Information on James R. Olsen

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Personal Information

I have been teaching at Western Illinois University since the Fall of 1994.  After graduation from Doane College (1979) I taught high school mathematics for ten years.  I was also the head boys basketball coach for nine years at Centura HS in Cairo, NE.  I hold two Master's degrees (one in Mathematics Education from University of Nebraska-Kearney, and one in Mathematics from Colorado State University).  My PhD (Educational Mathematics) is from the University of Northern Colorado (1994). I am a professor in the Mathematics Department at Western Illinois University. I teach mathematics courses and teaching methods courses for prospective and practicing teachers. My research interests are mental math, student understanding of rates, student understanding of the function concept, educational uses of technology, student understanding of fractions, decimals, and percents, and problem solving.  I consider myself a Christian, family member, teacher, athlete, and scholar.  I believe that children and students, Pre-K through graduate school, are important (see Children Are ABC's) and represent our future. I vacation at Lake Okoboji (water levels) in Iowa. Information about my wonderful family is below. In summer 2007 I went to Germany with my family. We went to Berlin. It was a moving experience for me to be there with the Berlin Wall down and able to walk under the Brandenberg Gate. I'm involved with Academic Year in America, a foreign exhange agency. More of my off-campus interests are listed below.

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Dr. Olsen is on Sabbatical during the 2011-2012 academic year

• The best way to reach me is to call my cell phone. The second best way to reach me is via email.

Committees and Responsibilities for 2010-2011

University:

• SEDG - Secondary Education Discussion Group
• UTEC - University Teacher Education Committee

College of Arts and Science:

• Undergraduate Research Collaboration

Department:

• Mathematics Education Committee
• High School Relations Executive Committee
• Department Curriculum Committee (Math Educ. Rep)
• 4-Year Chair Review Committee, Chairperson

• Project Kaleidoscope Faculty for the 21st Century (PKAL F21) Network Class of 1999
• National Council of Teacher of Mathematics
• Mathematical Association of America (and Illinois Section of the MAA) - Teacher Education Committee Chairman
• Illinois Council of Teachers of Mathematics (ICTM)
• Illinois Mathematics Association of Community Colleges (IMACC)
• West Central Council of Teachers of Mathematics
• Association of Mathematics Teacher Educators
• Illinois Mathematics Teacher Educators

·Wife - Marilyn, my teammate, married July 29, 1988.

·Diane - Drake University. Accounting and Finance majors. Math minor.

·Eric - age 18, HS senior, Cross Country, School plays, Scholastic Bowl, Track, the Wii, cribbage, LEGO, computers, Ultimate Frisbee.
·Rachel - age 14, HS Freshmen, softball, books, Track, Cross Country, lambs, LEGO, flute, violin.

·Mom is Ruth Olsen of Mequon, WI.
·My dad, Walter Olsen, passed away May 1, 2010. obituary here He was much loved and much missed.

Committees and Responsibilities for 2004-2005

Illinois State Board of Education:

• Mathematics Content Advisory Committee

Illinois Section of the Mathematics Association of America

• Committee on Teacher Education

University:

• FAASTEC - Fine Arts and Arts and Sciences Teacher Education Committee
• UTEC - University Teacher Education Committee
• UTEC Subcommittee for Electronic Portfolios
• Teacher Education Assessment Committee
• CIA - Council of Intercollegiate Athletics, Chair

College of Arts and Science:

• Undergraduate Research Collaboration

Department:

• Mathematics Education Committee
• Department Personnel Committee
• Math T.E.A.M. Advisor

Committees and Responsibilities for 2003-2004

Illinois State Board of Education:

• Mathematics Content Advisory Committee

University:

• FAASTEC - Fine Arts and Arts and Sciences Teacher Education Committee
• UTEC - University Teacher Education Committee
• UTEC Subcommittee for Electronic Portfolios
• Teacher Education Assessment Committee

College of Arts and Science:

• Undergraduate Research Collaboration

Department:

