Biography

UNLV College of Education professor Michael Nussbaum's research focuses on how to make a convincing case for an idea or concept by using reasons, evidence, and critical thinking — a key skill in today's divisive and polarized society. 

He is specifically looking at how teachers can foster respectful conversations, where students use facts, examples, and logic to support their ideas and consider other perspectives in small groups and online. He also studies how to use writing to support ideas, and how our understanding of science changes as individuals learn new evidence.

Since joining UNLV's faculty in 1999, Nussbaum has taught courses in educational psychology, problem solving and reasoning, assessment, and educational research methods.

His work has appeared in such journals as The Journal of Educational Psychology, Contemporary Educational Psychology, and The Journal of the Learning Sciences. In addition, he authored The Waning of Wisdom: The Psychology of Reasoning in the Post-Truth Era.