Michelle Perry
Professor, Educational Psychology
Contact
174 Children's Research Center
210b Education Bldg (mail code 708)
(UIUC Campus Mail) Champaign, IL 61820
Topics
Biography
My research focuses on children's learning – especially of mathematics in elementary schools – and the ways in which this can be supported. I attempt to explain how students take up new concepts and contribute to the collective understanding of mathematics in the classroom.
My colleagues and I are completing a National Science Foundation grant to investigate how to support teachers in learning from videos of elementary mathematics classrooms and have recently received a grant from the James S. McDonnell Foundation to pursue similar research questions.
Also, as part of the iLEARN (https://publish.illinois.edu/ilearngroup/) team, I am interested in how the online space provides supports and affordances for students who are traditionally underrepresented in STEM fields. We have funding from the Institute of Education Sciences to investigate this issue.
Key Professional Appointments
- Interim Head, Special Education, University of Illinois, Urbana-Champaign
- Professor, Educational Psychology, University of Illinois, Urbana-Champaign
- Professor, Beckman Institute for Advanced Science and Technology, University of Illinois, Urbana-Champaign
Research & Service
My research focuses on (1) children's acquisition of knowledge, especially of the sort taught in schools (e.g., children's acquisition of mathematical concepts), (2) the ways in which teachers understand and improve their teaching of mathematics, and (3) the ways in which the online space may provide supports and affordances for students underrepresented in STEM.
Publications
Jeng, A., Bosch, N., & Perry, M. (2023). Sense of belonging predicts perceived helpfulness in online peer help-giving interactions. Internet and Higher Education, 57, [100901]. link >
Flevares, L. M., Perry, M., Beilstein, S. O., & Bajwa, N. P. (2022). Examining First-Graders’ Developing Understanding of Place Value via Base-Ten Virtual Manipulatives. Early Childhood Education Journal, 50(3), 359-370. link >
Jeng, A., Valdiviejas, H., & Perry, M. (2022). A Path Analysis of Gender Differences in Social Presence in Online Course Discussion Forums. In C. Chinn, E. Tan, C. Chan, & Y. Kali (Eds.), International Collaboration toward Educational Innovation for All: Overarching Research, Development, and Practices - 16th International Conference of the Learning Sciences, ICLS 2022 (pp. 937-940). (Proceedings of International Conference of the Learning Sciences, ICLS). International Society of the Learning Sciences (ISLS).
Bajwa, N. P., & Perry, M. (2021). Features of a pan balance that may support students’ developing understanding of mathematical equivalence. Mathematical Thinking and Learning, 23(1), 1-27. link >
Beilstein, S. O., Henricks, G. M., Jay, V., Perry, M., Bates, M. S., Moran, C. G., & Cimpian, J. R. (2021). Teacher voices from an online elementary mathematics community: examining perceptions of professional learning. Journal of Mathematics Teacher Education, 24(3), 283-308. link >
Prabhu, N., Perry, M., Azevedo, R. F. L., Angrave, L., & Bhat, S. P. (2021). Study Partners Matter: Impacts on Inclusion and Outcomes. ASEE Annual Conference and Exposition, Conference Proceedings.
Williams-Dobosz, D., Jeng, A., Azevedo, R. F. L., Bosch, N., Ray, C., & Perry, M. (2021). Ask for Help: Online Help-Seeking and Help-Giving as Indicators of Cognitive and Social Presence for Students Underrepresented in Chemistry. Journal of Chemical Education, 98(12), 3693-3703. link >
Williams-Dobosz, D., Azevedo, R. F. L., Jeng, A., Thakkar, V., Bhat, S., Bosch, N., & Perry, M. (2021). A social network analysis of online engagement for college students traditionally underrepresented in STEM. In LAK 2021 Conference Proceedings - The Impact we Make: The Contributions of Learning Analytics to Learning, 11th International Conference on Learning Analytics and Knowledge (pp. 207-215). (ACM International Conference Proceeding Series). Association for Computing Machinery. link >
Henricks, G., Bhat, S., & Perry, M. (2020). Gender and gendered discourse in online STEM college courses. In M. Gresalfi, & I. S. Horn (Eds.), 14th International Conference of the Learning Sciences: The Interdisciplinarity of the Learning Sciences, ICLS 2020 - Conference Proceedings (Vol. 2, pp. 811-812). (Computer-Supported Collaborative Learning Conference, CSCL; Vol. 2). International Society of the Learning Sciences (ISLS). link >
