Marta Civil
Biographic Data
| ID | 76021 |
|---|---|
| NAME | Marta Civil |
| GIVEN NAMES | Marta |
| FAMILY NAME | Civil |
| SIGNATURE | CIVIL M |
| AFFILIATIONS | University of Arizona |
| ORCID | 0000-0002-8842-7409 |
| VERIFIED | Yes |
| TOTAL WORKS | 13 |
| TOTAL CITATIONS | 9 |
| AUTHOR COUNT | 12 |
| EDITOR COUNT | 1 |
| FIRST PUBLICATION YEAR | 2001 |
| LATEST PUBLICATION YEAR | 2026 |
| H-INDEX | 2 |
Community and system-based anti-deficit professional development program for tertiary mathematics instructors
Expanding the professional repertoires of mathematics teachers
In this paper, we argue for the relevance of professional development initiatives with mathematics teachers that include a focus on equity and the language of teaching. By the language of teaching, we mean both, the language of mathematics and the language used in interactions with the students. We situate our argument in the context of the school curricula reform in Spain and a module in an online course with primary- and secondary-school teache…
Reflecting on My Mathematics Education Journey
This article is based on my Special Interest Group–Research in Mathematics Education scholar award talk given at the American Educational Research Association 2025. In it, I share five words that I think characterize my research journey in mathematics education. These words are skepticism , surprise , respect , joy , and hope . I selected examples from my more than 30 years of research to engage the audience (and now the readers) in moments of su…
The Power of Mothers and Teachers Engaging in a Mathematics Bilingual Collaboration
Background: Making mathematics connections between home and school can have a positive impact on students’ mathematics learning. This is particularly important for students whose experiences and perspectives are underrepresented in school curricula. Although there is evidence for how crucial it is to make connections between mathematics instruction and children’s lived experiences, doing so is often a challenging task for teachers. Purpose: This …
Teaching and Learning Mathematics and Computing in Multilingual Contexts
Mothers and Children Doing Mathematics Together
Background/Context: There is much to understand about how parents and children interact around mathematics, particularly with families whose home language is different from the children’s main language of schooling. Families of immigrant origin are likely to bring experiences and knowledge that may be different from what their children’s schools expect or value. Educators can benefit greatly from a better understanding of these experiences and th…
Promoting change through a formative intervention
This article describes a formative intervention that supported our exploration of contradictions within the area of parental engagement in mathematics education in a low-income community. We draw on the third generation of cultural-historical activity theory as well as research on parental engagement and critical theory to discuss two contradictions in the network of activity systems. Our analysis suggests it is critical to develop a deeper inter…
Conversations between Preservice Teachers and Latina Mothers
Mathematics education researchers agree that students’ mathematical learning can be positively impacted by making connections to their out of school experiences through a funds of knowledge lens. This is especially important for diverse students whose experiences are often underrepresented in school curricula. Making these connections can be challenging for teachers whose experiences often differ from their students. We examine how conversations …
Participation of non-dominant students in argumentation in the mathematics classroom
This article focuses on argumentation in mathematics classrooms in two different geographic contexts, the US and New Zealand. Drawing on data from a case with immigrant students (Pāsifika) in NZ and a case with Mexican American students in the US, we argue for the need to study the concept of argumentation through a cultural and language lens. Our analysis across the two cases points to common features that supported students’ engagement in argum…
Transnational and Borderland Studies in Mathematics Education
Preface by Richard S. Kitchen and Marta Civil 1. Ecological Approaches to Transnational Research on Mathematical Reasoning: A Focus on Latino/a Mathematics Learners in the Borderlands by Judit Moschkovich 2. Crossing the Border between Home and School: Dominican Parents' Perspectives on the Teaching and Learning of Mathematics by Mary Q. Foote 3. Impressions of Mexican Immigrant Families on their Early Experiences with School Mathematics in Arizo…
Middle School Mathematics Classrooms
The study is of 3 Latina parents of children in an Arizona middle school in which parents made observations and participated in three different reform mathematics classrooms. The parents' expectations, concerns, and reactions to the observations of the lessons were discussed and recorded. The goal of the study was to better understand the Latina parents' perspectives about their children's mathematics education. The findings from this study can b…
Culture and Mathematics
This paper is based on several research efforts aimed at connecting school mathematics with everyday experiences. In particular it addresses the need to openly question the different values and beliefs associated with different forms of knowledge. It focuses on work done in working-class, minority communities and emphasizes the need to develop school learning experiences that acknowledge and build on the resources and experiences in these communi…
Bridging Funds of Distributed Knowledge
The work in this article has a basis in a long-term research paradigm investigating the "funds of knowledge" of diverse populations. This conceptualization adopts an anthropological perspective for viewing the households of low-income and minority students as repositories of diverse knowledge bases. In the BRIDGE project, the focus has been on understanding the mathematical potential of households, as well as "mathematizing" household practices. …
Culture and Mathematics
This paper is based on several research efforts aimed at connecting school mathematics with everyday experiences. In particular it addresses the need to openly question the different values and beliefs associated with different forms of knowledge. It focuses on work done in working-class, minority communities and emphasizes the need to develop school learning experiences that acknowledge and build on the resources and experiences in these communi…
Participation of non-dominant students in argumentation in the mathematics classroom
