Mike Ion

Postdoctoral Fellow in AI and Education at the University of Michigan

Interests

My research interests lie at the intersection of data science, machine learning, and education. Specifically, I focus on:

  • Applications of Data Science and Machine Learning in Educational Contexts
  • Quantitative Survey Methodologies for Educational Assessment
  • Large Language Models as a Tool for Educational Research
  • STEM Education Research

Publications

    Peer-Reviewed Journal Articles

  1. Paulsen, A., Godfrey, J., Ion, M., (In progress). Writing Across the Curriculum: a Text as Data Approach. Target: American Educational Research Journal.
  2. Herbst, P., Brown, A.M., Ion, M., Margolis, C. (2023). Teaching Geometry for Secondary Teachers: What are the Tensions Instructors Need to Manage? International Journal of Research in Undergraduate Mathematics Education. (2023). International Journal for Research in Undergraduate Mathematics. [Link]
  3. Gere, A., Godfrey, J., Griffin, M., Ion, M., Limlamai, N., Moos, A., Van Zanen, K. (2023). Alumni Perspectives on General Education: How Writing Can Increase What We Know. Journal of General Education, 70 (1-2), 149-175. [Link]

    4. Book Chapters

  4. Brown, A., Cohen, S., Escuadro, H., Ion, M., Miller, N., Sears, R., ... & Vestal, S. (2024). Tuyin An. In Babette M. Benken (Ed./Eds.), *The AMTE Handbook of Mathematics Teacher Education: Reflection on Past, Present and Future–Paving the Way for the Future of Mathematics Teacher Education* (Vol. 5, p. 175). Information Age Publishing.

    5. Peer-Reviewed Conference Proceedings

  5. Ion, M., Herbst, P., Ko, I., Hetrick, C. (Oct. 2023). Surveying Instructors of Geometry for Teachers Courses: An Illustration of Balanced Incomplete Block Design. Psychology of Mathematics Education, North America Annual Conference. Reno, NV.
  6. Brown, A., Herbst, P., Ion, M. (Oct. 2023). How Instructors of Undergraduate Mathematics Courses Manage Tensions Related to Teaching Courses for Teachers. Psychology of Mathematics Education, North America Annual Conference. Reno, NV.
  7. Boyce, S., An, T., Pyzdrowski, L., Oppong-Wadie, K., Ion, M., St. Goar, J. (Feb. 2023). Learning from Lesson Study in the College Geometry Classroom. 25th Annual Conference on Research in Undergraduate Mathematics Education. Omaha, NE.
  8. Hetrick, C., Herbst, P., Ion, M., Brown, A. (Feb. 2023). Building Instructional Capacity Across Difference: Analyzing Transdisciplinary Discourse in a Faculty Learning Community focused on Geometry for Teachers Courses. 25th Annual Conference on Research in Undergraduate Mathematics Education. Omaha, NE.
  9. Ion, M. (Jul. 2022). Studying Conceptions of the Derivative at Scale: A Machine Learning Approach. 45th Conference of the International Group for the Psychology of Mathematics Education. Alicante, Spain.
  10. Ion, M., Herbst, P. (Feb. 2022). Conceptions of the Derivative: A Natural Language Processing Approach. Research in Undergraduate Mathematics Education Conference. Boston, MA.
  11. Margolis, C., Ion, M., Herbst, P., Milewski, A., Shultz, M. (Nov. 2020). Understanding instructional capacity for high school geometry as a systemic problem through stakeholder interviews. Psychology of Mathematics Education, North America. Mexico.
  12. Bardelli, E., Ion, M., Ko, I., Herbst, P. (Apr. 2020). Who Benefits from Mathematics Courses for Teachers? An Analysis of MKT-G Growth During Geometry for Teachers Courses. American Education Research Association. San Francisco, CA.
  13. Ion, M., Herbst, P., Margolis, C., Milewski, A., Ko, I. (Nov. 2019). Developing Practical Measures To Support the Improvement of Geometry for Teachers Courses. Psychology of Mathematics Education, North America Annual Conference. St. Louis, MO.
  14. Milewski, A., Ion, M., Herbst, P., Shultz, M., Ko, I., Bleecker, H. (Apr. 2019). Tensions in Teaching Mathematics to Future Teachers: Understanding the Practice of Undergraduate Mathematics Instructors. American Education Research Association Conference. Toronto, Canada.
  15. Herbst, P., Milewski, A., Ion, M., Bleecker, H. (Oct. 2018). What Influences Do Instructors of the Geometry for Teachers Course Need to Contend With? Psychology of Mathematics Education, North America. Greenville, SC.

