Name:Kenneth J. Travers

VITA

September 2005

Address:College of Education

University of Illinois

Suite 102

505 East Green Street

Champaign, IL61820

Telephone:Office: 217-333-7324 or 244 7486

Residence: 217-352-8111

e-mail:

URL:

Position:Professor of Mathematics Education, Emeritus

Director Emeritus, Office for Mathematics, Science

and Technology Education

Date of Birth:August 21, l934

Birthplace:Alberta, Canada

Citizenship:U. S.

Marital Status:Married

Children:Three: ages 34, 37, 40

Education:B.A. (Mathematics and English), Univ. of Brit. Columbia, l959

M.Ed. (Mathematics and Educational Psychology), University of British Columbia, l961

Ph.D. (Mathematics Education), University of Illinois, l965

United States Office of Education National Post-Doctoral Fellow at StanfordUniversity (with Lee J. Cronbach and Edward Begle), 1966-67

Languages:French (good)

(speaking/reading)Spanish (fair)

German (minimal)

ProfessionalExperience:1955-1959, Public school teacher, mathematics and science, British Columbia, Canada

l960-1961, Graduate Assistant, College of Education, University of British Columbia

l961-1962, Lecturer, Department of Mathematics, University of British Columbia

1962-1963, Lecturer, College of Education, University of Victoria

1963-1965, University Fellow, College of EducationUniversity of Illinois

1965-1968, Assistant Professor, College of EducationUniversity of Illinois

ProfessionalExperience:

(Continued)1968-1971, Associate Professor, College of EducationUniversity of Illinois

1971-2002, Professor, College of EducationUniversity of Illinois

National Science Foundation, Directorate for Education and Human Resources (on leave from University of Illinois):

1990-91 Head, Office for Studies and Program Assessment

1991-92 Head, Office for Studies, Evaluation and Dissemination

1992-93 Founding Director, Division for Research, Evaluation and Dissemination

Professional Associations:American Educational Research Association

American Statistical Association

Mathematical Association of America

National Council of Teachers of Mathematics

Courses Taught:Mathematics for elementary school teachers

Teaching of elementary school mathematics

Teaching of secondary school mathematics

Educational statistics for graduate students

Use of the computer in teaching high school mathematics

Research in mathematics education (doctoral seminar)

Innovative programs in teacher education (doctoral seminar)

Workshop in curriculum development -teacher education

International evaluation in education

Issues in international mathematics education

Curriculum development and evaluation

Assessment in mathematics education

Federal policy in mathematics, science and technology education

Technology and mathematics education

Workshop on teaching statistics in schools

Problems and trends in undergraduate mathematics education

Advanced seminar: issues in mathematics education

Doctoral Theses Directed:Boyd, Alvin Lyle. Computer-aided Mathematics Instruction for Low Achieving Students. (1972)

Runion, Garth Eugene. The Development of Selected Initiating Activities in the Teaching of Mathematics. (1972)

Davison, David M. A Methods Course for Mathematics Teachers Involving Computers and Other Laboratory Activities. (1973)

Bonner, Cameron S. Effects of Competition in Computer-Based Mathematics Gaming. (l974)

Doctoral Theses Directed (continued):

Shevokas, Carolyn. Using a Computer Oriented Monte Carlo

Approach to Teach Community College Mathematics. (l974)

Heeler, Phillip J. A Drill and Practice PLATO Program for Teaching Formal Integration. (l975)

Atkinson, David T. Teaching Statistical Inference Using the Monte Carlo Methods. (1975) Apter, John R. A Placement Test Development Project for Community College Mathematics. (1976)

Gordon, Jeffry. Mixed Dominant Grouping and Bilingual Materials in Mathematics and Science Classes in Two Puerto Rican Junior High Schools. (1976)

Greenwood, M. Effects of Small Group Help Sessions on an

Individual ED Program in Community College Mathematics. (1977)

