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Christopher Parrish, Ph.D.
Christopher Parrish, Ph.D. Twitter profile

Christopher Parrish, Ph.D.

Associate Professor, Department of Leadership and Teacher Education
Mathematics Education K-12

Education

B.S., Mathematics Education, Auburn of Montgomery, 2011
M.A., Mathematics Education, University of West Alabama, 2013
Ph.D., Mathematics Education, Auburn University, 2016

Teaching Philosophy

My teaching responsibilities are related to (1) methods of teaching mathematics, (2) curriculum and teaching in secondary schools, and (3) field supervision. Courses related to methods of teaching mathematics and curriculum and teaching in secondary schools have each been adapted to the TBL framework for both the in-person and online sections. Within many of my courses, I have also invited our Innovation in Learning Center (ILC) to conduct mid-semester Small Group Instruction Feedback sessions to inform immediate course adjustments and long-term course improvements. I have invested a considerable amount of effort to regularly collaborate with math teacher educators at other institutions to plan and implement modules in my methods of teaching courses; many of these modules have concluded in reviewed papers and conference presentations. I currently have one course that is Quality Matters Certified.

Research

My work as a researcher in mathematics education and teacher educator has primarily focused on two overlapping areas, cognitively demanding tasks and team-based learning (TBL). I have examined cognitively demanding tasks in secondary mathematics education from four different foci: (1) the role of cognitively demanding tasks within an informal learning community, (2) improving inservice teachers’ instruction and content-knowledge through their own engagement with cognitively demanding tasks, (3) learning to launch cognitively demanding tasks, and (4) the use of Team–Based (Inquiry) Learning to support all students engage with cognitively demanding tasks. I have also adapted TBL to an online setting and in doing so, developed the Integrated Online–Team-Based Learning (IO– TBL) model. The IO–TBL model maintains the “essential elements” of TBL but also combines the connectedness provided through synchronous meetings with the flexibility afforded by asynchronous engagement.

Outreach

Highlights of my outreach include serving as a committee member of the Professional Development Committee for the Association of Math Teacher Educators (AMTE), member-at-large (K-12) for the steering committee of the Team-Based Learning Consortium, and district director for the Alabama Council of Teachers of Mathematics.

Biography

I grew up in Millbrook, Alabama, a small town just north of Montgomery. I taught seventh through twelfth grade at various schools in East Alabama. In August 2016, I completed my Ph.D. from Auburn University in mathematics education. I was tenured and promoted to associate professor in June 2022. 

Courses

  • EDU 340/SED 555 - Curriculum & Teaching in Secondary Schools
  • EDU 454/SED 554 - Methods of Teaching Secondary Math
  • EDU 342/SED 529 - Secondary Field Experience
  • EDU 469/SED 569 - Internship in Secondary Education