Deborah Loewenberg Ball is an

educational researcher ''Educational Researcher'' is a peer-reviewed academic journal that covers the field of education. The editors-in-chief are Thurston Domina (University of North Carolina, Chapel Hill), Andrew McEachin ( NWEA), Dana Thompson Dorsey (University of So ...

noted for her work in mathematics instruction and the mathematical preparation of teachers. From 2017 to 2018 she served as president of the

American Educational Research Association The American Educational Research Association (AERA, pronounced "A-E-R-A") is a professional organization representing education researchers in the United States and around the world. AERA's mission is to advance knowledge about education and ...

. She served as dean of the

School of Education In the United States and Canada, a school of education (or college of education; ed school) is a division within a university that is devoted to scholarship in the field of education, which is an interdisciplinary branch of the social sciences e ...

at the

University of Michigan The University of Michigan (U-M, U of M, or Michigan) is a public university, public research university in Ann Arbor, Michigan, United States. Founded in 1817, it is the oldest institution of higher education in the state. The University of Mi ...

from 2005 to 2016, and she currently works as William H. Payne Collegiate Professor of education. Ball direct
TeachingWorks
a major project at the University of Michigan to redesign the way that teachers are prepared for practice, and to build materials and tools that will serve the field of teacher education broadly. In a sometimes divisive field, Ball has a reputation of being respected by both mathematicians and educators. She is also an extremely well-respected mentor to junior faculty members and graduate students.

Education

As an undergraduate at

Michigan State University Michigan State University (Michigan State or MSU) is a public university, public Land-grant university, land-grant research university in East Lansing, Michigan, United States. It was founded in 1855 as the Agricultural College of the State o ...

, Ball majored in

French French may refer to: * Something of, from, or related to France ** French language, which originated in France ** French people, a nation and ethnic group ** French cuisine, cooking traditions and practices Arts and media * The French (band), ...

and then taught elementary school for seventeen years in

East Lansing, Michigan East Lansing is a city in the U.S. state of Michigan. Most of the city lies within Ingham County, although a small portion extends north into Clinton County. At the 2020 census, the city had a population of 47,741. The city is located immediate ...

. Ball only started serious study of mathematics when she saw her students struggling in math. In 1988 she received her Ph.D. from Michigan State University from the department of teacher education. Her thesis was titled ''Knowledge and reasoning in Mathematical Pedagogy: Examining What Prospective Teachers Bring to teacher education''.

Research

Ball's research focuses on improving the effectiveness and quality of mathematical instruction. Much of her work investigates the mathematical knowledge needed for teaching, and she was among the first to suggest that this knowledge is qualitatively different from what is taught in advanced mathematics classes. Notable students of Ball's include Deidre Le Fevre, Professor of Learning, Development and Professional Practice at

University of Auckland The University of Auckland (; Māori: ''Waipapa Taumata Rau'') is a public research university based in Auckland, New Zealand. The institution was established in 1883 as a constituent college of the University of New Zealand. Initially loc ...

in New Zealand.

Awards and Positions

In 2004, Ball and coauthors David K. Cohen and Stephen W. Raudenbush won the Palmer O. Johnson Award presented by the

for the best article published in an AERA journal in 2003 for their paper ''Resources, instruction, and research''. In 2007, she was elected member of the National Academy of Education (NAEd). In 2008, she won the Outstanding Contributions to Mathematics Education Award, presented by the Michigan Council of Teachers of Mathematics. In 2009, she won the 19th

Louise Hay Award The Louise Hay Award is a mathematics award planned in 1990 and first issued in 1991 by the Association for Women in Mathematics in recognition of contributions as a math educator. The award was created in honor of Louise Hay. Recipients The fo ...

for Outstanding Contributions to Mathematics Education, presented by the

Association for Women in Mathematics The Association for Women in Mathematics (AWM) is a professional society whose mission is to encourage women and girls to study and to have active careers in the mathematical sciences, and to promote equal opportunity for and the equal treatment o ...

. In 2012 she became a fellow of the

American Mathematical Society The American Mathematical Society (AMS) is an association of professional mathematicians dedicated to the interests of mathematical research and scholarship, and serves the national and international community through its publications, meetings, ...

. Ball is included in deck 2 of EvenQuads which is a series of playing card decks that feature notable women in mathematics published by the Association of Women in Mathematics. In 1999, Ball was appointed by U.S. Secretary of Education

Richard Riley Richard Wilson Riley (born January 2, 1933) is an American politician who served as the sixth United States secretary of education from 1993 to 2001 under President Bill Clinton and as the 111th governor of South Carolina from 1979 to 1987. He ...

to serve on the National Commission on Mathematics and Science Teaching for the 21st Century, a committee chaired by Senator

John Glenn John Herschel Glenn Jr. (July 18, 1921 – December 8, 2016) was an American Marine Corps aviator, astronaut, businessman, and politician. He was the third American in space and the first to orbit the Earth, circling it three times in 1 ...

. From 1999 to 2003, Ball served as chair of the RAND Mathematics Study Panel, whose work culminated in the publication ''Mathematical Proficiency for All Students: Toward a Strategic Research and Development Program in Mathematics Education''. In 2003, Ball was appointed to the board of trustees of the

Mathematical Sciences Research Institute The Simons Laufer Mathematical Sciences Institute (SLMath), formerly the Mathematical Sciences Research Institute (MSRI), is an independent nonprofit mathematical research institution on the University of California campus in Berkeley, Califor ...

, and serves as the chair of the Education Committee there. In 2006, Ball was appointed by U.S. Secretary of Education Margaret Spellings to the National Mathematics Advisory Panel.

Family

Ball is married and has 3 children. Her husband, Richard Ball, also focuses on the educational field as a middle school teacher. Their children, Sarah, Joshua and Jacob, work on different fields of education.

References

External links

Deborah Ball's website
{{DEFAULTSORT:Ball, Deborah Loewenberg Living people University of Michigan faculty American educational theorists Fellows of the American Mathematical Society Year of birth missing (living people) 20th-century American academics 20th-century American women academics Schoolteachers from Michigan 21st-century American women academics 21st-century American academics Educational researchers American mathematics educators