Mark Roddy, PhD

Mark Roddy_CV

Research and Teaching Interests

Dr. Roddy teaches mathematics/science education courses with an emphasis on active learning pedagogy.  He teaches an assessment methods course for secondary teacher candidates.  In the summer, he usually teaches a course on active learning in math and science with an emphasis on the use of educational technology to enhance learner engagement, and another course in mathematics for K-8 teachers.  His teaching emphasizes active engagement and connections between hands-on experiences and cognition.  His research interests are currently centered on the use of active learning pedagogy to effect learner and teacher engagement in mathematics and science education.  (See his website on “Mathematizing,” for an informal introduction in the context of mathematics education.) 

Biography

Dr. Roddy earned his undergraduate degree in mathematics as well as his teacher certification at the University of California at Riverside.  He has taught middle and secondary school mathematics, and coached track and cross country at the high school level. He began teaching at Seattle University in 1992 after earning a MS in Atmospheric Science and a PhD in Mathematics Education at the University of Washington.  He taught Meteorology 101 at Bellevue College and at the University of Washington while working on his PhD.  While at Seattle University he has served as the Puget Sound regional director for the Washington State Mathematics Council and currently directs the team project component of the WSMC's state high school mathematics contest.  Dr. Roddy received a Fulbright Lecturing and Research Award that took him and his family to the University of Limerick, Ireland, 2000 - 2001.  He has taken two sabbaticals at Western Sydney University in Australia.  His most recent recent sabbatical (2020-21) gave him the time to write a series of “Math Sightings,” recently published on the website of the National Council of Teachers of Mathematics.   

Recent Grants and Awards

Dr. Roddy has been co-PI on NSF grant applications.  He was the 2013 recipient of the Richard P. Stucky award, given by the Washington State Mathematics Council to honor an outstanding contributor to the field of mathematics education.

Selected Publications

Roddy, M. (2021). Math Sightings. NCTM.org. Retrieved October 13, 2021, from https://www.nctm.org/Classroom-Resources/Features/Math-Sightings/

Roddy, M. (2017).  Why do they need to learn this? Thoughts about what we do in the mathematics classroom.  Australian Mathematics Teacher. 73 (3)  

Roddy, M. and Behrend, K. (2015). Grow Beasts: Growing mathematical understanding. Australian Mathematics Teacher. 71 (2) 

Dr. Roddy was the author of a series of six articles published as “Northwest Math Sightings” in Washington Mathematics in the years 2011 and 2012. 

     Bracken math. Washington Mathematics, 56(4).

     Seeing the light – and counting it! Washington Mathematics, 56(3).

     Cooling math. Washington Mathematics, 56(3(2)).

     Sun sine math. Washington Mathematics, 55(5).

     Tree ring math. Washington Mathematics, 55(4).

     Tidal math. Washington Mathematics, 55(3).

Roddy, M. (2011). Clouds. in the Encyclopedia of mathematics and society. Pasadena, CA: Salem Press.

Roddy, M. (2009). Grow Beasts and the new Washington State standards in K-8 mathematics. Washington Mathematics, 52(2).

 

^{Updated December 2021}