Deliver A Lower-Level Curriculum With Appropriate Discipline Specific Skill Sets
The curriculum will provide freshman and sophomore students with opportunities to develop the skills typically required of professionals in the area of study.
Objective
Foundation Areas - Differential Calculus
MATH 1420 (Calculus I): Students will demonstrate the following knowledge and skills: differentiation of standard mathematical functions, application of the Fundamental Theorem of Calculus to the evaluation of integrals, and using calculus techniques to solve optimization problems.
Indicator
Course Assessment - MATH 1430
All students enrolled in the program are required to complete Mth 142. Students will be administered a final exam developed and approved by the department faculty. The exam will require them to demonstrate the knowledge and skills mentioned in the objective.
Criterion
Optimization Using Calculus Techniques
On the final exam, 70% of the students will use appropriate calculus techniques to solve an optimization problem.
Finding
Results From 2015 -- Optimization
Only 50% of respondents to an optimization problem on a set of final exams submitted a correct response. This is not acceptable. One set of exams had an admittedly difficult optimization problem on it.... but a success rate of less than one half is not acceptable to the department. The mathematicians in the department (16 of 30) will meet in Fall 2015 to discuss a plan of action.
Criterion
Differentiation Of Mathematical Functions
On the final exam, 70% of the students will provide the correct derivative for a given mathematical function.
Finding
Results From 2015 -- Differentiation
Students traditionally have less of a problem with computational exercices such as finding derivatives than with conceptual problems such as optimization. It is therefore not surprosing that 77% of our students correctly computed the derivative of a selected function. With more than 2/3 of the course devoted to computing derivatives, most students should be familiar with the various techniques and rules of differentiation.
Criterion
Fundamental Theorem Of Calculus
On the final exam, 70% of the students will correctly use the Fundamental Theorem of Calculus to evaluate a given integral.
Finding
Results From 2015 -- FTC
On the Spring 2015 final exams, 59% of respondents correctly completed the problem on the fundamental theorem of calculus. This is a topic covered at or near the very end of the semester.... so it should be fresh on the mind of students.
However, we have found that many students often have final exams during the last week or even the last two weeks of classes... a problem that is not only a violation of academic policy, but more often than not distracts students from providing their full attention to their other courses at the end of the semester.
We are not as alarmed about the lower than expected performance on this topic, for the simple reason that the material is reviewed during the first week of Calculus II (MATH 1430). But we will discuss the low success rate during Fall 2015.
Goal
Improve Communication Between Department And Its Majors
Communicate to our mathematics majors more and better information pertaining to internships, research opportunities, scholarships. etc.
Objective
Improve Communication Between Department And Mathematics Majors
Communicate to our mathematics majors more and better information pertaining to internships, research opportunities, scholarships. etc.
Action
Improving Communication/marketing
One weakness mathematicans (and most scientists?) have is a lack of willingness or skill in marteting ourselves and our disciplines. We often find it difficult to convince students to study mathematics: if they like it, they will continue studying it; if they don't then they probably shouldn't continue their studies.
But this is a disservice to our particular group of students: those from familes with no or few college graduates, and little career guidance in inaccessible fields such as mathematics.
In Fall 2016 we are beginning to meet with Jana Richie from the university's marketing office. They are going to help us advertise the successes of our program, identify our weaknesses, and recruit area high school and transfer students. While we have the desire and willingness to find and recruit new students, we lack the expertise or the means to do so. Hopefully, this will help us not only attract more students to our degree program, but also help our existing students find better careers once they earn their degree in mathematics.
Goal
Deliver An Upper-Level Curriculum With Appropriate Discipline Specific Knowledge
The curriculum will address the discipline specific knowledge dictated by professional societies and/or professionals in the workforce for upper-level instruction in mathematics.
Objective
Advanced Areas For Majors
Students preparing to graduate will demonstrate advanced mathematics knowledge and skills.
Indicator
Euclidean Geometry Project - Math3363
Students will complete a project on the role of proof and technology in communicating mathematics.
Criterion
Project Assessment
At the end of the semester, 70% of the students submitting their project will receive a rating of 8 out of 10 or better according to the attached rubric.
Finding
Results From 2015 -- 3363
Because of low enrollment in this course, a report of this finding was not conducted in Spring 2015.