Viramontes de Marin, Maria Cruz. An Ethnolinguistic Approach to a Teacher Training Model for Bilingual Paraprofessionals. (1979)

Timraz, Kadria Ali. An Application-Oriented Approach to Matrices as Unifiers of Some Mathematical Topics in High School Mathematics. (1979)

Hecht, James E. Using the Monte Carlo Method to Teach Probabilistic Problems Solving in Ninth Grade General Mathematics. (1980)

Dhompongsa, Gullaya. A Model for Teaching Mathematics in Thailand. (1984)

Cleon, Joshua. The Effects of an Experimental Curriculum Development Project in Statistics on the Achievement and Attitude of Tenth Grade Students in Liberia. (l984)

Carr, Jane. A Film Intervention Program to Improve Mathematics Attitudes of Elementary Education Majors in College. (1985)

Wattanawaha, Nongnuch. A Study of Equity in Mathematics Education in Thailand. (l985)

Dupre, Thomas. A Study of the Rise and Fall of the New Mathematics. (1985)

Juhl, Lynn. A Study of Factors Accounting for High Mathematics Achievement of Asian High School Students. (l986)

Salimizadeh, Kazem. A Model for Studying Secondary School Mathematics Education in Iran. (l986)

Rivera, Angel. Mathematics Education at the Eighth Grade Level in Puerto Rico: Achievement and Teaching Effectiveness. (1987)

Doctoral Theses Directed (continued):

Williams, John. Classroom Processes in Teaching Calculus in the Senior High School. (1988)

Frederick, Harold R. Effects of Using Software Tools to Study Functions and Their Graphs. (1989)

Civil, Marta. Attitudes and Beliefs of Pre-service Elementary SchoolTeachers (with Peter G. Braunfeld). (1990)

Thalathoti, Vijaya. Electronic Mail as a Mechanism for Enhancing Statistics Education. (1990)

Park, Kyungmee. Effects of a computer-based calculus course. (1993)

Albert, Lillie. A model for teaching problem solving in the middlegrades. (1995)

Murphy, Teri Jo. Transition in freshman college mathematics. (1995)

Pobre, Eleanor. Paradigm shifts in mathematics teachers (1996)

Wilkins, Jesse. A model for utilizing results of a standardized test for improving high school mathematics instruction (1997).

Caldwell, Jennifer. Barriers to studies and careers in science,

mathematics and engineering faced by students with

disabilities (1996).

Metcalf, Andrew. Curriculum Sensitive Assessment: A Psychometric Study of Tracking as a Distributor of Opportunity To Learn High School Mathematics (2002)

Alghazo, Iman Mohammed. A Study of the Technology competencies of Preservice Secondary Mathematics Teachers (1999)

Hendrix, Timothy Mark. The Evolution of Pre-Service Secondary Mathematics Teachers’ Beliefs About and Understandings of Mathematics: Toward a Community of Learning (2001)

Reese, George Clifford. Technology-Enhanced Education Reform: An Historical Analysis of a Learning System – The Evolution of the Office for Mathematics, Science, and Technology Education at the University of Illinois, 1993-2002 (2002)

Murphy, Lisa Denise. Using Computer-Based Laboratories to Teach Graphing Concepts and theDerivative at the College Level (2003)

Alothman, Othman. A Study of Students’ Experiences and Learning Styles in Calculus & Mathematica (2000)

Aviles-Garay, Edgardo Jose. Using Multiple Coordinated Representations in a Technology-Intensive Setting to Teach Linear Functions at the College Level (2001)

Lin, Cheng-Yao. Effects of a Mathematics Education Web-Based Workshop on Preservice Elementary Teachers (2003)

Chen, Yi-Wen. Distance Education as a Method of Promoting the Professional Development of Taiwanese Junior High School Mathematics Teachers in Using Technology (China) (2003)

Doctoral Theses Directed (continued):

Ezzatkhah-Yenggeh, Karim. Classroom Activites: Bilingual and Cultural Issues in Teaching Two-DigitNumbers (2002)

