Nancy C. Jordan

Dean Family Endowed Chair of Education and Professor

Nancy C. Jordan is Dean Family Endowed Chair and Professor specializing in Learning Sciences at the University of Delaware. Her research focuses on how children learn math and why so many struggle. Professor Jordan has received numerous grants, including from the Eunice Kennedy Shriver National Institute of Child Health and Human Development (NICHD), the U.S. Department of Education Institute of Education Sciences (IES), the National Science Foundation, and the Spencer Foundation.

Professor Jordan recently served as Chair of the governing board of the international Mathematical Cognition and Learning Society.  She also served on the Committee on Early Childhood Mathematics of the National Research Council and as an expert panel member on the U.S. Department of Education Practice Guides on teaching math to young children and on providing interventions for students with math disabilities.

Professor Jordan is dedicated to disseminating her work to a wide audience, including researchers, practitioners, and policymakers. She translates her foundational research to improve educational practice, especially for those with learning disabilities and limited educational opportunities in STEM. She has developed successful interventions and screening tools for high-risk children, including the widely used Number Sense Interventions and the Screener for Early Number Sense. 

Educational Background

• Ed.D., Human Development, Harvard University, Cambridge, MA, 1985
• M.A., Teaching, Northwestern University, Evanston, IL
• B.A., University of Iowa, Iowa City, IA

Professional Experience

• Dean Family Endowed Chair of Teacher Education, School of Education, University of Delaware, 2019–present
• Professor, School of Education, University of Delaware, 2004–present
• Associate Professor, School of Education, University of Delaware, 1997–2004
• Assistant Professor, School of Education, University of Delaware, 1995–1997

Recent Grants

• Jordan, N. (PI), Newcombe, N., and Barbieri, C. A. (co-PIs). Paving the Way for Fractions: Exploring Foundational Concepts in First Grade. National Science Foundation, 2020–2024. ($1,725,620)
• Jordan, N. (PI), Dyson, N. and May, H. (co-PIs). Examining the Efficacy of a Fraction Sense Intervention Grounded in Principles from the Science of Learning. U.S. Department of Education, Institute of Education Sciences, 2020–2025. ($3,299,957)
• Jordan, N. (PI), Dyson, N. and May, H. (co-PIs). Developing a Fraction Sense Intervention for Students with or at Risk for Mathematics Difficulties. U.S. Department of Education, Institute of Education Sciences, 2016–2020. ($1,499,997)

Recent Professional Awards

• American Educational Research Association (AERA) Fellow, 2020
• Kauffman-Hallahan-Pullen Distinguished Researcher Award, Council of Exceptional Children, Division of Research, 2020
• Fellow, Association for Psychological Science