Nancy Tseng
Associate Professor of Teaching in Education and Bilingual Coordinator–Mandarin
Dr. Nancy Tseng is an Associate Professor of Teaching in Education in the School of Education. She began her career in education as a public elementary school teacher. Her research interests focus on the development of productive student-teacher relationships in elementary classrooms, identifying instructional practices that support mathematics learning and teaching, and pre-and in-service teacher education. Dr. Tseng received a BA in psychology, elementary teaching credential, and MA from the University of California, Davis. She has a Ph.D. in Mathematics Education from the University of Maryland, College Park.
Education
Ph.D., Curriculum and Instruction (Concentration in Mathematics Education) – University of Maryland, College Park
M.A., Curriculum and Instruction – University of California at Davis
Professional Clear Multiple Subject Teaching Credential with Cross-Cultural and Language Development Certification - University of California at Davis
B.A. in Psychology; Minor in Music - University of California at Davis
Professional Experience
July 2023–Present – Associate Professor of Teaching in Education and Bilingual Coordinator–Mandarin
July 2016–June 2023 – Lecturer/Supervisor, University of California at Davis, Multiple Subject Credential Program
Jan 2016–June 2016 – Consultant in Teacher Preparation, California Commission on Teacher Credentialing
Aug 2014–June 2016 – Assistant Professor, San Francisco State University, Department of Elementary Education
2009–2014 – Research Assistant, Division for Science, Technology, and Mathematics, University of Maryland, College Park
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Standards for Mathematical Practice Project (StaMPP) of the Common Core State Standards for Mathematics (CCSS-M) (Collaboration with University of Maryland and Prince George’s County Public Schools, PI: Daniel Chazan)
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Case Studies of Urban Algebra I Teachers (Mid-Atlantic Center for Mathematics Teaching and Learning, PI: Daniel Chazan)
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Knowledge-Based Interactive Learning Tools for Students (KILTS): Scaffolding English Learners’ Mathematics and Language Abilities (NSF Exploratory Discovery Research K-12 Proposal in Collaboration with Center for Applied Linguistics, University of Maryland and Arlington Public Schools, PI: Laura Wright)
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The Professional Lives of African-American Mathematics Teachers Project (Mid-Atlantic Center for Mathematics Teaching and Learning, PI: Daniel Chazan)
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Responsive Teaching in Science and Mathematics: Attending to Student Ideas and Reasoning (PIs: Ann Ryu Edwards & Janet Coffey)
Teaching Experience
University Teaching
2016-Present - Instructor, School of Education, University of California at Davis, EDU 275A Effective Instruction: Curriculum and Assessment – Theory, Research, and Practice, EDU 206B Inquiry Into Classroom Practice: Application of Teacher Research Approaches, EDU 206C Inquiry Into Classroom Practice: Study Design, EDU 206D: Inquiry Into Classroom Practice: Data Analysis and Reporting, EDU 304A-C Teaching in the Elementary Schools, EDU 310 Teaching as Reflective Practice
2014-2016 - Instructor, Graduate College of Education, San Francisco State University, EED 784 Curriculum and Instruction in Mathematics (K-8), EED 784.91 Curriculum and Instruction in Mathematics (K-8) for Special Education Teacher Candidates, EED 786 (formerly EED 783) Developmental Teaching and Learning in Diverse School Settings
2014 - Instructor and Supervisor, College of Education, University of Maryland, EDCI 414 Interdisciplinary (Science and Mathematics) Teaching in the Middle Grades (undergraduate level)
2011 - Instructor, College of Education, University of Maryland, EDCI 652 Teaching and Learning Mathematics in the Elementary School (graduate level)
K-12 Teaching and Professional Development
2014-2015 - Integrated Technology, Engineering, Mathematics, and Science (iTeams), School-Based Coach, California Mathematics and Science Partnership (CaMSP) grant program, San Francisco State Center for Science and Mathematics Education
2011 - English for Speakers of Other Languages (ESOL) Elementary Mathematics Professional Development Instructor, Prince George’s County Public Schools. Hyattsville, MD
2007-2009 - Beginning Teacher Support and Assessment (BTSA) Support Provider, Sacramento County Office of Education, Sacramento, CA
2006-2007 - Collaborative Classroom-Based Inquiry (CCBI) Project Lead Teacher, University of California at Davis School of Education, Davis, CA
2004-2008 - SB472 Language Arts/English Language Learner Instructor, Professional Development Reading Institute, Sacramento County Office of Education, Sacramento, CA
2000-2009 - Classroom Teacher, Robla School District, Sacramento, CA
Grants and Support
U.S. Department of Education, Institute of Education Sciences
- Examining How Teacher-Student Interactions Within Mathematics and Literacy Instructional Contexts Relate to the Developmental and Academic Outcomes in Early Elementary Students with Autism
- Co-Investigator: (13%)
- Grant Duration: 7/1/2021 – 6/30/2025
- Total Amount: $1,698, 998
Publications and Presentations
Peer-reviewed proceedings and presentations
Sparapani, N., Tseng, N., Birkenender, S., Kamiri, S, Towers, L., Wood, T., Alexander, C. & Nullally, A.D (in preparation). Teacher Language by Mathematics Context Predicts Classroom Engagement in Preschool through Third Grade Learners with Autism, Frontiers in Rehabilitation Sciences, Innovation Informs Best Practices in Autism Intervention Across the Lifespan
Sparapani, N., Tseng, N., Wood., T. (May 2021). Teacher-student interactions within mathematics instructional contexts in classrooms serving students with autism. Submitted to the International Society for Autism Research (INSAR) annual meeting, Virtual.