Bucher, April. Mathematics graduate students as they learn

about teaching undergraduates (2002)

Smith, Horace. A student-oriented approach to topology (2000)

Takahashi, Akihiko. Affordances of computer-based and physical geoboards in problem- solving activities in the middle grades (2002)

Masters theses directed:

Glazer, Evan Michael. An analysis of discourse on an internet-based listserv for mathematics educators (1994)

Hill, James Lawson. The disidentification hypothesis and its application to the mathematics classroom : a model for understanding the relationship between mathematics and the student (1997)

Dildine, James Patrick. Technology-intensive instruction with high performing and low performing middle school mathematics students (1999)

Silver, Rachel. Secondary mathematics teachers’ uses of the world wide web (1999)

Consulting:State of Illinois, Technical Mathematics Writing Project (May 1969 to July 1969)

School Mathematics Study Group, National Longitudinal Study of Mathematical Abilities (August 1969)

College Entrance Examination Board and Educational Testing Service (June - September 1971)

Colorado Schools Computing Science Curriculum Development Project (August 1972 - January 1973)

Denoyer-Geppert Co., Evaluation of Egyptian Mathematics Curriculum (May 1978 - April 1979)

Systran, Chicago, Peace Corps Training Program for Mathematics teachers for Lesotho (November 1978)

National Assessment for Educational Progress (January l981; January l983)

Jefferson County Kentucky Schools (March 1982)

National Commission on Excellence in Education (January l982)

National Institute of Education. Mathematics Achievement among Language-Minority Students (March l983)

State of Virginia. Committee for Reforming the School Mathematics Curriculum (fall l984)

National Survey of School Science and Mathematics. Research Triangle Institute (l984-l985)

State of Illinois. Panel on Reform of Education in the Schools (May l984)

Department of Education, Wellington, New Zealand (August l984)

Swedish Board of Education, Stockholm. National Commission on Reform of Education (October 1985)

Consulting (continued)

Chicago Board of Education. Institute for Mathematical Improvement (Supervising Personnel) (January l986)

State of Kentucky. Resource teacher/instructor for Governor's Scholars program (for gifted high school students) (l986, l987)

Chicago Board of Education. Panel on reform of mathematics curriculum K-12 (l987-89)

State of Virginia. Co-principal investigator, NSF Project on state-wide mathematics assessment (1986-present)

State of Iowa. State-wide assessment project on school mathematics (l987)

State of Florida. Replication of Second International Mathematics Study (l987)

State of Mississippi. Department of Education (1988)

University of Georgia. Member of 3-person site visits team, Graduate Programs of Department of Mathematics Education (1899).

National Science Foundation. Member, site visitation teams middle school mathematics projects in Illinois and Oregon. (1989).

National Advisory Panel, Middle School Algebra Project. Mississippi Delta (1993-4)

Third International Mathematics and Science Study (1993-97)

Activities:American Education Research Association Special Interest Group for Research in Mathematics Education (Secretary, l968-l970)

National Council of Teachers of Mathematics Committee on Mathematics for Non-College Bound (Member, 1966-1969; Chairman, 1968-1969)

Committee on Instructional Affairs (Member, 1969-1972) Ad Hoc Committee on Junior College Mathematics Placement (Chairman, 1970-1971)

Coordinator, Master's Degree Internship Program in Cross-cultural Education, Puerto Rico (l970-l972)

Director, Onarga, Illinois, Grade School Bilingual Computer-Assisted Instruction Project in Mathematics (January - June l973)

Associate Director, Project in the Preservice Training of Teachers about Computer- Assisted Instruction (l975-l976)

Field Director, Master's Degree Teaching Internship Program in Puerto Rico (l974-l975)

Illinois Council of Teachers of Mathematics (Member, Board of Directors, l977-l980; Conference Director, l982 Annual Meeting)

Activities (continued):

Chairman, International Mathematics Committee.

