Jessica Shumway
School of Teacher Education and Leadership
Associate Professor and Program Director, Mathematics Education

Contact Information
Office Location: EDUC 399Phone: 435-797-2501
Email: jessica.shumway@usu.edu
Additional Information:
Educational Background
Biography
Jessica Shumway is an Associate Professor of Mathematics Education at Utah State University and Emma Eccles Jones Dean's Scholar. Dr. Shumway’s research is centered on improving elementary mathematics education. Specifically, she investigates instructional practices and learning technologies that foster mathematical and computational thinking in preschool and elementary classrooms. She was a Fulbright Scholar at Universidade Estadual Paulista (Unesp) in Rio Claro, Brazil in 2023. Dr. Shumway mentors doctoral students interested in mathematics education research and is currently the Program Director for the mathematics education doctoral program. Dr. Shumway also teaches mathematics methods courses for preservice elementary school teachers. She is the author of Number Sense Routines books and the professional development video Go Figure! Number Sense Routines that Build Mathematical Understanding. She was an elementary teacher and a PreK-Grade 5 mathematics coach in Texas and Virginia Title I public schools.
Dr. Shumway's funded research projects:
Investigating Early Elementary Students’ Computational Thinking Development in Integrated Mathematics-Coding Instruction: National Science Foundation DRK-12 Award 2300357 (2023-2027). Project website: Mathematical and Computational Thinking in Grades 1 and 2 https://digitalcommons.usu.edu/sparc/
Collaborative Research: Supporting Rural Paraprofessional Educators and their Students with Computer Science Professional Learning and Expansively Framed Curriculum: National Science Foundation CS4All Award 2031382 (2020-2024). Project website: Cache Code Math https://digitalcommons.usu.edu/eled_support_instructional/
Kindergarten Children’s Abilities to Reason Computationally with Mathematical Problem-Solving Skills: National Science Foundation STEM+C Award 1842116 (2018-2023). Project website: Coding in Kindergarten https://cehs.usu.edu/cik/
Teaching Interests
Elementary Mathematics Methods
PreK-16 Mathematics Education Research Foundations, Theory, and Methods
Research Interests
Number sense, spatial reasoning, problem solving, and computational thinking
Technology for STEM learning
Mathematics teaching practices and curriculum and children's mathematical thinking
Awards
Emma Eccles Jones Dean's Scholar, 2026
Dean of the EEJ College of Education and Human Services
Researcher of the Year Award, 2025
School of Teacher Education & Leadership, USU
Fulbright U.S. Scholar Award, 2023
Bureau of Educational and Cultural Affairs, United States Department of State and Comissão Fulbright Brasil
Graduate Faculty Mentor of the Year Award, 2023
School of Teacher Education & Leadership, USU
Undergraduate Research Mentor of the Year, 2022
School of Teacher Education & Leadership, USU
Undergraduate Research Mentor of the Year, 2020
School of Teacher Education & Leadership, USU
Publications | Books
- Shumway, J., (2018). Number sense routines: Building mathematical understanding every day in grades 3-5. Stenhouse Publishers
- Shumway, J., Clarke Midura, J., Lee, V.R, Silvis, D., Welch Bond, L.E, Kozlowski, J.S, (2023). Teaching Coding in Kindergarten: Supporting Students’ Activity with Robot Coding Toys: Teaching Coding in K-12 Schools. Springer International Publishing
- Shumway, J., (2023). Teaching coding in kindergarten: Supporting students' activity with robot coding toys: Teaching coding K-12. Springer
- Clarke Midura, J., Silvis, D., Shumway, J., Lee, V.R, Kozlowski, J.S, (2023). Developing a kindergarten computational thinking assessment using evidence-centered design: the case of algorithmic thinking: Assessing Computational Thinking. Routledge
Publications | Book Chapters
An asterisk (*) at the end of a publication indicates that it has not been peer-reviewed.
Publications | Curriculum
- Shumway, J., (2020). Grade 2 Working with Measurements Unit (Chicago Public Schools). Emerald Education and Chicago Public Schools *
- Shumway, J., (2017). Teaching Notes for "Building bridges to spatial reasoning". National Council of Teachers of Mathematics
An asterisk (*) at the end of a publication indicates that it has not been peer-reviewed.
