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GSE Profiles
 | Dor Abrahamson
Assistant Professor
Cognition and Development
Office: 4649 Tolman Hall
Phone: (510) 643 3599
Email: dor at berkeley.edu
Website: edrl.berkeley.edu | Staff Contact: Kate Capps
Office: 4533 Tolman Hall
Phone: 510-642-4207
Email: kate at berkeley.edu
D
or Abrahamson's research interests include a range of domains relating to the learning and
teaching of mathematics. Dor studies situated, distributed, and embodied cognition; design principles for
mixed-media learning environments; gesture, intuition, and creativity; patterns of students' classroom
participation and issues of equity; the learning of mathematics and science from an agent-based/complexity perspective; and philosophy of math.
Typically, Dor investigates multiple facets of a mathematical concept that students have difficulty with,
and these investigations result in the design and development of artifacts in both 'traditional' and computational media.
Dor then interacts with students as they work and think with these objects, and these interactions are scaled up to
classroom-level interventions in collaboration with teachers. Data from these studies feed back into the development of models of mathematical cognition
and implications of these models for education. Mathematical topics Dor has focused on are ratio-and-proportion
and probability-and-statistics.
Recipient, National Academy of
Education/Spencer Postdoctoral Fellowship for Seeing Chance, a project exploring the potential of computational environments in harnessing learners' intuitions for
randomness (see ProbLab for previous design).
Director, Embodied Design Research Laboratory (EDRL).
Member of faculty, EMST, SESAME, MACSME, ICBS, BCNM.
Ph.D., Northwestern University, Learning Sciences
M.A., Tel Aviv University, Cognitive Psychology
B.Mus., Jerusalem Academy of Music, Performing Arts (cello)
Dowload CV
Courses and Professional Programs
290C Cognitive Ergonomics in STEM Education Research
290C Principles for Embodied Design
290C Modeling-Based Methodology for Design, Learning, and Research
290C Learning Chance: Computer-Supported Inquiry into Probability
223B Embodied Design Research Laboratory (EDRL)
Articles (Refereed Journals, Proceeding) Abrahamson, D. (in press). Bridging theory: Activities designed to support the grounding of outcome-based combinatorial analysis in event-based intuitive judgment–A Case Study. In M. Borovcnik & D. Pratt (Eds. of Topic Study Group 13, Research and Development in the Teaching and Learning of Probability), in the Proceedings of the International Congress on Mathematical Education (ICME 11). Monterrey, Mexico: ICME.
Abrahamson, D., & White, T. (in press). Artifacts and aberrations: On the volatility of design research and the serendipity of insight. In G. Kanselaar, J. van Merriënboer, P. Kirschner, & T. de Jong (Eds.), Proceedings of the International Conference of the Learning Sciences (ICLS2008). Utrecht, The Netherlands: ICLS. (Final manuscript in preparation)
Veeragoudar Harrell, S., & Abrahamson, D. (in press). It takes a virtual village: Transforming urban-youth intellectual agency through critical computational literacy. In S. Veeragoudar Harrell (Chair & Organizer), Virtually there: Emerging designs for STEM teaching and learning in immersive online 3D microworlds. Symposium to appear in G. Kanselaar, J. van Merriënboer, P. Kirschner, & T. de Jong (Eds.), Proceedings of the International Conference of the Learning Sciences (ICLS2008). Utrecht, The Netherlands: ICLS.
Blikstein, P., Abrahamson, D., & Wilensky, U (in press). The classroom as a complex adaptive system: An agent-based framework to investigate students' emergent collective behaviors. In G. Kanselaar, J. van Merriënboer, P. Kirschner, & T. de Jong, Proceedings of the International Conference of the Learning Sciences (ICLS2008). Utrecht, The Netherlands: ICLS.
Abrahamson, D. (2007). Both rhyme and reason: Toward design that goes beyond what meets the eye. In T. Lamberg & L. Wiest (Eds.), Proceedings of the Twenty Ninth Annual Meeting of the North American Chapter of the International Group for the Psychology of Mathematics Education (pp. 287-295). Stateline (Lake Tahoe), NV: University of Nevada, Reno.
