Joanna Osborne Masingila (born 1960)[1] is an American mathematics educator. She served as the dean of the School of Education at Syracuse University from 2015 to 2021,[2] Laura J. and L. Douglas Meredith Professor for Teaching Excellence, and a professor of mathematics and mathematics education at Syracuse.[3]
Masingila is originally from Oregon, and moved to Kansas as a child. She was a student at Hesston College,[4] and graduated from Goshen College in 1982, with a bachelor's degree in mathematics. After earning a master's degree in mathematics education from Indiana University–Purdue University Indianapolis in 1987, she completed a Ph.D. in mathematics education at Indiana University Bloomington in 1992.[3] Her dissertation, Mathematics Practice and Apprenticeship in Carpet Laying: Suggestions for Mathematics Education, was supervised by Frank K. Lester Jr.[5]
While completing her graduate education, Masingila worked for six years as a secondary-school mathematics teacher. She joined the Syracuse University faculty in 1992, and was named Laura J. and L. Douglas Meredith Professor for Teaching Excellence in 2003.[3] After becoming interim dean of education in 2014, she was named dean in 2015.[6]
Masingila's husband, Adamson (1956-2021), was from Kenya and also studied at Hesston College and Goshen College. In 1998 she traveled to Kenyatta University in Kenya with her family as a Fulbright Scholar, and she has continued to maintain connections with Kenya both in her academic work and through volunteer work with her church,[4] including exchange programs in which Syracuse students visit rural schools in Kenya and Kenyatta students travel to Syracuse for additional study.[7]
Masingila served as president of the New York Association of Colleges for Teacher Education from 2016-2018 and then past present from 2018-2020.[8] In 2020, Masingila was appointed to the New York State Professional Standards and Practices Board for Teaching.[9]