The proposed Master of Science in Mathematics Education (MSME) merges elements from the current Master of Education (M.Ed.) program in the Seidel School of Education and Professional Studies with the new and innovative Math ADEPT program, which has been developed in the Henson School of Science and Technology. The M.Ed. is the most vigorous graduate program on the SU campus, with approximately three hundred students currently admitted to the various tracks, and several hundred more taking courses. The Math ADEPT program is one of four NSF-funded middle school mathematics education programs in the country. It is specifically designed for in-service teachers under the teacher enhancement division. By bringing the experience and credibility of the M.Ed. program together with the vibrant innovations of the Math ADEPT program, the MSME promises to be an excellent opportunity for enhancing education in the critical need area of mathematics.
The MSME is a 33 hour program that includes three main components: a mathematics core, an education core, and electives. There is also a capstone course and a field placement requirement. Participants can choose to enter one of two tracks, middle school or high school, each of which has its own set of mathematics courses. The general program requirements are outlined in Appendix A.
All five of the components of the redesign of teacher education outlined by the state of Maryland are addressed by the MSME program. While all of the participants will already be licensed teachers, their preparation in mathematics is likely to vary widely. The program will ensure that participants have a strong academic background by including four mathematics core courses that are designed to address the specific mathematics taught at the middle school or high school level. Participants can augment their skills in specific areas through their choice of elective courses (see Appendix C.)
These courses are also designed to take advantage of instructional and information technologies that will help participants plan instruction that will enhance students’ experience with and appreciation of the role of technology in contemporary life.
Performance assessment of the participants’ understanding of the High School Core Learning Goals for the specific mathematics content will take place in the mathematics courses, and their understanding of the Adolescence and Young Adulthood/Mathematics standards for National Board Certification for instructional issues will be integrated throughout the courses. Participants will be responsible to demonstrate their own understanding through the work they are actually taking part in within their classroom or in their field placement.
To bring additional coherence to the program, programmatic assessment will be done using a programmatic portfolio that is guided by a rubric designed to address the eleven requirements for National Board Certification in the field of Adolescence and Young Adulthood/Mathematics. These portfolios will contain a variety of artifacts that the participants feel are significant for demonstrating the participant’s learning and ability in mathematics instruction. Participants will present these in the capstone seminar where they will be critiqued by faculty members, and viewed by other MSME students who are in earlier stages of the program.
SU is situated in a region with a high degree of student diversity. By improving the mathematics instruction in the region, the MSME program will have a positive effect on students’ access to higher education generally, and to science, mathematics, and technology fields in particular. All of the courses in the program, especially the mathematics courses, emphasize the use of information technology, and mathematically-based applications of technology in human affairs.
The MSME program is aligned each of the five Propositions of Accomplished Teaching as outlined in the National Board for Professional Teaching Standards:
Teachers are committed to students and their learning – The courses in the MSME, especially the education courses are designed to help teachers develop the instructional flexibility to respond to students as individuals. These, coupled with the specific attention that will be given to pedagogy in the mathematics courses will provide a strong basis for teachers being able to put their commitment to students and their learning into practice. The field-based projects that will be undertaken in the program will help them hone those practices in real-life classroom settings, with actual middle or high school students. This will help teachers support the success of students from a diverse array of backgrounds.
Teachers know the subjects they teach and how to teach those subjects to students – The MSME includes extensive preparation in mathematics, in addition to the preparation that the program participants have undergone in getting their initial certification. The middle school and high school tracks in the MSME will each have a distinct set of courses appropriate to the mathematics at that level (see Appendix A for course listings and Appendix B for course descriptions.) Within the courses, participants will become aware of typical student difficulties in each content area, and how to address those difficulties in effective ways. The mathematics will be approached in a critical, problem-solving fashion that conveys the social context of mathematics. One of the core education courses that all participants in the program will take is Seminar in Teaching of Mathematics. This course is designed to help teachers design and assess mathematics curriculum in a deliberate, student-centered way. Participants will learn approaches to teaching mathematics and assessing students that they can immediately use in their current classrooms, or in their field placements.
Teachers are responsible for managing and monitoring student learning
– The active teaching methods that are being promoted throughout the MSME
courses provide teachers with a variety of opportunities to informally observe
students as they work with mathematics concepts. Participants will learn how to use these observations to monitor
student learning in an ongoing, formative manner. It is understood, too, that formal assessment must be aligned
with instruction so that active instruction can be met with active assessment.