Sparapani, N., Tseng, N., Towers, L., & Wood, T. (April 2021). Classroom math learning opportunities provided to students with autism. Interactive posted presented at the American Educational Research Association (AERA) annual conference, Virtual.
Towers, L. E., Sparapani, N. & Tseng, N. (2020, Apr 17 – 21) Coder characteristics and observational coding of emotion regulation in students with autism [Symposium]. American Educational Research Association (AERA) Annual Meeting, San Francisco, CA http://tinyurl.com/umea8l5 (Conference Canceled).
Sparapani, N., Tseng, N., Wood, T., Karimi, S., Rodriguez, J., & Singh, K. (May 2019). Classroom Mathematical Learning Opportunities for Students with Autism Spectrum Disorder. Oral presentation presented at the International Society for Autism Research Annual Conference, Montreal, Canada.
Wood, T., Tseng, N., & Sparapani, N. (January 2019). Mathematics Learning Opportunities for Students with Autism: A Classroom Observation Approach. Poster presented at the University of California Center for Research on Special Education, Disabilities, and Developmental Risk Annual Conference, Davis, CA.
Tseng. N. (2016, April). The pedagogical power of caring student-teacher relationships: Exploring students’ classroom experiences with a relational approach to mathematics instruction. Paper presented at the annual meeting of the American Educational Research Association, Washington DC.
Tseng. N. (2016, April). Developing productive student-teacher relationships in mathematics classrooms through a multi-dimensional theory of care. Paper presented at the annual meeting of the American Educational Research Association, Washington DC.
Tseng, N. (2015, April). Examining the impact of an Integrated Caring Approach (ICA) on students’ mathematical dispositions and experiences. Poster presented at the annual meeting of the American Educational Research Association, Chicago, IL.
Tseng, N. (2014, April). Investigating an integrated caring approach to elementary mathematics teaching and learning. Paper presented at the annual meeting of the American Educational Research Association, Philadelphia, PA.
Tseng, N. & Edwards, A. (2013, November). Examining an integrated caring approach to elementary mathematics practice. In A. C. Superfine, M. Martinez, G. Larnell, T. Stoelinga, & D. B. Martin (Eds.), Proceedings of the 35th annual meeting of the North American Chapter of the International Group for the Psychology of Mathematics Education. Chicago, IL.
Edwards, A., Tseng, N., Young, H., & Fleming, E. (2013, April). Enactments of care: Case studies of African American mathematics teachers. Paper presented at the annual meeting of the American Educational Research Association, San Francisco, CA.
Tseng, N., Edwards, A., Young, H., & Fleming, E. (2013, April). Enactments of care: Case studies of African American mathematics teachers. Paper presented at the Research Pre-Session of the annual meeting of the National Council of Teachers of Mathematics, Denver, CO.
Edwards, A., Tseng, N., &, Young, H. (2012, November). Understanding teaching as enactments of care: Case studies of African American mathematics teachers of students of color. In J. Jane-Lo & L. Van Zoest (Eds), Proceedings of the 34th Annual Conference of the North American Chapter of the International Group for the Psychology of Mathematics Education. Kalamazoo, MI.
Richards, J., Tseng, N., Hammer, D., & Elby, A. (2012, June). The role of caring in supporting teachers’ attention and responsiveness to the substance of students’ scientific thinking. Poster presented at the 42nd Annual Meeting of the Jean Piaget Society. Toronto, ON.
Tseng, N. (2011, October). Supporting elementary mathematics teachers in facilitating classroom communication through the use of curriculum materials. In L. R. Wiest & T. Lamberg. (Eds.). Proceedings of the 33rd annual meeting of the North American Chapter of the International Group for the Psychology of Mathematics Education. Reno, NV.
Clark, L., Edwards, A., Tseng, N. & Jones, T. (2011, April). Exploring and heightening teachers’ awareness of their students’ mathematics dispositions. Presentation at the Research Pre-Session of the annual meeting of the National Council of Teachers of Mathematics, Indianapolis, IN.
