My research interests include mathematics teacher learning and student mathematical thinking. I earned my Ph. D and Master’s degree in mathematics education from Western Michigan University. I hold another Master’s degree in Social Statistics from the University of Nairobi and Bachelor of Science degree in education from Kenyatta University.

Mathematics Courses.

Bellringers as a tool for addressing pedagogy and mathematical content with pre-service teachers: Using data collected in a mathematics methods class where we developed a rubric that guided preservice teachers in preparing and implementing bellringers, I explored how the bellringers support preservice teachers’ development of mathematics content and pedagogical knowledge.                                                                                         2014- 2018

Elementary Preservice teacher’s perceptions of a number concepts course: I developed an interview protocol and interviewed elementary preservice teachers taking the Math 1500: Number Concepts for Elementary/Middle School Teachers course. I analyzed the data to identify themes in these students’ perceptions of their experiences in the course. Findings of the study could be used to improve the course for future preservice teachers. Presented a poster on the findings at PME-NA 2016.           2014-2016

Teachers goals, orientation and resources related to use of student thinking: I was involved in the development of scenarios used to interview teachers to elicit their responses to student mathematical thinking and was part of the team that coded and analyzed the interviews.                                                                                                                2014-2018

Mathematical Point: I was involved in designing activities that could be used to support pre-service teachers in identifying the mathematical ideas underlying student thinking. The card sort and matching activity developed in 2014 have been used in a secondary methods course and in professional development for practicing teachers. The card sort was further refined and used with the 2015 secondary mathematics methods class.                                                                                                                                  2014-2015

Teachers’ Perceptions of “use” of student thinking: I was involved in interviewing teachers using a card sort technique about their perceptions of use of student thinking. We later analysed the videos using a framework on productive use of student thinking, to identify where teachers were at in relation to how they view productive use of student thinking.                                                                          2014-2015

Attributes of student mathematical thinking that is worth building on: I was involved in developing codes and writing the code book used to code attributes of instances of student thinking that are worth building on. I was part of the team that coded and analysed attributes of student mathematical thinking in eleven classroom videos.

2014-2015

Journal articles

Van Zoest, L. R., Stockero, S. L., Leatham, K. R., Peterson, B. E., Atanga, N. A., & Ochieng, M. A. (2017). Attributes of instances of student mathematical thinking that are worth building on in whole-class discussion. Mathematical Thinking and Learning, 19, 33-54.

Stockero, S. L., Leatham, K. R., Ochieng, M. A., Van Zoest, L.R., & Peterson, B. E., (2019) Teachers’ orientations toward using student mathematical thinking as a resource during whole-class discussion. Journal of Mathematics Teacher Education.

Conference papers

Ochieng, M. A. (2017). Bellringers: A means of integrating mathematical content, pedagogy, and reflection on practice in methods courses.  In E. Galindo, & J. Newton (Eds.), Proceedings of the 39th annual meeting of the North American Chapter of the International Group for the Psychology of Mathematics Education (pp. 1178-1185). Indianapolis, IN: Hoosier Association of Mathematics Teacher Educators.

Ochieng, M.A. (2016). Elementary preservice teachers’ perceptions of experiencing a reform-based number concepts course. Proceedings of the 38th annual meeting of the North American Chapter of the International Group for the Psychology of Mathematics Education. Tucson, AZ: PME-NA.

Van Zoest, L.R., Stockero, S.L., Atanga, N.A., Leatham, K.R., Peterson, B.E. & Ochieng, M.A. (2015). Attributes of student mathematical thinking that is worth building on in whole class discussion. Proceedings of the 37th annual meeting of the North American Chapter of the International Group for the Psychology of Mathematics Education. East Lansing, MI: PME-NA.

Proceedings

Ochieng, M. A., Ruk, J. M., Leatham, K. R., Peterson, B. E., Stockero, S. L., & Van Zoest, L. R. (2019). The Complexity of Interpreting Student Thinking and Inferring its Potential to Foster Learning. In Graven, M., Venkat, H., Eissen, A. A., & Vale, P (Eds.), Proceedings of the 43rd Annual Conference of the International Group for the Psychology of Mathematics Education (pp. 161-168). University of Pretoria: Pretoria, South Africa.

Van Zoest, L. R., Leatham, K. R., Arslan, O., Ochieng, M. A., Ruk, J. M., Peterson, B. E., & Stockero, S. L. (2018). A characterization of student mathematical thinking that emerges during whole-class instruction: An exploratory study. In T. E. Hodges, G. J. Roy, & A. M. Tyminski (Eds.), Proceedings of the 40th annual meeting of the North American Chapter of the International Group for the Psychology of Mathematics Education (pp. 1126-1129). Greenville, SC: University of South Carolina & Clemson University.

