Dr. Craig Cullen
Professor
Office
STV Stevenson Hall 331c
Office Hours
By appointment
Office Phone
Email
- About
- Education
- Awards & Honors
- Selected Research
Biography
Before coming to ISU, I taught high school for 6 years at Willowbrook high school in Villa Park IL. During that time, I taught algebra, geometry, precalculus, data analysis, and calculus. Outside of the classroom, I coached the Willowbrook boy's gymnastics team.
Current Courses
MAT 599.001 Dissertation
MAT 599.008 Dissertation
MAT 599.102 Dissertation Final Term
MAT 324.001 Seminars For Student Teachers Of Mathematics
Teaching Interests & Areas
My teaching focuses on courses for preservice high school teachers. I have taught all of our methods courses for these students. The course I have taught the most is our technology course for preservice teachers.
Research Interests & Areas
The role of technology in the teaching and learning of mathematics.
Children's development of measurement concepts. I am currently focused on quantitative reasoning, especially as it relates to students' understanding of angle measure and trigonometry.
Ph D Mathematics Education
Illinois State University
Normal, Illinois
MA Mathematics Education
DePaul University
Chicago, Illinois
BS Mathematics Education
Illinois State University
Normal, Illinois
College of Arts and Sciences Outstanding University Teacher Award nominee
College of Arts and Sciences
2022
Department Outstanding Teacher Award
Department of Mathematics (ISU)
2022
Outstanding University Teaching Nominee
2018
Outstanding College Teaching Award
Department of Mathematics (ISU)
2017
Department Outstanding Teacher Award
Department of Mathematics (ISU)
2016
Million Dollar Club
Research and Sponsored Programs (ISU)
2014
STaR Fellow
AMTE
2012
Departmental Teaching Initiative Award
Department of Mathematics (ISU)
2012
Grants and Contracts
Learning Trajectories to Support the Growth of Measurement Knowledge: Pre-K through Middle School
Jeffrey Barrett, Doug Clements, Julie Sarama, Craig Cullen.
National Science Foundation: Discovery Research K-12. July 15 2014 - July 30 2016
Mathematical Concept Development through Measurement for teachers of Grades 1 through 5
Jeffrey Barrett, Craig Cullen, Jennifer Tobias, Jae Baek.
Illinois Mathematics and Science Partnerships Program. June 2012 - October 2012
Formative Assessment Improving Teachers' Instructional Practices
Jeffrey Barrett, Craig Cullen, Jae Baek, Jennifer Tobias.
Illinois State Board of Education. 2011 - 2013
Formative Assessment Improving Teachers' Instructional Practices
Jeffrey Barrett, Craig Cullen, Jae Baek, Jennifer Tobias.
Mathematics and Science Partnerships (Illinois State Board of Education). - March 2011
Illinois Mathematics and Science Partnerships Program- Mathematical Concept Development through Measurement for teachers of Grades 1 through 5 stage II
Jeffrey Barrett, Craig Cullen, Jennifer Tobias.
Department of Education. - September 2011
Illinois Mathematics and Science Partnerships Program-Mathematical Concept Development through Measurement for teachers of Grades 1 through 5
Jeffrey Barrett, Craig Cullen, Jennifer Tobias, Jae Baek.
Department of Education. - June 2011
Book, Authored
A Pleasure to Measure
Jeffrey Barrett, Craig Cullen, David Klanderman, Dianne Behnke.
(2017), 250, National Council of Teachers of Mathematics
Book, Chapter
Mathematics Education for Children with Critical and Terminal Illness
Megan Jeune, Craig Cullen.
(2024), https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-031-51474-6_20
Children’s Measurement Project: Sharing Trajectories with Teachers
Jeffrey Barrett, Megan Wickstrom, Jennifer Tobias, Craig Cullen, Amanda Cullen, Jae Baek.
