Coordinates: College Algebra through Modeling
Susan Staats is an associate professor in the Department of Curriculum and Instruction where she teaches college algebra, research approaches to classroom discourse, and action research in educational settings. She holds an MS in mathematics from Ohio State University and a PhD in cultural anthropology from Indiana University. She developed an interest in interactive, inquiry-based mathematics teaching while teaching algebra to elementary and middle school students in Indianapolis and Philadelphia. At the University of Minnesota, Staats develops interdisciplinary mathematics curricula for first-year university students. Her research addresses students’ mathematical communication in inquiry-oriented algebra classrooms.