Foundation, Fosnot and her staff have designed and researched an inservice program for elementary mathematics education and developed several exemplary sites of mathematics teaching in New York City and New Rochelle, NY. Implicit in the model is the belief that the roles of context, representation, and discourse in learning are critical. Using realistic problematic situations as the starting point of investigation, learners are invited "to mathematize" initially in their own informal ways. Teachers are taught to look for and capitalize on important mathematical moments, follow with contexts that support development, and scaffold conversations towards more formal solutions. Classrooms are thereby turned into workshops with learners engaged in inquiry, subsequently proving and communicating their thinking to their peers. A large-scale study was completed on teacher change, student achievement, and on systemic school change with significant results in all three domains. Professor Fosnot is also known for her research on the development of young children's understanding of the physical principles involved in balance and the effect of interactive media, the development of an understanding of probability, and the development of number sense and operation. Prior to coming to CCNY, she designed and directed at Connecticut State University an alternate route teacher certification program based on constructivism and studied the variables that affected teacher effectiveness.

Current Research and Material Development
As the Principal Investigator of the NSF-funded Mathematics in the City Project at CCNY www.mitcccny.org , Fosnot is collaborating with researchers from the Freudenthal Institute, University of Utrecht, The Netherlands, and Dr. Bill Jacob from the University of California, Santa Barbara, on the design and development of constructivist-based, multi-media environments for professional development in mathematics education. Fifteen interactive multi-media learning environments in the form of cdroms have been completed on number and operation. In the fall of 2008, further funding was received from NSF for the development of 2 more on algebra. Research is currently underway on their use and impact on teacher development. The research team is headed by Daniel Heck, Horizon-Research, Inc. Chapel Hill, NC.

Awards
In 1983 she was awarded the "Young Scholar Award" from the Association for Educational Communication and Technology for her writing on technology and education. She also served as Senior Consultant on the PBS Series, Math Monsters, which won the 2000 Silver Parents' Choice Award for Best Educational Television Show for Children. She has twice won the significant contribution award from AERA's SIG on Constructivism, and in 2005 she was awarded the CCNY Outstanding Teacher Award in 2005.

Recent Major Publications [For full vita click here]
Fosnot, C.T. (et al.) (2007). Contexts for Learning Mathematics, K-6, Portsmouth, NH:  Heinemann Press and Harcourt School Publishers. See: www.contextsforlearning.com.

Fosnot, C.T.; Dolk, M; Cameron, A; Hersch, S. (2004-2006). Young Mathematicians at Work: Professional Development Materials (15 CDROM Learning environments and Facilitator Guides). Portsmouth, N.H.: Heinemann Press.

Fosnot, C.T. and Dolk, M. (2002). Young Mathematicians at Work: Constructing Fractions, Decimals, and Percents. Portsmouth, NH: Heinemann.

Fosnot, C. T. and Dolk, M. (2001) Young Mathematicians at Work: Constructing Multiplication and Division. Portsmouth, NH: Heinemann Press.

Fosnot, C. T. and Dolk, M. (2001) Young Mathematicians at Work: Constructing the Number System, Addition and Subtraction. Portsmouth, NH: Heinemann Press.

Kellison, C; Fosnot, C. T.; and Dolk, M. (June, 2002). The Playground of Mathematics. Documentary Film. New York City: Roseville Video.

Fosnot, C.T. (ed.) (1996, 2005). Constructivism: theory, perspectives, and practice. New York: Teachers College Press.

Community Service
Director of Mathematics in the City. See Website: www.mitcccny.org.
Past President of Association for Constructivist Teaching, current Board Member
Member of NCTM, AERA, ACT
Editor of The Constructivist (1983-2001), Journal of the Association for Constructivist Teaching.
Reviewer for JRME, Journal for Research in Mathematics, NCTM Journal.

Courses Taught
Edu 32200; 32201 Undergraduate Math Methods and associated field work
Edu 6000 and 6100 Graduate Math Methods