Assessment of student learning will be a theme in all the mathematics courses
and will get specific attention in Seminar in Teaching of Mathematics.
Teachers are members of learning communities – The MSME program participants will, for the most part, be practicing teachers, which means that they are already positioned within a network of education professionals. In addition, however, the unique attributes of the mathematics courses—that they are designed to fulfill the specific needs of middle school and high school mathematics teachers—will lead to the MSME program participants developing into a dynamic learning community in which participants support each others development as middle school and/or high school mathematics teachers. Program participants at different stages in the program will interact with each other in two main ways. First, they will all converse on a regular basis through electronic discussion boards set up on a dedicated Math ADEPT website. Faculty will monitor these conversations to ensure participation and ongoing feedback. Participants will also interact through a weekly seminar held each spring. This seminar will be part of the capstone experience that, while required in the final spring semester in the program, will be open to all participants in the MSME program at all times. Participants entering the MSME will be encouraged to attend this seminar at least monthly on a drop-in basis. Program faculty, in addition to those teaching the seminar, will also attend regularly
Through these mechanisms MSME program participants will communicate with each other about their efforts to implement reform-based practice on an ongoing basis, and gain the support they need to make fundamental changes in their teaching.
3. Collaboration
The
Math ADEPT Program that forms the basis for the math courses is already a
collaborative effort between the mathematics and education departments. Faculty
from both departments have taken part in designing the courses in that program
and will be involved in bringing the courses on line. This proposal itself is a
result of several meetings that have been held in which members of both
departments shared their hopes for, concerns about, and overall vision for the
MSME program. Both departments have
acknowledged the necessity of bringing the expertise of the two departments
together for this to be successful in meeting the needs of the program
participants and the region. Letters of
support from each Department Chairperson can be found in Appendix D.
The
Master of Education Coordinator and Math ADEPT Program Director will be
Co-Coordinators of the MSME program. Both will have seats on the SU Graduate
Council. A Program Advisory and
Coordinating Team (PACT) made up of two Mathematics faculty members, two
Education faculty members, and a fifth at-large member will serve as the
steering committee for the program. The
PACT will meet regularly to review the MSME program and guide its development
over time. Meetings will be held at least quarterly to review the program and
address issues that may arise as the program grows. Additional meetings can
take place as needed.
Each
department will schedule and staff the courses with its course prefix, as well
as maintain catalog copy and so forth. The capstone course will have a
mathematics education Hegis code, MAED, that will demonstrate the collaborative
nature of the program. MSME faculty
members will rotate responsibility for the capstone seminar, with those not
specifically assigned to it supporting the course through drop-in attendance
and special presentations. Meetings of all faculty teaching in the MSME program
will take place at least once a semester, and more often if needed, so that the
general vision of the program can be maintained, and specific issues addressed.
MSME
participants will make initial application to the program through the Education
Department, primarily because there is already an administrative infrastructure
in place there. Applicants will be held to the same standards for admission as
are all M.ED. participants in terms of GPA, undergraduate preparation, and so
on. Participants selecting the high school track must have initial certification
in secondary mathematics or approval of MSME program directors. Once that initial screening is done in
Education, applications will be forwarded to the Mathematics Department for
consideration. Final graduation audits will follow a similar pattern, with both
departments taking responsibility for checking the participants’ completion of
all requirements. Participants will be
assigned an advisor in each department and will be advised about that
department’s offerings. This process has been successful for several years
already in the secondary education programs.
4. Faculty
The
primary MSME faculty are all tenure-track faculty the Mathematics Department
and the Education Department. All of them have been involved in the development
of the courses and the MSME program and are committed to its success. Specific course responsibilities are listed
in Appendix E:
5. Curriculum
The
MSME is a 33 hour degree divided into three main portions: the mathematics core
(which will be different for middle school and high school tracks), the
education core, and an elective block (See Appendices A-C for Course
Descriptions.) All participants must be
actively engaged in classroom instruction, either as a teacher through a field
placement made specifically for the program.
These are followed by a capstone course.
The MSME program has five main objectives, the first three of which are specifically shared by the Math ADEPT program:
Objective 1: To increase teachers’ mathematics content knowledge to a level enabling them to meet the expectations place upon them in today’s standards-based environment.
Objective 2: To promote the pedagogically sound transfer of this competence to middle school and high school students.
Objective 3: To enhance teachers’ confidence in their mathematical abilities as well as their attitudes in mathematics.
