Faculty Bio

Bona Kang

Assistant Professor in the Department of Education

Education

• B.A. Cognitive Science, University of California Berkeley
• M.A., Ph.D. Education (Development in Mathematics and Science), University of California Berkeley

About

Bona Kang teaches elementary mathematics preparation courses for preservice teachers (EDUC 211, 311), Psychological Foundations in Education (EDUC 251), and Teaching for Equity and Social Justice (EDUC 115), and supervises teaching candidates in field experiences. Additionally, she supports undergraduate students' independent studies, research, and travel, such as through the Summer Scholarship Research Program (SSRP) and Theory to Practice Grants (TPG). Her elementary school classroom experience includes teaching-research partnerships with a college-affiliated lab school in western Massachusetts and multi-classroom case studies and efficacy studies in diverse public schools in the San Francisco Bay Area.

Her research primarily focuses on elementary school children's numerical cognition and development, strategies and models for operations with fractions, preservice teacher mathematics education, and teaching and learning as a mathematics teacher educator. Of particular interest is developing community norms and teaching practices that, given the limited time in elementary teacher candidates' mathematics preparation, effectively support teaching candidates to deepen their mathematical content and pedagogical knowledge, build positive mathematical identities, strengthen their mathematical agency, and learn to teach equitable and ambitious mathematics to their future students.

Selected Peer-Reviewed Publications

• Kang, B., Sapkota, B., Krejci, B., Nusser, T. (2025). Unpacking profiles of elementary preservice teachers' conceptualizations: Insights from fraction multiplication think-alouds. Proceedings of the 47th Annual Meeting of the North American Chapter of the International Group for the Psychology of Mathematics Education. https://doi.org/10.51272/pmena.47.2025
• Litster, K., Kang, B., Corven, J., Jung, C., Kirschner, S., Krejci, B., Bowen, B., & Gorton, E. S. (2025). Supporting teacher candidates' specialized content knowledge and pedagogical content knowledge with diagnostic interview assignments. Proceedings of the 47th Annual Meeting of the North American Chapter of the International Group for the Psychology of Mathematics Education. https://doi.org/10.51272/pmena.47.2025
• Fletcher, N., Alexander, N. N., Kang, B., Kebreab, L., Marshall, B. L., Martínez Hinestroza, J., Sundrani, A., & Velasco, R. (2025). Programs and opportunities for early career mathematics education scholars. Journal of Mathematics Education at Teachers College, 16(1), 46-57. https://doi.org/10.52214/jmetc.v16i1.13345
• Murata, A., Siker, J., Kang, B., Baldinger, E., Kim, H-J., Scott, M., & Lanouette, K. (2017). Math talk and student strategy trajectories: The case of two first grade classrooms. Cognition and Instruction, 35(4), 290-316. https://doi.org/10.1080/07370008.2017.1362408
• Saxe, G. B., de Kirby, K., Kang, B., Le, M., & Schneider, A. (2015). Studying cognition through time in a classroom community: The interplay between "everyday" and "scientific concepts." Human Development, 58(1), 5-44. https://doi.org/10.1159/000371560
• Saxe, G. B., de Kirby, K., Le, M., Sitabkhan, Y., & Kang, B. (2015). Understanding learning across lessons in classroom communities: A multi-leveled analytic approach. In A. Bikner-Ahsbahs, C. Knipping, & N. Presmeg (Eds.), Approaches to qualitative research in mathematics education: Examples of methodology and methods (pp. 253-318). Springer. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-94-017-9181-6_11

Selected Peer-Reviewed Presentations

• Velasco, R., Salem, W., & Kang, B. (2026). Exploring the landscape of Culturally Relevant, Responsive, and Sustaining Pedagogies in mathematics teacher education. Discussion session facilitated at the 2026 Annual Meeting of the Association of Mathematics Teacher Educators, Portland, OR.
• Litster, K., Kang, B., & Salem, W. (2026). Practical applications integrating content and methods: Case study of diagnostic interviews in teacher preparation courses. Discussion session facilitated at the 2026 annual meeting of the Association of Mathematics Teacher Educators, Portland, OR.
• Sapkota, B., Kang, B., Nusser, T., Krejci, B. (2025). Middle school preservice teachers' mathematical knowledge for teaching fraction multiplication. Paper presented at the 52nd Annual Conference of the Research Council on Mathematics Learning, College Station, TX.
• Kang, B. (2024). Using Show-Me Narratives and monitoring charts to support U.S. prospective elementary teachers' integrated content and pedagogical knowledge in a methods course. Paper presented at 15th meeting of the International Congress on Mathematical Education, Sydney, Australia.
• Kang, B., & Kirschner, S. (2024). "There isn't enough time!": Tensions and opportunities for integrating mathematics content in methods courses. Discussion session facilitated at the 2024 annual meeting of the Association of Mathematics Teacher Educators, Orlando, FL.
• Krejci, B., Kang, B., Nusser, T., & Sapkota, B. (2024). Elementary preservice teachers' use of visual representations for fraction multiplication. Paper presented at the 46th Annual Meeting of the North American Chapter of the International Group for the Psychology of Mathematics Education, Cleveland, OH.
• Kaka, S. J., Nobel, M. M., Lisy, J. G., & Kang, B. (2022). Building antiracist educators: One program's revolution. Case story session presented at the American Association of Colleges for Teacher Education Annual Meeting, New Orleans, LA.
• Kang, B. (2018). Evaluating children's developing tool and measurement target unit coordinations on number line problems. Paper presented at the annual meeting of the American Educational Research Association, New York, NY.
• Kang, B. (2017). Are children more precise when they transform tools to mediate linear measurement problem solving?: 2nd and 4th graders' use of rulers and paper strips to locate numbers on number lines. Paper presented at the annual meeting of the Jean Piaget Society, San Francisco, CA.
• Kang, B., & Murata, A. (2014). Learning with and from each other: Kindergarten and first grade number talks lesson study. In H-J. Kim (Chair), Mathematics teacher learning and development in different contexts: Investigating teachers' communication of their practice. Symposium conducted at the annual meeting of the Jean Piaget Society, San Francisco, CA.
• Saxe, G. B., Gearhart, M., Diakow, R., Leveille Buchanan, N., Collett, J., Kang, B., De Kirby, K., & Le, M. (2013). Engagement in mathematical discussion: Linking practices and outcomes. Symposium presented at the 2013 Research Presession meeting of the National Council of Teachers of Mathematics, Denver, CO.
• Kang, B. (2012). Social and cognitive processes in students' developing informal tool use in measurement. Paper presented at 12th meeting of the International Congress on Mathematical Education, Seoul, Republic of Korea.
• Saxe, G. B., Gearhart, M., Earnest, D., Haldar, L. C., Kang, B., Lewis, K., McKerracher, A., Sitabkhan, Y., Zheng, Y., & Shaughnessy, M. (2010, May). Learning Mathematics through Representations: Development of a research-based curriculum on integers and fractions. Poster symposium presented at the annual meeting of the American Education Research Association, Denver, CO.

Professional Organizations

• TODOS: Mathematics for All
• American Educational Research Association 
• Association of Mathematics Teacher Educators
• National Council of Teachers of Mathematics
• Ohio Council of Teachers of Mathematics