Jay, V., Henricks, G. M., Anderson, C. J., Angrave, L. C., Bosch, N., Williams-Dobosz, D., Shaik, N., Bhat, S. P., & Perry, M. (2020). Online discussion forum help-seeking behaviors of students underrepresented in STEM. In M. Gresalfi, & I. S. Horn (Eds.), 14th International Conference of the Learning Sciences: The Interdisciplinarity of the Learning Sciences, ICLS 2020 - Conference Proceedings (Vol. 2, pp. 809-810). (Computer-Supported Collaborative Learning Conference, CSCL; Vol. 2). International Society of the Learning Sciences (ISLS). link >
Lee, C. E., Samuel, N., Israel, M., Arnett, H., Bievenue, L., Ginger, J., & Perry, M. (2020). Understanding Instructional Challenges and Approaches to including Middle School Students with Disabilities in Makerspace activities: A cross-case analysis. In Proceedings of FabLearn 2020 - 9th Annual Conference on Maker Education: Making as Resistance and Resilience (pp. 26-33). (ACM International Conference Proceeding Series). Association for Computing Machinery. link >
Wang, S., Perry, M., Mingle, L., & McConney, M. (2020). Examining discourse structures in Chinese and U.S. elementary mathematics classes. International Journal of Educational Research, 99, [101493]. link >
Bosch, N., Huang, E., Angrave, L., & Perry, M. (2019). Modeling improvement for underrepresented minorities in online STEM education. In ACM UMAP 2019 - Proceedings of the 27th ACM Conference on User Modeling, Adaptation and Personalization (pp. 327-335). (ACM UMAP 2019 - Proceedings of the 27th ACM Conference on User Modeling, Adaptation and Personalization). Association for Computing Machinery, Inc. link >
Henricks, G., Jay, V., Beilstein, S., Perry, M., Bates, M., Moran, C., & Cimpian, J. (2019). Foundations of community in an online, asynchronous professional development website. In K. Lund, G. P. Niccolai, E. Lavoue, C. Hmelo-Silver, G. Gweon, & M. Baker (Eds.), A Wide Lens: Combining Embodied, Enactive, Extended, and Embedded Learning in Collaborative Settings - 13th International Conference on Computer Supported Collaborative Learning, CSCL 2019 - Conference Proceedings (pp. 577-580). (Computer-Supported Collaborative Learning Conference, CSCL; Vol. 2). International Society of the Learning Sciences (ISLS). link >
Bosch, N., Wes Crues, R., Henricks, G. M., Perry, M., Angrave, L. C., Shaik, N., Bhat, S. P., & Anderson, C. J. (2018). Modeling key differences in underrepresented students' interactions with an online STEM course. In Proceedings of the Technology, Mind, and Society Conference, TechMindSociety 2018 [a6] (ACM International Conference Proceeding Series). Association for Computing Machinery. link >
Crues, R. W., Henricks, G. M., Perry, M., Bhat, S., Anderson, C. J., Shaik, N., & Angrave, L. (2018). How do gender, learning goals, and forum participation predict persistence in a computer science MOOC? ACM Transactions on Computing Education, 18(4), [18]. link >
Crues, R. W., Bosch, N., Perry, M., Angrave, L. C., Shaik, N., & Bhat, S. P. (2018). Refocusing the lens on engagement in MOOCs. In R. Luckin, S. Klemmer, & K. Koedinger (Eds.), Proceedings of the Fifth Annual ACM Conference on Learning at Scale [11] (Proceedings of the 5th Annual ACM Conference on Learning at Scale, L at S 2018). Association for Computing Machinery, Inc. link >
Wes Crues, R., Bosch, N., Anderson, C. J., Perry, M., Bhat, S., & Shaik, N. (2018). Who they are and what they want: Understanding the reasons for MOOC enrollment. Paper presented at 11th International Conference on Educational Data Mining, EDM 2018, Buffalo, United States.
Beilstein, S. O., Perry, M., & Bates, M. S. (2017). Prompting meaningful analysis from pre-service teachers using elementary mathematics video vignettes. Teaching and Teacher Education, 63, 285-295. link >
Sun, J., Anderson, R. C., Perry, M., & Lin, T. J. (2017). Emergent Leadership in Children's Cooperative Problem Solving Groups. Cognition and Instruction, 35(3), 212-235. link >
Bhat, S., Chinprutthiwong, P., & Perry, M. (2015). Seeing the instructor in two video styles: Preferences and patterns. In O. C. Santos, J. G. Boticario, C. Romero, M. Pechenizkiy, A. Merceron, P. Mitros, J. M. Luna, C. Mihaescu, P. Moreno, A. Hershkovitz, S. Ventura, & M. Desmarais (Eds.), Proceedings of the 8th International Conference on Educational Data Mining (pp. 305-312). International Educational Data Mining Society.