Stockero, S. L., Van Zoest, L. R., Ochieng, M. A., Ruk, J. M., Peterson, B. E., & Leatham, K. R. (2019, July). Teachers’ initial responses to high-leverage instances of student mathematical thinking. Presentation at the 43rd Annual Conference of the International Group for the Psychology of Mathematics Education, Pretoria, South Africa.

Leatham, K. R., Stockero, S. L., Ochieng, M. A., Van Zoest, L. R., & Peterson, B. E. (2018, February). Teachers’ orientations around using student mathematical thinking as a resource during whole-class discussion. Presentation at the 22nd Annual Meeting of the Association of Mathematics Teachers Educators, Houston, TX.

Ochieng, M. A., Ruk, J. M., Arslan, O., Van Zoest, L. R., Leatham, K. R., Peterson, B. E., & Stockero, S. L. (2018, February). The nature of student thinking available in a secondary mathematics classroom. Poster presented at the 22nd Annual Meeting of the Association of Mathematics Teachers Educators, Houston, TX.

Ochieng, M.A., Ruk, J. M., Van Zoest, L. R., Leatham, & K. R., Peterson, B. E. (2018, February). The nature of student thinking available in a secondary mathematics classroom. Presentation at the 22 nd Annual Meeting of the Association of Mathematics Teacher Educators, Houston, TX.

Stockero, S. L., Leatham, K. R., Ochieng, M. A., Van Zoest, L.R., & Peterson, B. E., (2018, February). Using student mathematical thinking during whole class discussion. Presentation at the 22nd Annual Meeting of the Association of Mathematics Teacher Educators, Houston, TX.

Ochieng, M.A. & Van Zoest L.R. (2017, February). Bellringers in methods courses: A tool for developing instructional practice. Presentation at the 21th Annual Meeting of the Association of Mathematics Teacher Educators, Orlando, FL.

Van Zoest, L. R., Fraser, E. H., &  Ochieng, M. A. (2016, January). Engaging teachers in identifying the point of student mathematical thinking. Presentation at the 20th Annual Meeting of the Association of Mathematics Teacher Educators, Irvine, CA.

Van Zoest, L. R., Stockero, S. L., Peterson, B. E., & Ochieng, M.A. (2015, April). Toward a theory of productive use of student mathematical thinking. Presentation at the 2015 National Council of Teachers of Mathematics Research Conference, Boston, M.A.

 Ochieng, M. A., Fraser, E. H., & Van Zoest, L. R., (2015, April). Preparing Preservice Teachers to Build on Student Thinking. WMU Poster Day. 10th Annual Western Michigan University Research and Creative Activities Poster Day, Western Michigan University.

Fraser, E. H., Ochieng, M. A., Atanga, N.A., Rougee, A., & Van Zoest, L. R., (2015, March). What’s the point? Identifying important mathematics underlying student thinking. Presentation at Conversations among Colleagues conference, Wayne State University, Detroit, MI.

Ochieng, M. A., Leatham, K. R., Stockero, S. L., & Van Zoest, L.R. (2015, February). Teachers’ perception of “use” of students’ mathematical thinking in whole class discussion. Presentation at the 19th annual meeting of the Association of Mathematics Teacher Educators, Orlando, FL.

Ochieng, M. A., Van Zoest, L.R., Merrill, L., Peterson, B. E., Leatham, K. R., & Stockero, S. L. (2014, April). Teachers’ perception of “use” of students’ mathematical thinking in whole class discussion. WMU Poster Day. 9th Annual Western Michigan University Research and Creative Activities Poster Day, Western Michigan University.

Gwen Frostic Doctoral Fellowship- $3630                                                                     2017                                                                             

 Graduate Student Data Collection Grant-$493                                                            2017                                                                  

Psychology of Mathematics Education (PME) Special Projects-EUR 5000

Funding to support the Strathmore International Mathematics Conference (SIMC 2017) Mathematics Education Preconference School.                                                                  2017

Western Michigan University, three minute dissertation competition-3^rd place        2018

Western Michigan University, Department of Mathematics- Excellence in Research Award                                                                                                                                 2018                                                                                                            

Western Michigan University, Department of Mathematics-Charles H. Butler Excellence in Teaching Award                                                                                         2017       

Susan Gay Graduate Student Conference Travel Scholarship-$730                            2015

One of four graduate students in the US recognized and supported to attend the
Association of Mathematics Teacher Educators Annual Conference.

Western Michigan University–Research and Creative Activities 2015 winner                  2015

Mathematics Department Alavi Research Grant-$ 2130 (Mathematical Point Research)   2014