Robert B. Davis Institute for Learning

The Robert B. Davis Institute for Learning (RBDIL) at Rutgers University's Graduate School of Education has worked with a variety of partners over extended periods of time to create conditions for learning environments that optimize students' understanding of the mathematics they are learning. RBDIL has a successful history of long-term commitments to education reform initiatives and works closely with schools and districts, K-12. Presentations and workshops for groups of teachers, math educators, and administrators have been conducted throughout the United States as well as in diverse settings in over 171 countries including Australia, Brazil, Canada, Israel, South Africa, Mozambique, Japan, and China. The Institute houses an extensive digitized video collection from three decades of research on mathematics learning, reasoning, argumentation and proof making in learners. The unique collection of over 4000 hours of videos with accompanying metadata from longitudinal and cross-sectional studies is stored in the cloud and available on the VMC to create video narratives (VMCAnalytics). The Rutgers-Kenilworth longitudinal study followed a cohort of students from grade 1 through grade 12, and through college and beyond. Strands of tasks, student work and other metadata can be viewed in the (Video Mosaic Collaborative). The video collection on the VMC is available worldwide, open source. Over 100 video narratives are published and available as resources for learning and teaching.

Carolyn A. Maher, Distinguished Professor of Mathematics Education and the Director of the Institute, working with a small staff and a growing network of Research Associates, has been a national leader in the field. Dr. Maher's team has established a successful track record in conducting collaborative research and teacher development projects, increasing knowledge in the field and bringing it into the classroom. At the heart of the Davis Institute approach is the idea that a focus on deep understanding in mathematical problem solving is the key to increasing mathematics achievement. Research has shown that children have powerful mathematical ideas and ways of reasoning that develop over time.

Director: Carolyn A. Maher, Rutgers-New Brunswick

Co-Directors: Arthur B. Powell, Rutgers-Newark

Associate Director: Keith Weber, Rutgers-New Brunswick

Advisory Board:

Sarah Burke Berenson Distiguished Professor Emerita, University of North Carolina
John M. Francisco Associate Professor, Mathematics Education, University of Massachusetts, Amherst
Suzanna Schmeelk Associate Professor of Cybersecurity, St. John’s University, New York City
Elizabeth Uptegrove Professor Emerita and Adjunct Professor of Mathematics, Felician University, New Jersey
Louise Wilkinson Distinguished Professor of Education, Psychology and Communication Sciences, Syracuse University, New York

Senior Researchers :

Alice Alston
Victoria Krupnik
Judith Landis
Maria Steffero
Kara Teehan