Abrahamson, D. (2007). Handling problems: Embodied reasoning in situated mathematics. In T. Lamberg & L. Wiest (Eds.), Proceedings of the Twenty Ninth Annual Meeting of the North American Chapter of the International Group for the Psychology of Mathematics Education (pp. 219-226). Stateline (Lake Tahoe), NV: University of Nevada, Reno.
Abrahamson, D. (2007). The complexity of education research and why we like it. In M. Jacobson (Symposium Organizer & Chair) & W. Clancey (Discussant), Cognitive systems and the cognitive sciences: Potential for pervasive theoretical and research implications? In G. Trafton & D. S. McNamara (Eds.), Proceedings of the 29th Meeting of the Cognitive Science Society (pp. 29-30). Austin, TX: Cognitive Science Society. CD-ROM
Abrahamson, D., & Wilensky, U. (2007). Learning axes and bridging tools in a technology-based design for statistics. International Journal of Computers for Mathematics Learning, 12(1), 23-55.
Veeragoudar Harrell, S., & Abrahamson, D. (2007). Computational literacy and mathematics learning in a virtual world: Identity, embodiment, and empowered media engagement. In C. Chinn, G. Erkens, & S. Puntambekar (Eds.), Proceedings of the Computer Supported Collaborative Learning (CSCL) Conference (Vol. 8, Part 1, pp. 264 - 266). NJ: Rutgers University. CD ROM
Abrahamson, D., Blikstein, P., & Wilensky, U. (2007). Classroom model, model classroom: Computer-supported methodology for investigating collaborative-learning pedagogy. In C. Chinn, G. Erkens, & S. Puntambekar (Eds.), Proceedings of the Computer Supported Collaborative Learning (CSCL) Conference (Vol. 8, Part 1, pp. 46 - 55). NJ: Rutgers University. CD ROM
Abrahamson, D., Berland, M.W., Shapiro, R. B., Unterman, J. W., & Wilensky, U. J. (2006). Leveraging epistemological diversity through computer-based argumentation in the domain of probability. For the Learning of Mathematics, 26(3), 39-45.
Abrahamson, D. (2006). Mathematical representations as conceptual composites: Implications for design. In S. Alatorre, J. L. Cortina, M. Sáiz, & A. Méndez (Eds.), Proceedings of the Twenty Eighth Annual Meeting of the North American Chapter of the International Group for the Psychology of Mathematics Education (Vol. 2, pp. 464-466). Universidad Pedagógica Nacional. [Dowload expanded version]
Brar, R., Galpern, A. J., & Abrahamson, D. (2006). Lost in translation: The 'bean snare' as a case of the situated–symbolic divide. In S. Alatorre, J. L. Cortina, M. Sáiz, & A. Méndez (Eds.), Proceedings of the Twenty Eighth Annual Meeting of the North American Chapter of the International Group for the Psychology of Mathematics Education (Vol. 2, pp. 390-391). Universidad Pedagógica Nacional.
Abrahamson, D., & Cendak, R. M. (2006). The odds of understanding the law of large numbers: A design for grounding intuitive probability in combinatorial analysis. In J. Novotná, H. Moraová, M. Krátká, & N. Stehlíková (Ed.), Proceedings of the Thirtieth Conference of the International Group for the Psychology of Mathematics Education (Vol. 2, pp. 1 - 8). Prague, Czech Republic: Charles University.
