Bachelor of Arts with a major in Mathematics (BA)
Instructional Degree Program
Spring 2003
Assessment Period Covered
July 14, 2003
Date Submitted
Expanded Statement of Institutional Purpose Linkage:
Institutional Mission Reference:
Texas A&M International University, a Member of The Texas A&M
University System, is committed to the preparation of students for leadership
roles in their chosen profession and in increasingly complex, culturally
diverse state, national, and global society … Through instruction,
faculty and student research, and public service, Texas A&M International
University is a strategic point of delivery for well-defined programs
and services that improve the quality of life for citizens of the border
region, the State of Texas, and national and international communities.
College/University Goal(s) Supported:
Supply more mathematics teachers and others whose profession demands mathematical
skills and reasoning.
Intended Educational (Student) Outcomes:
1.Students will demonstrate their mastery of formulating and solving
problems in
various areas of mathematics as related to the program of study.
2. Students will be able to communicate mathematics in well-written
sentences as
related to the program of study.
3. Students will be able to develop correct mathematical arguments
and proofs as
related to the program of study.
Bachelor of Arts with a major in Mathematics (BA)
Instructional Degree Program
Spring 2003
Assessment Period Covered
July 14, 2003
Date Submitted
Intended Educational (Student) Outcome:
NOTE: There should be one form C for each intended
outcome listed on form B. Intended outcome should be restated in the box
immediately below and the intended outcome number entered in the blank
spaces.
1 Students will demonstrate their mastery of
formulating and solving problems in various areas of mathematics as related
to the program of study.
First Means of Assessment for Outcome Identified Above:
_1a. Means of Program
Assessment & Criteria for Success:
Two content-specific questions will be designed by the course
instructor and reviewed jointly by the mathematics faculty and included
in an examination (more suitably the final exam) for each senior (4000
level) mathematics course every semester. The mathematics faculty will
review jointly the data and comments received from the course instructor
for answers to the problems so collected from the above examination in
accordance with a course specific rubric to determine the degree to which
the stipulated criteria for success are met. An average of 2.5 on a 4-point
scale will be considered satisfactory.
A guideline for development of the course rubric is: 1) understanding
of the questions – 25%; 2) right approach to the solutions –
25%; 3) presentation of the solutions – 25%; and 4) accuracy of
the reasoning and solutions – 25%.
1a._Summary of Assessment
Data Collected:
The average for data collected from three courses is 2.9 on a 4-point
scale. The benchmark has been achieved.
_1a._Use of Results
to Improve Instructional Program: The
following will be discussed through departmental meetings to be considered
for implementation: Students’ grasp of the concept of mappings (functions,
transformations, correspondences, operators) is very weak at this point.
As a tool for understanding and solving problems, the mapping concept
should be emphasized more throughout the curriculum. In fact, since “mapping”
is such a central concept in mathematics and it is so ubiquitous, it can
be used both as a guideline for instruction as well as a benchmark for
assessment: by incorporating the mapping concept as much as possible in
the instruction, we can improve students’ overall proficiency in
mathematics, and by measuring how well students can use the mapping concept,
we can assess partially how well we are doing as a program.
Second Means of Assessment for Outcome Identified Above:
1b. Means of Program Assessment & Criteria
for Success:
Students in junior and senior (3000 & 4000) level courses will be
required to keep a portfolio and turn it into their course instructors.
The mathematics faculty will review jointly the collected data and comments
received from the course instructors for the portfolios in accordance
with a course specific rubric to determine the degree to which the stipulated
criteria for success are met. An average of 2.5 on a 4-point scale will
be considered satisfactory.
A guideline for development of the course rubric for Portfolio Review
is: 1) organization of the portfolio –25%; 2) understanding of problem
statements – 25%; 3) presentation of solutions – 25%; and
4) approach to and accuracy of reasoning and solutions – 25%.
1b.__ Summary of Assessment
Data Collected: This was implemented
partially this semester. One course used a collection of ten homework
problems for this purpose. The average score for the semester is 3.8.
The benchmark is achieved.
_1b.__ Use of Results
to Improve Instructional Program: Take a more systematic
approach to implementing this instrument.
Third Means of Assessment for Outcome Identified Above:
_1c.__ Means of Program
Assessment & Criteria for Success:
Graduating students will be required to take part in a pilot study program
towards the end of their final semester of studies by taking the Major
Fields Test in mathematics by ETS; 70% of the students taking the standardized
examination will score at or above the National 50th percentile.
_1c.__ Summary of
Assessment Data Collected:
No assessment data collected.
_1c.__ Use of Results
to Improve Instructional Program:
No recommendations at this time.
Bachelor of Arts with a major in Mathematics (BA)
Instructional Degree Program
Spring 2003
Assessment Period Covered
July 14, 2003
Date Submitted
Intended Educational (Student) Outcome:
NOTE: There should be one form C for each intended
outcome listed on form B. Intended outcome should be restated in the box
immediately below and the intended outcome number entered in the blank
spaces.
2 Students will be able to communicate mathematics in well-written sentences
as related to the program of study.
First Means of Assessment for Outcome Identified Above:
_2a.__ Means of Program
Assessment & Criteria for Success: Two content-specific
questions will be designed by the course instructor and reviewed jointly
by the mathematics faculty and included in an examination (more suitably
the final exam) for each senior (4000 level) mathematics course every
semester. The mathematics faculty will review jointly the data and comments
received from the course instructor for answers to the problems so collected
from the above examination in accordance with a course specific rubric
to determine the degree to which the stipulated criteria for success are
met. An average of 2.5 on a 4-point scale will be considered satisfactory.
