Dr. Oster has over 25 years of teaching experience and is a Professor of Mathematics in the John Hazen White School of Arts & Sciences. Before coming to Johnson & Wales University in 1994, she taught at Florida Tech (FL), Embry-Riddle Aeronautical University (FL), Brevard Community College (FL), Bristol Community College (MA), Fisher College (MA) and UMass-Dartmouth (MA). She also taught Junior High School for 5 years. At JWU, she has taught both mathematics and computer studies courses. At present, she teaches exclusively in the Mathematics Department at the John Hazen White School of Arts and Sciences.
Since 1986, Dr. Oster's research interests have focused predominantly on educational technology; in particular, using both the graphing calculator and the Internet and their applications in the classroom. A forerunner at the University with regard to using technology in the classroom, Dr. Oster teaches her Statistics classes via the Internet with published online notes, and uses the Internet for much of her Math Lab courses. She has also been instrumental in the use of interactive software for self-paced math lab courses. As Chairperson for several technology committees, Dr. Oster also encourages and supports the use of Public Folders, Web Pages, and e-mail for both faculty and students at the University.
During the last several years, she has presented on educational technology topics at several international, national, regional, and local conferences. She has also participated in several technology workshops throughout the United States. Recognized nationally as an expert in the field of educational technology, Dr. Oster is a member of Texas Instruments’ Workshop Instructor Referral Program (WIRP), a program dedicated to enhanced learning via graphic calculator technology; and has previously presented nationally for Classroom Connect Inc., an organization that provides Internet materials for the teaching community.
In 1998, Dr. Oster was appointed as the Rhode Island State Delegate for the American Mathematical Association of Two-Year Colleges (AMATYC). Since 1999, she has also served as Newsletter Editor of AMATYC's Technology in Mathematics Education Committee (TiME). TiME members meet online during the year, and have in-person meetings at the annual AMATYC meetings.
Her civic interests include membership on Massachusetts' School-to-Work
Program, in which she serves as the higher education representative for
a regional committee in Southeastern Massachusetts.
Dissertation Title: Graphics technology and calculus readiness:
The effects of instruction using a programmable scientific graphing calculator
on conceptual and procedural understanding in precalculus; Doctor
of Philosophy (Ph.D.), Florida Institute of Technology, 1994.
Publications:
-Author: Statistics Student Guide (supplement) for Elementary Statistics:
Picturing the World by Larson/Farber
-A publication packaged with or without Larson/Farber’s Elementary
Statistics; available in hard copy and online for use in a “distance
learning” environment. Pearson Custom Publishing, 2000; ISBN 0-536-61051-7;
ISBN 0-536-61050-9.
-Author: Statistics Lecture Guide (supplement) for Introductory Statistics
by Mann, 3/E.
-A publication packaged with or without Mann’s Introductory Statistics;
available in hard copy and online for use in a “distance learning” environment.
Wiley Publishing Custom Services, 1999; ISBN 0-471-37424-5; ISBN 0-471-37425-3.
-Co-Author: Internet Resources for Developmental Mathematics, published
in the Newsletter of the New England Mathematical Association of Two-Year
Colleges (NEMATYC), September 1999, Volume 9, Number 1
-Co-Author: A Modern Approach to Amortization Using Hand-Held Technology
-Cover Story in EightySomething publication, Winter 1998, Volume 7,
Number 2
-Paper also presented at The Association of Teachers of Mathematics
in New
England (ATMNE) at the annual conference held November 15, 1996.
-Co-Author: Survey Research on Science Education Doctoral Programs in
North America
-Paper presented at The Association for the Education of Teachers
in
Science (AETS) at the annual conference held Jan. 6-9, 1994; El Paso,
TX
Reviewer for:
-Spring 2000: Basic Mathematics 8/E by Marvin L. Bittinger; Addison, Wesley, Longman Publishing Co.
-Fall 1999: Introductory Statistics 4/E by Prem S. Mann; Wiley Publishing Co.
-Spring 1998: Topics in College Mathematics 1/E, by David C. Mello; Wiley Publishing Custom Services 1998.
-Spring 1999: Topics in College Mathematics 2/E, by David C. Mello; Wiley Publishing Services 1999.