Objective 4: To encourage teachers to extend their professional activities from a school-based, to community- and profession-based perspective.
Objective 5: To provide intellectual tools and approaches that will augment teachers’ processes of reflection on practice and professional decision-making.
6. Scheduling
All of the courses in the MSME will be offered in evening sessions. In addition, some courses will be offered in non-traditional formats such as Friday evening & Saturday morning sessions. These formats have been introduced within the Education Department already and are highly popular with participants, especially those who are currently teachers. Rotations will be controlled so that participants have the option to take courses at different times over the course of several years. One mathematics course from each track will be offered each fall, spring and summer. Each education course, except Seminar in Teaching of Mathematics, is offered each semester. We envision a 2-3 year completion time for the 11-course basic sequence using schemes that are based on our experience with current M.Ed. students, although the students will not be required to follow a specific schedule within the program. See Appendix F for possible sequences.
7. Financial Resources
Table 1 (Resources) shows that NSF funding from the Math ADEPT grant (ESI-0101907) will aid in the development of the courses in the middle school mathematics track and provide curriculum materials. See Appendix G for letter of awarding the Math ADEPT grant. The library holdings and instructional technology services are adequate for this program. Administrative staffing is adequate to support the program.
The program will begin with a cohort of at least eighteen (18) part-time graduate students taking four graduate courses over one year’s time and over a five year period grow to have a cohort of thirty (30) part-time graduate students taking four graduate courses over one year’s time.
Table 1 (Resources) shows that enough tuition would have been generated to hire an additional mathematics education faculty member for the Mathematics Department listed in Table 2 (Expenditures). All of the education courses in the MSME are offered for other tracks in the M.Ed. The Mathematics Department’s new courses were already in the planning stages when the request for proposals was received, and will require additional faculty.
8.
Equal Education Opportunity
Through the ADEPT grant, teachers in all public school systems on the Eastern Shore of Maryland, Delaware and Virginia have been contacted to participate in taking courses from the ADEPT grant. Many of these teachers will want to complete a masters and the MSME will be a very attractive program for them. SU has found that through flexible scheduling of courses, access to the program can be greatly enhanced. K-12 students will benefit in terms of access and educational opportunity as more teachers in mathematics become skilled at student-centered practices supported by a strong knowledge of math.
Tables
Table
1: Resources
Table 2: Expenditures
Table 1: Resources
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
RESOURCE |
|
|
|
|
|
|
CATEGORIES |
YEAR 1 |
YEAR 2 |
YEAR 3 |
YEAR 4 |
YEAR 5 |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
1.
Reallocated Funds |
|
|
|
|
|
|
2.
Tuition/Fee (c+g) |
11,664 |
46,656 |
82,944 |
129,600 |
129,600 |
|
a. #F/T students |
|
|
|
|
|
|
b. Annual tuition/fee rate |
|
|
|
|
|
|
c. total F/T (axb) |
|
|
|
|
|
|
d. #P/T students |
18 |
18 |
24 |
30 |
30 |
|
e. Credit hour rate |
380 |
380 |
380 |
380 |
380 |
|
f. Annual credit hours |
216 |
216 |
288 |
360 |
360 |
|
g. Total P/T rev (dxexf) |
46,656 |
46,656 |
82,944 |
129,600 |
129,600 |
|
3.
Grants/Contracts/Etc |
367,269 |
|
|
|
|
|
4. Other
Sources |
|
|
|
|
|
|
TOTAL
(add 1-4) |
378,933 |
46,656 |
82,944 |
129,600 |
129,600 |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
#3 ESI-0101907 "The Allied Delmarva Enhancement Program for
Teachers" Grant |
|||||
Table 2: Expenditures
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Expenditure |
|
|
|
|
|
|
Categories |
YEAR 1 |
YEAR 2 |
YEAR 3 |
YEAR 4 |
YEAR 5 |
|
1.Faculty
(b+c) |
|
|
54,188 |
55,542 |
56,931 |
|
a. #FTE |
|
|
1 |
1 |
1 |
|
b. Total Salary |
|
|
42,500 |
43,563 |
44,652 |
|
c. Total Benefits |
|
|
11,688 |
11,980 |
12,279 |
|
2.Adminst
(b+c) |
|
|
|
|
|
|
a. #FTE |
|
|
|
|
|
|
b. Total Salary |
|
|
|
|
|
|
c. Total Benefits |
|
|
|
|
|
|
3.Support
(b+c) |
|
|
|
|
|
|
a. #FTE |
|
|
|
|
|
|
b. Total Salary |
|
|
|
|
|
|
c. Total Benefits |
|
|
|
|
|
|
4.Equipment |
|
|
|
|
|
|
5.Library |
|
|
|
|
|
|
6.Space |
|
|
|
|
|
|
7.Other
Expenses |
|
|
|
|
|
|
TOTAL
(add 1-7) |
|
|
54,188 |
55,542 |
56,931 |
Appendices
Appendix A: Program Outline
Appendix
B: Course Descriptions
Appendix
C: Suggested Electives
Appendix
D: Letters of Support
Appendix
E: Faculty
Appendix
G: Letter Awarding Math ADEPT
grant
Appendix A: Program Outline
1. Introduction to Research (EDUC 502)
2. Curriculum Construction (EDUC 514)
3. Learning and Instruction (EDUC 545)
4. Seminar in Teaching of Mathematics (EDUC 506)
Mathematics Core 12 hrs.