Publications | Journal Articles
Academic Journal
- Robillard, S.M, Lee, V.R, Clarke Midura, J., Shumway, J., (2025). An interaction analysis of a computer science co-design conversation on cultural relevance and its implications for design. Journal of Research on Technology in Education, 57:1, 235-247. doi: 10.1080/15391523.2024.2402354
- Shumway, J., (2024). Children’s mathematics engagement based on their awareness of coding toy design features. Mathematical Thinking and Learning, doi: 10.1080/10986065.2024.2371513
- Shumway, J., Recker, M.M, (2024). Facilitating mathematics and computer science connections: A cross-curricular approach. International Journal of Education in Mathematics, Science and Technology (IJEMST), 12:1, 85-98. doi: https://doi.org/10.46328/ijemst.3104
- Clarke Midura, J., Shumway, J., Recker, M.M, (2024). Negotiating inherent asymmetries of co-design: A case of integrative elementary mathematics and computer science instruction. Journal of Applied Instructional Design, doi: http://doi.org/10.59668/723
- Na, C., Clarke Midura, J., Shumway, J., van Dijk, W., Lee, V.R, (2024). Validating a performance assessment of computational thinking for early childhood using item response theory. International Journal of Child-Computer Interaction, 40, 100650. doi: 10.1016/j.ijcci.2024.100650
- Kozlowski, J., Shumway, J., Moyer-Packenham, P., Clarke Midura, J., Lee, V., (2024). Children’s mathematical engagement based on their awareness of coding toy design features. Mathematical Thinking and Learning, 1-25. doi: 10.1080/10986065.2024.2371513
- Clarke-Midura, J., Lee, V., Shumway, J., Silvis, D., (2023). Designing Formative Assessments of Early Childhood Computational Thinking Using an Indicator of Knowledge Refinement Approach. Early Childhood Research Quarterly
- Bundock, K., Shumway, J.F, King, J., Burnside, M., Messervy, F., (2023). Teachers’ actions and students’ engagement behaviors during number system knowledge discussions: Implications for enhancing active engagement. . International Journal of Education in Mathematics, Science, and Technology
- Welch, L., Shumway, J., Clarke-, J., Lee, V., (2022). Exploring Measurement Through Coding: Children's Conceptions of a Dynamic Linear Unit with Robot Coding Toys. Educational Sciences, 12:2, doi: https://doi.org/10.3390/educsci12020143
- Silvis, D., Lee, V., Clarke-Midura, J., Shumway, J., Lewis, S., (2022). The technical matters: Young children debugging (with) tangible coding toys. Information of the Learning Sciences, doi: https://doi.org/10.1108/ILS-12-2021-0109
- Shumway, J., Reeder, R., (2021). Characteristics of 3-year-old preschoolers’ evolving mathematics knowledge: A one-year multiple-case analysis. International Journal for Mathematics Teaching and Learning, 22:2
- Clarke Midura, J., Kozlowski, J.S, Shumway, J., Lee, V.R, (2021). How young children engage in and shift between reference frames when playing with coding toys. International Journal of Child-Computer Interaction, 28, 100250. doi: 10.1016/j.ijcci.2021.100250
- Shumway, J., Bundock, K., King, J., Burnside, M., Gardner, H., Messervy, F., (2020). Visualizing number: Instruction for number system knowledge in second-grade classrooms.. Investigations in Mathematics Learning, 12:2, doi: 10.1080/19477503.2020.1740383
- Shumway, J., Moyer-Packenham, P., (2019). A counting-focused instructional treatment to improve number sense: An exploratory classroom-based intervention study. The Mathematics Enthusiast, 16:1, Article 14.
- Player, C., Shumway, J., (2018). Emerging number system knowledge ideas: A case study. American Journal of Undergraduate Research, 15:3, 23-34.
- Shumway, J., Jordan, K.E, (2018). Synechistically using test scores and interviews to understand students' computational fluency. International Journal for Mathematics Teaching and Learning, 2, 159-175.
- Bullock, E., Shumway, J., Watts, C., Moyer-Packenham, P., (2017). Affordance access matters: Preschool children's learning progressions while interacting with touch-screen mathematics apps. Technology, Knowledge, and Learning, 1-27.
- Shumway, J., Westenskow, A., Moyer-Packenham, P.S, (2016). An exploratory study of a story problem assessment: Understanding children's number sense. International Journal for Mathematics Teaching and Learning, 17:3, 1-40.
- Shumway, J., Moyer-Packenham, P., Baker, J.M, Westenskow, A., Anderson-Pence, K.L, Tucker, S.I, Boyer-Thurgood, J., Jordan, K.E, (2016). Using open-response fraction items to explore the relationship between instructional modalities and students’ solution strategies. International Journal of Education in Mathematics, Science and Technology, 4:2, 112-132. doi: DOI:10.18404/ijemst.20845
- Watts, C.M, Moyer-Packenham, P., Tucker, S.I, Bullock, E.P, Shumway, J., Westenskow, A., Boyer-Thurgood, J., Anderson-Pence, K., Mahamane, S., Jordan, K.E, (2016). An examination of children’s learning progression shifts while using touch screen virtual manipulative mathematics apps. Computers in Human Behavior, 64, 814-828. doi: http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/j.chb.2016.07.029
Professional Journal
- Welch, L., Shumway, J., Clarke-Midura, J., Lee, V., (2021). Using coding toys to understand equality.. Australian Primary Mathematics Classroom, 26:3, 21-25.
- Clarke Midura, J., Silvis, D., Shumway, J., Lee, V.R, Kozlowski, J.S, (2021). Developing a kindergarten computational thinking assessment using evidence-centered design: the case of algorithmic thinking. Computer Science Education, 1--24.
- Throndsen, J., Shumway, J., Moyer-Packenham, P.S, (2020). The relationship between mathematical literacy at kindergarten entry and preschool attendance, type, and quality. Early Childhood Education Journal, doi: https://doi.org/10.1007/s10643-019-01014-7
- Hamilton, M., Clarke Midura, J., Shumway, J., Lee, V.R, (2020). An emerging technology report on computational toys in early childhood. Technology, Knowledge and Learning, 25:1, 213--224.
- Shumway, J., Clarke Midura, J., Lee, V.R, Hamilton, M.M, Baczuk, C., (2019). Coding in Kindergarten: Putting spatial orientation and measurement skills to work. Teaching Children Mathematics, 25:5, 314-317.
- Shumway, J., Hoggan, J., (2019). Developing spatial structuring with Quick Images. Teaching Children Mathematics, 25:5, 290-296.
- Clarke Midura, J., Lee, V.R, Shumway, J., Hamilton, M., (2019). The building blocks of coding: A comparison of early childhood coding toys. Information and Learning Sciences
- Shumway, J., Pace, L., (2017). Preschool problem solvers: CGI promotes mathematical reasoning. Teaching Children Mathematics, 24:2, 23-34.
An asterisk (*) at the end of a publication indicates that it has not been peer-reviewed.
Publications | Other
An asterisk (*) at the end of a publication indicates that it has not been peer-reviewed.