Profile

David Boote is Associate Professor of Learning Sciences and Educational Research in the College of Community Innovation and Education at UCF. His research focuses on doctoral education, mathematics and science education, and teacher development. He studies how graduate students learn sophisticated research practices, particularly literature reviewing and scholarly writing—work that has influenced doctoral programs internationally. Recent projects examine how students interpret mathematical graphs and relationships, and how teachers develop professional judgment about curriculum. He taught high school physics in Ontario before moving into educational research.

• Ph.D., Curriculum Theory & Implementation, Simon Fraser University, 2000
• M.A., Educational Studies, Concordia University, 1995
• B.I.S., Educational Theory & Physics, University of Waterloo, 1994
• B.Ed., High School Physics & Mathematics, Queen’s University, 1999

• Doctoral Education
• Literature Reviews & Research Preparation
• Mathematics Education
• Science Education
• Teacher Education
• Curriculum Theory

My research examines how professionals develop sophisticated judgment in complex educational environments. I study doctoral students learning to conduct literature reviews and scholarly research, teachers developing pedagogical reasoning and curricular discretion, and students interpreting mathematical relationships in physics contexts. across these domains, I'm interested in the intersection of cognitive development and organizational culture: how people learn to navigate ambiguity, synthesize conflicting information, and exercise professional autonomy when clear answers don't exist. My work draws on epistemology, organizational theory, and learning science to understand expertise development in high-flux environments.

• Doctoral education and research preparation
• Professional judgment and discretion in teaching
• Mathematics and physics education
• Organizational theory
• Curriculum theory

• Faculty Excellence in Mentoring Doctoral Students, UCF, 2026
• Outstanding Reviewer Award, Educational Researcher, 2017
• William R. Jones Outstanding Mentor Award, Florida Education Fund, 2015
• Sabbatical Leave, University of Central Florida, Fall 2009
• Research Incentive Award, University of Central Florida, 2006-2007
• Teaching Incentive Program Award, University of Central Florida, 2006-2007
• Governor General’s Gold Medal for Outstanding Academic Achievement, 2001

• EDF 7478, Analyzing Data for Complex Problems of Practice, Fall
• EDF 7494, Identifying Complex Problems in Practice, Spring
• IDS 7502, Case Studies in Research Design, Summer
• EDF 7916, Analysis and Synthesis of Educational Literature, Spring
• EDF 6481, Fundamentals of Graduate Research in Education, occasional