Irene Duranczyk

Irene Duranczyk is an Associate Professor of Mathematics Education in the Department of Curriculum and Instruction at the University of Minnesota's College of Education. Her work focuses on advancing mathematical literacy at the undergraduate level, with particular attention to creating equitable educational opportunities through community engagement and multicultural perspectives. As a first-generation college student from a working-class family, she brings personal experience to her commitment to addressing educational inequalities.

Her educational background includes an EdD from Grambling State University's College of Education, with a focus on Developmental Education: Higher Education Administration and Management, and a cognate in Mathematics Education.

Duranczyk's research centers on understanding institutional barriers and cognitive/affective blocks students face in college mathematics, with particular emphasis on community college mathematics education. She employs a multicultural equity pedagogy framework and integrates universal instructional design principles into her work. Her research aims to develop pedagogical processes and assessment practices that prepare students for success in college-level mathematics, thereby expanding opportunities for students to complete college education and pursue degrees requiring advanced mathematical skills.

Her recent scholarly output reveals a strong focus on measuring and improving the quality of algebra instruction at community colleges. Through NSF-funded research, she has developed instruments to assess mathematical knowledge for teaching college algebra and investigated conditions under which algebra courses improve student learning. Her work spans multiple methodologies including video analysis of classroom instruction, cognitive interviews with faculty, and psychometric analysis of assessment tools.

• National Science Foundation Principal Investigator (2020-2023, $501,852)
• National Science Foundation Supplemental Funds (2024-2025, $100,370)
• 2007 National Association for Developmental Education (NADE) Outstanding Research Conducted by a Developmental Education Practitioner Award

Duranczyk has secured significant grant funding, most notably a three-year, $2.3 million NSF grant (as co-PI with Nidhi Kohli, Vilma Mesa, April Strom, and Laura Watkins) to study algebra instruction at community colleges. This project investigates conditions under which algebra courses improve student learning across six community colleges in three states, focusing on linear equations, rational equations, and exponential equations. She has also been involved in international collaborations with educators in Russia and China, and participates in faculty learning communities focused on international and multilingual student success.

Her work extends to the development of Integrated Multicultural Instructional Design (IMID) frameworks for postsecondary settings and Multicultural Equity Pedagogy for online education, reflecting her commitment to creating inclusive learning environments that address diverse student needs.