Edwards, A., Tseng, N. & Napp-Avelli, C. (2011, April). Relating teacher identity to teacher practice: Case studies of African American mathematics teachers of students of color. Paper presented at the annual meeting of the American Educational Research Association, New Orleans.
Edwards, A., Clark, L., Davis, J. Jones, T., & Tseng, N. (2011, January). The development, use, and facilitation of equity cases in mathematics teacher education. Presentation at the annual meeting of the Association of Mathematics Teacher Educators. Irvine, CA.
Tseng, N. (2009, August). Building understanding: The development of spatial thinking. Presentation at the biennial meeting of the Cognitively Guided Instruction Conference, San Diego, CA.
Invited Presentations
2020 - SENIA International Conference, Mathematical Learning Opportunities for Early Elementary Students with Autism, Virtual
2019 - Research Seminar Series, Mathematical Learning Opportunities for Students with Autism, UC Davis MIND Institute, Sacramento, CA
2014 - What is Action Research? Unpacking the role of teacher-researcher in classroom settings. Bay Area Teacher Training Institute, San Francisco, CA.
2013 - Unpacking the Common Core State Standards for Mathematics (CCSS-M) to support student learning. Presentation at Seat Pleasant Elementary School, Prince George’s County Public Schools, Hyattsville, MD.
Non peer-reviewed works
Tseng, N. (2019). Improving students’ mathematical dispositions and participation through caring mathematics instruction. In P. Spycher & E. Haynes (Eds.), STEAM (Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics) instruction for culturally and linguistically diverse students. Charlotte, NC: Information Age Publishing.
Tseng, N. (2010, August). Examining teacher engagement in English for Speakers of Other Languages (ESOL) elementary mathematics professional development. Presentation at the annual meeting of the Mid-Atlantic Center of Mathematics Teaching and Learning Research Symposium, State College, PA.
Bradley, M., Halcon, D., Hughen, M., Muldrew, L., Tseng, N., & Ubaldi, P. (2007, April). A collective examination of the development of spatial thinking in K-6 classrooms. Presentation at the Annual National Science Foundation Collaborative Classroom Based Inquiry Project Spring Symposium, Davis, CA.
Tseng, N. (2005). “Words that ‘aren’t really the same’”: A third grade spelling study. Windows on our Classrooms, 10, 47-54. Cooperative Research and Extension Services for Schools (CRESS) Center, University of California Davis.
Honors and Awards
2015 - Selected Participant, American Educational Research Association, Division K New Faculty Preconference Seminar, Chicago, IL
2015 - Faculty Affairs Travel Award, San Francisco State University, Office of Faculty Affairs and Professional Development
2014 - Selected Participant, California Council of Teacher Education, New Faculty Support Program
2013-2014 - Recipient of Fey-Graeber Fellowship, University of Maryland, Center for Mathematics Education
2013 - Selected Participant, American Educational Research Association, Division K Graduate Student Seminar, San Francisco, CA
2010-2012 - Recipient of Mid-Atlantic Center for Mathematics Teaching and Learning Fellowship, University of Maryland, Center for Mathematics Education
2009-2010 - Recipient of Fey-Graeber Fellowship, University of Maryland, Center for Mathematics Education
2007 - Teacher of the Year Award, Robla School District, Sacramento, CA
2007 - Teacher of the Year Award, Glenwood Elementary School, Sacramento, CA
Service and Professional Memberships
Campus
Co-Chair, Associate Director of Teacher Education Search Committee
Co-Chair & Dean’s Liaison, Words Take Wing, School of Education, UC Davis
Co-Chair, Author in Residence, School of Education, UC Davis
Graduate Admissions Chair & Committee Member, School of Education, UC Davis
Appointed Member, Re-imagining Teacher Education, School of Education, UC Davis
Member, Directions Committee, Department of Elementary Education, San Francisco State University
Member, Graduate Committee, Department of Elementary Education, San Francisco State University
Scorer, Performance Assessment for California Teachers, San Francisco State University, Department of Elementary Education
Doctoral Committee Member, A Case Study Investigation of Practices and Beliefs of Teachers at a STEM Elementary School, Educational Leadership Program, San Francisco State University
Community
Reviewer, American Educational Research Association conference proposals
Reviewer, National Council of Teachers of Mathematics conference proposals
Member, American Educational Research Association Division K – Teaching & Teacher Education
Member, Association for Supervision and Curriculum Development
Member, California Council of Teacher Education
Member, National Council of Teachers of Mathematics
Member, Psychology of Mathematics Education – North American Chapter
Graduate Student Representative, Faculty Search Committee, University of Maryland, Center for Mathematics Education
Scorer, Performance Assessment for California Teachers, University of California Davis, School of Education
Languages
Chinese (Mandarin and Taiwanese): Conversational speaking
