Brent Davis
Papers
7
Total Citations
121
H-Index
5
About
Brent Davis is a mathematics education researcher whose work sits at the innovative intersection of spatial reasoning, enactivist theory, and educational technology. Drawing on enactivism as a theoretical framework, Davis has made significant contributions to understanding how spatial reasoning develops in learners and how it can be deliberately fostered through thoughtful pedagogical design. His research is particularly notable for its focus on robotics and coding as vehicles for mathematical learning — demonstrating, for instance, how programming LEGO Mindstorms robots creates rich opportunities for children to engage with arithmetic and spatial concepts in embodied, meaningful ways. Davis's most-cited work (2015, 43 citations) established enactivism as a compelling lens for studying spatial reasoning in coding contexts, while his 2014 paper extended this theoretical grounding more broadly across mathematics education. His longitudinal interests are evident in research examining both short- and long-term robotics interventions, revealing the malleability of spatial reasoning across time. Beyond student learning, Davis has also contributed to teacher professional development in technology-integrated mathematics instruction. Collectively, his body of work champions a vision of mathematics education where digital tools, embodied cognition, and coding converge to deepen conceptual understanding.
Research Focus
Key Achievements
Top Papers
- 1Enactivism, Spatial Reasoning and Coding43 citations · 2015
- 2
- 3Coding Robots as a Source of Instantiations for Arithmetic25 citations · 2018
- 4
- 5
- 6Lego robotics teacher professional learning2 citations · 2013
- 7Emergent Technologies for Developing Mathematical Objects-to-Think-With1 citations · 2023