Robert C. Schoen, Ph.D.

Associate Director, Florida Center for Research in Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics; Associate Professor in Mathematics Education
Head shot of LSI employee Robert C. Schoen, Ph.D.

Robert C. Schoen, Ph.D.

Education

Ph.D., Mathematics Education, Florida State University, 2010
M.S., Mathematics Education, Florida State University, 2006
B.S., Atmospheric Science, Mathematics, University of North Carolina—Asheville, 2003

Dr. Schoen: In My Own Words

Robert C. Schoen, Ph.D., is the Associate Director of LSI’s Florida Center for Research in STEM (FCR–STEM) and an associate professor of mathematics education in the School of Teacher Education. Through his research, he seeks answers to the question, “How can we improve mathematics teaching and learning for all students?” In search of answers, he has designed and directed more than one-dozen large-scale, randomized-controlled trials of educational interventions designed to improve teaching and learning in mathematics. Most of those interventions focus on the role of the teacher by means of increasing teachers’ professional capacity.

His research experience extends from the development of educational and psychological measurement instruments and in-depth study of student mathematical thinking to the mathematical education of teachers and rigorous evaluation of the effectiveness of educational interventions. Through his extensive research and outreach, Dr. Schoen has developed and sustained collaborative professional relationships with principals, teachers and district staff and has gained valuable insights into program development, implementation, educational measurement, and evaluation of educational interventions in varying local contexts.

Dr. Schoen advocates for a scientific approach to educational research and supports the use of open science and experimental design in his work. His work includes reports of the impact of educational interventions on student learning in mathematics and statistics through various teacher learning programs involving formative assessment, Cognitively Guided Instruction (1, 2, 3), lesson study, and statistics curriculum and professional learning opportunities.  

Through these research activities, Dr. Schoen has engaged in development and validation of several original assessment instruments for use in mathematics education research and evaluation, including the Beliefs about Mathematics Teaching and Learning (B-MTL) questionnaire and several forms of the Knowledge for Teaching Early Elementary Mathematics (K-TEEM) test, the Teacher Ability to Predict Student Success (TAPSS) assessment, the Math Anxiety Scale for Teachers (MAST), the Elementary Mathematics Student Assessment (EMSA) for grades K–5 students, and the Mathematics Performance and Cognition (MPAC) interview.

Dr. Schoen’s research has been supported by the Helios Education Foundation, the Florida Department of Education, and the U. S. Department of Education’s Effective Educator Development (EED) program and Institute of Education Sciences (IES). His writing has been published in national and international peer-reviewed journals, including the Journal for Research in Mathematics Education, The Elementary School Journal, For the Learning of Mathematics, AERA Open, Cogent Education Open Access, Teaching Children Mathematics, the International Journal for Technology in Mathematics Education, Journal of Experimental Education, and Mathematics Teaching in the Middle School. He has also published many research reports, white papers, and working papers that are made available through Diginole, FSU’s Research Repository.

 

Projects

 

Publications

Schoen, R. C, Whitacre, I., & Champagne, Z. (2023). Word problem performance of U.S. first graders in the 20th century and Common Core era. Journal for Research in Mathematics Education, 54(1), 24–42.

    

Schoen, R. C., Lewis, C. C., Rhoads, C., Lai, K., & Riddell, C. M. (2023). Impact of lesson study and fractions resources on third- and fourth-grade classroom instruction and student learning in fractions. Journal of Experimental Education. http://dx.doi.org/10.1080/00220973.2023.2183374

Schoen, R. C, Whitacre, I., & Champagne, Z. (2023). Word problem performance of U.S. first graders in the 20th century and Common Core era. Journal for Research in Mathematics Education54(1), 24–42. https://doi.org/10.5951/jresematheduc-2020-0201

Guven, A., Solmaz, G., & Schoen, R.C. (2022, November 17–20). Structural validity of 2021 Knowledge for Teaching Early Elementary Mathematics (K-TEEM): A psychometric study. Paper presented at the North American Chapter of the International Group for the Psychology of Mathematics Education 44th Annual Meeting, Nashville, TN.

