S.07-55

SIMON FRASER UNIVERSITY •

Senate Committee on University Priorities

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Memorandum

TO: Senate

FROM:

John WaterhP

,cak

demic

4?

Chair,

SCUP

Vice Preside

RE:

David Wheeler Institute for Research

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DATE: ?

March 2, 2W

In Mathematics Education (SCUP 07-014)

At its February 21, 2007 meeting SCUP reviewed and approved the proposal for the

creation of the David Wheeler Institute for Research in Mathematics Education. This

Institute will be a Schedule A Centre within the Faculty of Education.

Motion

That Senate approve and recommend to the Board of Governors the creation of

the David Wheeler Institute for Research in Mathematics Education as a

Schedule A Centre within the Faculty of Education.

end.

c: R. Zazkis, S. Campbell

.

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SCUP 07-14

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SIMON FRASER UNIVERSITY

MEMORANDUM

OFFICE OF VICE-PRESIDENT, RESEARCH

TO:

Sarah Dench, Secretary

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FROM:

B. Mario Pinto

Senate Committee on University

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Vice-President, Research

Planning (SCUP)

RE: David Wheeler Institute for

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DATE:

February 1, 2007

Research in Mathematics Education

Attached is a proposal from Dr. Paul Shaker, Dean, Faculty of Education for the

establishment of the David Wheeler Institute for Research in Mathematics in Education

as a Schedule A Centre.

The Governing Committee for Centres and Institutes recommends that the

Centre be granted approval by SCUP. Once approved by SCUP, the proposal is to be

forwarded to Senate, followed by submission to the Board of Governors.

Governing Committee:

L'

;^5_

Vice-President,

rjohn H. Waterhouse

Academic and Provost

Dr. B. Mario Pinto

Vice-President, Research

Attachment

C:

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Dr. Paul Shaker, Dean, Faculty of Education

.

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Dr. Rina Zazkis, Faculty of Education

Dr. Sen Campbell, Faculty of Education

Dr. Peter Liljedahl, Faculty of Education

Dr. Nathalie Sinclair, Faculty of Education

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a

SIMON FRASER UNIVERSITY ?

Received by

DEAN OF EDUCATION

Memorandum ?

JAN

2 2001

Vice President Research Office

To: ?

Mario Pinto, VP-Research

From: Paul Shaker, Dean, Faculty of Educ

Subject:

David Wheeler Institute for Research in

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Education

Date: ?

January 22, 2007

Attached is a proposed constitution for a new SFU research institute to be housed within

the Faculty of Education: "David Wheeler Institute for Research in Mathematics

Education." I support this initiative in full and request that it be considered for further

SFU approval. The funding for this institute will be found through external sources, and

the faculty members involved are currently working together with Josh Coward, our

Advancement Officer, to find financial support.

PS:aln

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.

cc: Rina Zazkis

Sen Campbell

Peter Liljedahl

Nathalie Sinclair

3.

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CONSTITUTION

David Wheeler Institute for Research in Mathematics Education

January 2007

1.

Statement of Purpose

David Wheeler Inst it ute

for

Research in Mathematics Education

is a

research group

at Simon Fraser University, combining and integrating a variety of humanistic and

scientific approaches in different areas related to Mathematics Education. The

Institute's mission is to generate and share knowledge about acquiring mathematical

literacy and understanding at all ages and to advance humanity by enriching the lives

and options of learners. Current research projects focus on mathematics teacher

education in both cognitive and affective domains, on mathematical anxiety, on

aesthetics of mathematical experience and on uses of computer technology that

promotes learning and teaching.

We also have a special interest in advancing knowledge about the learning of

mathematics in general, and situating this knowledge within the lived experiences of

learners. We aim to do this by reaching out and drawing on international expertise in

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a variety of research initiatives. Through community outreach in real world settings,

we strive to promote effective change that meets the needs of students, teachers,

parents, and the community at large.

We believe in integration of research and practice; as such our outreach programs

provide a platform for conducting classroom research and for implementing research

results in practice. An important part of this process is ongoing collaboration among

researchers and teachers and school districts, as well as the creation of partnerships

with the families, administrators, and policy makers who will potentially benefit from

our research.

Our research interests are linked by the following inter-connected themes:

• Mathematics teacher education and professional growth of teachers

• Problem solving and problem posing

• Mathematical creativity

• Learning through teaching

• Reaching all learners, from "at risk" to "gifted"

• Improving understanding via brain sciences

• Use and improvement of technology to support teaching and learning.

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The Wheeler Institute 2

Several recent and established initiatives support our operation as a research group:

• MSc/MEd program in Secondary Mathematics Education

• New PhD program in Mathematics Education

• MEd off-campus program in Numeracy

• Graduate Diploma program in Mathematical Literacy

• Educational Neuroscience Group for Research into Affect and Mentation in

Mathematics Education (ENGRAMME)

• "Q" courses EDUC 211 and EDUC 212

• Our individual involvement in leadership of professional and academic

organizations.