Abrahamson, D. (2006). "Because in the world, there are more blocks of this type": The real-worldness of immersive combinatorial analysis as a grounding of simulated probability experiments. In D. Abrahamson (Symposium Chair & Org.) & A. Collins (Discussant), What's a situation in situated cognition? -- A constructionist critique of authentic inquiry. In S. Barab, K. Hay, & D. Hickey (Eds.), Proceedings of the Seventh International Conference of the Learning Sciences (Vol. 2, pp. 1015 - 1021). Mahwah, NJ: Lawrence Erlbaum Associates. (contact me for full PowerPoint presentation, including video clips) [Download 'Overview' slides] [Download movie]
Abrahamson, D. (2006). The shape of things to come: The computational pictograph as a bridge from combinatorial space to outcome distribution. International Journal of Computers for Mathematics Learning, 11(1), 137-146. [SpringerLink PDF]
Abrahamson, D., Janusz, R., & Wilensky, U. (2006). There once was a 9-Block... -- A middle-school design for probability and statistics. Journal of Statistics Education, 14(1). Retrieved August 21, 2006, from http://www.amstat.org/publications/jse/v14n1/abrahamson.html
Abrahamson, D. (2006). Learning chance: Lessons from a learning-axes and bridging-tools perspective. In A. Rossman & B. Chance (Eds.), Proceedings of the Seventh International Conference on Teaching Statistics. Salvador, Bahia, Brazil.
Abrahamson, D., & Wilensky, U. (2005).
Understanding chance: From student voice to learning supports in a design experiment in the domain of probability. In G. M. Lloyd, M. Wilson, J. L. M. Wilkins, & S. L. Behm (Eds.), Proceedings of the Twenty Seventh Annual Meeting of the North American Chapter of the International Group for the Psychology of Mathematics Education (pp. 1-7). Roanoke, VA: Virginia Tech University.
Blikstein, P., Abrahamson, D., & Wilensky, U. (2005). NetLogo: Where we are, where we're going. In M. Eisenberg & A. Eisenberg (Eds.), Proceedings of the Fourth International Conference for Interaction Design and Children (IDC 2005), Boulder, Colorado.
Abrahamson, D., Blikstein, P., Lamberty, K. K., & Wilensky, U. (2005). Mixed-media learning environments. In M. Eisenberg & A. Eisenberg (Eds.), Proceedings of the Fourth International Conference for Interaction Design and Children (IDC 2005). Boulder, Colorado.
Abrahamson, D., & Wilensky, U. (2005). ProbLab goes to school: Design, teaching, and learning of probability with multi-agent interactive computer models. In D. Pratt, R. Biehler, M. B. Ottaviani, & M. Meletiou (Eds.), Proceedings of the Fourth Conference of the European Society for Research in Mathematics Education. San Feliu De Guixols, Spain.
Fuson, K. C. & Abrahamson, D. (2005). Understanding ratio and proportion as an example of the Apprehending Zone and Conceptual-Phase problem-solving models. In J. Campbell (Ed.) Handbook of mathematical cognition (pp. 213 - 234). New York: Psychology Press.
Abrahamson, D. (2004). Embodied spatial articulation: A gesture perspective on student negotiation between kinesthetic schemas and epistemic forms in learning mathematics. In D. E. McDougall and J. A. Ross (Eds.), Proceedings of the Twenty Sixth Annual Meeting of the North American Chapter of the International Group for the Psychology of Mathematics Education (Vol. 2, pp. 791 - 797). Windsor, Ontario: Preney.
Abrahamson, D., & Wilensky (2004).
ProbLab: A computer-supported unit in probability and statistics. In M. J. Hoines & A. B. Fuglestad (Eds.),
Proceedings of the 28th Annual Meeting of the International Group for the Psychology of Mathematics Education (Vol. 1, p. 369). Bergen University College.
Abrahamson, D., & Wilensky, U. (2004). S.A.M.P.L.E.R.:
Collaborative interactive computer-based statistics learning environment. Proceedings of the 10th International Congress on Mathematical
Education, Copenhagen, July 4 - 11, 2004. http://www.icme-organisers.dk/tsg11/
Abrahamson, D., Berland, M.W., Shapiro, R. B., Unterman, J. W., & Wilensky, U. (2004). Leveraging epistemological diversity through computer-based argumentation in the domain of probability. In Y. B. Kafai, W. A. Sandoval, N. Enyedy, A. S. Nixon, & F. Herrera (Eds.), Proceedings of The Sixth International Conference of the Learning Sciences (pp. 28 - 35). Mahwah NJ: Lawrence Erlbaum Associates.