Ran, H., Secada, W. G., Rhoads, C. H., Schoen, R. C., Tazaz, A. M., & Liu, X. (2022, April 21–26). The long-term effects of Cognitively Guided Instruction on elementary students’ mathematics achievement. Paper presented at the Annual Meeting of the American Educational Research Association, San Diego, CA.

Schoen, R. C., Bray, W.S., Tazaz, A. M., & Buntin, C. K. (2022). A description of the Cognitively Guided Instruction professional development program in Florida: 2013–2020. Florida State University. https://doi.org/10.33009/fsu.1643828800

Schoen, R. C., Rhoads, C., Perez, A. L., Tazaz, A. M., & Secada, W. G. (2022). Impact of Cognitively Guided Instruction on Elementary School Mathematics Achievement: Five Years after the Initial Opportunity. Florida State University. [Working paper.] https://doi.org/10.33009/fsu.1653430141

Schoen, R. C., Rhoads, C., Tazaz, A. M., Secada, W. G., & Stone, A. (2021, September 26–29). Impact of Cognitively Guided Instruction on elementary school math achievement: Five years after the initial opportunity. Paper presented at the annual conference of the Society for Research in Educational Effectiveness. [Conference held virtually.]

Farfan, G., & Schoen, R. C. (2021). Elementary students’ understanding of the equals symbol: Do Florida students outperform their peers? Dimensions in Mathematics, 41(1), 27–38. https://www.schoenresearch.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/05/Equals-symbol_Dimensions-Spring-2021.pdf

Schoen, R. C., Champagne, Z., Whitacre, I., & McCrackin, S. (2021). Comparing the number and distribution of additive word problems in first-grade U.S. textbooks in the 1980s and the Common Core era. School Science and Mathematics, 121(2), 110–121. https://doi.org/10.1111/ssm.12447

Schoen, R. C., Li, L., Yang, X., Guven, A., & Riddell, C. (2021, September 26–29). Using a many-facet Rasch model to gain insight into measurement of instructional practice in mathematics. Paper presented at the annual conference of the Society for Research in Educational Effectiveness. [Conference held virtually.]

Schoen, R.C., Yang, X., & Solmaz, G. (2021). Psychometric Report for the 2019 Knowledge for Teaching Early Elementary Mathematics (K-TEEM) Test (Research Report No. 2021-04). Florida State University. https://doi.org/10.33009/lsi.1620243057

Schoen, R. C., & Koon, S. (2021). Effects of an inquiry-oriented curriculum and professional development program on grade 7 students’ understanding of statistics and on statistics instruction (REL 2021–055). U.S. Department of Education, Institute of Education Sciences, National Center for Education Evaluation and Regional Assistance, Regional Educational Laboratory Southeast. https://nces.ed.gov/pubsearch/pubsinfo.asp?pubid=REL2021055

Schoen, R. C., LaVenia, M., Tazaz, A., Farina, K., Dixon, J. K., & Secada, W. G. (2020). Replicating the CGI experiment in diverse environments: Effects on grade 1 and 2 student mathematics achievement in the first program year (Research Report No. 2020–02). Florida State University. https://doi.org/10.33009/fsu.1601237075

Sahin, N., Dixon, J., & Schoen, R. C. (2020). Investigating the association between students’ strategy use and mathematics achievement. School Science and Mathematics, 120(6), 325–332. http://dx.doi.org/10.1111/ssm.12424 

Schoen, R. C., LaVenia, M., Chicken, E., Razzouk, R., & Kisa, Z. (2019). Increasing secondary-level teachers’ knowledge in statistics and probability: Results from a randomized controlled trial of a professional development program. Cogent Education OA, 6(1), 1613799. https:/www.doi.org/10.1080/2331186X.2019.1613799

Ganley, C. M., Schoen, R. C., LaVenia, M., Tazaz, A. (2019). Construct validation of the Math Anxiety Scale for Teachers. AERA Open, 5(1), 1–16. https://doi.org/10.1177/2332858419839702

Bray, W., Johnson, J., Rivera, N., Fink, L-A., Bauduin, C., & Schoen, R. C. (2019). Unlocking mathematical understanding together through FACT meetings. Teaching Children Mathematics, 25(6), 370–377.