Middle School Track (all are current or proposed Math ADEPT courses):
1. One of the following: a. Conceptual Algebra for Teachers
b. The Cartesian Triad: Algebra, Geometry and Coordinates in the Plane
2. Geometry: From Euclid to Modern Day
3. Data Analysis
4. One of the following: a. Number Theory from a Historical Perspective
b. Mathematical Modeling for Middle School Teacher
High
School Track:
1. Seminar: Algebra (MATH 507)
2. Selected Topics: Topics in Geometry (MATH 506)
3. Foundations of Number Theory (MATH 500)
4. Applied Statistics (Math 502)
Any two graduate courses in mathematics, applied
science, and/or education.
See Appendix C for suggested electives.
Capstone
Seminar 3
hrs.
Program
participants will take a weekly seminar as a requirement in their final spring
semester and by other MSME participants on a drop-in basis.
Field
Placement
Participants
who are not in-service teachers will take a 0-credit required course through
which they will be provided a field placement to ensure active engagement with
the program ideas in actual classroom settings.
Total 33 hrs.
Appendix B: Course Descriptions
This course will provide a solid foundation in mathematical content that is rooted in experiential learning, enabling its graduates to lead their students to experience algebraic thinking. Real-world phenomena and the meanings represented by algebraic expressions will be emphasized, and perspectives from various contexts will ground understandings of more general algebraic frameworks. These experiences, rather than memorized algorithms and rote calculations, will serve as the course's foundation.
Active communication by students will play a central role and will deepen understanding as students struggle to express their ideas in a comprehensible and organized fashion. Participants will complete written and oral-presentation assignments. Technology will be used as a tool for student-centered investigations and explorations (e.g. the applets Creating, Describing, and Analyzing Patterns at http://standards.nctm.org/document/eexamples/chap4/4.1/). The Internet will be used to provide multidisciplinary applications and dynamic representations of underlying concepts. Students will experience algebraic concepts directly through the use of
manipulatives including Hands On Equations kits. In alignment with NCTM's Standards 2000 (Algebra, 6-8, pp. 222-231) emphasis will be placed on the use of tables,
graphs, words, and symbolic expressions as well as the interconnections between them. These multiple representations will be used to recognize, construct, analyze, and generalize a variety of patterns and rules, and to solve context-based problems. Linear, quadratic, and exponential functions will be studied from these multiple perspectives. Such functions will not be studied as a collection of black boxes with names; rather, the conceptual and intuitive underpinnings of these functions will be explored. For example, when one variable increases at a constant rate, what happens to the other variable? Students will explore the range of possibilities (e.g. constant increase/decrease, accelerating increase/decrease, and asymptotic behavior versus increase/decrease without bound) in many contexts. In this way students will build personal familiarity with and intuition about algebra which supports an understanding of the rigorous mathematics algebraic models represent.
Special attention will be given to linear relationships, slope, and the effect of scale, choice of variables and units on the look and shape of graphs and data plots. Connections will be drawn between algebra and geometry through patterns and other areas of overlap such as the area representation of multiplication and its ability to demystify algebraic properties such as the distributive law and commutative property.
These experiences will allow students to construct rich mental landscapes of context and meaning which provide the critical support structure for mastery of algebraic techniques and theories. As increased confidence emerges, more positive attitudes about mathematics will naturally emerge as it is understood as based in the concrete world; not based on memorization of arbitrary laws, but having rules which emerge from patterns and structures discovered in individual and collaborative learning explorations.