Abrahamson, D. & Cigan, C. (2003). A design for ratio and proportion. Mathematics Teaching in the Middle School, 8(9), 493-501. National Council of Teachers of Mathematics: Reston, Virginia.
Abrahamson, D. (2003). Text talk, body talk, table talk: A design of ratio and proportion as classroom parallel events. In N. A. Pateman, B. J. Dougherty, & J. Zilliox (Eds.), Proceedings of the Twenty Seventh Annual Meeting of the International Group for the Psychology of Mathematics Education (Vol. 2, pp. 1 - 8). Columbus, OH: Eric Clearinghouse for Science, Mathematics, and Environmental Education.
Abrahamson, D., & Wilensky, U. (2003). The quest of the bell curve: A constructionist approach to learning statistics through designing computer-based probability experiments. In M. Allessandra, C. Battanero, R. Biehler, M. Henry, & D. Pratt (Eds.), Proceedings of the Third Conference of the European Society for Research in Mathematics Education.
Abrahamson, D. (2002). When 'the same' is the same as different differences: Aliya reconciles her perceptual judgment of proportional equivalence with her additive computation skills. In D. Mewborn, P. Sztajn, E. White, H. Wiegel, R. Bryant, and K. Nooney (Eds.), Proceedings of the Twenty Fourth Annual Meeting of the North American Chapter of the International Group for the Psychology of Mathematics Education (Vol. 4, pp. 1658 - 1661). Columbus, OH: Eric Clearinghouse for Science, Mathematics, and Environmental Education.
Book Chapters Fuson, K. C., & Abrahamson, D. (2005). Understanding ratio and proportion as an example of the Apprehending Zone and Conceptual-Phase problem-solving models. In J. Campbell (Ed.) Handbook of mathematical cognition (pp. 213 - 234). New York: Psychology Press.
Other Papers/Reports/Op-Eds/Computer Programs Abrahamson, D. (2008). Writes of passage: From phenomenology to semiosis in mathematical learning. In T. Rikakis & A. Kelliher (Eds.), Proceedings of CreativeIT: Success factors in fostering creativity in IT research and education. Tempe, AZ: Arizona State University. (Online paper in preparation)
Abrahamson, D. (2004). Keeping meaning in proportion: The multiplication table as a case of pedagogical bridging tools. Unpublished doctoral dissertation, Northwestern University, Evanston, IL.
[ISBN 0-496-79720-0]
Abrahamson, D., & Wilensky, U. (2002).
ProbLab The Center for Connected Learning and Computer-Based Modeling, Northwestern University, Evanston, IL.
Invited Abrahamson, D. (2007, November). Agents, agency, equity: A complexity-studies perspective on classroom participation patterns. In K. W. Fischer (President) and M. Schwartz (Chair), The Inaugural Conference of the International Mind, Brain, and Education Society (IMBES): The Nature of Human Learning and How Educational Policy Can Profit from Research, Fort Worth, TX, November 1-3.
Abrahamson, D. (2007, October). From intuition to inscription: Designing learning experiences for deep mathematical understanding. In N. Stein (Organizer), The Spencer Conference: Developmental and Learning Sciences Go to School: Implications for Education and Public Policy. Chicago, October 10-14.
Abrahamson, D. (2007, September). From intuition to inscription: Emerging design principles for mathematics education. Presented at the annual meeting of the International Society for Design and Development in Education (ISDDE), Berkeley, CA, September 17-20.
Papers Abrahamson, D. (2008, April). Toward intuitive grasps of binomial distributions: A mixed-media approach. In A. Rubin (Chair) and P. Vahey (Discussant), Contrasting perspectives on connecting important ideas in probability. Symposium presented at the National Council of Teachers of Mathematics Research Presession, Salt Lake City, UT, April 7-9, 2008. (In preparation)
Abrahamson, D. (2008, March). From gesture to design: Building cognitively ergonomic learning tools. In S. Gerofsky (Chair & Org.) & M. Nathan (Discussant), Math education meets gesture studies: How mathematics education adapts gesture studies to its own purposes. Symposium presented at the annual conference of the American Educational Research Association, New York, March 24-28.
