Sandra Miles

Educational Background

I have LOVED being a GTA/GRA at Utah State University. I have learned so much working closely with faculty and have found many opportunities to develop my teaching and research. The faculty are excellent teachers and researchers, and I really appreciate how they have been willing to mentor me and work with me on research I am personally interested in. While working on a meta-analysis with Dr. Vela, I realized there was very little research on the use of video role models to overcome stereotypes and improve minority representation in STEM fields. With Dr. Vela's mentorship, I designed a study to investigate the effectiveness of virtual role models which we were able to implement in schools. We have analyzed the data and hope to present the paper at AERA in 2024. Working through this entire process with Dr. Vela prepared me for my dissertation and gave me a fabulous project I can put on my CV. Asking for help is a key to success.

Emphasis

Research interests: Improving student confidence for learning mathematics (self-efficacy, self-concept, & identity); Teaching interests: ELED 4062 Teaching Elementary School Mathematics II: Number, Operations, and Algebraic Reasoning; Concentration area: Mathematics Education and Leadership; Faculty mentors: Drs. Katherine Vela & Mario Suarez (advisors) and Dr. Tye Campbell (supervisor)