We are committed to strong community-university partnerships and strong national

and international collaboration. We have several planned initiatives to support this

commitment:

• Establishing relations with other "centres for excellence" and research institutes

• Establishing and strengthening existing national and international collaborative

projects

• Establishing a family support centre at SFU that includes tutoring and enrichment

programs

• Further promoting and revising off-campus programs in mathematical literacy

• Creating an off-campus program that supports secondary school teachers

• Establishing lecture series

• Holding an annual mini-conference that brings together international scholars to

work on a designated project

• Establishing a national graduate students network

• Publishing a newsletter for teachers that brings together ideas from the variety of

initiatives.

Current Research and Outreach Projects:

• ENGRAMMETRON - Educational Neuroscience Laboratory

• Relearning Mathematical concepts by pre-service teachers

• Professional growth of teachers

• Use of dynamic visualisation software in teaching and learning of mathematics

• Aesthetic dimension of learning and doing mathematics

• MEDS-C - Mathematics Education Doctoral Students Conference (Annual)

• Reading Club - Quarterly meeting of PhD students and faculty on selected key

literature in mathematics education

• In-service support in and around numeracy and assessment.

In the Wheeler Inst itute for Research in Mathematics Education we rely on the strong

evidence witnessed in our prior collaborative initiatives and we strive to promote

further collaboration among ourselves and with other scholars.

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The Wheeler Institute 3

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2.

Internal Governance

Process and provision for the appointment of a DirectOr

The name of the Institute, administration of Institute funds and employment of staff

will be in keeping with relevant University policies. These functions will be overseen

by an executive director elected by and from the members of the Institute for a 3-year

term. The executive director will be advised by a committee of Institute members

elected by and from members of the Institute.

Contracts and

g

rants will be administered in keeping with the applicable policies and

procedures of Simon Fraser University. An annual report shall be prepared by the

committee and submitted by the director.

Simon Fraser University will be recognized in all publications of the Institute.

The following faculty members will initially act as co-directors of the Institute:

• Stephen Campbell

• Peter Liljedahl

• Nathalie Sinclair

• Rina Zazkis.

Initial membership will consist of graduate students in MSc and PhD programs in

Mathematics Education, of several affiliated national and international

scholars/collaborators, and of several teachers in the field associated with our

programs and initiatives.

3.

Identification of

Schedule

The Wheeler Institute

is a Schedule A Institute (R 40.0 1, page 2) and comes under

the direct authority of the Dean of Education.

4. Obliaations of

the Institute

The Wheeler Institute

recognizes the obligation it has to conduct its activities in

accordance with University governing policies, including R 40.01 - Centres and

Institutes. If this document and University policy differ on any issue, University

policy shall prevail.

5.

Sources of Funding

The Institute will substantially finance its activities and initiatives by means of

external funding; seed funding will be negotiated with the Dean of Education. Josh

Coward, the Faculty of Education Advancement Officer, has been working with us to

secure funds for operating our research and outreach activities.

6.

Library resources

Not applicable.

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Megan L. Crouch, 1/31/07 4:07 PM -0800, David Wheeler Institute for Research in Mathe

?

1

Date: Wed, 31 Jan 2007 16:07:51 -0800

To: murdoch@sfu.ca

From: 'Megan L. Crouch' <mcrouchsfu.ca

>

Subject: David Wheeler Institute for Research in Mathematics Education

Cc: Gwen Bird <gbird@sfu.ca

>

Hi Valerie,

I have reviewed the proposal for the David Wheeler Institute for Research in Mathematics Education and have determined

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APPENDIX

David Wheeler Institute for Research in Mathematics Education

David Wheeler (1925-2000) is an internationally renowned and beloved mathematics

educator who spent the latter part of his 50-year career in Mathematics Education at SFU,

after retiring from Concordia University in the early nineties.

Through the course of his career, David Wheeler left indelible marks in mathematics

education, both in Canada and internationally.

For the Learning

of

Mathematics,

a

journal he established and edited for 17 years (from 1980 to 1997) is a internationally

recognized journal, which largely due to his influence has become highly regarded for its

focus on learning and its unique approach to communicating ideas and stimulating

reflection amongst the mathematics education community. David Wheeler also served as

the Canadian representative with the International Commission on Mathematical

Instruction (ICMI), and as a member of the International Programme Committee for the

International Congress on Mathematics Education (ICME). He was instrumental in the

formation and growth of the Canadian Mathematics Education Study Group (CMESG),

serving as President of this organization for 10 years.

• His impact on mathematics education has been felt for more than half a century, and we

have been particularly fortunate to have had him with us at SFU in the last decade of his

august career. Colleagues worldwide refer to David as a pioneer, as a visionary, and as a

giant of mathematics education. This proposal for the David Wheeler Institute for

Research in Mathematics Education is a fitting tribute to his legacy.