Second International Mathematics Study (1975-88)

Director, US. National Coordinating Center. Second International Mathematics Study (l978-88)

Chief Organizer for Testing, Evaluation and Assessment. Fifth International Congress on Mathematics Education, Adelaide, Australia (August 1984)

Co-Director, Summer Institute for Secondary School Teachers of Statistics, University of Illinois (l985-present)

Chief Organizer, Probability and Statistics. Sixth International Congress on Mathematics Education, Budapest, Hungary (l988)

Awards:Max Beberman award for contributions to mathematics education. Illinois Council of Teachers of Mathematics. 1989.

AERA Senior Research Fellow, NationalCenter for Education Statistics, U. S. Department of Education, 1994.

Publications:

A.Monographs or Bulletins

Travers, Kenneth J., Robert W. Heath and Leonard S. Cahen, “Preferences for Modes of Expression in Mathematics," Research Memorandum No. 7, School of Education, StanfordUniversity, May, l967.

Travers, Kenneth J., “Nonintellective Correlates of Under- and Over- Achievement in Mathematics," Technical Report Number 19, National Longitudinal Study of Mathematical Abilities, School Mathematics Study Group, Stanford University, l971.

Travers, Kenneth J. John LeDuc and Garth Runion, “Teaching Resources for Low Achievement Mathematics Classes.” Target Paper for the Science and MathematicsEducationInformationAnalysisCenter, The Ohio State University, l971. (Also appeared as USOE PREP Report.)

Travers, Kenneth J. (ed.), The Preparation of Mathematics Teacher Educators, University of Illinois, TTT Colloquium, December 1969.

Travers, Kenneth J. (ed.), Bulletin 3, Second International Mathematics Study, December 1978.

Travers, Kenneth J. (ed.), Bulletin 4, Second International Mathematics Study, December 1979

Travers, Kenneth J. (ed.), Bulletin 5, Second International Mathematics Study, November 1980.

Travers, Kenneth J. (ed.), Second International Mathematics Study: Summary Report for the United States, January l985.

Travers, Kenneth J. (ed.), Second International Mathematics Study: Detailed Report for the United States, December 1986.

Travers, Kenneth J., et al. The Underachieving Curriculum. Champaign, IL: Stipes Publishing Company. 1987

Travers, Kenneth J., Curtis C. McKnight and Thomas J. Cooney. eds. Classroom Processes in Secondary School Mathematics. (1987)

B.Articles

Travers, Kenneth J., “Some experiences in teaching topics from set theory to an elementary school arithmetic class," Journal of the British Columbia Association of Mathematics Teachers, Vol. 41, No. 8, May-June. 1964.

Travers, Kenneth J., “A test of pupil preference for problem- solving situations in junior high school mathematics," The Journal of Experimental Education, Vol. 35, No. 4, Summer, l967, pp. 9-18.

Travers, Kenneth J., “Through clouds of failure into orbit,” The Arithmetic Teacher, Vol. 15, November, l968, pp. 591-598.

Travers, Kenneth J., “Computation: low achiever's stumbling block or stepping stone?” The Arithmetic Teacher, Vol. 18, January, l971, pp. 11-17.

Travers, Kenneth J. “Cooperation for better mathematics teacher education," The Mathematics Teacher, Vol. 64, April, l971, pp. 373-379.

Travers, Kenneth J. “Mathematics education and the computer revolution," School Science and Mathematics, Vol. 71, January, l971, pp. 24-34.

Nievergelt, J. and Kenneth J. Travers, “Computer education for secondary school mathematics teachers.” Proceedings of the SIGSE Technical Symposium on Academic Education in Computer Science, Vol. 2, No. 3, November, l970, pp. 75-83.

Travers, Kenneth J. and J. Nievergelt, “Educating high school teachers for the computer age," Illinois Journal of Education , Vol. 62, No. 4, May, l971.

