I received a B.S. in Physics in 1978 and my Ph.D. in Mathematics Education in 1992 from University of California at Berkeley. My dissertation received the UC Presidential Grants for School Improvement Research Recognition Award. I was an NAE/Spencer Post-doctoral Fellow from 1995-1997. Before coming to UCSC I worked as a Research Scientist at IRL and TERC. I am currently an Assistant Professor at UC Santa Cruz. I have served on the Editorial Boards of Journal for Research in Mathematics Education and of the Journal for the Learning Sciences. From 1998-2003 I was the Principal Investigator of a National Science Foundation project titled "Mathematical discourse in bilingual settings: Teaching and learning mathematics in two languages."

My research in mathematics education focuses on three main areas: student thinking in algebra, everyday mathematics, and learning and teaching mathematics in bilingual classrooms. I study how adolescents learn algebra, particularly how they understand linear equations and their graphs. I collect observational and videotape data in middle and high school classrooms with Latino students. Using this data, I examine student's mathematical ideas and classroom mathematical discussions. My research focuses on four questions:

• How do secondary students understand equations and their graphs?
• How can instruction use everyday mathematics to support algebraic thinking?
• How do Latino students participate in mathematical discussions?
• How can instruction support mathematics learners who are bilingual or learning English ?

1) Student conceptions of linear functions
My early research on student conceptions of linear functions provides the foundation upon which my current scholarship continues to build. I focus on the transition from arithmetic to algebraic thinking because this is a time when many students abandon mathematics, because there is a gap in our understanding of how students manage this transition, and because this transition presents a rich setting for understanding mathematical thinking and learning. The transition from arithmetic to algebra also provides an excellent context for addressing equity issues that are central to supporting Latino learners. (1,2,3,4,5,6)

2) Everyday mathematics
My research on everyday mathematics addresses a current trend in mathematics curriculum ---using everyday situations to ground more formal mathematics. While much of this work is in early arithmetic, I examine how everyday situations support students in the transition from arithmetic to algebraic thinking.

Research I conducted in a classroom where students worked on an architectural design project resulted in two publications examining what happens when we bring in workplace practices into mathematics classrooms. This work shows that everyday mathematics is not a panacea for supporting learning. Embedding mathematical work in a design project did at times help students make sense of the mathematics. At other times, however, asking students to act like designers ran counter to the goals of the mathematics classroom. This work raises the need for instruction to balance providing students with opportunities to use everyday mathematics in applied projects with opportunities to learn formal mathematics.

My work on everyday mathematics culminated in co- editing  a collection of research papers examining the distinction between "everyday" and "school" mathematics.  The role of everyday mathematics in instruction has been widely discussed in the mathematics education community and there are many claims regarding the advantages and disadvantages of bringing everyday mathematics into classrooms. This monograph contributes to these debates by clarifying what we mean by "everyday mathematics" and "academic mathematics," providing empirical analyses of what happens when we bring everyday practices into classrooms, and considering how workplace practices relate to school mathematics: (7,8,9,10)

3) Learning and teaching mathematics in two languages
Much of the available research on Latino mathematics learners describes the difficulties these students face in learning vocabulary or translating English word problems to algebra. In contrast, I choose to focus on the resources Latino students use to communicate about mathematical ideas, rather than focusing on the obstacles and difficulties these students face. In my work I document Latino students successfully communicating about mathematics and analyze how they use multiple resources such as gestures, objects, their first language, and everyday experiences. I also describe how teachers support English Language Learners as they participate in mathematical discussions. I have published several articles related to my NSF-funded project (1998-2003) "Mathematical discourse in bilingual settings: Teaching and learning mathematics in two languages."(11,12,13,14)

1) Student conceptions of linear functions

(1) Chiu, M., Kessel, C., Moschkovich, J.N., and Muñoz-Nuñez, A. (2001). Learning to graph linear functions: A Case study of conceptual change. Cognition and Instruction, 19(2), 212-252.

(2) Moschkovich, J.N. (1999) Students’ use of the x-intercept as an instance of a transitional conception. Educational Studies in Mathematics, 37: 169-197.

(3) Moschkovich, J.N. (1998) Resources for refining conceptions: Case studies in the domain of linear functions. The Journal of the Learning Sciences, 7(2), 209-237.

(4) Moschkovich, J.N. (1996). Moving up and getting steeper: Negotiating shared descriptions of linear graphs. The Journal of the Learning Sciences, 5(3), 239-277.

(5) Moschkovich, J.N. and Brenner, M. (2000). Integrating a naturalistic paradigm into research on mathematics and science cognition and learning. In Lesh, R. & Kelly, A. (Eds.). Handbook of Research Design in Mathematics & Science Education. Lawrence Erlbaum Associates, Inc: New Jersey. (pp. 457-486)

(6) Moschkovich, J.N, Schoenfeld, A., and Arcavi, A. (1993). Aspects of understanding: On multiple perspectives and representations of linear relations, and connections among them. In T.A. Romberg, E. Fennema and T.P. Carpenter (Eds.), Integrating Research on the Graphical Representation of Function. Hillsdale, NJ: Erlbaum. (pp. 69-100).

(7) Moschkovich, J.N. (1998) Rethinking authentic assessments of students' mathematical activity. Focus on Learning Problems in Mathematics, 20(4), 1-18.

(8) Moschkovich, J. N. (2002). Bringing together workplace and school mathematical practices in the classroom. In M. Brenner & J. Moschkovich (Eds.), Everyday and academic mathematics in the classroom. Journal for Research in Mathematics Education, Monograph Number 11, 93-110.

(9) M. Brenner and J. Moschkovich, Editors. (2002). Everyday and academic mathematics in the classroom. Journal for Research in Mathematics Education, Monograph Number 11. Preface by J. N. Moschkovich. (153 pages)

(10) Moschkovich, J. (2002). An Introduction to examining everyday and academic mathematical practices. In M. Brenner & J. Moschkovich (Eds.), Everyday and academic mathematics in the classroom. Journal for Research in Mathematics Education, Monograph Number 11, 1-11.

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(11) Moschkovich, J. N. (2002). A situated and sociocultural perspective on bilingual mathematics learners. Mathematical Thinking and Learning, Special issue on Equity, N. Nassir and P. Cobb, editors 4(2&3), 189-212.

(12) Moschkovich, J.N. (2000) Learning mathematics in two languages: Moving from obstacles to resources. In W. Secada (Ed.), Changing the Faces of Mathematics (Vol. 1): Perspectives on multiculturalism and gender equity. Reston, VA: NCTM. (pp. 85-93).

(13) Moschkovich, J.N. (1999) Supporting the participation of English language learners in mathematical discussions. For the Learning of Mathematics, 19(1), 11-19.

(14) Moschkovich, J.N. (1999) Understanding the needs of Latino students in reform-oriented mathematics classrooms. In L. Ortiz-Franco, N. Hernandez, and Y. De La Cruz (Eds.), Changing the Faces of Mathematics (Vol. 4): Perspectives on Latinos. Reston, VA: NCTM. (pp. 5-12).