Department of Mathematical Sciences February 9, /11 Art Duval and Helmut Knaust Student Outcomes in Mathematics

Department of Mathematical Sciences February 9, /11 Starting Point: Pretty much at zero. Creation of a Strategic Planning Committee –Consisting of five department members “High profile”: Department chair as committee chair “Departmental opinion leaders” Representing all sub-disciplines within the department Varying experience from Assistant Professor to Full Professor January 2004

Department of Mathematical Sciences February 9, /11 Hour-long meetings (nearly) every week Working on a Vision and Mission Statement –Lots of “talking” –Slowly coming to an understanding about the future path of the department –Very slow but steady progress January 2004 – October 2004

Department of Mathematical Sciences February 9, /11 “Homework assignment” for committee members –What do we want our students to be able to do? The next committee meeting –Surprise: All committee members envision quite similar student outcomes! –Committee works for an hour on refining three objectives Early November 2004

Department of Mathematical Sciences February 9, /11 Department meeting (Take I) –Discussion about the competencies and possible assessment strategies Committee chair researches assessment strategies in the literature and at other mathematics departments November 2004

Department of Mathematical Sciences February 9, /11 Department meeting (Take II) –More discussion about the competencies –After some changes the competencies are accepted –Department agrees in principle to assessment by student portfolios. Committee (with extra members) writes a draft version of student assessment procedures Early December 2004

Department of Mathematical Sciences February 9, /11 “To Do” items Finalizing the student assessment plan Implementation of the assessment plan starting in Fall 2005 Spring 2005

Department of Mathematical Sciences February 9, /11 Our general design principles for competencies and their assessment List general abilities rather than knowledge domains Uniform formulation of student competencies for all degree plans in the department Assessment will (hopefully) provide useful feedback to the department

Department of Mathematical Sciences February 9, /11 The Three Competencies 1. Given initial information and data from various domains, students will be able to identify problems, and using appropriate mathematical tools, formulate and solve them. 2. Students will be able to understand, create and analyze mathematical proofs. 3. Students will be able to communicate mathematics clearly in oral and written form.

Department of Mathematical Sciences February 9, /11 Student Portfolio Assessment “Student achievement of the above three competencies will be assessed with the help of student portfolios. After graduation a student’s portfolio will be analyzed by a specially selected committee. Emphasis will be put on comparative analysis of the quality of the material submitted at various points of time of a student’s education at our institution so that the student’s progress may be analyzed. By assessing individual students’ portfolios, over time, the Department of Mathematical Sciences will gain insight into the teaching effectiveness of its programs and into suitable ways of improving them. Each of the competencies is currently being assessed in appropriate courses, but no permanent record of these assessments is being kept. The portfolios will meet that need.”

Department of Mathematical Sciences February 9, /11 Art Duval Helmut Knaust Student Competencies (Draft) Competencies.pdf Department Compact (Draft) compact.pdf