    16. Non-peer-reviewed articles and blog posts

  16. Ion, M., Herbst, P. (Nov. 2021). A Contribution to Stewarding the SLOs: Developing SLO Assessment Items and Examining Item Responses. GeT: The News!, 3(1).
  17. Herbst, P., Ion, M. (Nov. 2021). A Deeper Dive into an SLO Item: Examining Students' Ways of Reasoning about Relationships between Euclidean and Non-Euclidean Geometries. GeT: The News!, 3 (1).
  18. Boyce, S., Ion, M., Lai, Y., McLeod, K., Pyzdrowski, L., Sears, R., St. Goar, J. (May 2021). Best-Laid Co-Plans for a Lesson on Creating a Mathematical Definition. AMS Blogs: On Teaching and Learning Mathematics.
  19. Paulsen, A., Godfrey, J., Ion, M.. (Mar. 2023). Writing Across the Curriculum: a Case Study in Text as Data Methods for Post-secondary Education Policy Research. Denver, CO.
  20. Godfrey, J., Paulson, A., Ion, M. (2023). What Are the Common Contexts for College Writing? Conference on College Composition and Communication Annual Convention. Chicago, IL.

    21. Presentations & Conference Talks

  21. Paulsen, A., Ion, M., Godfrey, J. (Dec. 2022). Writing Across the Curriculum: a Text as Data Approach. Causal Inference in Education Research Seminar (CIERS). Ann Arbor, MI.
  22. Paulson, A., Bardelli, E., Godfrey, J., Ion, M., Frisby, M. (Apr. 2022). Who Follows Placement Recommendations? Differential Effects of Non-binding Placement Recommendations on Students' Course-taking Decisions. American Education Research Association. San Diego, CA.
  23. Herbst, P., Stevens, I., Milewski, A., Ion, M., Ko, I. (Jan. 2020). State of Undergraduate Geometry Courses for Secondary Teachers: Curriculum, Instructional Practices, and Student Achievement. Joint Mathematics Meeting. Denver, CO.
  24. Milewski, A., Herbst, P., Ion, M., Bleecker, H. (Feb. 2019). Preparing Teachers for Secondary Geometry: Understanding the Tensions in Teaching Undergraduate Mathematics Courses for Future Teachers. Association of Mathematics Teacher Educators Annual Conference. Orlando, FL.
  25. Milewski, A., Herbst, P., Margolis, C., Ion, M., Ko, I., Akbuga, E. (Jan. 2019). What do we know about courses in Geometry for Secondary Teachers? Joint Mathematics Meetings. Baltimore, Maryland.

    26. Roundtable Discussions

  26. Berzina Pitcher, I., Ion, M., An, T., Brown, A., Buchbinder, O., Herbst, P., Hetrick, C., Miller, N., Prasad, P., Pyzdrowski, L., St. Goar, J., Sears, R., Szydlik, S., Oshkosh, Vestal, S. (Apr. 2022). Learning and Participating in Scholarship of Teaching and Learning through a Faculty Online Learning Community. American Education Research Association. San Diego, CA.
  27. Ion, M., Margolis, C. (Mar. 2019). Sources of Justification for College Geometry Instructional Actions. Graduate Student Community Organization Graduate Student Conference. Ann Arbor, MI.
  28. Ion, M. (Mar. 2018). Characterizing University Geometry Courses: An Interview-Based Approach. Graduate Student Community Organization Graduate Student Conference. Ann Arbor, MI.

    29. Posters

  29. Boyce, B., Ion, M. (Oct. 2023). Geometry Students' Ways of Thinking About Adinkra Symbols. Psychology of Mathematics Education, North America Annual Conference. Reno, NV.
  30. Danai, A., Quimper Osores, A., Ion, M., Herbst, P. (Apr. 2023). Analysis of Citation Networks of Submitted Manuscripts in Mathematics Education. Undergraduate Research Opportunity Program (UROP) Symposium. Ann Arbor, MI. `Blue Ribbon Outstanding Presenter Award'
  31. Beckemeyer, R., Brown, A., Ion, M., Spiteri, A., Herbst, P. (Apr. 2022). How Experience and Knowledge Affect the Breaching Patterns of Secondary Mathematics Teachers. Undergraduate Research Opportunity Program (UROP) Symposium. Ann Arbor, MI. `Blue Ribbon Outstanding Presenter Award'.
  32. Ion, M., Bardelli, E., Herbst, P. (Oct. 2018). Learning About the Norms of Teaching Practice: How Can Machine Learning Help Analyze Teachers' Reactions to Scenarios? Michigan Institute for Data Science Annual Symposium. Ann Arbor, MI. Awarded 'Most Likely Scientific Impact'.

Link to full CV

Experience

University of Michigan

Grasping Rationality and Instructional Practices (GRIP) Lab

As the lead graduate student researcher in the GRIP Lab, I contributed to the Geometry for Teachers (GeT) Support Project, focusing on:

  • Item-response theory analysis of MKT assessments.
  • Coding qualitative data and using machine learning models.
  • Developing and analyzing psychometric survey instruments.

College and Beyond II Project

In this project, I conducted statistical analyses to study the effects of liberal arts education on life outcomes, including:

  • Analyzing results from pilot surveys.
  • Providing readability statistics for essay responses.
  • Employing structural equation modeling.

Wolverine Pathways Curriculum Development Project

My role involved developing mathematics curriculum materials with a social justice orientation for a summer bridge program.