Curriculum Vitae

Ismail Ozgur Zembat

General Information

Office: United Arab Emirates University, Maqam Campus, College of

Education, Department of Curriculum and Instruction, (Building
#71, Office #1), P.O. Box 17551, Al Ain, United Arab Emirates
E-mail:i_zembat@uaeu.ac.ae (or izembat@gmail.com)
Work Phone: +971 3 7134824 Mobile: +971 50 1383270
Web Address: http://faculty.uaeu.ac.ae/I_Zembat/
Marital Status: Married with one child

Education
Ph.D. 1999-2004 The Pennsylvania State University Major: Mathematics Education
M.S. 1996-1998 Ankara University, Graduate School of Major: Mathematics
Natural and Applied Sciences
(All course work (24 credit hours) was completed without the thesis,
and course work was transferred to PSU)
B.S. 1992-1996 Ankara University, Faculty of Sciences Major: Mathematics

Work Experience
Aug2007 – cont. Asst. Professor, United Arab Emirates University, Abu Dhabi
Teaching the following courses: CURR 310 – Classroom
Assessment; CURR 313 - Classroom Environment in Elementary
Education; CURR 356 – Content and Pedagogy Development in
Elementary Schools; CURR 366-Teaching Methods of Mathematics
in the Elementary Schools; CURR 413 - Teaching Thinking
Strategies; CURR 463 - Student Teaching in Elementary/Math &
Science [supervision of field experiences of pre-service teachers];
CURR 577 – Teaching Mathematics in Preparatory and Secondary
Schools; CURR 210- Exploratory Educational Experiences.
Responsibilities also include service in departmental/college level
committees and research
Sep 2004 – Aug2007 Lecturer - Mathematics Educator, Hacettepe University, Ankara
Research, service [including supervision of pre-service teachers and
serving in the departmental committees], and Teaching
Teaching the following courses: IMO 309/310 – Teaching of
Mathematics I/II [for junior prospective elementary teachers]; IMO
306 – Teaching of Mathematics [for junior prospective middle
school science teachers]; IMO 402 – Curriculum Evaluation at
Middle School Level [for senior prospective secondary mathematics
teachers]; IMO 404 – Teaching of Mathematics in Technology
Supported Environments [for senior prospective secondary
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 mathematics teachers]; IMO 452 – Sources of Misconceptions in
Middle School Mathematics Classes [for senior prospective
secondary mathematics teachers]; IMO 353 - Teaching Geometry
[for junior prospective secondary mathematics teachers].
Sept. 2005 – June 07 Teacher, Hacettepe University, School of Conservatory (Grades 6-8)
Teaching 7th and 8th grade mathematics
Fall 2002-Sp 2003 Instructor, Pennsylvania State University
Teaching “MTHED 420 - Teaching Mathematics in the Elementary
Schools” for senior prospective elementary teachers
Spring 2002 Substitute teacher for doctoral internship, Boalsburg Elementary
School, State College, PA - USA
Teaching Grade-5 mathematics
Fall 2001 Substitute teacher for doctoral internship, Mount-Nittany Middle
School, State College, PA - USA
Teaching Grade-6 mathematics
Summer 2000-2004 Research Associate/Assistant, The Pennsylvania State University
Working for “Mid-Atlantic Center for Mathematics Teaching and
Learning” Project (participating in the creation of professional
development workshops for pre- and in-service teachers, of courses
for prospective secondary mathematics teachers, of curriculum
development and of research on understanding and learning
mathematics)
Fall-1997 Instructor, Gazi University, Faculty of Commercial and Tourism
Training, Ankara - Turkey
Teaching Calculus
Spring-1997 Instructor, Gazi University, Faculty of Technical Training, Ankara -
Turkey
Teaching Calculus
Fall-1996 Substitute Teacher, High School, Ankara-Turkey
Teaching Geometry, Algebra-I and II courses for Grades 6-10

Publications (Articles + Book Chapters)

Simon, M. A., Saldanha, L., McClintock, E., Akar, G. K., Watanabe, T., & Zembat, I. O.
(in press). A developing approach to studying mathematical conceptual learning:
Focusing on students‟ ‎learning through their mathematical activity. Cognition and
Instruction. [to be published by January 2010 issue]
Zembat, I. O. (2009). Measurement, main tenets of it and well-known misconceptions. In
M. F. Özmantar, and E. Bingölbali ‎(Eds.), Mathematical difficulties of elementary
school students and suggested solutions, (pp. 131-158). Ankara: PegemA. ‎

