Education

• Ph.D., 2001, Mathematics and Science Education, University of California at San Diego/San Diego State University
• M.A., 1996, Applied Mathematics, University of California at San Diego
• B.S., 1980, Mathematics, Eastern Nazarene College

Current Research Project

Doctoral Research: Supporting Students' Understanding of Algebra: Symbolizing in a Technology-Intensive Classroom

The administration and teachers of San Diego City Schools have begun a mathematics reform initiative. The effort began in eight high-poverty, culturally-diverse schools with 32 mathematics specialists at Grades 4-6, teaching only mathematics. Mathematics specialists participated in intensive instruction in mathematics and pedagogy at San Diego State University, had a "coach" teacher, and shared daily professional development time. The research focuses on developing ways to capture and systematically identify what teachers learn from their experiences and how that learning evolves over time. Our research encompasses understanding teachers' professional experiences, teachers' changing practice, and student learning.

Publications

Articles in Referred Journals

Bowers, J. S., & Nickerson, S. (2001). Identifying cyclic patterns of interaction to study individual and collective learning. Mathematical Thinking and Learning, 3 (1), 1-28.

Bowers, J. S., & Nickerson, S. D. (2000). Students' changing views of rates and graphs when working in a simulation microworld. Focus on Learning Problems in Mathematics, 22 (3/4), 10-25.

Nickerson, S. D., Nydam, C., & Bowers, J. S. (2000). Linking algebraic concepts and contexts: Every picture tells a story. Mathematics Teaching in the Middle School, 6, 92-98.

Articles in Referred Proceedings

Nickerson, S. D. (in press). What provides support for students' understanding of systems of linear equations? In D. Mewborn (Ed.), Proceedings of the twenty-fourth annual meeting of the North American Chapter of the International Group for Psychology of Mathematics Education. Columbus, OH: ERIC Clearinghouse for Science Mathematics and Environmental Education.

Nickerson, S. D., & Sowder, J. (in press). What factors influence the formation of teachers' professional communities and why should we care? Proceedings of the twenty-sixth annual meeting of the International Group for Psychology of Mathematics Education.

Nickerson, S. D. (2000). A framework for coordinating whole class and small group justification norms. In M. L. Fernandez (Ed.), Proceedings of the twenty-second annual meeting of the North American Chapter of the International Group for Psychology of Mathematics Education (Vol. 2, p. 455). Columbus, OH: ERIC Clearinghouse for Science Mathematics and Environmental Education.

Nickerson, S. D., & Brown, S. A. (2000). Facilitating development as a researcher in the mathematics education community. In M. L. Fernandez (Ed.), Proceedings of the twenty-second annual meeting of the North American Chapter of the International Group for Psychology of Mathematics Education (Vol. 2, pp. 615-616). Columbus, OH: ERIC Clearinghouse for Science Mathematics and Environmental Education.

Bowers, J. S., & Nickerson, S. D. (1999). Placing linked representations in a social context. In F. Hitt & M. Santos (Eds.), Proceedings of the twenty-first annual meeting of the North American Chapter of the International Group for Psychology of Mathematics Education (Vol. 2, pp. 617-623). Columbus, OH: ERIC Clearinghouse for Science Mathematics and Environmental Education.

Professional Associations

• American Educational Research Association
• Association of Mathematics Teacher Educators
• Association for Women in Mathematics
• International Group for the Psychology of Mathematics Education
• International Group for the Psychology of Mathematics Education—North American Chapter
• National Council of Teachers of Mathematics