(2019), Learning Trajectories for Teachers: Designing Effective Professional Development for Math Instruction
Area in the middle and later elementary grades
Jeffrey Barrett, Craig Cullen, Miller, Cheryl Eames, Melike Kara, David Klanderman.
(2017), 16, 105–127, Children’s measurement: A longitudinal study of children’s knowledge and learning of length, area, and volume., Journal for Research in Mathematics Education
Integration of results: A new learning trajectory for area
Jeffrey Barrett, Douglas Clements, Julie Sarama, Amanda Miller, Craig Cullen, Douglas Van Dine, David Klanderman.
(2017), 16, 129-148, Children’s measurement: A longitudinal study of children’s knowledge and learning of length, area, and volume., Journal for Research in Mathematics Education
Integration of results: A new learning trajectory for volume
Craig Cullen, Jeffrey Barrett, Melike Kara, Cheryl Eames, Miller, David Klanderman.
(2017), 16, 181–201, Children’s measurement: A longitudinal study of children’s knowledge and learning of length, area, and volume., Journal for Research in Mathematics Education
Strategy use indicative of an understanding of units of length
Jeffrey Barrett, Craig Cullen.
(2010), 2, 281-288, Proceedings of the 34th Annual Conference of the International Group for the Psychology of Mathematics Education, International Group for the Psychology of Mathematics Education
Conference Proceeding
Affordances of Spreadsheet Simulations in Exploring Randomness
Emmanuel Agyei, Craig Cullen, Tami S. Martin.
Proceedings of the forty-seventh Annual Meeting of the North American Chapter of the International Group for the Psychology of Mathematics Education, (2025)
Developing directed-length definitions for the tangent and secant functions
Tami S. Martin, Craig J. Cullen, Oscar Chavez, Kyle Kimball.
(2024), https://doi: 10.51272/pmena.46.2024
Exploring trigonometric relationships: Is it a function?
Craig J. Cullen, Tami S. Martin.
(2018)
Mathematical making in immersive virtual environments working group
Craig Cullen.
(2018)
Using a Virtual Manipulative Environment to Support Students’ Organizational Structuring of Volume Units
Jeffrey Barrett, Craig J Cullen, Jenna O'Dell.
(2017)
Linking children’s knowledge of length measurement to their use of double number lines.
Pam S Beck, Cheryl L Eames, Craig Cullen, Jeffrey Barrett, Douglas H Clements, Julie Sarama.
(2014)
The longitudinal development of unit concepts in area and volume measurement contexts: A case study
Amanda Cullen, Craig Cullen, Jeffrey Barrett.
(2013)
A comparison of three students’ responses to area invariance tasks across grades 2-5
Amanda Cullen, Craig Cullen, Jeffrey Barrett.
(2012)
A retrospective analysis of students’ thinking about volume measurement across grades 2-5
Amanda Cullen, Jeffrey Barrett, Craig Cullen.
(2012)
Developing an understanding of area measurement concepts with triangular units
Melike Kara, Cheryl L Eames, Amanda Cullen, Craig Cullen, Jeffrey Barrett.
1015--1023, (2011)
Developing and understanding of area measurement concepts with triangular units
M Kara, C E Eames, A L Miller, Craig Cullen, Jeffrey Barrett.
University of Nevada, Reno, 1015-1023, (2011)
Teaching trigonometry: A directed length approach
Craig Cullen, J Hertel.
University of Nevada, Reno, 1400-1407, (2011)
Unit eliciting task structures: Verbal prompts for comparative measures
Craig Cullen, Amanda Cullen, Jeffrey Barrett.
(2011)
Key components for measurement tasks
Craig Cullen, C Witkowski, A L Miller, Jeffrey Barrett, J A Sarama, D H Clements.
Ohio State University, 6 (599-606), (2010)
Strategy use indicative of an understanding of units of length
Craig Cullen, Jeffrey Barrett.