In alignment with NCTM's Standards 2000 (pp. 214-221), this course will provide experiences and opportunities for middle school teachers to develop their expertise and abilities to teach number sense, number systems, decimal and non-decimal bases, fractions, percents, estimation, primes and their properties, and related topics along with their historical/cultural contexts in their classrooms. Emphasis will be placed on problem-solving and on modeling of real-world phenomena and the meanings derived from the mathematical formulations.
Historical perspectives will be given using a multi-cultural approach, including African-American, Native American, Asian, Latino, Middle Eastern, and Western Cultures. The instructor will draw upon his ancestry in the Native American culture to enrich this experience, as well as on speakers including guests from the ethnically diverse Lower Eastern Shore which has significant communities of African-American, Asian, Latino, and Middle Eastern, as well as Western cultural backgrounds. Students in middle school can appreciate and relate to mathematics better if they can see their ethnicity included in the formulation of the subject. Seeing the historical roots of modern mathematical ideas can reveal the reasons behind the definitions, systems and numerical structures in usage today.
Students in this class will prepare written assignments and will give presentations to their classroom peers. Active communication by students will be accomplished in several ways to arrive at a deepened understanding because students will be expected to accurately and clearly articulate their mathematical learnings. Participants will learn to express themselves in ways appropriate for a variety of audiences, including middle school students. Technology will be used both as a tool for instructional delivery, generating conjectures and stimulating discussion, and as an avenue for explorations where students can make and test their hypotheses. Manipulatives such as fraction bars, base-10 boards and blocks, and addition boards will be used throughout the course to facilitate discovery of patterns using both inductive and deductive methods of reasoning.
The class routine will be characterized as oral, active, collaborative, concept-based and constructive. Dialogue between students in the class will include phrases -- "What if..?", "I wonder..", "Maybe; let's see", "Hey, I think you're right", "Aha!", and "Look at this. What do you think?" -- which embody a positive atmosphere of mathematical exploration and discovery. The students will be exploring, investigating, modeling, conjecturing, extending, interpreting, applying, and evaluating. The instructor will be challenging, facilitating, listening, clarifying, discussing and evaluating.
Participants will gain a real understanding of the fundamentals of middle school number theory and its historical and mathematical contexts thereby enabling participants to approach both mathematical content and their teaching of the subject with confidence. When people feel good about their abilities in a certain area, it affords them the freedom to step out and explore or investigate new areas. Course graduates will therefore not need to rely on memorized procedures for lock-step solutions to problems. They will not feel threatened by existing and emerging reform curricula and pedagogies; rather they will develop positive outlooks and capabilities which will promote their success as teachers. Thus they will allow and encourage creative thinking in their classroom.
This course will provide rich and varied opportunities for middle school teachers to understand the process of using data to gain meaningful information. One is able to appreciate this process only when one has experienced the task of implementing the proper collection and analysis of data in order to draw meaningful conclusions. Of course, one cannot begin to know how data can be analyzed unless one knows something about chance. For example, how can one tell whether or not the patterns in the data are meaningful or whether they are merely chance fluctuation which came about randomly. It would be impossible for someone to do so, unless he/she had expertise to analyze the pattern. Therefore, in order to do data analysis, one needs to know some basic probability theory. Hands-on experience with manipulatives and simulations with real-world situations will be conducted using the computer and the statistical package MINITAB. Writing assignments, oral presentations, and class discussions will be extensively used. An active learning approach will be employed with group work being an essential part of the course .
The course will be data-driven in the same way that the real-word seems to be data-driven. Data analysis will be approached from a modeling standpoint; that is, questions in the real world will form the basis for the mathematical formulations. One does not have to ask "What is this mathematics good for?" It is known from the beginning. Textbook problems will not be used. In keeping with the NCTM Standards (pp. 248-255) emphasis will be given to formulating conjectures leading to questions and planning studies to answer them. The various ways to display data will be studied: histograms, piecharts, boxplots, scatterplots, and stem-and-leaf displays. Experience will be gained on selection of appropriate statistical analysis to be used. Appropriate terminology will be a central part of the course since communication of results should not be misleading to the reader.
Geometry: From Euclid
to Modern Day
This course is designed to provide middle school teachers familiarity with the foundations of numerous geometrical concepts and their recent applications. At first, students in this course will participate in active learning modules crafted to explore the basic principles and consequences of Euclidean geometry. These modules will make use of manipulatives so that underlying concepts may be viewed from multiple perspectives. The software package Geometer's Sketchpad and applets created by JavaSketchpad will also be used by the students to investigate numerous geometrical topics. Then more modern approaches to geometry, including transformations, algebraic, coordinate, and elements of non-Euclidean geometry and of graph theory including networks, will be introduced. The historical movements in the mathematics world
that led to the birth these areas will also be discussed.
