OATdb Archive - Sam Houston State University

OATdb Archive

2013 - 2014

Mathematics MA

Goal

Deliver A Curriculum With Appropriate Discipline Specific Knowledge

The curriculum will address the discipline specific knowledge dictated by professional societies and/or professionals in the workforce.

Objective

Understanding Mathematical Structures

Students will prove theorems or solve problems or explain concepts in the following core areas

abstract algebra structures such as groups, rings, fields, functions, homomorphisms, and isomorphisms.
differential and integral calculus
probability and statistics, particularly inferential statistics, and
transformational geometry to include isometrics and non-isometric transformations such as circles of inversion.

Indicator

MA Comprehensive Oral Examination

Students in the MA program will take an oral examination over the four areas covered in the objective. The oral examination will be scored by a committee of faculty using a rubric developed and approved by department faculty.

Criterion

Successful Completion Of Comprehensive Exam.

100% of the MA students will receive a grade of "Pass" or "High Pass" on each of the four areas according to the attached rubric.

Finding

2013-2014 Oral Examination Results

Two MA students took their oral examinations. One student received a "high pass" on all four of her content areas. The second student received "high pass" on one area (algebra) and "pass" on the other three

Action

Comprehensive Oral Examination

Graduate faculty are satisfied that the oral comprehensive examination is suitable for our needs. That is, it gives us a valid measure of our students' progress towards completion of their degree. For this reason, we will continue to administer these exams and strive for a 100% pass rate.

Goal

Develop Research Skills

Students will develop research skills commensurate with graduate student status.

Objective

Demonstrate Research Skills

Students completing the MA in Mathematics will demonstrate research skills.

Indicator

Research Project Assessment

MA students complete an independent research project. The student works with a supervising professor who describes the oversees and evaluates the work required of the student. A grade is assigned based on the individual requirements set forth by the supervising professor.

Criterion

80% Or Better On Project Assessment

Students will be rated at least 80% on the project rubric.

Finding

Research Projects, 2013-2014

Two students completed their MA projects in 2013-2014, both received a grade above 90%.

Action

Research Project Actions

The MA research project is still a excellent capstone experience for our students. Care needs to be taken to make sure that the project supervision is shared equitably among the graduate faculty.

Update to previous cycle's plan for continuous improvement

We have decided to leave the MA core at 4 courses and students in the program will continue to take their oral comprehensive examination based on these courses. However, we are adding two additional courses for our MA students: Number Theory and Non-Euclidean Geometry. These help fulfill the additional 9 hours of graduate mathematics required of the MA degree plan.

What is particularly exciting is that the Number Theory class (to be offered in the Spring of 2015) will also be a required course for our MS students. Thus, the two groups of students will have a common experience.

The development of hybrid courses, however, has lagged. Nearly every MA core course is taught via Interactive TV during the regular academic year. The one hybrid class we offer uses the "flipped classroom" model, which does require online access. There are still occasional face-to-face meetings. A similar structure could be implemented for other MA courses, but faculty members have not had the time to implement them.

Plan for continuous improvement We will be adding Non-Euclidean Geometry to our course offerings, probably in the fall of 2015.

We currently have a cohort of six high school mathematics teachers from Aldine ISD who are seeking MEd degrees from Educational Leadership. We worked with the Ed Leadership faculty to develop a set of six mathematics courses the students could take. This was a new (and unanticipated) development that happened during the 2013-2014 school year. If this proves successful, we hope to offer it to another cohort of teachers in another school district.