General Information
Biography
Dr. Jakopovic is a former classroom teacher and elementary mathematics coach for the Omaha Public Schools. Also a UNO CADRE alumni, she joined the TED team at UNO in Fall 2018, first as an instructor and now as an assistant professor. She currently teaches both undergraduate and graduate STEM education courses in the Teacher Education Department of CEHHS.
Teaching Interests
Elementary and Early Childhood Mathematics, Teaching and Learning, Effective Teaching Practices, STEM Education, Formative Assessment, Instructional Coaching, Data Driven Decision Making, Integrating STEAM into the Classroom
Research Interests
Mathematics Education, Instructional Coaching/Mentoring, Integrated STEAM in PreK-12 Education, Preparation & Retention of STEM Teachers, (STEM) Identity in Undergraduate Pre-Service Teachers, Active Learning in Undergraduate Mathematics Courses
Service Summary
Dr. Jakopovic currently serves on the Graduate Elementary Education Program Committee in the department of Teacher Education, is a member of the UNO STEM Leadership team and the STEM Trail Center, serves on UNO's Faculty Senate, and is also an active member in several campus-wide Faculty Learning Forums and Communities of Practice. In the community, she collaborates with several of the local school districts and is actively involved with the Omaha STEM Ecosystem. At the professional level, Dr. Jakopovic currently serves as the editor for the Journal of Mathematics Education Leadership and is a board member for the National Council of Teachers of Mathematics.
Awards and Honors
2022 Inspiring Programs in STEM Award, Service, Community - 2022
2022 NCTM Affiliate Journal Award (Associate Journal Editor), Scholarship/Research - 2022
2020 President’s Faculty Excellence Awards, Teaching - 2020
Education
Ph D, University of Nebraska at Lincoln, Lincoln, Nebraska, Doctor of Philosophy, Elementary Mathematics, 2017
Other, University of Nebraska Omaha, Omaha, NE, Educational Leadership, K-6 Principal Certification, 2017
MA, University of Nebraska at Lincoln, Lincoln, Nebraska, Teaching Middle Level Mathematics, 2010
MS, University of Nebraska at Omaha, Omaha, Nebraska, Elementary Education, Integrating the Arts, 2004
BA, University of Nebraska at Lincoln, Lincoln, Nebraska, Elementary Education, Elementary Mathematics, 2002
Professional Development
Community of Practice: Research, Qualitative Data Analysis Tools: Exploring MAXQDA, 11/01/2022 - 01/01/2023
Community of Practice: Research, Social Science Methods and Methodology FLF, 01/01/2022 - 12/01/2022
Community of Practice: Research, Writing Accountability Group, 01/01/2022 - 12/01/2022
Conference Attendance, National Council of Supervisors of Mathematics Annual Conference - 09/01/2022
Licensures and Certifications
Professional Teaching Certificate K-6, Nebraska Department of Education, 03/01/2008 - 08/01/2028
Administrative Certificate, Nebraska Department of Education, 08/01/2017 - 08/01/2022
Scholarship/Research/Creative Activity
Selected Publications
Jakopovic, Paula, Gomez Johnson, Kelly. 2021. Beyond traditional teacher preparation: Value-add experiences for preservice secondary mathematics teachers. , Mathematics Teacher Education and Development, 23, 1, 5-31.
Jakopovic, Paula, Weiland, Travis, Campitelli, Maria, Males, Lorraine, Amick, Lisa. 2022. Supporting and retaining early career mathematics teachers using an online community of practice. , Journal of Mathematics Education at Teachers College, 12, 2, 33-42.
Jakopovic, Paula. 2020. Examining Potential Pitfalls that Hinder Productive Coaching Conversations, The Journal of Mathematics Education Leadership, 21, 2, 3-30.
Amick, Lisa, Jakopovic, Paula. 2020. Supporting teacher retention in diverse educational settings (STRIDES). , Proceedings of the Ninth Annual Mathematics Teacher Education Partnership Conference , 2020, 37-43.