The course will make heavy use of both written and oral presentations. NCTM standards will be used to drive the content and pedagogy. This includes the use of technology for viewing two-dimensional and three-dimensional geometries. Connections with the arts (including fractal geometry to explore patterns and for creating designs) and with the sciences will also be emphasized. For example, when discussing transformation geometry, students can explore symmetry in snowflakes, the drawings of M.C. Escher, and many other areas, both natural and otherwise.
Mathematical Modeling
for Middle School Teachers.
This course will provide an avenue whereby middle school teachers can experience first-hand the power that mathematics has for solving problems not only in their everyday lives, but in the global world. Participants will comprehend how the process of abstracting a real-world problem to a mathematical formulation helps them to understand more fully the problem itself, and thereby they will discover facets of the problem not yet realized. Thus, they will gain a genuine appreciation for the applicability of mathematics to everything around them. This course has as its purpose that goal: to bring teachers to an awareness of the pervasiveness of mathematics in the lives of people not only in our Delmarva region but also in the global community.
Students will use technology such as
STELLA, Excel, and graphing calculators to accomplish the computational aspects
of the modeling process. Students' familiarity with models used in other
courses will be built upon in this class. The class will utilize group work, written
reports (e.g. case studies), oral presentations by students, and interpretive
exercises which will stretch the critical thinking abilities of the
participants. Relative to the NCTM Standards 2000 (pp. 256-261), the course
will emphasize the solving of problems which arise in contexts other than
mathematics, applications that involve a variety of appropriate strategies to
solve problems, reflective thinking on solutions, and modifications to clarify
or correct deficiencies in solutions.
The Cartesian Triad (MD ADEPT)
This course is intended to relate algebra, geometry and
coordinates in the plane. It will
include a “capstone” segment on a gentle, largely qualitative introduction to
calculus concepts. The development of
this course will be done in a MHEC funded grant.
Designed for students with a major in mathematics to extend their knowledge in areas previously studied in statistics. The course will be data-driven in the same way that the real-word seems to be data-driven. Data analysis will be approached from a modeling standpoint; that is, questions in the real world will form the basis for the mathematical formulations. In keeping with the NCTM Standards emphasis will be given to formulating conjectures leading to questions and planning studies to answer them. Experience will be gained on selection of appropriate statistical analysis to be used. They will expand their repertoire of algebraic functions to model and analyze data. Appropriate terminology will be a central part of the course since communication of results should not be misleading to the reader.
Seminar: Algebra
(MATH 507)
This course will extend the foundation in mathematical content which is rooted in experiential learning, enabling its graduates to lead their students to experience algebraic thinking. Emphasis will be placed on modeling real-world phenomena and the meanings represented by algebraic expressions. Multiple perspectives from various contexts will
ground understandings of abstract algebraic frameworks. Global characteristics of functions will form a basis for comparison of families of functions.
Technology will be used as a tool for
student-centered investigations and explorations. The internet will provide
multidisciplinary applications and dynamic representations of underlying
concepts. In alignment with NCTM's
Standards 2000 (Algebra, 9-12) emphasis will be placed on the use of tables,
graphs, words, and symbolic expressions as well as the interconnections between
them. These multiple representations will be used to recognize, construct,
analyze, and generalize a variety of patterns and rules, and to solve
context-based problems. Linear, quadratic, and exponential functions will be
studied from these multiple perspectives.
Connections will be drawn between algebra and geometry.
Designed for students with a major in mathematics to extend their knowledge in areas previously studied in number theory. In alignment with NCTM's Standards, this course will provide experiences and opportunities for high school teachers to extend their expertise and abilities to teach number systems, vectors, matrices and number properties in their classrooms. Emphasis will be placed on problem-solving and on modeling of real-world phenomena and the meanings derived from the mathematical formulations.
Participants will learn to express themselves in ways appropriate for a variety of audiences, including high school students. Technology will be used both as a tool for instructional delivery, generating conjectures and stimulating discussion, and as an avenue for explorations where students can make and test their hypotheses. The students will be exploring, investigating, modeling, conjecturing, extending, interpreting, applying, and evaluating. The instructor will be challenging, facilitating, listening, clarifying, discussing and evaluating.
