Learning Research and Development Center

People

Stein, Mary Kay

Associate Director for Educational Research and Practice
Professor, School of Education, University of Pittsburgh
PhD, Educational Psychology, University of Pittsburgh, 1986.


Contact:
828 LRDC
412-624-6971
412-624-9149
mkstein@pitt.edu

 

Download CV

Research Interests: Classroom-based teaching and learning in mathematics Teacher development Social and organizational influences on teaching and learning Relationship between policy and practice

Projects/Labs

• Learning Policy Center
• Measuring Classroom Discussions in Mathematics and Literacy
• Systemwide Change for All Learners and Educators (SCALE)

Publications

• Stein, M.K., Smith, M.S., Henningsen, M., & Silver, E.A. (forthcoming). Implementing standards-base mathematics instruction: A casebook for professional development. Second Edition. New York: Teachers College Press.
• Coburn, C. E., & Stein, M.K. (Editors). (forthcoming). Research and practice in education: Building alliances, bridging the divide. Lanham, MD: Rowman & Littlefield.
• Stein, M.K., Engle, R.A., Smith, M.S., & Hughes, E.K. (In Press). Orchestrating productive mathematical discussions: Helping teachers learn to better incorporate student thinking. Mathematical Thinking and Learning.
• Smith, M.S., Hughes, E.K., Engle, R.A., & Stein, M.K. (In Press). Orchestrating discussions of challenging tasks: Keeping your eye on the mathematics to be learned. Mathematics Teaching in the Middle School.
• Stein, M.K., Hubbard, L., & Toure, J. (In Press). Travel of district-wide approaches to instructional improvement: How can districts learn from one another? In A. Hargreaves (Ed.), International Handbook of Educational Change.
• Stein, M.K., & Coburn, C. E. (forthcoming). Reframing the problem of research and practice. In C.E. Coburn & M.K. Stein (Eds.), Research and practice in education: Building alliances, bridging the divide. Lanham,, MD: Rowman & Littlefield.
• Stein, M.K., & Kim, G. (In press). The role of mathematics curriculum materials in large-scale urban reform: An analysis of demands and opportunities for teacher learning. In J. Remillard, G. Lloyd, & B. Herbel-Eisenmann (Eds.), Teachers’ use of mathematics curriculum materials: Research perspectives on relationships between teachers and curriculum. New York: Routledge.
• Coburn, C.E., Honig, M. & Stein, M.K. (In Press). What is the evidence on districts’ use of evidence? In J. D. Bransford, D. J. Stipek, N. J. Vye, L.M. Gomez & D. Lam (Eds.), Educational Improvement: What Makes It Happen and Why? Cambridge, MA: Harvard Education Press.
• Stein, M.K. & Coburn, C.E. (2008). Architectures for learning: A comparative analysis of two urban districts. The American Journal of Education, 114, 583-626.
• Resnick, L.B., Stein, M.K., & Coon, S.E. (2008). Standards-based reform: A powerful idea unmoored. In R. Kahlenberg (Ed.), Going back to basics on standards-based reform. New York: The Century Foundation.
• Stein, M.K., & Clare-Matsumura, L. (2008). Measuring instruction for teacher learning. In D. Gitomer (Ed.), Measurement issues and the assessment of teacher quality. New York: Sage.
• Stein, M.K., Kaufman, J., & Sutherland, S. (2008). Examining the relationship between teacher human capital, curriculum use, and quality of implementation. Paper presented at the annual meeting of the American Educational Research Association, New York.
• Stein, M.K., Smith, M.S., & Remillard, J. (2007). How curriculum influences student learning. In F.K. Lester (Ed.), Second handbook of research on mathematics teaching and learning. Greenwich, CT: Information Age Publishing.
• Hubbard, L., & Mehan, H, & Stein, M.K. (2006). Reform as learning. School reform, organizational culture, and community politics in San Diego. New York: Routledge.
• Mehan, H., Hubbard, L., & Stein, M.K. (2006). When reform travels: The sequel. Journal of Educational Change, 6(4), 329-362.
• Coburn, C.E., & Stein, M.K. (2006). Communities of practice theory and the role of teacher professional community in policy implementation. In M. I. Honig (Ed.), New directions in education policy implementation: Confronting complexity. Albany, NY: The State University of New York. (Abstract-html)
