Fernandez, Maria
- Associate Professor, Teaching and Learning , College of Arts, Sciences & Education

Overview
overview
- Dr. Maria L. Fernandez joined the faculty of FIU in Fall 2007. Originally from Miami, she received a BS and MS from FIU and was a Miami-Dade Public School mathematics teacher for several years. Later, she attended and graduated from the University of Georgia with a Ph.D. in Mathematics Education (and completed 32 credits of graduate mathematics including doctoral level). She then worked at the University of Arizona and Florida State University. Her research and scholarly work is primarily within the areas of creating and investigating approaches for the professional development of prospective and practicing teachers of mathematics working with diverse learners, and developing and exploring approaches for improving the mathematics teaching and learning of diverse learners. Her work has been published in a variety of well-established peer-reviewed journals and research proceedings. As of Spring 2011, she has been awarded over $2.5 million in external funding. As an active member of professional organizations, she has been elected and served in various leadership roles including Chair of the Psychology of Mathematics Education-North American Chapter in 2000, and most recently serving on the 2009-2010 Program Committee for the Association of Mathematics Teacher Educators and as 2010-2012 Secretary of the Florida Association of Mathematics Teacher Educators. As a faculty member, she serves on, chairs or co-chairs multiple doctoral committees and has collaborated with her doctoral students in the conduct and dissemination of research. Since joining FIU, she has worked extensively with faculty in the college, as well as across the university, garnering external funding for projects such as Florida Promise, engaging in curriculum development including taking the lead on the development of the COE components of the BA in Mathematics: Mathematics Education Track, and collaborating on college or university committees including serving as co-Chair of Faculty Assembly in the College of Education.
research interests
- Microteaching lesson study, lesson study, teacher professional development at both preservice and inservice levels, teaching and learning mathematics (including using technology) to diverse learners.
Scholarly & Creative Works
selected publications
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Article
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2010Investigating how and what prospective teachers learn through microteaching lesson studyFull Text via DOI: 10.1016/j.tate.2009.09.012 Web of Science: 000274556200022
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2009Examining the supervision of mathematics student teachers through analysis of conference communicationsFull Text via DOI: 10.1007/s10649-009-9185-1 Web of Science: 000207960900006
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2007Communication and instruction in an online graduate education courseFull Text via DOI: 10.1080/10476210701325176
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2005Learning through Microteaching Lesson Study in Teacher PreparationFull Text via DOI: 10.1080/01626620.2005.10463341
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Book Chapter
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2011Investigating Approaches to Lesson Study in Prospective Mathematics Teacher Education. 85-102.Full Text via DOI: 10.1007/978-90-481-9941-9_7 Web of Science: 000286870700007
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Conference
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2011
Works By Students
chaired theses and dissertations
- Rosa, Nelson De La, A Path Analysis Exploration of Teacher’s Effect, Self-Efficacy, Demographic Factors, and Attitudes toward Mathematics among College Students Attending s Minority Serving Institution in Face-to-Face and Hybrid Mathematics Courses 2017
- Morales, Zoe A, Using a Repeated Measures ANOVA Design to Analyze the Effect Writing in Mathematics Has on the Mathematics Achievement of Third Grade English Language Learners and English Speakers 2016
- Nisbet, Leslie, Mathematics Teaching Experiences of Elementary Preservice Teachers with High and Low Mathematics Anxiety during Student Teaching: A Multiple Case Study 2015
- Fowler, Linda D, Comparison of Linear Functions in Middle Grades Textbooks from Singapore and the United States 2015
- Joseph, Esther, Demographics, Persistence, and Academic Performance: A Logistic Regression Analysis of who Chooses to Enter the Mathematics and Science Teaching Pipeline 2014
- Galindo, Marilys, A Relationship Between the Florida Comprehensive Assessment Test 2.0 Mathematics Scores and Racial and Ethnic Concentrations when Considering Socio-Economic Status, ESOL Student Population 2013
- Molina, Roxanne, Microteaching Lesson Study: Mentor Interaction Structure and its Relation to Elementary Preservice Mathematics Teacher Knowledge Development 2012
Research
principal investigator on
- Collaborative Research: Retention, Persistence and Effectiveness of STEM Teachers in High Need School Districts - An Investigation of the NSF Robert Noyce Teacher Scholarship awarded by National Science Foundation 2020 - 2024
- Subcontract with FSU awarded by Florida Department of Education 2014 - 2015
- Florida PROMiSE awarded by U.S. Department of Education 2009 - 2010
- FL PROMISE at FIU. awarded by U.S. Department of Education 2009
co-principal investigator on
- FIUteach Noyce Scholarship Program awarded by National Science Foundation 2017 - 2023
- FIUTeach Project awarded by National Math + Science Initiative 2014 - 2019
- RET in Engineering and Computer Site: Nanotechnology Research Experiences for Teachers at FIU awarded by National Science Foundation 2014 - 2016
- The Development of Student Cohorts for the Enhancement of Mathematical Literacy in Underserved Populations. awarded by National Science Foundation 2008 - 2010
subproject principal investigator on
Contact
full name
- Maria Fernandez
Identifiers
ORCID iD
- https://orcid.org/0000-0002-7979-7379 (confirmed)
visualizations
publication subject areas
Citation index-derived subject areas the researcher has published in