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Zembat, I. O. (2008). What is misconception? In M. F. Özmantar, E. Bingölbali, ve H.
Akkoç (Eds.), Mathematical misconceptions and suggested solutions, (pp. 1-8).
Ankara: PegemA.
Zembat, I. O. (2008). Different conceptualizations of numbers – Is the problem numbers,
students, or teachers? In M. F. Özmantar, E. Bingölbali, ve H. Akkoç (Eds.),
Mathematical misconceptions and suggested solutions, (pp. 41-60). Ankara: PegemA.
Zembat, I. O. (2008). Pre-service teachers‟ use of different types of mathematical
reasoning in paper-and-pencil versus technology-supported environments. International
Journal of Mathematical Education in Science and Technology, 39(2), 143-160.
Zembat, I. O. (2007). The main tenets of direct instruction and constructivism: The case of
translations. Gazi University - Journal of Gazi Faculty of Education, 27, 195-213.
Zembat, I. O. (2007). Conceptualization and appreciation of the meaning of assimilation
principle by prospective elementary teachers. Hacettepe University Journal of
Education, 32, 306-318.
Zembat, I. O. (2007). Understanding the volume formula for rectangular right prisms: A
different perspective. Eurasian Journal of Educational Research, 27, 205-217.
Zembat, I. O. (2007). Working on the same problem – concepts; With the usual subjects –
prospective elementary teachers. Elementary Education Online, 6(2), 305-312.
Zembat, I. O. (2000). Al-Khwarizmi‟s contributions to algebra. In M. K. Heid, M. S.
Smith, G. W. Blume (Eds.), Algebra Across the Grades, Part I: 1999 Yearbook (pp. 37-
50). University Park, PA: Pennsylvania Council of Teachers of Mathematics.

Manuscripts under Review

Zembat, I. O. (under review). Story of a change in a nationally unified mathematics

curriculum: The case of Turkey. ZDM - The International Journal on Mathematics
Education, Vol. 4 (Under review for 2010 ZDM Turkey Issue).
Heid, M. K., & Zembat, I. O. (in process). Mathematical entities as inscriptions and as
objects: The case of function. Mathematical Thinking and Learning: An International
Journal [initial submission is revised and will be resubmitted to the journal when
finished].
Published Conference Proceedings
Simon, M. A., Saldanha, L., McClintock, E., Karagoz-Akar, G., Wattanabe, T., Zembat, I.
O. (2007). Understanding students' learning through their activity: Toward a basis for a
scientific approach to task design and sequencing. In Lamberg, T., & Wiest, L. R.
(Eds.), Proceedings of the Twenty Ninth Annual Meeting of the North American
Chapter of the International Group for the Psychology of Mathematics Education
(Vol. 1, 55-62). Stateline (Lake Tahoe), NV: University of Nevada, Reno, USA.
Heid, M. K., Lunt, J., Portnoy, N., & Zembat, I. O. (2006). Ways in which prospective
secondary mathematics teachers deal with mathematical complexity. 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. 2-9). Mérida, Mexico: Universidad Pedagógica
Nacional.
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Portnoy, Neil, Heid, M. K., Lunt, J., Zembat, I. O. (2005). Prospective secondary
mathematics teachers unravel the complexity of covariation through structural and
operational perspectives. In G. M. Lloyd, M. R. Wilson, J. L. M. Wilkins, & S. L.
Behm (Eds.), Proceedings of the 27th annual meeting of the North American Chapter
of the International Group for the Psychology of Mathematics Education [CD-ROM].
Eugene, OR: All Academic.
Heid, M. K., Blume, G. W., Zembat, I. O., Seaman, W., MacCullough, D., MacDonald, B.
(2002). Understanding of function as seen in understanding of multivariate function:
The case of prospective secondary mathematics teachers. In D. S. Mewborn & P.
Sztajn & D.Y. White & H. G. Wiegel & R. L. Bryant & K. Nooney (Eds.),
Proceedings of the Twenty-fourth Annual Meeting, North American Chapter of the
International Group for the Psychology of Mathematics Education (Vol. 1, pp. 283-
293). Athens, GA: ERIC Clearinghouse of the Science, Mathematics and
Environmental Education.
Translations [English to Turkish]
Erlwanger, S. H. (1973). Benny's conception of rules and answers in IPI mathematics. The
Journal of Children's Mathematical Behavior, 1(2), 7-26. [This article is translated to
Turkish and being used for instructional purposes]
Peddiwell, J. A. (1939). The Saber-Tooth Curriculum. New York: McGraw-Hill Book Company,
Inc. [This is still in process and, once completed, Turkish version will be submitted to
TUBITAK to be published]
Parris, R. (2008). Wingeom-tr. Peanut Software. [Translated to Turkish and the latest version can be
downloaded from http://math.exeter.edu/rparris/wingeom.html]