International Group for the Psychology of Mathematics Education, 2, 281-288, (2010)
The key components for measurement tasks
Craig Cullen, Amanda Cullen, Jeffrey Barrett.
(2010)
Children's abstraction of iterative units to measure linear space: A trajectory
Jeffrey Barrett, Douglas H Clements, Craig Cullen, Jenni McCool, Chepina Witkowski, David Klanderman.
(2009)
Journal Article
Rate of Change: Degrees vs. Radians
Craig Cullen, Lawrence Ssebaggala, Oscar Chavez.
North American GeoGebra Journal, 12 (1), 25-31, (2024)
Improving our criticism of technology in mathematics education
Craig J. Cullen, Joshua T. Hertel.
Mathematics Teacher: Teaching and Learning PK–12, 116 (5), 314-321, (2023), https://doi.org/10.5951/mtlt.2023.0004
Reflecting and Moving Forward
Joshua T. Hertel, Craig Cullen.
Mathematics Teacher: Teaching and Learning PK–12, 116 (5), 310–311, (2023), https://doi.org/10.5951/MTLT.2023.0053
Children’s Construction of a Volume Calculation Algorithm for a Rectangular Prism with a Dynamic Virtual Manipulative
Theodore J Rupnow, Jenna R O'Dell, Jeffrey Barrett, Craig Cullen, Douglas H Clements, Julie Sarama, George Rutherford.
Journal of Mathematical Behavior, 67, (2022), 10.1016/j.jmathb.2022.100998
Length Measurement in the Early Years: Teaching and Learning with Learning Trajectories
Julie Sarama, Douglas H Clements, Jeffrey Barrett, Craig Cullen, Aaron Hudyma, Yuly Vanegas Munoz.
Mathematical Thinking and Learning, Taylor and Francis, (2022), DOI: 10.1080/10986065.2020.1858245
All the way around a circle
Amanda Cullen, Carrie Lawton, Crystal Patterson, Craig Cullen.
Mathematics Teacher: Mathematics Learning and Teaching PreK–12, 113 (8), 637–642, (2020)
Examining and Developing Fourth Grade Children’s Area Estimation Performance
Cheryl Eames, Jeffrey Barrett, Craig Cullen, David Klanderman, Douglas H Clements, Douglas Van Dine, Julie Sarama, George Rutherford.
School Science and Mathematics, 120 (2), 67-78, (2020), https://doi.org/10.1111/ssm.12386
The Roles of Technology in Mathematics Education
Craig Cullen, Joshua T. Hertel, Megan Nickels.
The Educational Forum, 84 (2), 166-178, (2020), 10.1080/00131725.2020.1698683
Robotics in mathematics: Engaging students in perimeter
Craig Cullen, T Kelley, Megan Nickels, Sarah B Bush, Matthew S Taylor, Craig Cullen.
(2019)
Discovering Trigonometric Identities in Geometric Representations
Craig J. Cullen, Tami S. Martin.
The Mathematics Teacher, 112 (3), 240, (2018), 10.5951/mathteacher.112.3.0240
Effects of Three Interventions on Children’s Spatial Structuring and Coordination of Area Units
Amanda Cullen, Cheryl L. Eames, Craig Cullen, Jeffrey Barrett, Julie Sarama, Douglas H. Clements, Douglas W. Van Dine.
Journal for Research in Mathematics Education, 49 (5), 533-574, (2018)
Effects of an Intervention on Children’s Conceptions of Angle Measurement
Amanda Cullen, Craig Cullen, Wendy A. O’Hanlon.
International Journal of Research in Education and Science, 136-147, (2018), 10.21890/ijres.382941
Effects of an intervention on children’s conceptions of angle measurement.
Amanda L. Cullen, Craig J. Cullen, Wendy O'Hanlon.
4 (1), (2018)
Evaluation of three interventions teaching area measurement as spatial structuring to young children
Douglas H Clements, Julie Sarama, Douglas Van Dine, Jeffrey Barrett, Craig Cullen, Aaron Hudyma, Ron Dolgin, Amanda Cullen, Cheryl L Eames.