Designed for students with a major in mathematics to extend their knowledge in areas previously studied in Euclidean and non-Euclidean geometries and their recent applications. Students in this course will participate in active learning modules crafted to explore the basic principles and consequences of Euclidean and non-Euclidean geometries using their experiences to justify solutions and explain processes used. In alignment with NCTM's Standards 2000 (Geometry, 9-12) and Core Learning Goals in Geometry, emphasis will be placed on the solving of mathematical and real-world problems using geometric models. Technology will be used both as a tool for instructional delivery, generating conjectures and stimulating discussion, and as an avenue for explorations where students can make and test their hypotheses. The software package Geometer's Sketchpad and applets created by JavaSketchpad will also be used by the students to investigate numerous geometrical topics. The students will be exploring, investigating, modeling, conjecturing, extending, interpreting, applying, and evaluating.
B3. Education Courses
Introduction to quantitative and qualitative methods of
scientific inquiry. Students gain experience in the use of research in defining
a problem and in collecting, organizing and presenting information on it. National Board Certification in the field
of Adolescence and Young Adulthood/Mathematics guidelines will be introduced in
this course.
Seminar In Teaching Of Mathematics (EDUC 506)
Analysis of recent theory and results of research for the teaching of mathematics. Students investigate developments at either the elementary or secondary school level. State and national standards in mathematics education will be examined and applications to curriculum design for the mathematics classrooms will be developed. Diagnosis and alternate assessment models will be used to allow teachers to reflect on their own instruction and the learning outcomes of the diverse learners in their classrooms.
Identification of classroom problems and issues related to and involving instruction; the development and application of strategies to aid in resolving issues and solving problems; and the coordination of student characteristics and environmental factors to improve the quality of learning experiences in the schools.
Examination of the role of evaluation in assessing classroom
learning. Evidence of student learning gathered from traditional and
alternative assessment practices. Benefits and limitations of these assessment
practices identified.
CLASSROOM VISITATION (EDUC 505)
Classroom visitations and field experiences for students enrolled in the Master of Science in Mathematics Education (MSME) who are not currently full-time classroom teachers. Includes observing instruction, teaching lessons, and completing assignments as determined by corequisite teachers. Pre-requisite: At least 3-hours of mathematics coursework in the MSME program. Co-requisite: Any mathematics course in the MSME program, and/or EDUC 506. Students must register for EDUC 505 at least once within the first 9-hours of mathematics courses in the MSME program.
B4. Mathematics Education Course (Capstone)
Capstone experience for students in the MSME. program. Students utilize research skills in completing a project based on a topic related to middle school or high school mathematics. Project must be presented to a professional audience. Students also reflect on how the MSME program has made a difference in their professional lives. During this course the student’s programmatic portfolio will be completed. This portfolio assessment rubric will be designed to specifically address the eleven requirements for National Board Certification in the field of Adolescence and Young Adulthood/Mathematics. Prerequisite: 24 hours of graduate credit.
Appendix C: Suggested Electives
Middle School Mathematics in a Teaching Context with Instructional Technology (TCIT)
This course will empower middle school teachers by providing an opportunity to experiment with instructional technology and to create mathematics curriculum that will incorporate the mathematical understandings developed in the program's other courses. Students will analyze current academic content, issues, trends, and reform efforts in middle school mathematics; evaluate new curricular developments in middle school mathematics; and integrate technology such as graphing calculators, probes, Powerpoint, Excel, Geometer's Sketchpad, and Hyperstudio into mathematics curricula.
In addition, TCIT students in the Math ADEPT program will analyze case studies (for error patterns and misconceptions) in fractions, decimals, ratios, and percents; create standards-based curricula in algebra, computational and conceptual geometry, and data analysis. TCIT students will study, discuss and write position papers about current curriculum and assessment standards in mathematics including the NCTM Standards 2000, TIMSS Report, Core Learning Goals, and the Maryland School Performance and Assessment Program as well as assessment standards from Delaware and Virginia. The course will include substantial middle-school mathematics content and will incorporate a modeling theme building upon the work in the other courses.
In alignment with NCTM standards, the course will emphasize "learning mathematics with understanding" (the Learning Principle); that "technological tools and environments can give all students opportunities to explore complex problems and mathematical ideas," (the Equity Principle); that a curriculum "is more than a collection of activities" and must be coherent, centered on important mathematics, and well articulated (the Curriculum Principle); and technology's influence on both students' learning and on what mathematics is taught (the Technology Principle).
