七色视频

Senior Scientist

Maria Blanton

Program/Areas of Interest

Mathematics Education

  • Children’s algebraic thinking
  • Building classroom practice to foster algebraic inquiry
  • Learning progressions in children鈥檚 mathematical thinking

Biography

Maria Blanton is a Senior Scientist at 七色视频 in Cambridge, MA. Her primary research interests include teaching and learning algebra in the elementary grades. Her expertise has led to numerous聽federally-funded research projects and聽national and international presentations and publications (in, e.g.,聽Journal for Research in Mathematics Education,听Mathematical Thinking and Learning, American Educational Research Journal, Educational Studies in Mathematics,听Teaching Children Mathematics). She is co-editor of the research volumes聽Algebra in the Early Grades聽(2008, Taylor/Francis) and聽Teaching and Learning Proof Across the Grades聽(2009, Routledge), author of聽Algebra and the Elementary Classroom: Transforming Thinking, Transforming Practice聽(2008, Heinemann), and co-author of聽Developing Essential Understanding of Algebraic Thinking for Teaching Mathematics in Grades 3鈥�5聽(2011, NCTM) and聽Teaching with Mathematical Argument: Strategies for Supporting Everyday Instruction聽(2018, Heinemann). She is also co-author of the Grades K鈥�5 early algebra curriculum, LEAP: Learning through an Early Algebra Progression (Didax, 2020). She has聽served as Chair of the Editorial Panel for the Journal for Research in Mathematics Education and Chair聽of the Special Interest Group for Research in Mathematics Education (SIG-RME) of AERA. Dr. Blanton is currently PI of US DoE and NSF-funded projects investigating Grades K-5 children鈥檚 understanding of algebraic thinking聽and the impacts of sustained early algebra education on children鈥檚 algebra-readiness. She is the recipient of the 2020 International Award for Interdisciplinary Excellence in Mathematics Education, Texas A&M University for her research in children鈥檚 early algebraic thinking.

Education

  • Ph.D., Mathematics Education, (Minor, Mathematics), North Carolina State University, 1998
  • M.A., Mathematics, University of North Carolina – Wilmington, 1991
  • B.A., Mathematics, Secondary Certification, University of North Carolina – Wilmington, 1989

Highlighted Publications

Blanton, M., Isler, I., Stroud, R., Stephens, A., Knuth, E., & Gardiner, A. (2019). Growth in children鈥檚 understanding of generalizing and representing mathematical structure and relationships. Educational Studies in Mathematics 102(2), 193鈥�219, DOI:10.1007/s10649-019-09894-7

Blanton, M., Stroud, R., Stephens, A., Gardiner, A., Stylianou, D., Knuth, E., Isler-Baykal, I., Strachota, S. (2019). Does Early algebra matter?: The effectiveness of an early algebra intervention in grades 3鈥�5. American Educational Research Journal. https://doi.org/10.3102/0002831219832301.

Blanton, M., Otalora Sevilla, Y., Brizuela, B., Gardiner, A., Sawrey, K., & Gibbons, A. (2018). Exploring Kindergarten Students鈥� Early Understandings of the Equal Sign. Mathematical Thinking and Learning, 20(3), 167鈥�201, doi: 10.1080/10986065.2018.1474534