Paul A. Kennedy

Paul A. Kennedy

College of Natural Sciences
Department of Mathematics
Appointed: 2008
Office:
Phone: (970) 491-2497
Email: kennedy@math.colostate.edu
Degrees:

  • B.A., University of Houston
  • M.Ed., Texas State University
  • PhD., University of Texas at Austin, Mathematics Education

Dr. Paul Kennedy is a Professor in the Department of Mathematics at Colorado State University. His career in the teaching and learning of mathematics spans 37 years, including 10 years as a secondary mathematics teacher and 27 years as a university mathematics educator. He received his Ph.D. in Mathematics Education from the University of Texas at Austin in 1988. Besides his responsibilities at CSU, he has been a member of the graduate faculty in the University of Notre Dame's summer graduate teacher education program—Alliance for Catholic Education—since 2001.

Dr. Kennedy arrived at CSU in 2002, hired as a Professor in the Department of Mathematics after 16 years as a professor in the Department of Mathematics at Texas State University. After his appointment at CSU, Dr. Kennedy effectively transformed the department's pre-calculus program into a state-of-art online instructional/assessment environment. The instructional approach in the new PACe (Paced Algebra to Calculus electronically) Center is based on mastery learning principles and offers both online and classroom instruction. Development continues with the construction of an innovative white board environment for online teaching, tutoring and collaborative learning. For his efforts he received the 2007 CSU CNS Award for Excellence, Teaching Innovation.

Dr. Kennedy is also the Co-PI of the NSF Center for Learning and Teaching in the West at CSU—a five institution collaborative focused on reducing the achievement gap in mathematics and science. Through CLTWest, CSU has partnered with Montana State, Montana, Portland State and UNC to conduct research through a collaborative online doctoral program which includes an online concentration in mathematics and science education. CLTWest is also dedicated to offer ongoing professional development to teachers across the various regions. As part of that effort, Dr. Kennedy has directed four consecutive summer institutes for secondary mathematics teachers from across the state.

In the area of scholarship, Dr. Kennedy has directed over 15 funded projects totaling over $5 million, and published widely, with articles centered on the teaching and learning of mathematics. His research focus has been on mathematics achievement and on the use of technology. Dr. Kennedy has been a national author for HOLT-McDougal Secondary Mathematics since 1990 having coauthored 14 textbooks. As a consequence of his work with HOLT-McDougal, Dr. Kennedy gives numerous addresses to large groups of teachers across the country about the effective strategies for enhancing the learning of all students. He is also a frequent speaker at major conferences including the National Council of Teachers of Mathematics, and the Texas Instruments sponsored, T3 International Conference.