Dissertation(s)
Zembat, I. O. (2004). Conceptual development of prospective elementary teachers: The
case of division of fractions. Ph.D. dissertation, The Pennsylvania State University,
University Park, Pennsylvania, USA. ProQuest Digital Dissertations database.
(Publication No. AAT 3148695).

Supervision of Master Theses

A colleague and I co-supervised a master thesis named as “Investigating the teaching of

main components of understanding the geometric transformations to middle school
students.” This work was mainly about middle school students‟ conceptual development of
geometric transformations (especially translations) using the dynamic geometry software of
Wingeom-tr. It was pursued by Seda Faydaci from Gazi University, Ankara, Turkey under
our supervision for 2 years but because of bureaucratic obstacles (since I moved to another
university during this time) my advising status was dropped at the last minute, right before
the defense day, by Gazi University. Now, officially my name is not in the directory of
advisors for this thesis even though I made the major contribution to it in terms of advising!

Serving in the Master Theses Committees

Erturan, Derya (2007). 7. sınıf öğrencilerinin sınıf içindeki matematik başarıları ile günlük
hayatta matematiği fark edebilmeleri arasındaki ilişki (Relation of 7th grade students’

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 mathematics achievement in classroom environment and their perceiving of daily life
mathematics). Master‟s Thesis, Hacettepe University, Ankara.

Presentations at Conferences
Zembat, I. O. (2009, April 21). Closing the Gap between Current Knowledge Level of
UAE Mathematics Teachers and the Ideal Level. Paper presented at the Fifth Annual
Research Forum – Improving Education Practice Through Research. Al Ain: UAE
University.
Simon, M. A., Saldanha, L., McClintock, E., Karagoz-Akar, G., Wattanabe, T., Zembat, I.
O. (2007). Understanding students' learning through their activity: Toward a basis for a
scientific approach to task design and sequencing. Paper presented at the Twenty Ninth
Annual Meeting of the North American Chapter of the International Group for the
Psychology of Mathematics Education. Lake Tahoe, Nevada: University of Nevada.
Olkun, S., Smith, G. G., Gerretson, H. B., Zembat, I. O., Erdem, A., Johnson, G. (2007, 5-
7 September). Sınıf öğretmeni adaylarının uzamsal becerilerinin uluslararası düzeyde
karşılaştırılması (An international comparison of preservice elementary school
teachers„ spatial abilities). Paper presented at the Sixteenth National Educational
Sciences Conference, Gaziosmanpasa University Faculty of Education, Tokat, Turkey.
Heid, M. K., & Zembat, I. O. (2007). Representational and object understanding of
mathematical entities: The case of function. Paper presented at the American
Educational Research Association (AERA) Annual Meeting, Chicago, IL, USA.
Heid, M. K., Lunt, J., Portnoy, Neil, Zembat, I. O. (2006). Ways in which prospective
secondary mathematics teachers deal with mathematical complexity. Paper presented at
the Twenty-eighth Annual Meeting, North American Chapter of the International
Group for the Psychology of Mathematics Education. Merida, Mexico.
Zembat, I. O. (2006). Working on the same problem – concepts; With the usual subjects –
prospective elementary teachers. Paper presented at the seventh National Science and
Mathematics Education Congress, Gazi University, Ankara, Turkey.
Heid, M. K., Zembat, I. O., Peters, S., Sullivan, P., Portnoy, N., Wilson, P. (2006).
Prospective Secondary Mathematics Teachers’ Ways of Mathematical Thinking
(Symposium). Paper presented at the NCTM Annual Meeting (SIG/RME) Research
Presession, St. Louis, MO - USA.
Portnoy, Neil, Heid, M. K., Lunt, J., Zembat, I. O. (2005). Prospective secondary
mathematics teachers unravel the complexity of covariation through structural and
operational perspectives. Paper presented at the Twenty-seventh Annual Meeting,
North American Chapter of the International Group for the Psychology of Mathematics
Education, Virginia - USA.
Heid, M. K., Blume, G. W., Zembat, I. O., Seaman, W., MacCullough, D., MacDonald, B.
(2002). Understanding of function as seen in understanding of multivariate function:
The case of prospective secondary mathematics teachers. Paper presented at the
Twenty-fourth Annual Meeting, North American Chapter of the International Group for
the Psychology of Mathematics Education, Georgia - USA.
Speight, E. & Zembat, I. O. (2002). How Johnny justifies what Johnny understands. Paper
presented at the National Council of Teachers of Mathematics Annual Meeting, Las
Vegas.
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Zembat, I. O., & Speight, E. (2002). How Johnny justifies what Johnny understands. Paper
presented at the Pennsylvania Council of Teachers of Mathematics Annual Meeting,
Philadelphia.