Schoen, R. C., & LaVenia, M. (2019). Teacher beliefs about mathematics teaching and learning: Identifying and clarifying three constructs. Cogent Education OA, 6(1). https://doi.org/10.1080/2331186X.2019.1599488

Schoen, R. C., LaVenia, M., & Tazaz, A. M. (2019, April). Effects of a CGI program on grades 3–5 students: A multisite cluster-randomized trial. Paper presented at the annual meeting of the American Educational Research Association, Toronto, Ontario.

Boggs, G. L., Whitacre, I., Schellinger, J., Champagne, Z., & Schoen, R. C. (2018). Contextual meanings of the equals sign as conceptual blends. For the Learning of Mathematics, 38(2), 34–39.

Schoen, R. C., LaVenia, M., & Tazaz, A. M. (2018). Effects of the first year of a three-year CGI teacher professional development program on grades 3–5 student achievement: A multisite cluster-randomized trial (Research Report No. 2018-25). Florida State University. http://doi.org/10.33009/fsu.1562595733

Schoen, R. C., Anderson, D., & Bauduin, C. (2018). Elementary Mathematics Student Assessment: Measuring grade 3, 4, and 5 students’ performance in number (whole numbers and fractions), operations, and algebraic thinking in spring 2016. (Research Report No. 2018-26). Florida State University. https://doi.org/10.33009/fsu.1653497279

Schoen, R. C., Bray, W., Wolfe, C., Nielsen, L., & Tazaz, A. M. (2017). Developing an assessment instrument to measure early elementary teachers’ mathematical knowledge for teaching. The Elementary School Journal, 118(1), 55–81. https://doi.org/10.1086/692912

Whitacre, I., Schoen, R. C., Champagne, Z. M., & Goddard, A. (2016). Relational thinking: What’s the difference? Teaching Children Mathematics, 23(5), 303–308. https://doi.org/10.5951/teacchilmath.23.5.0302

Champagne, Z., Schoen, R. C., & Riddell, C. (2014). Variations in Both Addends Unknown problems. Teaching Children Mathematics, 21(2), 114–121.

Haciomeroglu, E.S., Bu, L., Schoen, R.C., & Hohenwarter, M. (2011). Prospective teachers’ experiences in developing lessons with dynamic mathematics software. International Journal for Technology in Mathematics Education, 18(2), 71–82.

Schoen, R.C., Erbilgin, E., & Haciomeroglu, E.S. (2011). Analyzing the Next Generation Sunshine State Standards for mathematics: Is the state curriculum still a mile wide and an inch deep? Dimensions in Mathematics, 31(1), 30–39.

Haciomeroglu, E.S., & Schoen, R.C. (2009). What does it mean to teach mathematics “in depth”? Dimensions in Mathematics, 29(2), 20–24.

Haciomeroglu, E.S., Bu, L., Schoen, R.C., & Hohenwarter, M. (2009). Learning to develop mathematics lessons with GeoGebra. MSOR Connections, 9(2), 26–28.

Haciomeroglu, E.S. & Schoen, R.C. (2008). Mathematical continuity: Identifying, exposing, and closing the gaps of understanding. Dimensions in Mathematics, 28(1), 9–12.


Fernández, M.L., Schoen, R.C. (2008).  Teaching and learning mathematics through hurricane tracking. Mathematics Teaching in the Middle School, 13(9), 500–512.

Schoen, R.C. & Clark, J.T. (2007). Florida’s answer to “A Mile Wide and an Inch Deep:” Mathematics content standards that allow time for in-depth teaching and learning. Dimensions in Mathematics, 27(2), 6–12.