• Smith, M.S., Silver, E.A., & Stein, M.K. with Boston, M., Henningsen, M., & Hillen, A. (2005). Using cases to transform mathematics teaching and learning (Volume I: Improving instruction in rational numbers and proportionality). New York: Teachers College Press.
• Smith, M.S., Silver, E.A., & Stein, M.K. with Henningsen, M., Boston, M., & Hughes,E. (2005). Using cases to transform mathematics teaching and learning (Volume 2: Improving instruction in algebra). New York: Teachers College Press.
• Smith, M.S., Silver, E.A., & Stein, M.K. with Boston, M., & Henningsen, M. (2005). Using cases to transform mathematics teaching and learning (Volume 3: Improving instruction in geometry and measurement). New York: Teachers College Press.
• Stein, M.K., & Spillane, J. (2005). What can researchers on educational leadership learn from research on teaching? Building a bridge. In B. Firestone & C. Riehl (Eds.), Developing an agenda for research on educational leadership (pp. 28-45). Thousand Oaks: Sage Publications.
• Stein, M.K., Hubbard, L., & Mehan, H. (2004). Reform ideas that travel far afield: The two cultures of reform in New York City’s District #2 and San Diego. The Journal of Educational Change, 5, 161-197. (Abstract-html)
• Stein, M.K. (2004). Studying the influence and impact of standards: The role of districts in teacher capacity building. In J. Ferrini-Mundy & F.K. Lester (Eds.), Proceedings of the National Council of Teachers of Mathematics Research Catalyst Conference. Reston, VA: National Council of Teachers of Mathematics.
• Smith, M.S., Stein, M.K., Arbaugh, F., Brown, C.A., & Mossgrove, J. (2004.). Characterizing the cognitive demands of mathematical tasks. In G.W. Bright & R.N. Rubenstein (Eds.), Perspectives on the teaching of mathematics. Reston, VA: National Council of Teachers of Mathematics.
• Stein, M.K., & Nelson, B.S. (2003). Leadership content knowledge. Educational Evaluation and Policy Analysis, 25(4), 423-448. (Abstract-html)
• Stein, M.K., Boaler, J., & Silver, E.A. (2003). Teaching mathematics through problem solving: What does the research say? In H. Schoen & R. Charles (Eds.), Teaching mathematics through problem solving: It’s about learning mathematics. Reston, VA: National Council of Teachers of Mathematics.
• Stein, M.K., & Coburn, C.E. (2003). Toward producing usable knowledge for the improvement of educational practice: A conceptual framework. In Abstracts, Biennial Meeting of the European Conference for Research on Learning and Instruction. Padova, Italy.
• Stein, M.K., & D’Amico, L. (2002). Inquiry at the crossroads of policy and learning: A study of a district-wide literacy initiative. Teachers College Record, 104(7), 1313-1344.
• Stein, M.K., & D’Amico, L. (2002.) The district as a professional learning laboratory. In A.M. Hightower, M.S. Knapp, J.A. Marsh, & M. McLaughlin (Eds.), School districts and instructional renewal (pp. 61-75). New York: Teachers College Press.
• Henningsen, M., & Stein, M.K. (2002). Supporting students’ high-level thinking, reasoning, and communication in mathematics. In J. Sowder & B. Schappelle (Eds.), Lessons learned from research (pp. 27 – 36). Reston VA: National Council of Teachers of Mathematics.
• Stein, M.K. (2001). Mathematical argumentation: Putting umph into classroom discussions. Mathematics Teaching in the Middle School, 7(2), 110-112.
• Stein, M.K., & Bovalino, J. (2001). Manipulatives: One piece of the puzzle. Mathematics Teaching in the Middle School, 6(6), 356-359.
• Stein, M.K., Smith, M.S., Henningsen, M., & Silver, E.A. (2000). Implementing standards-based mathematics instruction: A casebook for professional development. New York: Teachers College Press
• Stein, M.K. (2000). The organization and structure of schools at the middle grades: The role of development, subject matter, and teacher professional development. In Mathematics Education in the Middle Grades: Teaching to Meet the Needs of Middle Grade Learners and to Maintain High Expectations (Proceedings of a National Convocation). Washington, DC: National Academy Press.
• Stein, M.K. (2000). Teaching and learning mathematics: How instruction can foster the knowing and understanding of number. In J. Brophy (Ed.), Advances in research in teaching: Subject-specific instructional methods and activities (Vol. 8) (pp. 111 – 144). Oxford: Elsevier Science.
