Diane Biron

Diane Biron serves as an Associate Professor in the Department of Preschool and Primary Education at the Faculty of Education, University of Sherbrooke. Her academic career centers on mathematics education and teacher development for primary school educators, with extensive research on problem-solving methodologies and visual learning tools.

Her educational qualifications include:

• Ph.D. in Educational Psychology and Andragogy - Mathematics Didactics from the University of Montreal
• M.A. in Remedial Teaching - Mathematics Didactics from the University of Montreal
• B.Sc. in Remedial Teaching from the University of Montreal

Dr. Biron's research investigates how primary students (ages 8-12) utilize external representations during mathematical problem-solving, examining cultural influences through international collaborations in Belgium, France, and Morocco. She analyzes textbook design impacts on learning and explores how educational materials shape preservice teachers' instructional approaches, particularly regarding interdisciplinary perspectives and technology integration.

Her publication trends (2000-2005) reveal consistent focus on textbook analysis in mathematics education, cross-cultural problem-solving studies, and the impact of educational reforms on teaching practices. These works demonstrate evolving methodologies from domestic classroom observations to multinational comparative research, emphasizing visual representations and teacher-material interactions.

Dr. Biron leads significant research initiatives including a CRSH-funded study (1994-1997) on student problem-solving representations, expanded internationally in 2005-2006. As co-researcher in an FQRSC-funded program (2003-ER-82660), she examines how school materials influence preservice teachers' practices through four key objectives: mentor/educator impacts on material selection, ICT integration effects, material influence on educational conceptions, and preservice teachers' attitudes toward interdisciplinary resources.

She operates within the Centre de recherche sur l'intervention éducative (CRIE) at the University of Sherbrooke, collaborating with researchers across Quebec and internationally to advance primary education methodologies through empirical classroom studies and cross-cultural analysis.