The 2026 Lelon Capps Lecture Series
Join us for a talk by Dr. Angela T. Barlow, dean of the College of Education and Professional Studies and professor of mathematics education at the University of South Alabama, on "Effective Mathematics Instruction: From Classroom Practice to Teacher Preparation Design."

In this lecture, Dr. Barlow will discuss what effective mathematics teaching looks like as teachers provide opportunity for students to construct their own understanding through productive struggle and sense-making, and how those classroom practices inform, and should transform, the way we prepare future mathematics teachers.

The event is free and open to the public. 

Lecture: 4:30-5:30 p.m.
Reception: 5:30-6 p.m.

Lecture Description
What does effective mathematics teaching actually look like in practice, and how do we prepare future educators to enact it? Research consistently demonstrates that effective instruction centers on giving students the opportunity to construct their own mathematical understanding, which involves the teacher scaffolding productive struggle, leveraging student reasoning, and making sense of student thinking. With this as a backdrop, we will examine how these foundational practices inform—and should transform—the design of mathematics teacher preparation programs.

Speaker Biography
Dr. Angela T. Barlow is Dean of the College of Education and Professional Studies and Professor of Mathematics Education at the University of South Alabama. With over 30 years of experience spanning K–12 teaching, doctoral leadership, and higher education administration, she is a recognized national leader in mathematics education. 

Dr. Barlow has served in key leadership roles within the Association of Mathematics Teacher Educators (AMTE), the National Council of Supervisors of Mathematics (NCSM), and AMTE-Alabama. A distinguished editor, she has held editorial positions forthe Mathematics Teacher Educator and the Journal of Mathematics Education Leadership and currently serves as the inaugural Editor-in-Chief of the practitioner journal, Mathematics Teacher: Learning & Teaching PK-12 (MTLT) published by the National Council of Teachers of Mathematics. MTLT is accessed by more than 35,000 mathematics educators monthly.

Dr. Barlow has a rich history of working with preservice and in-service teachers through mathematics content courses, methods courses, and externally funded projects. Supported by millions in grant funding, she has designed and implemented transformative learning experiences for K–8 mathematics teachers. Most recently, she isleading statewide efforts to develop preservice coursework that integrates mathematics content and pedagogy in response to the Alabama Numeracy Act, legislation passed in 2022 and directly aimed at improving K-5 mathematics. 

Dr. Barlow holds a Ph.D., M.Ed., and B.S. in Mathematics Education, as well as a Master of Applied Mathematics (M.A.M.), all from Auburn University.