• Stein, M.K., Smith, M.S., & Silver, E.A. (1999). The development of professional developers: Learning to assist teachers in new settings in new ways. Harvard Educational Review, 69(3), 237-269.
• Stein, M.K., & Mundry, S. (1999). Professional development for science and mathematics teachers: Dilemmas of design. High School, 7(2), 14-18.
• Stein, M. K., & Smith, M.S. (1998). Mathematical tasks as a framework for reflection. Mathematics Teaching in the Middle School, 3(4), 268-275.
• Smith, M.S., & Stein, M.K. (1998). Selecting and creating mathematical tasks: From research to practice. Mathematics Teaching in the Middle School, 3(5), 344-350
• Forman, E., Larreamendy-Joerns, J., Stein, M.K., & Brown, C.A. (1998). “You’re going to want to find out which and prove it”: Collective argumentation in mathematics classrooms. Learning and Instruction, 8(6), 527-548.
• Stein, M.K., Silver, E.A., & Smith, M.S. (1998). Mathematics reform and teacher development: A community of practice perspective. In J. Greeno & S. Goldman (Eds.), Thinking practices in mathematics and science learning (pp. 17-52). Hillsdale, NJ: Erlbaum.
• Henningsen, M., & Stein, M. K. (1997). Mathematical tasks and student cognition: Classroom-based factors that support and inhibit high-level mathematical thinking and reasoning. Journal for Research in Mathematics Education, 28(5), 524-549.
• Stein, M.K., & Brown, C.A. (1997). Teacher learning in a social context: Integrating collaborative and institutional processes with the study of teacher change. In E. Fenemma, & B. Nelson (Eds.), Mathematics teachers in transition (pp. 155-191). Hillsdale, NJ: Erlbaum.
• Stein, M.K., Grover, B.W., & Henningsen, M. (1996). Building student capacity for mathematical thinking and reasoning: An analysis of mathematical tasks used in reform classrooms. American Educational Research Journal, 33(2), 455-488.
• Stein, M. K., & Lane, S. (1996). Instructional tasks and the development of student capacity to think and reason: An analysis of the relationship between teaching and learning in a reform mathematics project. Educational Research and Evaluation, 2(1), 50 - 80.
• Brown, C.A., Stein, M. K., & Forman, E. A. (1996). Assisting teachers and students to reform the mathematics classroom. Educational Studies in Mathematics, 31, 63-93.
• Silver, E.A., & Stein, M.K. (1996). The QUASAR Project: The "revolution of the possible" in mathematics instructional reform in urban middle schools. Urban Education, 30(4), 476-521.
• Stein, M.K., Baxter, J., & Leinhardt, G. (1990). Subject matter knowledge for elementary instruction: A case from functions and graphing. American Educational Research Journal, 27(4), 639-663.
• Leinhardt, G., Zaslavsky, O., & Stein, M.K. (1990). Functions, graphs, and graphing: Tasks, learning, and teaching. Review of Educational Research, 60(1), 1-64.
• Stein, M.K., Leinhardt, G, & Bickel, W. (1989). Instructional issues for teaching students at risk. In R. Slavin (Ed.), Preventing school failure: Effective programs for students at risk (pp. 145-194). Boston: Allyn Bacon.
• Leinhardt, G., Putnam, R., Stein, M.K., & Baxter, J. (1989). Where subject knowledge matters. In J. Brophy (Ed.), Advances in research on teaching: Vol.2. Teachers' subject matter knowledge and classroom instruction (pp. 87 - 113). Greenwich, CT: JAI Press.
• Stein, M.K., & Wang, M.C. (1988). Teacher development and school improvement: The process of teacher change. Teaching and Teacher Education, 4(1), 171-187.
• Freilino,* M.K., & Hummel, R. (1985). Achievement and identity in college-age vs. adult women students. Journal of Youth and Adolescence, 14(1), 1-10.

There are 52 publications total. View All

Honors and Awards

• Toward Producing Usable Knowledge for the Improvement of Educational Practice. The Spencer Foundation, January 2004-December 2006. (award amount: $400,000). PI: Mary Kay Stein; Co-PI: Cynthia Coburn.
• Scaling Up Mathematics: The Interface of Curricula with Human and Social Capital. Interagency Educational Research Initiative, January 2003 – December 2007. (award amount: $6,000,000). PI: Lauren B. Resnick; Co-Principal Investigators: Mary Kay Stein, Cynthia Coburn, Carrie Leana, Frits Pil.

People