Carol Henderson Wade

Carol Henderson Wade, PHD is an Associate Professor in the Department of Education, Languages, and Instructional Design at the State University of New York at Brockport. Her research focuses on the critical transition from secondary mathematics to college-level mathematics, with particular emphasis on conceptual understanding and transfer of learning.

Her educational background includes a Post-Doctoral Fellowship from Harvard University, and PhD, MA, and BS degrees from Clemson University. Dr. Wade has established herself as a leading researcher in mathematics education through her work with the Factors Influencing College Success in Mathematics (FICSMath) project.

Dr. Wade's research interests center on teaching mathematics for conceptual understanding and transfer of learning, with recent work incorporating eye-tracking technology to enhance instruction in secondary mathematics. Her scholarship has made significant contributions to understanding how high school instructional practices impact college calculus performance, particularly examining the role of mathematical definitions, vocabulary, reasoning, and hands-on activities.

Her primary publication, 'Instructional Experiences that Align with Conceptual Understanding in the Transition from High School Mathematics to College Calculus' (2017), represents a major contribution to the field, revealing that students were better prepared for college calculus success through high school instructional experiences that emphasized mathematical definitions, vocabulary, reasoning, functions, and hands-on activities.

Dr. Wade has collaborated with researchers from Harvard University and Florida International University on national studies examining the school-to-college transition in mathematics education.

Her work has important implications for teacher preparation programs, particularly regarding how to better prepare secondary mathematics educators to discuss conceptual understanding on the widely used Educative Teacher Performance Assessment (edTPA).