Journal of Mathematical Behavior, 50, 23-41, (2018), doi:10.1016/j.jmathb.2017.12.004
Mathematical Thinking and Learning Through Robotics Play for Children With Critical Illness: The Case of Amelia
Megan Nickels, Craig J. Cullen.
Journal for Research in Mathematics Education, 48 (1), 22, (2017), 10.5951/jresematheduc.48.1.0022
Developing an Understanding of Children's Justifications for the Circle Area Formula.
Jenna R O'Dell, Theodore J Rupnow, Craig Cullen, Jeffrey Barrett, Douglas H Clements, Julie Sarama, Douglas W Van Dine.
North American Chapter of the International Group for the Psychology of Mathematics Education, (2016)
Investigating extrema with dynamic geometry software
Craig Cullen, J T Hertel, S John.
The Mathematics Teacher, (2013), 10.5951/mathteacher.107.1.0068
Evaluating and Improving a Learning Trajectory for Linear Measurement in Elementary Grades 2 and 3: A Longitudinal Study
Jeffrey Barrett, D Clements, J Sarama, Craig Cullen, J McCool, C Witkowski, D Klanderman.
Mathematical Thinking and Learning, 14 (1), 28-54, (2012)
Teachers' Noticing of Children's Understanding of Linear Measurement.
Megan H Wickstrom, Jae Baek, Jeffrey Barrett, Craig Cullen, Jennifer Tobias.
North American Chapter of the International Group for the Psychology of Mathematics Education, (2012)
Children’s Unit Concepts in Measurement: A Teaching Experiment Spanning Grades 2 through 5. ZDM
Jeffrey Barrett, Craig Cullen, J Sarama, D Clements, D Klanderman, A Miller, C Witkowski-Rumsey.
The International Journal on Mathematics Education, 43 (5), 637-650, (2011)
Children’s unit concepts in measurement: a teaching experiment spanning grades 2 through 5
Jeffrey Barrett, Craig Cullen, Julie Sarama, Douglas H Clements, David Klanderman, Amanda Cullen, Chepina Rumsey.
Zdm, 43 (5), 637–650, (2011)
Promoting growth in measurement knowledge
J K McCool, Craig Cullen.
Wisconsin Teacher of Mathematics, 63 (2), 8-10, (2011)
Unit eliciting task structures: Verbal prompts for comparative measures
Craig Cullen, A L Miller, Jeffrey Barrett, D H Clements, J Sarama.
International Group for the Psychology of Mathematics Education, (2011)
What’s 2 got to do with it? Using dynamic geometry environments to find surprising results and motivate proof
Tami Martin, Craig Cullen, R Day.
New England Mathematics Journal, 43, 49-62, (2011)
Using communication to motivate measurement precision and the use of standard units
Craig Cullen, C Witkowski, R Wilder, R Maubach.
ComMuniCator – The California Mathematics Council, 33, 36-39, (2009)
Presentations
Affordances of Spreadsheet Simulations in Exploring Randomness.
Emmanuel Agyei, Craig Cullen, Tami Martin.
47th Annual Meeting of PME-NA, State College, PA, October 28, 2025
Honoring the Ancients' Legacies: Trigonometric Identities Through a Geometric Lens
Tami Martin, Craig Cullen, Roger Day, John Carter.
104th Annual National Council of Teachers of Mathematics Conference, Atlanta GA, October 18, 2025
What are Radians and Why Do We Need Them?
Craig Cullen, Lawrence Ssebaggala.
104th Annual National Council of Teachers of Mathematics Conference, Atlanta GA, October 17, 2025
Unexpected Connections
Craig Cullen, Andy Gonc.
74th Annual Illinois Council of Teachers of Mathematics Annual Meeting, Normal, IL, October 4, 2025
From Literacy to Numeracy
Craig Cullen.
