Title(s): Assistant Professor

Education: Ph.D, Carnegie Mellon University

Affiliations:

Research interests:

The central purpose of my research is to understand the processes used in formal mathematical reasoning, with a particular emphasis on understanding the processes used in constructing proofs. I seek to investigate this large issue by addressing two related questions: a) What cognitive processes are used by undergraduate mathematics majors as they construct proofs in their collegiate mathematics courses? b) What type of knowledge, processes, and understandings are necessary or sufficient to write proofs effectively?

I am also interested in addressing the following questions: In what ways do students develop their understanding of advanced mathematics? How are advanced mathematics courses traditionally taught and why are they taught in this way? How can we use our understanding of the nature of advanced mathematical thinking to develop ways in which these courses can be taught more effectively?

Recent publications:

K. Weber, C. Maher, A. Powell, and H.S. Lee (in press). Learning opportunities from group discussions: Warrants become the objects of debate. To appear in Educational Studies in Mathematics.

K. Weber (in press). How do mathematicians determine if an argument is a valid proof? To appear in Journal for Research in Mathematics Education.

K. Weber (2006). Investigating and teaching the thought processes used to construct proofs. Research in Collegiate Mathematics Education, 6, 197-232.

K. Weber (2005). Students' understanding of trigonometric functions. Mathematics Education Research Journal, 17(3), 97-118.

K. Weber and L. Alcock (2005). Using warranted implications to understand and validate proofs. For the Learning of Mathematics, 25(1), 34-38.

K. Weber and L. Alcock (2004). Semantic and syntactic proof productions. Educational Studies in Mathematics, 56, 209-234.

K. Weber (2004). Traditional instruction in advanced mathematics courses. Journal of Mathematical Behavior, 23(2), 115-133.

K. Weber (2001). Student difficulties in constructing proofs: The need for strategic knowledge. Educational Studies in Mathematics, 48, 101-119.

Click CV for complete list of journal articles.