Paula Jakopovic

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, and is also an active member in several campus-wide Faculty Learning Forums and Communities of Practice. She is a member of the UNO Equity and Inclusion Certificate cohort. 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 associate editor for the Journal of Mathematics Education Leadership and is a board member for the National Council of Teachers of Mathematics.

Awards and Honors

2020 President’s Faculty Excellence Awards, Teaching - 2020

Education

Ph D, University of Nebraska at Lincoln, Lincoln, Nebraska, Doctor of Philosophy, Elementary Mathematics, 2017

MS, University of Nebraska at Omaha, Omaha, Nebraska, Elementary Education, Integrating the Arts, 2004

MA, University of Nebraska at Lincoln, Lincoln, Nebraska, Teaching Middle Level Mathematics, 2010

BA, University of Nebraska at Lincoln, Lincoln, Nebraska, Elementary Education, Elementary Mathematics, 2002

Selected Publications

Jakopovic, Paula. 2020. Examining Potential Pitfalls that Hinder Productive Coaching Conversations, The Journal of Mathematics Education Leadership, 21, 2, 3-30.

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.

Hodge, Angie, Rech, Janice, Gomez Johnson, Kelly, Jakopovic, Paula, Matthews, Michael. 2019. Mentoring Future Mathematics Teachers: Lessons Learned from Four Mentoring Partnerships, The Journal of Mathematics Education at Teachers College (JMETC), 10, 2, 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.

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.

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

Department, College, and University

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., 01/01/2019 - present

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

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

Eureka STEM Camp, Faculty Mentor, Faculty mentor to undergraduate student workers supporting the Girls Inc Eureka STEM camp. - present

Professional

Journal of Mathematics Education Leadership, Editor, Associate Editor, review journal submissions, assign peer reviewers, provide feedback and final decisions to applicant manuscripts, 09/01/2021 - 09/30/2021

National Council of Supervisors of Mathematics, Board of Directors of a Company, Nominated board member, served on board and sub-committees for NCSM, 09/01/2021 - 09/30/2021

Mathematics Teacher Education Partnership, Committee Member, Committee member for the STRIDES RAC (research action cluster), focused on new teacher recruitment and retention in secondary math ed., 06/01/2019 - 06/30/2019

National Council of Teachers of Mathematics, Reviewer, Journal Article, Served as a blind peer reviewer for NCTM's new journal, Mathematics Teacher: Learning and Teaching PK-12 - 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

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

Nelson Mandela Elementary, Guest Speaker, 01/01/2021 - 01/31/2021

Consulting

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