Mathematical Reasoning (MD ADEPT)
This course will present an introduction to proofs, forms of argument and some topics in Descrete Mathematics. Students will develop an appreciation of mathematical justification in the study of all mathematical content. From the NCTM Standards, participants of the course will examine a repertoire of increasingly sophisticated methods of reasoning and proof, including spatial reasoning, probabilistic reasoning and statistical reasoning.
History of Mathematics (MATH 480)
Study of the chronological development of mathematics with emphasis on
both the mathematical concepts and the principal contributors to the
development of those concepts.
Abstract Algebra (MATH 441)
Introduction to the theory of groups, rings, integral domains and
fields, including basic properties of polynomials.
Analysis I (MATH 451)
Modern abstract analysis including topology of the real number system,
sequences, continuity and differentiability.
Multicultural Education (EDUC 504)
Examination of contemporary cultural diversity within the United States educational environments. Special attention given to cultural problems and issues that influence opportunities and performance in educational institutions. Human relations skills considered for improving success within culturally diverse populations.
Classroom Assessment (EDUC 532)
Examination of the role of evaluation in assessing classroom learning. Evidence of student learning gathered from traditional and alternative assessment practices. Benefits and limitations of the assessment practices identified.
Teaching Reading in the Content Areas: Part I (EDUC 582)
Provides knowledge of the reading process, instructional strategies and materials used, drawn from research-based recommendations for using text in secondary content areas.
Teaching Reading in the Content Areas: Part II (EDUC 583)
Provides in-depth study of literacy needs of diverse populations. Includes instructional and assessment methods in reading and writing.
Multimedia in the Constructivist Classroom (EDUC 598)
Examines advanced multimedia authoring tools for designing K-16 classroom instruction. Develops multimedia skills such as sound, video, graphics, PowerPoint and Hyperstudio. Plans multimedia projects that include performance-based indicators for each instructional unit. Examines principles of constructivism lesson design for student projects and assessment strategies. Prerequisites: Admission to graduate study and basic computer skills(file management, word processing, email, internet searching).
Appendix D:
Letters of Support
Appendix E: Faculty
MSME faculty will come
from both the Mathematics Department and the Education Department. Specific
course responsibilities are listed below:
Mathematics Faculty Courses Taught
Dr. Homer Austin Number
Theory from a Historical Perspective
Co-Coordinator, MSME Program Foundations of Number Theory
Dr. Harel Barzilai Conceptual
Algebra for Teachers
Seminar:
Algebra
Dr.
Barbara Wainwright Data Analysis
Applied Statistics
Dr. Michael Bardzell Geometry:
From Euclid to Modern Day
Selected
Topics:Topics in Geometry
Dr. Robert Tardiff Mathematical
Modeling for Middle School
Associate Dean, Henson School Teachers
Dr. Don Spicker The Cartesian Triad
Dr. Don Cathcart Mathematical Reasoning
Dr. Kurt Ludwick Foundations
of Number Theory
Education Faculty Courses Taught
Dr. Geraldine Rossi Middle School Mathematics in a
Teaching
Interim Dean, Seidel School Context
with Instructional Technology
Seminar in Teaching in Mathematics
Dr. Edward Robeck Introduction
to Research
M.Ed. Coordinator.
Co-Coordinator, MSME Program
Education
faculty rotate the teaching of the core masters degree courses:
Learning and Instruction
Dr. John
Bing
Dr.
Keith Conners
Curriculum
Construction
Dr. Nomsa Geleta
Dr. Joel Jenne
Appendix F: Typical
Program Sequences
Students
can begin at any time of year, so these are meant as indications of possible
schedules, but they are not mandatory.
There are some limitations.
Students must take EDUC 502: Introduction to Research within the first
9-hours of their masters program. They
must also take the capstone course in their final spring. Other courses are designed so as not to
demand prerequisites. This is based on
past experience with M.Ed. students who often have difficulty scheduling around
prescribed sequences.
Three-year
Sequence
|
Year |
Fall |
Spring |
Summer |
|
1 |
1 course |
1 course |
2 courses |
|
2 |
1 course |
1 course |
2 courses |
|
3 |
1 course |
capstone course |
1 course |
Two-year Sequence
|
Year |
Fall |
Spring |
Summer |
|
1 |
2 course |
2 course |
2 courses |
|
2 |
2 course |
capstone course |
1 course |
Appendix G: Letter
Awarding Math ADEPT grant