Megan Botello

Meg is a doctoral student in Learning Sciences at the University of Delaware. She graduated with a BA in Psychology and Counseling from Nevada State University where she worked as a Mathematics Course Assistant for 2 years and developed her research interests in student math anxiety, beliefs, and learning. 

Meg’s research focuses on math learning and motivation. Committed to promoting mathematical learning and aiding students who struggle with mathematics, she is dedicated to using her research to advance our understanding of enhancing motivation in the classroom and develop effective teaching strategies for success.

Education

• • M.A. Learning Sciences, Education, University of Delaware, 2023
  • B.A., Psychology, Nevada State College, Henderson, NV, 2021
  • Minor, Counseling, Nevada State College, Henderson, NV, 2021
  • A.S., Southern Utah University, Cedar City, UT, 2018

Professional Experience

• Teaching Assistant for Developmental Psychology, University of Delaware, 2024 – present
• Graduate Research Assistant, Jordan Fractions Lab, School of Education, University of Delaware, 2021–present
• Graduate Summer Labor Research, M3 Lab, University of Delaware, 2023-present
• Graduate Student Labor, Rutherford Lab, 2023
• Graduate Student Labor, University of Delaware, with Dr. VanGronigen
• Research Lab Member, Social Psychology Lab, Nevada State College, 2020–2021
• Course Assistant for Elementary Algebra, Academic Success Center, Nevada State College, 2019–2021

Publications

• Botello, M., Rutherford, T., Guba, T.P., Dyson, N., Suchanec, H., Jordan, N. (under review). Teachers’ use of motivational messages while teaching fractions.
• Jordan, N. C., Dyson, N., Guba, T. P., Botello, M., Suchanec-Cooper, H., & May, H. (20XX). Exploring the impact of a fraction sense intervention in authentic school environments: An initial investigation. 
• Rutherford, T., Botello, M., Lam A., & Schenke, K. (2023). Cross-domain within- and between-students antecedents to help seeking. Psychology in the Schools.
• Jordan, N. C., Devlin, B. L., & Botello, M. (2022). Core foundations of early mathematics: Refining the number sense framework. Current Opinion in Behavioral Sciences, 46, 101181.

Presentations

• Botello, M., Guba, T. P., Dyson N., Suchanec-Cooper, H., Rutherford, T., & Jordan, N. (under review). Assessing the impact of a fraction sense intervention on middle school students’ achievement and motivation. The Mathematical Cognition and Learning Society 2024, Washington D.C.
  
• Botello, M., Barbieri, C., & McGinn, K.M. (2024 April). Elementary students’ motivation for and attitudes toward mathematics while using example-based instructional tools. American Educational Research Association 2024, Philadelphia, PA.
  
• Chawla, K., Botello, M., Shingledecker, M., Miller-Cotto, D., Barbieri, C. (2024 April). A meta-analysis exploring the relationship between motivation and executive function. American Educational Research Association 2024, Philadelphia, PA.
  
• Guba, T. P., Dyson, N., Botello, M., Suchaned-Cooper, H., Jordan, N.C., & May, H. (2024 March). Fraction nonsense to fraction sense: impact of a fraction sense intervention on 6th grade students with math learning difficulties in an authentic classroom setting. Poster at the Biennial Meeting of the Cognitive Development Society (CDS) 2024, Pasadena, CA.
  
• Dyson, N., Guba, T. P., Botello, M., Suchanec-Cooper, H., & Jordan, N. C. (2024, February). Using principles from the science of learning to develop fraction sense in struggling math Students. Workshop at Association for Mathematics Teacher Educators (AMTE) 2024, Orlando, FL.
  
• Dyson, N., Guba, T. P., Botello, M., Suchanec-Cooper, H., & Jordan, N. C. (2023, October). Building fraction sense in struggling students using effective approaches from the science of learning. Workshop at National Council for Mathematics (NCTM) Teachers Research Conference 2023, Washington, DC.
• Rutherford T., Botello M., & Duck., K. (2023). Supporting student motivation in online and technology contexts: An educational ebook. Annual Policy & Practice Institute: Delaware’s Conference on Public Education.
• Botello, M., Rutherford, T., Guba, T.P., Dyson, N., Suchanec, H., Jordan, N. (2023) Teachers’ use of motivational messages while teaching fractions [paper submission]. Steele Symposium, University of Delaware 2023.
• Botello, M. College student help-seeking through utilization of professor office hours. Annual Meeting of the International Society of the Learning Sciences 2023, Montreal, PQ.
• Botello, M., Rutherford, T., Guba, T.P., Dyson, N., Suchanec, H., Jordan, N. (accepted). Teachers’ use of motivational messages while teaching fractions [poster submission]. American Psychological Association 2023, Washington D.C.
• Botello, M. (accepted). Increasing students’ value for and performance in fractions through a utility value intervention [poster presentation]. Association for Psychological Science 2023, Washington D.C.
• VanGronigen, B. A., Meyers, C. V., & Botello, M. (accepted). Professional learning for transformation? Educational leaders and a new teacher evaluation system [paper submission]. American Educational Research Association 2023, Chicago, IL.
• Botello, M., Guba T.P., Dyson, N., Jordan, N. (accepted). Measuring success: How 6th graders with math learning disabilities can learn to read rulers [poster presentation]. Society for Research in Child Development 2023, Salt Lake City, UT.
• Dyson, N., Jordan, N., Suchanec, H., Guba, T., Botello, M. (accepted) Building fraction knowledge in students who have fallen behind in math: Preliminary findings from an efficacy study [paper symposium]. Society for Research in Child Development 2023, Salt Lake City, UT.
• Botello, M. (accepted). Incorporation of growth mindset in statistic textbooks [poster presentation]. Research Council on Mathematics Learning 2023, Las Vegas, NV.
• Duck, K., Botello, M., & Rutherford, T. (2022). Supporting preservice teacher confidence in facilitating motivation with technology using an interactive ebook [poster presentation]. American Psychological Association 2022, Minneapolis, MN.
• Botello, M., Petras, R., Carrillo-Marroquin, A., Glover, M., Benson, W., & Naumann, L. P (2021, April). Gender Differences in Academic Faculty Workload. Poster presented at the Western Psychological Association 2021 virtual conference.
• Carrillo-Marroquin, A., Glover, M., Botello, M., Petras, R., Benson, W., & Naumann, L. P (2021, April). Cultural Differences in Perceptions of Organizational Justice among Academic Faculty. Poster presented at the Western Psychological Association 2021 virtual conference.
• Botello, M. (2021, April). What Impacts Math Anxiety: Examining Growth Mindset, Parental Support, & Teacher Support. Poster presented at Nevada State College, Henderson, NV.
• Botello, M., Petras, R., Carrillo-Marroquin, A., Glover, M., Benson, W., & Naumann, L. P (2021, April). Gender Differences in Academic Faculty Workload. Poster presented at Nevada State College, Henderson, NV.
• Carrillo-Marroquin, A., Glover, M., Botello, M., Petras, R., Benson, W., & Naumann, L. P (2021, April). Cultural Differences in Perceptions of Organizational Justice among Academic Faculty. Poster presented at Nevada State College, Henderson, NV.