Gomez Johnson, Kelly, Jakopovic, Paula. 2019. Finding their Voice: Support Mechanisms to Engage and Empower Future Mathematics Teachers, PROCEEDINGS OF THE EIGHTH ANNUAL MATHEMATICS TEACHER EDUCATION PARTNERSHIP CONFERENCE, 2019, 56-64.
Externally Funded Research
NebraskaMATH Omaha Noyce Partnership, National Science Foundation, Federal, 11/01/2014 - 10/31/2020
NebraskaMATH Omaha Noyce: Phase2, National Science Foundation, Federal, 10/01/2019 - 09/30/2024
IBL Communities, National Science Foundation, Federal, 10/01/2019 - 09/30/2022
EUREKA, Girls Inc., Other Agencies, 05/01/2021 - 08/01/2021
Multi-generational engagement via NE STEM 4U program enrichment, Collective for Youth, Other Agencies, 08/14/2022 - 05/31/2023
Directed Student Learning
Applied Graduate Research Project, High School and Middle School STEM Course Taking Patterns, Proposal
Applied Graduate Research Project, Examining the Role of Anxiety in Mathematics Teachers, Proposal
Directed Individual/Independent Study, Book Study: Humanizing Disability in Mathematics Education, In-Process
Dissertation Committee Member
Supervised Research, Math Escape Rooms: A Novel Approach for Engaging Learners in Math Circles , Completed
Non-Credit Instruction Taught
Review Course, Teacher Education Dept UNO, 01/01/2021 - 12/01/2021
Service
Department, College, and University
Faculty Senate, Committee Member, 05/01/2022 - 05/31/2022
STEM Leadership Committee, Attendee, Meeting, Attend monthly campus wide STEM leadership meetings to discuss ongoing collaborations on campus and in community related to STEM education., 01/01/2021 - 01/31/2021
Committee for Program and Research Collaborations, Committee Member, 05/01/2022 - 05/31/2022
Elementary Education Graduate Studies Committee, Committee Member, This committee met periodically throughout the year. As a member I attended meetings, provided feedback/input towards meeting the committee goals., 01/01/2022 - present
Praxis Tutoring, Program Organizer / Coordinator, Organize on campus and virtual tutoring opportunities for pre-service teachers to study for the Praxis mathematics exams, 01/01/2021 - 01/31/2021
Professional
Journal of Mathematics Education Leadership, Editor, Journal Editor, review journal submissions, assign peer reviewers, provide feedback and final decisions to applicant manuscripts, 09/01/2022 - 09/30/2022
National Council of Supervisors of Mathematics, Board of Directors of a Company, Nominated board member, served on board and sub-committees for NCSM, 09/01/2022 - 09/30/2022
National Institute on Teacher Quality, Reviewer, Ad Hoc Reviewer, NCTQ Teacher Prep Review provides evaluations and feedback to educator preparation programs against standards that are based on peer-reviewed research on what makes teachers most effective in the classroom. Volunteered to review and provide feedback on the proposed changes to this standard to help ensure that the revised standard will provide high quality feedback to teacher preps program as well as an accurate summary of the elementary math instruction available to prospective teachers. - present
EBSCO , Reviewer, Ad Hoc Reviewer, Article reviewer for new EBSCO research tool being developed as a resource for undergraduate students - present
University of Nebraska Lincoln, Board of Advisors of a Company, Served on the advisory board for UNL NSF funded Analysis of Coaching project - present
Community
Nebraska Department of Education K-12 Mathematics Standards Revision, Committee Member, 01/01/2021 - 12/31/2021
Omaha Public Schools Math Task Force, Committee Member, 01/01/2019 - 01/31/2019
Solving the Staffing Shortage (NE STEM4U), Committee Member, 01/01/2021 - 01/31/2021
Consulting
Academic, 09/01/2022 - 12/01/2022
Academic, Omaha, 01/01/2020 - 12/18/2020
Academic, Lincoln, NE - 02/18/2020
Academic, Omaha, 03/01/2021
Academic, Omaha, 05/01/2019 - 08/01/2019