Pikaart, Len and Kenneth J. Travers, “Teaching elementary school mathematics: a simplified model," The Arithmetic Teacher, Vol. 20, May, l973. pp. 332-342.

Travers, Kenneth J., “A computer activity in building a linear model of data," School Science and Mathematics, Vol. 77, No. 8, December 1977, pp. 653-658.

Travers, Kenneth J., “On generating a bivariate distribution having any desired correlation," The Mathematics Teacher, Vol. 70, No. 3, March, l977, pp. 265-269.

Travers, Kenneth J., “The Second International Survey of Mathematics Achievement: A case for US. participation," Journal for Research in Mathematics Education, Vol. 8, No. 1, January 1977, pp. 71-81.

Travers, Kenneth J., “A computer activity on building a linear model of data," Creative Computing, September-October 1978, pp. 104-105. Reprinted from School Science and Mathematics, Vol. 77, No. 8, December 1977, pp. 653-658.

Travers, Kenneth J., “The Second International Mathematics Study: Purposes and Design," Journal of Curriculum Studies, Vol. 11, No. 3, l979, pp. 203-210.

Articles (Continued)

Travers, Kenneth J., “The Second International Mathematics Study: Purposes and Design," Commemorative Publication on 50th Anniversary of National Institute for Educational Research, Tokyo, Japan. 1980.

Travers, Kenneth J., “The Second International Mathematics Study: An Overview," Comparative Studies of Mathematics Curricula - Change and Stability, l960-l980, Institut fur Didaktik der Mathematik der University, Bielefeld, l980.

Travers, Kenneth J. and Kenneth G. Gray, “The Monte Carlo Method: A fresh approach to teaching probabilistic concepts," The Mathematics Teacher, Vol. 74, No. 5, May 1981, pp. 327- 334.

Travers, Kenneth J. and Alan C. Purves, “The IEA Studies: International Evaluation and American Curriculum," Educational Leadership, Vol. 39, No. 6, March, l982, pp. 440-446.

Travers, Kenneth J., M. Eckstein and S. Shafer, “A comparative review of curriculum: Mathematics and international studies in the secondary schools of five countries," National Commission on Excellence in Education, April 28, l982.

Travers, Kenneth J. and Curtis C. McKnight, “Mathematics achievement in US. schools: Preliminary findings form the Second IEA Mathematics Study," Phi Delta Kappan, February 1985, pp. 407-413.

Travers, Kenneth J. “Mathematics: secondary school programs,” International Encyclopedia of Education. Ed. Torsten Husen and T. Neville Postlethwaite. London: Pergamon Press, l985. VI, 3285-3266.

Travers, Kenneth J., Curtis C. McKnight and John A. Dossey, Twelfth-grade mathematics in U.S. high schools: A report from the Second International Mathematics Study," Mathematics Teacher, Vol. 32, No. 4, April, l985, pp. 292-300 (cont. 270).

Travers, Kenneth J., Curtis C. McKnight, F. Joe Crosswhite and Jane O. Swafford, “Eighth grade mathematics in U.S. schools: A report from the Second International Mathematics Study," Arithmetic Teacher, Vol. 32, No. 8, April, l985, pp. 20-26.

Travers, Kenneth J., Curtis C. McKnight, F. Joe Crosswhite and Jane O. Swafford, “Eighth grade math: An international study," Principal, Vol. 65, No. 1, September, l985, pp. 37- 40.

Travers, Kenneth J., Curtis C. McKnight and John A. Dossey, “Mathematics achievement in U.S. high schools from an international perspective," NASSP: Bulletin, Vol. 69, No. 484, November, l985, pp. 55-63.

Robitaille, David F. and Kenneth J. Travers, “Geometry for 13- year olds in Canada and the United States," Studies in Mathematics Education. Paris: UNESCO (to appear).