Abrahamson, D. (2008, March). Fostering the emergence of an embodied cognitive artifact: The case of the number line in a design for probability. In D. Abrahamson (Chair), D. Earnest (Org.), & H. Bass (Discussant), The many values o the number line—An interdisciplinary forum. Symposium presented at the annual conference of the American Educational Research Association, New York, March 24-28.
Abrahamson, D., Bryant, M. J., Howison, M. L., & Relaford-Doyle, J. J. (2008, March). Toward a phenomenology of mathematical artifacts: A circumspective deconstruction of a design for the binomial. Paper presented at the annual conference of the American Educational Research Association, New York, March 24-28. (Manuscript in preparation)
Blikstein, P., Abrahamson, D., & Wilensky, U. (2008, March). Groupwork as a complex adaptive system: A methodology to model, understand, and design classroom strategies for collaborative learning. Paper presented at the annual conference of the American Educational Research Association, New York, March 24-28.
Veeragoudar Harrell, S., & Abrahamson, D. (2008, March). It takes a virtual village: Living and learning in online virtual reality. In J. Mahiri (Chair & Org.) & C. D. Lee (Discussant), Reversing underachievement: Digital media in teaching and learning with highly marginalized students. Symposium presented at the annual conference of the American Educational Research Association, New York, March 24-28.
Abrahamson, D (2007, December). Weaving epistemic & material resources: An embodied-mathematics design-research perspective on situated problem solving. Paper presented at the Research on Embodied Mathematical Cognition, Technology, and Learning (REMCTL) Workshop. Stanford, Palo Alto: Center for Advanced Study in Behavioral Sciences (CASBS), Dec 10-11, 2007.
Abrahamson, D. (2007, June). From gesture to design: Building cognitively ergonomic learning tools. Paper presented at the annual conference of the International Society for Gesture Studies. Northwestern University, June 18-20. [Download abstract]
Abrahamson, D., Wilensky, U., & Levin, J. (2007, April). Agent-based modeling as a bridge between cognitive and social perspectives on learning. In D. Abrahamson (Organizer), U. Wilensky (Chair), & R. Lesh (Discussant), Learning Complexity: Agent-based modeling supporting education research on student cognition in social contexts. Paper presented at the annual meeting of the American Educational Research Association, Chicago, IL.
Blikstein, P., Abrahamson, D., & Wilensky, U. (2007, April). Multi-agent simulation as a tool for investigating cognitive–developmental theory. In D. Abrahamson (Organizer), U. Wilensky (Chair), & R. Lesh (Discussant), Learning Complexity: Agent-based modeling supporting education research on student cognition in social contexts. Paper presented at the annual meeting of the American Educational Research Association, Chicago, IL.
Abrahamson, D. (2007, April). The real world as a trick question: Undergraduate statistics majors' construction-based modeling of probability. Paper presented at the annual meeting of the American Educational Research Association, Chicago, IL.
Abrahamson, D. (2006, June). The three M's: Imagination, embodiment, and mathematics. Paper presented at the annual meeting of the Jean Piaget Society, Baltimore, MD. (contact me for full PowerPoint presentation, including video clips) -- [Download abstract].
Blikstein, P., Abrahamson, D., & Wilensky, U. (2006, June). Minsky, mind, and models: Juxtaposing agent-based computer simulations and clinical-interview data as a methodology for investigating cognitive-developmental theory. Paper presented at the annual meeting of the Jean Piaget Society, Baltimore, MD.
Abrahamson, D. (2006, May). Grabbing randomness by the marbles: Bridging tools for understanding the Law of Large Numbers. In D. Uttal (Chair), Concrete and abstract: Perspectives from psychology and education. Paper presented at the seventy-eighth annual meeting of the Midwestern Psychological Association, Chicago, IL, May 4-6.
