Ryan Seth Jones

Seth studies ways of supporting students to use mathematics and science to construct and revise knowledge. He has conducted research that focuses on measuring the extent to which whole class discussions in middle grades classrooms support students to examine the epistemological implications of various statistical properties, worked on interdisciplinary teams to create innovative technologies for teachers and students in middle grades math classes, helped to develop new tools for assessing nuanced ways of thinking in middle grades, and has developed frameworks and curricular approaches for interdisciplinary STEM learning environments organized around data modeling practices.

There are three commitments that motivate this work: 1) Children are innovative, creative, and incredible sense-makers. 2) It is increasingly important to be able to reason mathematically and scientifically in order to have access to important cultural resources and to engage in public discourse. So, all students should have opportunities to develop competency in using math and science to make sense of the world around them, and to engage in their communities in ways that are meaningful to them. 3) Research to develop these opportunities in ways that leverages children's ingenuity should be done in partnership with teachers and schools and leverage expertise from as many stakeholders as possible.