Carlson, C., Jacobs, S. A., Perry, M., & Church, R. B. (2014). The effect of gestured instruction on the learning of physical causality problems. Gesture, 14(1), 26-45. link >
Ganley, C. M., Mingle, L. A., Ryan, A. M., Ryan, K., Vasilyeva, M., & Perry, M. (2013). An examination of stereotype threat effects on girls' mathematics performance. Developmental psychology, 49(10), 1886-1897. link >
Wilson, T., Perry, M., Anderson, C. J., & Grosshandler, D. (2012). Engaging young students in scientific investigations: Prompting for meaningful reflection. Instructional Science, 40(1), 19-46. link >
McConney, M., & Perry, M. (2011). A Change in Questioning Tactics: Prompting Student Autonomy. Investigations in Mathematics Learning, 3(3), 26-45. link >
Perry, M., McConney, M., Flevares, L. M., Mingle, L. A., & Hamm, J. V. (2011). Engaging first graders to participate as students of mathematics. Theory Into Practice, 50(4), 293-299. link >
Lan, X., Ponitz, C. C., Miller, K. F., Li, S., Cortina, K., Perry, M., & Fang, G. (2009). Keeping their attention: Classroom practices associated with behavioral engagement in first grade mathematics classes in China and the United States. Early Childhood Research Quarterly, 24(2), 198-211. link >
Correa, C. A., Perry, M., Sims, L. M., Miller, K. F., & Fang, G. (2008). Connected and culturally embedded beliefs: Chinese and US teachers talk about how their students best learn mathematics. Teaching and Teacher Education, 24(1), 140-153. link >
Schleppenbach, M., Flevares, L. M., Sims, L. M., & Perry, M. (2007). Teachers' responses to student mistakes in Chinese and U.S. mathematics classrooms. Elementary School Journal, 108(2), 131-147. link >
Schleppenbach, M., Perry, M., Miller, K. F., Sims, L., & Fang, G. (2007). The answer is only the beginning: Extended discourse in Chinese and U.S. mathematics classrooms. Journal of Educational Psychology, 99(2), 380-396. link >
Hamm, J. V., & Perry, M. (2002). Learning mathematics in first-grade classrooms: On whose authority? Journal of Educational Psychology, 94(1), 126-137. link >
Flevares, L. M., & Perry, M. (2001). How many do you see? The use of nonspoken representations in first-grade mathematics lessons. Journal of Educational Psychology, 93(2), 330-345. link >
Perry, M. (2000). Explanations of mathematical concepts in Japanese, Chinese, U.S. first- and fifth-grade classrooms. Cognition and Instruction, 18(2), 181-207. link >
Stigler, J. W., & Perry, M. (2000). Developing classroom process data for the improvement of teaching. In N. S. Raju, J. W. Pellegrino, M. W. Bertenthal, K. J. Mitchell, & L. R. Jones (Eds.), Grading the Nation's Report Card: Research from the Evaluation of NAEP (pp. 229-264). National Academy Press. link >
Perry, M., & Lewis, J. L. (1999). Verbal imprecision as an index of knowledge in transition. Developmental psychology, 35(3), 749-759. link >
Altermatt, E. R., Jovanovic, J., & Perry, M. (1998). Bias or Responsivity? Sex and Achievement-Level Effects on Teachers' Classroom Questioning Practices. Journal of Educational Psychology, 90(3), 516-527. link >
Perry, M., & Elder, A. D. (1997). Knowledge in transition: Adults' developing understanding of a principle of physical causality. Cognitive Development, 12(1), 131-157. link >
Perry, M., Woolley, J., & Lfcher, J. (1995). Adults' Abilities to Detect Children's Readiness to Learn. International Journal of Behavioral Development, 18(2), 365-381. link >
Graham, T., & Perry, M. (1993). Indexing Transitional Knowledge. Developmental psychology, 29(4), 779-788. link >
Perry, M., VanderStoep, S. W., & Yu, S. L. (1993). Asking Questions in First-Grade Mathematics Classes: Potential Influences on Mathematical Thought. Journal of Educational Psychology, 85(1), 31-40. link >
Perry, M., Church, R. B., & Goldin-Meadow, S. (1992). Is gesture-speech mismatch a general index of transitional knowledge? Cognitive Development, 7(1), 109-122. link >
Perry, M. (1991). Learning and transfer: Instructional conditions and conceptual change. Cognitive Development, 6(4), 449-468. link >
Baranes, R., Stigler, J. W., & Perry, M. (1989). Activation of Real-World Knowledge in the Solution of Word Problems. Cognition and Instruction, 6(4), 287-318. link >
Perry, M. (1988). Problem Assignment and Learning Outcomes in Nine Fourth-Grade Mathematics Classes. Elementary School Journal, 88(4), 413-426. link >
Perry, M., Breckinridge Church, R., & Goldin-Meadow, S. (1988). Transitional knowledge in the acquisition of concepts. Cognitive Development, 3(4), 359-400. link >
Stigler, J., & Perry, M. (1988). Cross-cultural studies of mathematics teaching and learning: Recent findings and new directions. In D. A. Grouws, & T. J. Cooney (Eds.), Perspectives on Research on Effective Mathematics Teaching (pp. 194-223). Lawrence Erlbaum Associates.
Stigler, J. W., & Perry, M. (1988). Mathematics learning in Japanese, Chinese, and American classrooms. New directions for child and adolescent development, 1988(41), 27-54. link >
Courses
EPSY 400: Psychology of Learning in Education (EPSY 400) Study of the psychology of human learning as it applies to instruction, educational issues, and educational problems.
EPSY 535: Capstone: Issues in Professional Preparation (EPSY 535) This course is recommended for doctoral students as they are completing their degrees (typically while working on the dissertation) and preparing for postdoctoral or faculty positions. Students will receive guidance on preparing their portfolios for job applications and on anticipating and understanding expectations for their careers.