top of page

My research program

My research aims to understand the factors that underlie mathematical learning and transfer, in hopes of bridging the research to practice divide. I'm interested in asking questions such as how can we facilitate students' learning in the classroom; how can we guide students to be better self-regulated learners; and how can use errors in problem solving to benefit student learning. I've explored factors including math motivation, metacognition, prior achievement, and study strategy use.

Four partially overlapping circles: math cognition, metacognition, motivation, and classroom practices

Publications and presentations

*indicates mentored student

Peer-reviewed publications:

 

Rittle-Johnson, B., Adler, R.M., & Durkin, K. (In press). Predicting marginalized students’ mathematics achievement in high school. Journal of Cognition and Development, 1–22. 
 

Douglas, A., Rittle-Johnson, B., Adler, R.M, *Méndez-Fernández, A., Haymond, C., *Brandon, J., & Durkin, K. (In press). “He’s probably the only teacher I’ve actually learned from”: Marginalized students’ experiences and views of school mathematics in              high school. American Educational Research Journal.

 

Adler, R.M, Rittle-Johnson, B., Hickendorff, M., Durkin, K. (2024). A Longitudinal examination of the relations between motivation, math achievement, and STEM career aspirations among Black students. Contemporary  Educational Psychology.

​

Adler, R.M, *Xu, D., Rittle-Johnson, B. (2024). What counts as STEM, and does it matter? British Journal of  Educational Psychology.

 

Lewis, K.E., Sweeney, G., Thompson, G.M., Adler, R.M., & Alhamad, K. (2022). Dyscalculia in algebra: A case study. Insights into

Learning Disabilities, 19(1), 3-36.

 

Hallinen, N., Sprague, L., Blair, K., Adler, R.M., & Newcombe, N. (2021). Finding formulas: Does active search facilitate appropriate generalization? Cognitive Research: Principles and Implications, 6(1), 1-18.

 

Lewis, K. E., Sweeney, G., Thompson, G. M., & Adler, R. M. (2020). Integer number sense and notation: A case study of a student with

a mathematics learning disability. The Journal of Mathematical Behavior, 59, 100797.

 

Please email me if you would like a copy of the above papers. 

 

Other writing:

Adler, R.M. (August, 2023). Worked examples: An effective tool for math learning.

Adler, R.M. (March, 2022). Can we learn to be better learners through digital training?   

Adler, R.M. (November, 2021). Computers in the classroom.

 

Recent peer-reviewed conference presentations: 

Adler, R.M., Wang, X.*, & Rittle-Johnson, B. (June, 2024). “College students’ self-regulated studying of worked examples”. Lightning talk presented to the Math Cognition and Learning Society, Washington, D.C.

 

Adler, R.M., Wang, X.*, & Rittle-Johnson, B. (June, 2024). “College students’ use and belief of math study strategies”. Symposium paper presented to the Math Cognition and Learning Society, Washington, D.C.

 

Adler, R.M., Douglas, A., Durkin, K., & Rittle-Johnson, B. (April, 2024). “You need to know basic math”: Marginalized students question the usefulness of advanced mathematics. Paper accepted to the annual meeting of the American Educational Research Association, Philadelphia, PA.  

 

Adler, R.M., *Xu., M., & Rittle-Johnson, B. (2023, April). What Counts as STEM Careers Matters: Gender and Motivational Predictors Vary by Definition. Paper accepted to the annual meeting of the American Educational Research Association, Chicago, IL.

 

Adler, R.M., Rittle-Johnson, B., Hickendorff, M., & Durkin, K. (2023, April). Profiles of math and science motivation among marginalized students and relation to STEM outcomes. Paper accepted to the annual meeting of the American Educational Research Association, Chicago, IL.

 

Rittle-Johnson, B., Adler, R.M., & Durkin, K. (2023, April). Readiness for College Mathematics: Longitudinal Predictors Among Marginalized Students. Paper accepted to the annual meeting of the American Educational Research Association, Chicago, IL

 

Douglas, A., Adler, R.M., & Rittle-Johnson, B. (2022, April). "We are going to be stranded": Marginalized high school students' beliefs about math. Paper presented at Cognitive Development Society, Madison, WI.

 

Adler, R.M. & Rittle-Johnson, B. (2022, April). Predicting math achievement and STEM career interest among Black students: Limitations of expectancy-value theory. Paper presented at the annual meeting of the American Educational Research Association, San Diego, CA.

bottom of page