A guideline for development of the course rubric is: 1) understanding
of the questions – 25%; 2) rightapproach to the solutions –
25%; 3) presentation of the solutions – 25%; and 4) accuracy of
the reasoningand solutions – 25%.
_2a.__ Summary of
Assessment Data Collected:
The average for data collected from three courses is 2.9 on a 4-point
scale. The benchmark has been achieved.
_2a.__ Use of Results
to Improve Instructional Program:
No recommendation is provided at this time.
Second Means of Assessment for Outcome Identified Above:
_2b.__ Means of Program
Assessment & Criteria for Success:
Students in junior and senior (3000 & 4000) level courses will be
required to keep a portfolio and turn it into their course instructors.
The mathematics faculty will review jointly the collected data and comments
received from the course instructors for the portfolios in accordance
with a course specific rubric to determine the degree to which the stipulated
criteria for success are met. An average of 2.5 on a 4-point scale will
be considered satisfactory.
A guideline for development of the course rubric for Portfolio Review
is: 1) organization of the portfolio –25%; 2) understanding of problem
statements – 25%; 3) presentation of solutions – 25%; and
4) approach to and accuracy of reasoning and solutions – 25%.
_2b.__ Summary of
Assessment Data Collected: This was partially implemented
this semester. One course used a collection of ten homework problems for
this purpose. The average score for the semester is3.8. The benchmark
is achieved.
_2b.__ Use of Results
to Improve Instructional Program:
Take a more systematic approach to implementing this instrument.
Third Means of Assessment for Outcome Identified Above:
_2c.__ Means of Program
Assessment & Criteria for Success:
Graduating students will be required to take part in a pilot study program
towards the end of their final semester of studies by taking the Major
Fields Test in mathematics by ETS; 70% of the students taking the standardized
examination will score at or above the National 50th percentile.
_2c.__ Summary of Assessment
Data Collected:
No assessment data collected.
_2c.__ Use of Results
to Improve Instructional Program:
No recommendations at this time.
Bachelor of Arts with a major in Mathematics (BA)
Instructional Degree Program
Spring 2003
Assessment Period Covered
July 14, 2003
Date Submitted
Intended Educational (Student) Outcome:
NOTE: There should be one form C for each intended
outcome listed on form B. Intended outcome should be restated in the box
immediately below and the intended outcome number entered in the blank
spaces.
3 Students will be able to develop correct mathematical arguments and
proofs as related to the program of study.
First Means of Assessment for Outcome Identified Above:
_3a.__ Means of Program
Assessment & Criteria for Success: Two
content-specific questions will be designed by the course instructor and
reviewed jointly by the mathematics faculty and included in an examination
(more suitably the final exam) for each senior (4000 level) mathematics
course every semester. The mathematics faculty will review jointly the
data and comments received from the course instructor for answers to the
problems so collected from the above examination in accordance with a
course specific rubric to determine the degree to which the stipulated
criteria for success are met. An average of 2.5 on a 4-point scale will
be considered satisfactory.
A guideline for development of the course rubric is: 1) understanding
of the questions – 25%; 2) right approach to the solutions –
25%; 3) presentation of the solutions – 25%; and 4) accuracy of
the reasoning
and solutions – 25%.
_3a.__ Summary of
Assessment Data Collected:
The average for data collected from three courses is 2.9 on a 4-point
scale. The benchmark has been achieved.
_3a.__ Use of Results
to Improve Instructional Program:
The following will be discussed through departmental meetings to be considered
for implementation: We need to develop students’ ability to construct
their own proofs, rather than to simply reproduce proofs from memory.
At this point, only a few students (say, 20%) have reached that stage.
Perhaps we should implement “Moore Method” type approach.
Second Means of Assessment for Outcome Identified Above:
_3b.__ Means of Program
Assessment & Criteria for Success:
Students in junior and senior (3000 & 4000) level
courses will be required to keep a portfolio and turn it into their course
instructors. The mathematics faculty will review jointly the collected
data and comments received from the course instructors for the portfolios
in accordance with a course specific rubric to determine the degree to
which the stipulated criteria for success are met. An average of 2.5 on
a 4-point scale will be considered satisfactory.
A guideline for development of the course rubric for Portfolio Review
is: 1) organization of the portfolio – 25%; 2) understanding of
problem statements – 25%; 3) presentation of solutions – 25%;
and 4) approach to and accuracy of reasoning and solutions – 25%.
_3b.__ Summary of Assessment
Data Collected:
This was partially implemented this semester. One course used a collection
of ten home.work problems for this purpose.
The average score for the semester is 3.8. The benchmark is achieved.
_3b.__ Use of Results
to Improve Instructional Program:
Take a more systematic approach to implementing this instrument.
Third Means of Assessment for Outcome Identified Above:
_3c.__ Means of Program
Assessment & Criteria for Success:
Graduating students will be required to take part in a pilot study program
towards the end of their final semester of studies by taking the Major
Fields Test in mathematics by ETS; 70% of the students taking the standardized
examination will score at or above the National 50th percentile.
_3c.__ Summary of
Assessment Data Collected:
No assessment data collected.
_3c.__ Use of Results
to Improve Instructional Program:
No recommendations at this time.
|