Jo Boaler

During the early part of Boaler's career, she conducted longitudinal studies of students learning mathematics through different approaches. Her first three-year study in England was published as "Experiencing School Mathematics: Teaching Styles, Sex, and Setting."[10]

In 1998, Boaler became an Assistant Professor of Mathematics Education at Stanford University in the Graduate School of Education.[2] She became an associate professor in 2000 and left as a full professor in 2006.[2] From 2000 to 2004, Boaler served as the president of the International Organization of Women and Mathematics Education.[11]

In 2000, she was awarded a presidential Early Career Award from the National Science Foundation.[12] [13] The NSF funded study would come to be known as the Railside study. This was a longitudinal study across three schools in northern California. The goal of the study was to compare the impact of traditional math curriculum and the reform curriculum developed by Boaler. A key distinction between the two approaches was that the traditional approach allowed students to take algebra in 8th grade, whereas algebra was delayed until 9th grade in the reform curriculum.[14] Preliminary findings for the study were released in 2005. The findings were promising and were used to support further reform efforts.[14]

Believing the preliminary results "too good to be true", Stanford mathematician R. James Milgram, CSULA professor Wayne Bishop, and statistician Paul Clopton investigated Boaler's claims and published a 20-page report writing that Boaler's claims were exaggerated.[15][16] In 2005, Milgram formally charged Boaler with scientific misconduct with Stanford. Stanford's preliminary investigation concluded by acknowledging ongoing debates in mathematics education and absolving Boaler of scientific misconduct stating that the allegations "do not have substance".[17][14]

In 2006 Boaler left Stanford for the UK. She was awarded a posting as the Marie Curie professor at Sussex University by the Marie Curie Foundation.[18] While in England, Boaler authored two books, What's Math Got To Do With It? and The Elephant in the Classroom.[19][20]

In 2010, Boaler returned to Stanford and resumed her position as Professor of Mathematics Education.[2] In 2013, Boaler taught the first Massive Online Open Course (MOOC) on mathematics education, called "How to Learn Math".[21][22] Its purpose was to educate teachers and parents about a new way of teaching math to help students overcome their fear of math while improving their academic performance.[23] Over 40,000 teachers and parents participated, with about 25,000 completing the full 2-to-16-hour course.[24] At the end of the course, 95% of survey respondents indicated that they would modify their ways of teaching math.[21][25] Boaler also consults with other Silicon Valley digital educational institutions, such as Novo-ed,[26] Inner Tube Games,[27] and Udacity.[28] In addition, she teaches workshops on teaching for a growth mindset,[29] drawing upon the work of Carol Dweck, the author and developer of the theory of growth mindset.[30]

In 2012 Boaler published an article on her Stanford homepage, accusing Milgram, Bishop (and others) of harassment, persecution, and suppression.[31] Bishop and Milgram each issued rebuttals to Boaler's claims.[32][33]

In addition to focusing on inquiry-based learning,[17] Boaler's research has highlighted the problems associated with ability grouping in England and the US.[34][35][36]

In 2012, Boaler published articles on the links between timed testing and math anxiety.[37] Boaler had conducted research on mathematics, mistakes, and growth mindset[38] with Stanford University professors Carol Dweck[39] and Greg Walton.[40]