-Spring 1997: Foundations of College Math (2/E) by James Page; Glencoe/McGraw-Hill;
Burr Ridge, Illinois
Selected Paters/Presentations:
April 2000: Presenter/Participant
Multi-Media Presentation on Teaching Statistics in an Online
Environment
Participant in conference sessions on April 7-8, 2000
New England Math Association of Two-Year Colleges (NEMATYC) Conference;
Fall River MA
November 1999: Participant/Rhode Island State Delegate
Participant in conference activities during November 18-21, 1999
Participant in Delegate Assembly sessions for discussions and
voting
Secretary and Newsletter Editor for Technology in Math Education
(TiME) Committee
The 25th Annual Conference of the American Mathematical Association
of Two-Year Colleges (AMATYC); Pittsburgh PA
September 1999: Presenter
Multi-Media Presentation on the Web at the Arts & Sciences Faculty
Orientation session: “Smart Classrooms for Dummies”
Johnson & Wales University; Providence RI
April 1999: Participant
Participant in conference activities during April 22-24, 1999
77th Annual Conference of the National Council of Teachers of
Mathematics (NCTM);
San Francisco, CA
April, 1999: Presenter/Participant
Multi-Media Presentation on Internet Resources for Developmental
Mathematics
Participant in conference sessions on April 9-10, 1999
New England Math Association of Two-Year Colleges (NEMATYC) Conference;
University of New Hampshire; Manchester NH
February 1999: Presenter/Participant
Multi-Media Presentation on the Internet and its Resources for
Educators
Participant in conference sessions during April 15-18, 1998
Stop Surfing, Start Teaching Conference; sponsored by: University
of South Carolina; Myrtle Beach SC
December 1998: Participant
Participant in Microsoft Explorer Technology and Business Conference
and Exposition
Hynes Convention Center; Boston MA (6 hours)
November 1998: Participant/Rhode Island State Delegate
Participant in conference activities during November 5-8, 1998
Participant in Delegate Assembly sessions for discussions and
voting
The 24th Annual Conference of the American Mathematical Association
of Two-Year Colleges (AMATYC); Portland OR
October 1998: Presenter
Presentation on Learning and Retaining New Material in Mathematics
Dominican Student Association
Johnson & Wales University; Providence RI
April 1998: Presenter/Participant
Multi-Media Presentation on the Internet and its Resources for
Educators
Participant in conference sessions during April 15-18, 1998
The 9th International Conference on College Teaching and Learning;
Jacksonville FL
April 1998: Presenter/Faculty Representative
Presentation on Teaching with Technology at the JWU School of
Arts and Sciences
Providence Journal Charitable Foundation Recognition Reception
Johnson & Wales University, Providence RI
April, 1998: Presenter/Participant
Multi-Media Presentation on the Internet and its Resources for
Educators
Participant in conference sessions on Friday April 3, 1998
New England Math Association of Two-Year Colleges (NEMATYC) Conference
Cape Cod Community College, West Barnstable MA
December, 1997: Presenter, Multi-Media Presentation on Internet
Resources for Educators
RI State Council International Reading Association Annual Conference;
Newport Marriott; Newport RI
July, 1997: Presenter, Internet Fundamentals and Creating Homepages; Exploration Summer Program at Wellesley College, Wellesley MA
April, 1997: Presenter/Guest Speaker, Math and the Internet. Math Awareness Week; Rhode Island College, Providence RI
April, 1997: Co-Presenter, Presentation on the TI-83 features of amortization and inferential statistics. New England Math Association of Two-Year Colleges (NEMATYC) Conference; Massasoit Community College, Brockton MA
November 1996: Co-Presenter and Co-Author, An Introduction to the Newly-Released TI-83. Association of Teachers of Mathematics in New England (ATMNE) Conference; Providence RI
November 1996: Presenter, Teaching Math with the Internet; Hands-on Netscape. Fall 1996 Connected Classroom Conference on the Internet; Anaheim California
September 1996: Presenter, Internet Resources for Educators. 10th Annual Conference on Distance Education; Augusta/Portland, Maine
May 1996: Presenter, Internet Fundamentals;.Taunton School Department, Taunton MA
April 1996: Presenter, Creating Homepages Using HTML. InterAct Training; Raynham MA
March 1996: Presenter, Internet Resources for Educators. The 7th National Conference on College Teaching and Learning; Jacksonville FL
October 1995 - April 1996: Presenter, Seven Internet Training Seminars: Internet Fundamentals, Internet for Business, Creating Homepages Using HTML. UMass-Dartmouth Small Business Development Center Chamber of Commerce; Fall River MA
July/August 1995: Panelist, Week-long Workshop: Enhancing Mathematics With Graphing Calculators; five-member panel discussion on Pedagogical Issues on Graphing Calculators in the Classroom. Rhode Island College, Providence RI
April 1995: Presenter, Dissertation Results. New England Association of Two-Year Colleges (NEMATYC) Conference. Johnson & Wales University, Providence RI
January 1994: Co-Author, Survey Research on Science Education Doctoral Programs in North America. Paper presented at The Association for the Education of Teachers in Science (AETS). Annual Meeting; El Paso, TX.
February 1993: Presenter, 3-day Workshop, How to Use Graphing Calculators as Instructional Tools in Precalculus. Brevard Community College, Melbourne FL
February 1993: Guest Lecturer, Methods in Teaching Mathematics. Florida Tech, Melbourne, FL
July 1992: Presenter, Using Graphing Calculator Technology in the Classroom. Two-Week Technology Workshop, The Florida Instructional Technology Project. Florida Tech, Melbourne FL
April 1992: Presenter, Integrating New Technologies into the Math Class. Brevard Community College Math Dept., Melbourne FL
Professional Organizations:
American Educational Research Association (AERA)
Research in Mathematics Education (SIG/RME)
National Education Association (NEA)
Mathematical Association of America (MAA)
American Association of Two-Year Colleges (AMATYC)
New England Association of Two-Year Colleges (NEMATYC)
National Council of Teachers of Mathematics (NCTM)
Association of Teachers of Mathematics in New England ATMNE
Massachusetts Community College Council (MCCC) 1993-94; 1978-89
Massachusetts Teachers Association (MTA) 1993-94; 1978-89; 1973-76
Florida Educational Research Association (FERA) 1991-93
Kansas Teachers Association (KTA) 1976-78
Send E-mail to: interact@ici.net
Return to 
Arts and Sciences Main Page
Return to 
Johnson & Wales University Main Page