Other Conferences & Workshops Attended

(July 7-11, 2006) International Workshop on Research in Secondary and Tertiary
Mathematics Education, Baskent University, Ankara - Turkey
(June, 2004). Mid-Atlantic Center for Mathematics Teaching and Learning, The
Pennsylvania State University, University Park, PA-USA.

(May, 2003). Mid-Atlantic Center for Mathematics Teaching and Learning, The
Pennsylvania State University, University Park, PA-USA.

(June 5-7, 2002). Mid-Atlantic Center for Mathematics Teaching and Learning, The
Pennsylvania State University, University Park, PA-USA.

(September 7-9, 2001). Conference on Research on Technology and the Teaching and
Learning of Mathematics-II, The Pennsylvania State University, University Park, PA-USA.

(February 2-4, 2001). Conference on Research on Technology and the Teaching and
Learning of Mathematics-I, The Pennsylvania State University, University Park, PA-USA.

Zembat, I. O. (1997). Simply Connected Spaces and Riemann Mapping Theorem. Paper
presented at Ankara University Faculty of Sciences, Department of Mathematics, Ankara,
Turkey. [Departmental Seminar for Master Degree]

Invited Speeches
Zembat, I. O. (2007, March). Importance of technology in mathematics education.
Hacettepe University, Faculty of Education, Department of Elementary Education,
Beytepe, Ankara - Turkey.
Zembat, I. O. (2006, May). Constructivism in mathematics education. Hacettepe
University, Faculty of Education, Department of Elementary Education, Beytepe,
Ankara - Turkey.
Zembat, I. O. (November 2005). New approaches in mathematics teaching and learning.
Ankara University, Faculty of Sciences, Department of Mathematics, Ankara - Turkey.
Zembat, I. O. (May 2005). A look at division of fractions through a constructivist lens.
Hacettepe University, Faculty of Education, Department of Elementary Education,
Beytepe, Ankara - Turkey.
Zembat, I. O. (February 2005). Unknown dimensions of the concept of division of fractions
and the related learning difficulties. Gazi University, Faculty of Education, Department
of Mathematics Education, Ankara - Turkey.

Professional Development Seminars funded by Ministry of Education in Turkey

Zembat, I. O. (June 19-23). Project development seminars. Mersin Professional
Development Institute, Turkey.
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Zembat, I. O. (June 26-28). Introduction of new national mathematics curriculum.
Keçiören, Ankara, Turkey.
Zembat, I. O. (July 31- August 4, 2006) The best curriculum samples workshop. Ankara,
Turkey.

Professional Development Seminars given for Students in United Arab Emirates

University
1- Preparing C.V. and applying for a job – November 6, 2007
2- Integration of technology into teaching – November 27, 2007
3- How does learning occurs: A little experiment – December 11, 2007
4- How to search for an article? – April, 2008
5- How to design website and portfolio – October 21 and October 28, 2008

Advising Undergraduate Students in the Student Development Center of UAE Univ.