This article focuses on argumentation in mathematics classrooms in two different geographic contexts, the US and New Zealand. Drawing on data from a case with immigrant students (Pāsifika) in NZ and a case with Mexican American students in the US, we argue for the need to study the concept of argumentation through a cultural and language lens. Our analysis across the two cases points to common features that supported students’ engagement in argum…
Middle School Mathematics Classrooms
The study is of 3 Latina parents of children in an Arizona middle school in which parents made observations and participated in three different reform mathematics classrooms. The parents' expectations, concerns, and reactions to the observations of the lessons were discussed and recorded. The goal of the study was to better understand the Latina parents' perspectives about their children's mathematics education. The findings from this study can b…
Bridging Funds of Distributed Knowledge
The work in this article has a basis in a long-term research paradigm investigating the "funds of knowledge" of diverse populations. This conceptualization adopts an anthropological perspective for viewing the households of low-income and minority students as repositories of diverse knowledge bases. In the BRIDGE project, the focus has been on understanding the mathematical potential of households, as well as "mathematizing" household practices. …
Middle School Mathematics Classrooms
The study is of 3 Latina parents of children in an Arizona middle school in which parents made observations and participated in three different reform mathematics classrooms. The parents' expectations, concerns, and reactions to the observations of the lessons were discussed and recorded. The goal of the study was to better understand the Latina parents' perspectives about their children's mathematics education. The findings from this study can b…
Culture and Mathematics
This paper is based on several research efforts aimed at connecting school mathematics with everyday experiences. In particular it addresses the need to openly question the different values and beliefs associated with different forms of knowledge. It focuses on work done in working-class, minority communities and emphasizes the need to develop school learning experiences that acknowledge and build on the resources and experiences in these communi…
Transnational and Borderland Studies in Mathematics Education
Preface by Richard S. Kitchen and Marta Civil 1. Ecological Approaches to Transnational Research on Mathematical Reasoning: A Focus on Latino/a Mathematics Learners in the Borderlands by Judit Moschkovich 2. Crossing the Border between Home and School: Dominican Parents' Perspectives on the Teaching and Learning of Mathematics by Mary Q. Foote 3. Impressions of Mexican Immigrant Families on their Early Experiences with School Mathematics in Arizo…
Participation of non-dominant students in argumentation in the mathematics classroom
This article focuses on argumentation in mathematics classrooms in two different geographic contexts, the US and New Zealand. Drawing on data from a case with immigrant students (Pāsifika) in NZ and a case with Mexican American students in the US, we argue for the need to study the concept of argumentation through a cultural and language lens. Our analysis across the two cases points to common features that supported students’ engagement in argum…
Promoting change through a formative intervention
This article describes a formative intervention that supported our exploration of contradictions within the area of parental engagement in mathematics education in a low-income community. We draw on the third generation of cultural-historical activity theory as well as research on parental engagement and critical theory to discuss two contradictions in the network of activity systems. Our analysis suggests it is critical to develop a deeper inter…
Conversations between Preservice Teachers and Latina Mothers
Mathematics education researchers agree that students’ mathematical learning can be positively impacted by making connections to their out of school experiences through a funds of knowledge lens. This is especially important for diverse students whose experiences are often underrepresented in school curricula. Making these connections can be challenging for teachers whose experiences often differ from their students. We examine how conversations …
The Power of Mothers and Teachers Engaging in a Mathematics Bilingual Collaboration
Background: Making mathematics connections between home and school can have a positive impact on students’ mathematics learning. This is particularly important for students whose experiences and perspectives are underrepresented in school curricula. Although there is evidence for how crucial it is to make connections between mathematics instruction and children’s lived experiences, doing so is often a challenging task for teachers. Purpose: This …
Teaching and Learning Mathematics and Computing in Multilingual Contexts
Mothers and Children Doing Mathematics Together
Background/Context: There is much to understand about how parents and children interact around mathematics, particularly with families whose home language is different from the children’s main language of schooling. Families of immigrant origin are likely to bring experiences and knowledge that may be different from what their children’s schools expect or value. Educators can benefit greatly from a better understanding of these experiences and th…
Community and system-based anti-deficit professional development program for tertiary mathematics instructors
Expanding the professional repertoires of mathematics teachers
In this paper, we argue for the relevance of professional development initiatives with mathematics teachers that include a focus on equity and the language of teaching. By the language of teaching, we mean both, the language of mathematics and the language used in interactions with the students. We situate our argument in the context of the school curricula reform in Spain and a module in an online course with primary- and secondary-school teache…
Reflecting on My Mathematics Education Journey
This article is based on my Special Interest Group–Research in Mathematics Education scholar award talk given at the American Educational Research Association 2025. In it, I share five words that I think characterize my research journey in mathematics education. These words are skepticism , surprise , respect , joy , and hope . I selected examples from my more than 30 years of research to engage the audience (and now the readers) in moments of su…
Mathematics education (10 works) · Pedagogy (9 works) · Psychology (9 works) · Sociology (7 works) · Parental Involvement in Education (6 works) · Computer Science (4 works) · Education and Technology Integration (4 works) · Curriculum (3 works) · Epistemology (3 works) · Mathematics Education and Teaching Techniques (3 works)