Justin+N.+Thorpe

=Justin N. Thorpe=

Biography:

I am a third year doctoral student in the Department of Teacher Education. I focus on the roles of rhetoric and theory in education especially in mathematics and statistics education; I have a background in mathematics and statistics. My research interests include the use of rhetoric in education, philosophies of education, feminist theories, and the relationships among statistics, education, and theory. I also enjoy thinking about educational research in general: what drives education research and what sets and subsets is education composed of. I am an avid reader and enjoy playing board games.

Courses I have taught:
 * TE 801 -- Professional Roles and Teaching Practices. I have taught this course three times: Twice during the fall semester, once as an independent study during the spring. I also took over teaching the last four weeks of another section of this course in the fall of 2009.
 * TE 402 -- Crafting Teaching Practice -- Elementary. I have also taught this course twice, both in the spring semesters.
 * STT 200 -- Statistical Methods. This is a course that is offered as a non-calculus based course in introductory statistics. I have both been a TA and instructor for this course.

Research Projects:
 * Posing, Interpreting, and Responding in Learning to Teach Mathematics (Dr. Sandra Crespo, PI). This project is sponsored by the National Science Foundation and looks at how preservice and induction teachers pose, interpret, and respond to teaching situations in the elementary classroom. Responsibilities include: Coding data, observing teachers, interviewing teachers, statistical consultations, and data transcription.
 * Quantitative Literacy Project (Dr. Vince Melfi and Dr. Dennis Gilliland, PIs). This project was built by the provost's office of Michigan State University to measure the retention of quantitative skills among undergraduate students. Responsibilities included administering exams and verifying data.

Professional Memberships
 * American Education Research Association
 * Rhetorical Society of America
 * Psychology of Mathematics Education - North America Chapter
 * National Council of Teachers of Mathematics (NCTM)

Something unique about myself: At one point in my life I was an organ performance major. I really enjoy music (of all types really) but love Something unique about myself: At one point in my life I was an organ performance major. I really enjoy music (of all types really) but love classical music. I especially love hearing a good string quartet. Music and mathematics, eh?