Numeracy Summit, Normal, IL, June 3, 2025
Reasoning from Randomness
Craig Cullen.
39th Annual Illinois Council of Teachers of Mathematics Conference – Southern Section, Carterville IL, February 19, 2025
Reasoning from Randomness
Craig Cullen.
39th Annual Illinois Conference on Teaching Mathematics, Carterville, IL, February 13, 2025
Developing Directed-Length Definitions for the Tangent and Secant Functions
Tami S. Martin, Craig J. Cullen, Oscar Chavez, Kyle Kimball.
PME-NA, Cleveland, OH, November 9, 2024
Examining how we use Technology in Teaching Mathematics
Joshua T. Hertel, Craig Cullen.
Annual National Council of Teachers of Mathematics Conference, Chicago, IL, September 27, 2024
The What and Why of Radians
Craig Cullen, Oscar Chavez.
Annual National Council of Teachers of Mathematics Conference, Chicago, IL, September 27, 2024
Developing geometric concept definitions for tangent and secant
Craig Cullen, Tami Martin, Oscar Chavez.
51st Annual Conference of the Research Council on Mathematics Learning, Columbia SC, March 2, 2024
Student Reasoning: Insights into Trigonometric Relationships
Lawrence Ssebaggala, Craig Cullen.
51st Annual Conference of the Research Council on Mathematics Learning, Columbia SC, March 2, 2024
Comparing Radians and Degrees
Craig Cullen.
38th Annual Illinois Council of Teachers of Mathematics Conference – Southern Section, Carterville IL, February 15, 2024
Making Sense of Fractions
Craig Cullen.
38th Annual Illinois Council of Teachers of Mathematics Conference – Southern Section, Carterville IL, February 15, 2024
Constructing Models of Relationships
Craig Cullen, Lawrence Ssebaggala, Amanda Cullen.
NCTM Professional Development Webinars, Online, January 11, 2024
Does this Look Random?
Craig Cullen.
69th Annual Western Illinois University Mathematics Teacher's Conference, Mcobm, IL, October 7, 2023
Does this Look Random?
Craig Cullen.
llinois Council of Teachers of Mathematics 73rd Annual Meeting, Naperville, IL, October 7, 2023
Using Technology Strategically in the Mathematics Classroom (Part 2)
Craig Cullen.
NCTM Professional Development Webinars, Online, June 1, 2023
Using Technology Strategically in the Mathematics Classroom (Part 1)
Craig Cullen.
NCTM Professional Development Webinars, Online, May 15, 2023
Sine, Cosine, Tangent → Sine, Secant, Tangent
Craig J Cullen.
The 37thAnnual Illinois Council of Teachers of Mathematics Conference - Southern Section, Carterville, IL, February 16, 2023
Respecting the Transcendental Functions
Craig Cullen.
Illinois Council of Teachers of Mathematics 72nd Annual Conference, Naperville, IL, October 29, 2022
Supporting Equity with Technology
Kristi J Isaacson, Craig Cullen.
Illinois Council of Teachers of Mathematics 72nd Annual Conference, Naperville, IL, October 29, 2022
Why Do We Really Need Radians?
Craig Cullen, Lawrence Ssebaggala, Óscar Chávez.
NCTM Regional, Indianapolis Indiana, March 17, 2022
Creative Mathematical Reasoning and Key Curricular Content as an Evaluative Framework for Preservice Task Engagement.
Tami Martin, Craig Cullen.
24th Annual AMTE Conference, Phoenix, AZ, February 6, 2020
The role of creative reasoning in a technology-based task for preservice secondary teachers
Kelsey A Clarkson, Carrie A Lawton, Khadijeh Azimi Asmaroud, Tami S Martin, Craig J Cullen.
41st Annual Meeting of the North American Chapter of the International Group for the Psychology of Mathematics Education, St. Louis, MO, November, 2019