General advising (07/11/2007; 28/11/2007; 02/11/2008)

PD Seminars given in UAE Public Schools

Zembat, I. O. (2009). How to Improve Mathematics Instruction through Use of

Technology?" Al-Sanawbar School (K-12), Al Ain, UAE.

Zembat, I. O. (2009, April 25). A Contemporary Approach to Teaching Mathematics

with(out) Technology (for teachers), UAE University, Al Ain, UAE.

Zembat, I. O. (2009, April 2). Integration of Technology into Teaching Mathematics. Oasis
School (grades K-10), Al Ain, UAE.

Zembat, I. O. (2009, February 11). A different perspective to look into teaching and
learning of mathematical concepts. Al Hemma Primary School (for girls cycle 2), Al
Ain, UAE.

Zembat, I. O. (2008, October 30). Use of technology in teaching geometry. Our Own
English High School, Al Ain, UAE.

Ongoing Projects

1. I recently applied to UAE National Research Foundation for funding (about 1 million
dirhams) to investigate the profile of UAE mathematics teachers in terms of their
mathematics knowledge level. The pre-proposal passed the first stage of reviews and I
have been invited to submit the full proposal (only 179 out of 606 passed). The NRF
announced that about 50% of the full proposals will be awarded the funds. The final
decision about the approval of the full proposal will be made in November, 2009.
2. I have been investigating prospective elementary teachers‟ ways of understanding of and
reasoning about different types of definitions of „volume‟ concept. The data consists of
one-on-one one-hour-long semi-structured interviews conducted by 10 prospective

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 elementary school teachers from a well known university in Turkey. I am in the process
of analyzing this data. [individual project without funding].

Refereeing Journals and Research Proposals

2002 - 2004 The Pennsylvania Council of Teachers of Mathematics (manuscript reviewer)
2004 - cont. North American Chapter of the International Group for the Psychology of
Mathematics Education. (manuscript reviewer) [4-5 articles/year]
2005- 2006 Hacettepe University Journal of Education. (associate editor)
2006- 2007 Elementary Education Online (manuscript reviewer)
2006- cont. International Electronic Journal of Mathematics Education (IEJME). (editorial
board member + manuscript reviewer [1 article /year] during 2006-2009, and
associate editor January 2010-…)
2006- cont. School Science and Mathematics (SSM) (manuscript reviewer) [1-2
articles/year]
2006- cont. Teaching Children Mathematics (TCM) (manuscript reviewer) [1-2
articles/year]
2006- cont. Eurasian Journal of Educational Research (associate editor for math education
and manuscript reviewer [1-2 articles/year])
2007-cont. Journal for Research in Mathematics Education (manuscript reviewer) [1
article/year – one in 2007 and one in 2008]
2008-cont. International Journal of Mathematical Education in Science and Technology
(manuscript reviewer) [1 so far]
2008-… Ondokuz Mayıs University Faculty of Education Journal (manuscript
reviewer) [1 article/year]

2009-… Congress of Educational Research (Mathematics Education Division

Committee member, manuscript reviewer) [4 article/year]

2009-... ZDM (Zentralblatt für Didaktik der Mathematik), Manuscript Reviewer

[1/year].
2009-… Mathematical Thinking and Learning, Manuscript Reviewer [1/year].
Nov. 2007 Reviewed research proposals for The Third Cycle of the Undergraduate
Research Experience Program of Qatar National Research Fund (QNRF),
Qatar Foundation [05.11.2007].
Nov. 2008 Reviewed research proposal for The Fifth Cycle of the Undergraduate
Research Experience Program of Qatar National Research Fund (QNRF),
Qatar Foundation [20.11.2008].
Feb. 2009 Reviewed two research proposals for National Priorities Research Program
funded by Qatar National Research Fund (QNRF), Qatar Foundation.

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Scholarships

Scholarship from Ministry of Education of Turkey, 53000USD, (January 1999-August

2000)
Tait Scholarship, Pennsylvania State University, USA (Spring 2002)

Professional Memberships
National Council of Teachers of Mathematics (1999-…)
International Group for the Psychology of Mathematics Education (2002-…)