In the Spotlight - José María Menéndez

José María Menéndez

Mathematics Education Researcher

Pima Community College Mathematics Faculty Member

RMETYC is excited to present this spotlight on José María Menéndez and his groundbreaking research on culturally responsive mathematics teaching and learning. 

Please read the full spotlight of Menéndez in the MathAMATYC Educator Vol.8(3), May, 2017 issue.

José María Menéndez's research centers on the transformative nature of high-quality mathematics teaching and learning and the power of diverse classroom communities to promote social justice and open access to mathematics and higher education to underrepresented populations in STEM fields. Menéndez's inquiry has led him to engage with secondary students and families, pre-service and in-service teachers, and two-year college students in unique learning environments. His work sheds light on the ways teachers and students can learn together to build understandings of culture, perceptions of each other, and ways of knowing to challenge sociomathematical norms that can create barriers to learning. His work is powerful and speaks directly to the heart of teaching.

Full audio interview with José María Menéndez.
* This will link to an audio file hosted on Google Drive. 

Menéndez completed a postdoctoral scholar appointment at the Center for the Mathematics Education of Latinos/as at the University of Arizona (CEMELA) at the University of Arizona. 

Currently, Menéndez is engaged in a collaborative research project led by PI Guadalupe Lozano at the University of Arizona Department of Mathematics titled "Exploring how peer-collaborative math problem-solving courses and mentoring affect performance / persistence for HSI 2-year and 4-year college transfer students" (NSF #1644899).

Recommended Reading 

Felton-Koestler, M.D., Simic-Muller, K., & Menéndez, J. M. (Eds.). (2017). Reflecting the world: A guide to incorporating equity in mathematics education. Charlotte, NC: Information Age Publishing.

Menéndez , J. M., & Civil, M. (2009). The role of cognition and affect on adults' participation in a nonformal setting for learning mathematics. In K. Stafford-Ramus (Ed.). Proceedings of the 15th International Conference of Adults Learning Mathematics - A Research Forum (pp. 147 - 164). Philadelphia, PA: Chestnut Hill College.

Menéndez, J. M., Kondek McLeman, L., Musanti, S.I., Trujillo, B., & Kahn, L. H. (2012). Adapting instruction for Latina/o students: A collaborative experience between teachers and researchers. In J. M. Bay-Williams (Ed.) Professional collaborations in mathematics teaching and learning: seeking success for all - 74th Yearbook (2012) (pp. 75 - 85). Reston, VA: NCTM. 

In the Spotlight is a feature of the MathAMATYC Educator that focuses on research that is being done in mathematics education on the first two years of college mathematics. 

Call for Proposals-San Diego November 9, 2017

Submission Deadline Friday, March 3, 2017

Have you conducted research in the teaching and learning of community college mathematics? Do you have research findings from a preliminary study on community college mathematics that you want to share with other faculty? If so, consider presenting at the AMATYC Research Conference in San Diego, California!

The Research Committee (RMETYC) is hosting a Research Conference during the AMATYC Conference on Thursday, November 09, 2017 from 7:00PM-9:30PM

The purpose of the conference is for presenters to report on research in which they are currently engaged and provide opportunities for significant discussion with the audience. Sessions will be 20 minutes, including 20 minutes for discussion. We will offer a broad range of research reports – from quantitative to qualitative studies – as well as general sessions about what you can expect from mathematics education research at the community colleges.

Proposal Guidelines

Abstract: The abstract is limited to 150 words. Please include in the abstract an informative description of the context, theoretical framework, research questions, goals, and findings.

Proposal: The maximum length of the proposal text is 3 pages, single-spaced, Times New Roman 12 point font, with 1-inch margins. The page limit does not include the references or figures. Use standard APA format for references. Preliminary reports should report on ongoing research projects in early stages of analysis. Significant discussion time will allow for feedback and suggestions for future directions for the research. Proposals for preliminary reports are expected to include a list of 2-3 questions that will be posed to the audience during the discussion portion of presentation to help further the research. The audience questions must be included within the 3-page limit.

Submission: Proposals should be submitted in PDF format and must be emailed to RMETYC Committee Chair, John Smith, at jtsmith2@pstcc.edu on or before Friday, March 3, 2017.  Thank you for your interest.