Recent Alumni

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Clara Nosegbe Okoka (Graduated Summer 2001)

Prior to earning a Ph.D. in Mathematics Education from Indiana University at Bloomington, I taught mathematics and science in the middle grades for a couple of years. Currently, I am an Assistant Professor of Mathematics Education and the director of the middle grades alternative preparation program in mathematics, science, language arts, and social studies (TEEMS MCE) in the Department of Middle/Secondary Education and Instructional Technology, at Georgia State University. In addition to directing the MCE TEEMS, I teach middle/secondary mathematics education courses.

My main research interest is investigating the processes that students use in solving mathematical word problems, particularly the students' interpretation phase of word-problem solutions. Other research interest includes a focus on teaching and learning mathematics in urban schools. In this arena, I served urban schools through my work as a scholar and as a consultant, being engaged in the professional development of middle school mathematics teachers in Atlanta Public Schools since 2000.

I am active in AMTE, AERA, NCTM, PME-NA, ASCD, GAMTE and GCTM. Currently, I provide leadership in the Program Development Committee, the Professional Education Faculty Diversity Committee, and the Mathematics Education Middle Grades Program at Georgia State University. Notably, I serve the P-8 Georgia Mathematics Consortium and PRISM, MSP grant funded by NSF. I was a Co-Principle Investigator for Meaningful Mathematics in Urban School Environments funded by Eisenhower foundation, a principle investigator for Pedagogical-based Professional Development for Middle Grades Teachers in West African Schools, Content-based Professional Development for Middle Grades Teachers in Urban Schools, to name a few. In addition to my service, I have given papers, talks, and workshops at the local, state, and national levels.