Travers, Kenneth J. and Jochem Ziegenbalg (West Germany), “Uses of calculators and computers in pre-service teacher education.” In Keith Hirst, ed. Proceedings of the Sixth International Congress on Mathematical Education. Budapest, Hungary: Janos Bolyai Mathematical Society pages 146-147.

Travers, Kenneth J. “Curriculum-linked assessment: A Model Based on the Second International Mathematics Study”, in David F. Robitaille, ed. Evaluation and Assessment in School Mathematics. Paris, France: UNESCO, (1989), pages 21-24.

C.Reviews

Travers, Kenneth J., “The Failure Strategies of Third-Grade Arithmetic Pupils” by Gerhard H. Roberts (in The Arithmetic Teacher), Investigations in Mathematics Education, Vol., 1, January, l969, pp. 18-20.

Travers, Kenneth J., “Preliminary Report on an Experiment with Junior High School Very Low Achievers in Mathematics" by William S. DeVenney (SMSG Reports No. 6), Investigations in Mathematics Education, Vol. 2, July, l969, pp. 47-49.

Travers, Kenneth J., “Report on an Experiment with Junior High School Very Low Achievers in Mathematics" by William S. DeVenney (SMSG Reports No. 7), Investigations in Mathematics Education, Vol. 3, January, l970.

Travers, Kenneth J., “The Relationship between a Seventh-Grade Pupil's Academic Self-Concept and Achievement in Mathematics" by Alfred M. Bachman (in Journal for Research in Mathematics Education 1: 173-179, May 1970), Investigations in Mathematics Education, Vol. 5, No. 1, Winter, l972, pp. 43-45.

Travers, Kenneth J. “Mathematics Learning and Pupil Characteristics” by Werner Liedtke (in Alberta Journal of Educational Research, Vol. xvii, No. 3, September, l971, pp. 143-153, Investigations in Mathematics Education, Vol. 6), No. 1, winter, l973, pp. 40-46.

Travers, Kenneth J., “Lamkton First-Year Algebra Test, Revised Edition," Oscar K. Buros (Ed.), Seventh Mental Measurements Yearbook, Highland Park, NJ, Gryphon Press, l972, pp. 904- 905.

Travers, Kenneth J., “Cooperative Mathematics Tests: Algebra I and Algebra II," Oscar K. Buros (Ed.), Seventh Mental Measurement Yearbook, Highland Park, NJ, Gryphon Press, l972, pp. 894-895.

Travers, Kenneth J., Mathematical Talent by Julian C. Stanley, et al. Johns Hopkins University Press, l974, Journal for Research in Mathematics Education, Vol. 8, No. 2, March, l977, pp. 148-151.

Travers, Kenneth J. and John A. Easley, “Karplus' Study of Children's Mathematics Concepts, Berkeley," Investigations in Mathematics Education, Vol. 9, No. 2, spring, l975, pp. 34-42.

Travers, Kenneth J., “On Children's Quantitative Understanding of Numbers," by Adolf af Ekenstam (in Educational Studies in Mathematics, 8(1977), pp. 317-332), Investigations in Mathematics Education, Vol. 11, No. 4, Fall, l978, pp. 1-4.

Travers, Kenneth J., Mathematics Education by G.T. Wain, ed., New York: Van Nostrand Reinhold, l978, International Review of Education, Vol. XXV, No. 1, l979, pp. 106-107.

D.Chapters in Books

Travers, Kenneth J., “Using Monte Carlo Methods to Teach Probability and Statistics," in Teaching Statistics and Probability, National Council of Teachers of Mathematics, l981 Yearbook, NCTM, Reston, Virginia. pp. 210-219.

Travers, Kenneth J., “The Linguistic Context of TeachingJunior High School Mathematics,” in R. Cocking, Language Perspectives in Mathematics Learning. Elbaum. .

Travers, Kenneth J., “Factors explaining differential achievement in school mathematics in Japan and the United States,” in Commemorative Publication of the National Institute for Educational Research, Tokyo: NIER, 1988 (in Japanese).