Ji-Won Son

Dr. Ji-Won Son joined the Department of Learning and Instruction in August 2013. Prior to that, she spent 5 years as an assistant professor of mathematics education at the University of Tennessee at Knoxville. Her research centers on the intersection of mathematics education and curriculum and instruction in K-12 contexts. The four main research interests she has developed are: (1) teacher noticing and learning (how pre-service and in-service teachers learn to interpret and respond to student thinking), (2) teacher's curricula noticing and use (how teachers read and use mathematical curriculum and textbooks), (3) mathematics textbook/task analysis (learning opportunities provided to students by curriculum resources), and (4) international comparative studies (whether there is any difference in students’ mathematical learning opportunities and teaching approaches among different countries).

Recognizing the gaps between and among various types of curricula, she has looked for better ways to improve student and teacher learning, especially from a cross-cultural perspective, through her research. Her research aims at identifying the core knowledge and practice for teaching mathematics and improving all students’ mathematical understanding including under-represented students and emergent bilinguals, through project-based learning, storytelling-based approach, and a history-infused curriculum.

• PhD, Michigan State University (2008)

• Book recognition as an anti-racist teaching guide in the context of the 2023 Anti-racist pedagogy symposium; Virginia Tech; 2023-05-28;
• NSF Proposal Review Panel; National Science Foundation; 2023-03-14;
• Faculty in Residence; Graduate School of Education, University at Buffalo; 2018-05-04;
• Dean's Travel Award; Graduate School of Education, University at Buffalo; 2018-04-12;
• UUP (United University Professions) Discretionary Lump-Sum Awards; United University Professions (UUP); 2016-11-24;

• Jo, S., & Son, J. (2022). ‘I Can Create and Eat it for Snack’: How Can Cooking Activities Support Early Math Learning?. Early Childhood Education Journal. https://doi.org/10.1007/s10643-021-01230-0
• Hu, Q., Son, JW. & Hodge, L. (2022). Algebra Teachers’ Interpretation and Responses to Student Errors in Solving Quadratic Equations. International Journal of Science and Math Education, 20, 637–657. https://doi.org/10.1007/s10763-021-10166-1
• Jung, H., Son, J., & I, J. (2022). Exploring data from lived experiences: A pandemic case. Mathematics Teacher: Learning and Teaching PK-12, 115(2), 122-129.

• I, JY., Son, JW., & Chang, H. (2022). Multiculturalism in Current and Future Mathematics Teacher Education in South Korea. In: Khine, M.S., Liu, Y. (eds) Handbook of Research on Teacher Education. Springer, Singapore. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-981-16-9785-2_27

• Obielodan, F., & Son, J. (2022). What factors contribute to student success in precalculus Flipped classroom. In Lischka, A. E., Dyer, E. B., Jones, R. S., Lovett, J., Strayer, J., & Drown, S. (2022). Proceedings of the forty-fourth annual meeting of the North American Chapter of the International Group for the Psychology of Mathematics Education. Middle Tennessee State University.

• Obielodan, F., & Son, J. (2022, October). What factors contribute to student success in precalculus Flipped classroom. Research report presented at the 44th annual meeting of the North American Chapter of the International Group for the Psychology of Mathematics Education, Nashville, TN.;
• Son, J, Obielodan, F., Wallace, S., & Heck, A. (2022, October). How preservice elementary teachers view lesson coherence. Brief Research Report presented at the 44th annual meeting of the North American Chapter of the International Group for the Psychology of Mathematics Education, Nashville, TN.;
• Son, J., Jo. S., Wallace, S., & Obielodan, F. (2022, October). How proportional reasoning is presented in U.S. and Korean textbooks. Research report presented at the 44th annual meeting of the North American Chapter of the International Group for the Psychology of Mathematics Education, Nashville, TN.;
• Son, J. & Jo. S. (2022, April). How preservice elementary teachers view lesson and curriculum coherence. Paper to be presented at the annual meeting of the American Educational Research Association (AERA), San Diego, CA.;
• Son, J. & Jo. S. (2022, April). Preservice teachers’ beliefs and enactment of English Language Learners-Focused instructional strategies. Paper to be presented at the annual meeting of the American Educational Research Association (AERA), San Diego, CA.;

• Promoting Equitable Mathematical Experience for Underrepresented Girls; Local; The Cullen Foundation; Awarded; (07/01/2019-08/31/2020)
• Infusing History into Mathematics Instruction; Foundation and Research Organization; National Council of Teachers of Mathematics–7-12 Classroom Research Grants; Awarded; (06/01/2018-05/31/2020)
• MAP: Making Mathtalks Productive for English Learners; Foundation and Research Organization; UB GSE Seed Grant: Maximizing External Grant Application Success (MEGAS); Awarded; (09/01/2017-05/30/2018)
• Fostering Equitable Mathematical Experience: Project-Based Learning for Under-represented Girls; Local; The Cullen Foundation; Awarded; (11/01/2016-12/31/2017)
• Core Mathematical Knowledge and Cross-cultural Teaching Practices in Algebraic and Functional Relations; Foundation and Research Organization; The Spencer Foundation; Awarded; (09/01/2016-08/31/2018)

• Editorial Board, Journal of Research in Childhood Education (2016 – Present)
  07/01/2016-05/31/2024
• Editorial Board, Studies of Educational Science (2013 – Present)
  07/01/2016-06/30/2023
• Editorial Board, International Journal of Education (2013 – Present)
  07/01/2016-05/31/2021
• American Educational Research Association (AERA) conference (2004 – Current)
  06/01/2016-05/31/2025

• Judge, GENIUS Olympiad (Science judging), SUNY Oswego, New York
  06/15/2016-06/15/2022