• Advisory Council
• Mathematics Education Committee
• Lower Division Curriculum Committee
• Math T.E.A.M. Advisor
• Ad Hoc Undergraduate Program Review Committee

Committees and Responsibilities for 2002-2003

University:

• FAASTEC - Fine Arts and Arts and Sciences Teacher Education Committee
• UTEC - University Teacher Education Committee

Department:

• Advisory Council
  • Department Grade Appeals Committee
• Mathematics Department Grade Appeal Committee
• Mathematics Education Committee
• High School Relations Committee - Chair
• Lower Division Curriculum Committee
• Math T.E.A.M. Advisor

Committees and Responsibilities for 2001-2002

Department:

• Coordinator of Mathematics Education Service Activities
• Personnel Committee
• Mathematics Education Committee - Chair
• High School Relations Committee - Chair
• Lower Division Curriculum Committee
• Redesign Committee - Chair
• Math T.E.A.M. Advisor

Off campus:

·Board member (Director for Public Universities),  Illinois Section of the Mathematical Association of America

·Program Committee - chair

·Co-Editor of the Illinois Mathematics Teacher, the official journal of the ICTM

Committees and Responsibilities for 2000-2001

University:

• C.I.A. Council on Intercollegiate Athletics, Chair
• Council on Planning Strategies
• UTEC University Teacher Education Committee College
• College Grade Appeals Committee

Department:

• Coordinator of Mathematics Education Service Activities
• Advisory Council
• Personnel Committee
• Mathematics Education Committee
• High School Relations Committee - Chair
• Lower Division Curriculum Committee
• Redesign Committee - Chair
• Math T.E.A.M. Advisor

Off campus:

·Board member (Director for Public Universities),  Illinois Section of the Mathematical Association of America

·Two-year College Committee - chair

·Program Committee

·Co-Editor of the Illinois Mathematics Teacher, the official journal of the ICTM

Committees and Responsibilities for 1999-2000

University:

• C.I.A. Council on Intercollegiate Athletics
• Council on Planning Strategies

Department:

• Coordinator of Mathematics Education Service Activities
• Advisory Council
  • Department Grade Appeals Committee
• Mathematics Education Committee
• High School Relations Committee - Chair
• Lower Division Curriculum Committee
  • Major project - to develop a mathematics competency course
• Redesign Committee - Chair
• P-16 Mathematics Partnership Program (coordinated by the ROE #26)
  • Course developer
  • Statistical analysis
• Math T.E.A.M. Advisor

Off campus:

·Board member (Director for Public Universities),  Illinois Section of the Mathematical Association of America

·Two-year College Committee - chair

·Program Committee

·Co-Editor of the Illinois Mathematics Teacher, the official journal of the ICTM

Other

• Lower Division Curriculum Committee (LDCC) - 1994-95 through 2003-04
• Mathematics Education Committee - 1994-95 through present (2011-12 off for sabbatical)

Memberships

·Project Kaleidoscope Faculty for the 21st Century (PKAL F21) Network Class of 1999

·National Council of Teacher of Mathematics

·American Mathematical Society

·Mathematical Association of America (and Illinois Section of the MAA)

·Illinois Council of Teachers of Mathematics (ICTM)

·West Central Council of Teachers of Mathematics

·Association of Mathematics Teacher Educators

·Research Council for Mathematics Learning.

If you delay till to-morrow what ought to be done to-day, you overcharge the morrow with a burden which belongs not to it. You load the wheels of time, and prevent it from carrying you along smoothly. He who every morning plans the transactions of the day, and follows out the plan, carries on a thread which will guide him through the labyrinth of the most busy life. The orderly arrangement of his time is like a ray of light which darts itself through all his affairs. But where no plan is laid, where the disposal of time is surrendered merely to the chance of incidents, all things lie huddled together in one chaos, which admits neither of distribution nor review.

By: HUGH BLAIR, “On the Importance of Order in Conduct.”