Jillian Cavanna

Education

PhD, Michigan State University

MA, Eastern Connecticut State University

BA, Ithaca College

Teaching Focus: Assistant Professor Jillian Cavanna's teaching focuses on preparing undergraduate elementary teaching candidates to teach mathematics across diverse contexts. She provides opportunities for teachers to engage deeply with mathematics and to apply research-based ideas to developing mathematics pedagogy. Additionally, she supports beginning teachers to learn to use evidence from their classrooms to improve their teaching and to provide equitable opportunities for students to engage in mathematical thinking and reasoning. She consistently builds connections between coursework and fieldwork in elementary classrooms.

Professional Interests: Dr. Cavanna’s research focuses on mathematics education as well as teacher education more broadly. She examines how teachers understand and use data to justify and improve their teaching. Jillian’s research examines the complex and overlapping contexts of the work of teaching and learning to teach. Identifying partnerships among researchers and teachers as one of the most direct avenues for creating educational change, Jillian is interested in research methodologies that honor and encourage the contributions of practicing teachers.