Abrahamson, D. (2006, May). Mathematical intuition -- what is it good for? Reflections from design research on young student understanding of the binomial function. In P. Blikstein & R. Lerner (Org.), Colloquium Series at the School of Education and Social Policy. Northwestern University, Evanston, IL.
Abrahamson, D. (2006, April). Bottom-up stats: Toward an agent-based "unified" probability and statistics. In D. Abrahamson (Org.), U. Wilensky (Chair), and M. Eisenberg (Discussant), Small steps for agents... Giant steps for students?: Learning with agent-based models. Symposium conducted at the annual meeting of the American Educational Research Association, San Francisco, CA.
Wilensky, U., & Abrahamson, D. (2006, April). Is a disease like a lottery?: Classroom networked technology that enables student reasoning about complexity. Paper presented at the annual meeting of the American Educational Research Association, San Francisco, CA.
Abrahamson, D., & Wilensky, U. (2005, June). Piaget? Vygotsky? I'm Game!: Agent-based modeling for psychology research. In M. Mascolo (Chair), Theoretical issues. Paper session conducted at the annual meeting of the Jean Piaget Society. Vancouver, Canada. [See also the accompanying on-line simulation applet]
Abrahamson, D., & Wilensky, U. (2005, April). Collaboration and equity in classroom activities using Statistics As Multi-Participant Learning-Environment Resource (S.A.M.P.L.E.R.). In W. Stroup & U. Wilensky (Chairs), C. D. Lee (Discussant), Patterns in group learning with next-generation network technology. Symposium conducted at the annual meeting of the American Educational Research Association, Montreal, Canada.
Abrahamson, D., & Wilensky, U. (2005, April). The stratified learning zone: Examining collaborative-learning design in demographically-diverse mathematics classrooms. In D. Y. White (Chair) & E. H. Gutstein (Discussant), Equity and diversity studies in mathematics learning and instruction. Paper presented at the annual meeting of the American Educational Research Association, Montreal, Canada.
Abrahamson, D. & Wilensky, U. (2004, April). S.A.M.P.L.E.R.: Statistics As Multi-Participant Learning-Environment Resource. In U. Wilensky (Chair) and S. Papert (Discussant), Networking and complexifying the science classroom: Students simulating and making sense of complex systems using the HubNet networked architecture. Symposium conducted at the annual meeting of the American Educational Research Association, San Diego, CA.
Abrahamson, D. (2003, April). A situational–representational didactic design for fostering conceptual understanding of mathematical content: The case of ratio and proportion. Poster presented at the annual meeting of the American Educational Research Association, Chicago, IL.
Abrahamson, D., & Fuson, K. C. (2002, April). Seeing and understanding proportion in the multiplication table. In K. C. Fuson (Chair), Bridging the addition–multiplication learning gap: Teaching studies in four multiplicative domains. Symposium conducted at the annual meeting of the American Educational Research Association, New Orleans, LA.
National Academy of Education/Spencer Postdoctoral Fellowship 2005-2006
UC Berkeley, Committee on Research (COR): Junior Faculty Research Grant (JFRG) [$6,000] for conducting the project The World as a Trick Question: Mathematical Modeling, Knowledge, and Assessment
Editorial and Review Positions Member of the editorial board of the International Journal of Computers for Mathematics Learning (IJCML)
Member of the editorial board of The Journal of the Learning Sciences (JLS)
Ad hoc reviewer for Cognitive Science, Educational Studies in Mathematics (ESM), Mathematical Teaching and Learning (MTL)
Professional Service Co-chair of AERA 2007 Division C Section 3 (mathematics)
University and GSE Service Member of the GSE Academic Review Committee (2006 - 7)
Member of the GSE Academic Personnel Committee (2007 - 8)
Professional Affiliations and Memberships
Areas of Specialization / Interests
Computer-Mediated Learning
Curriculum Development
Educational Media
Experimental Design In Education
Human-Computer Interface
Mathematics Education
Simulation Learning Environments
Technology and Schools
Last Modified: 5/13/08
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