Erin Ottmar

Erin Ottmar is an Assistant Professor of Learning Sciences, Technology, and Psychology at Worcester Polytechnic Institute. She is passionate about interdisciplinary research that integrates multiple theoretical perspectives and methodological approaches from cognitive science, developmental psychology, and mathematics education to address pressing challenges in K–12 teaching and learning. Much of her recent work focuses on the design, development, implementation, and evaluation of dynamic technology-based interventions for algebra. Dr. Ottmar is one of the developers of Graspable Math (GM), an interactive math notation that is supported by a Small Business Innovation Research grant, and is the PI on an IES Cognition and Student Learning efficacy study of From Here to There!, a game-based algebra intervention that she developed in a prior IES grant. In her work, she uses the data logged from the GM technology to reveal student behaviors, engagement, and problem-solving strategies and extend research on perceptual learning and mathematics cognition. Her research has been supported by the U.S. Department of Education, the National Science Foundation, the Spencer Foundation, the American Educational Research Association (AERA), and the Hewlett Foundation. Dr. Ottmar received her Ph.D. in educational psychology: applied developmental science at the University of Virginia, where she was a 4-year IES Pre-doctoral Fellow.