Missouri State University-West Plains

Mathematics Department

(Updated Spring 2006)

Department Mission:

The purpose of Missouri State University-West Plains involves the development of educated persons. The campus’ Long Range Plan states: “Missouri State University-West Plains is a teaching and learning institution providing quality post-secondary educational opportunities to the communities we serve.” Thus, coupled with the five System Goals (See appendix A) the mission of the Missouri State University-West Plains Mathematics Department is to develop student understanding of fundamental mathematical concepts and to show their usefulness in describing and explaining the natural and physical world.

(Adopted Fall 2001)

Departmental Student Learning Objectives:

In line with the campus’ goals as outlined in its long range plan (see appendix B) and an educational program focused on creating educated persons through the development of their skills in communication, critical thinking, information management, values clarification, understanding of a global society, responsible action and knowledge in core subject areas, students taking mathematics courses at Missouri State University-West Plains will be prepared to:

(Adopted Fall 2001 - Revised Fall 2005)

1. Take and be successful in other math courses both here and at other institutions.
2. Function in a technological society and apply mathematical concepts to solve problems which arise in their careers and daily lives.
3. Value mathematics as an integral part of the world around them; appreciate various historical and contemporary applications of mathematical systems.
   1. Describe contributions to society from the discipline of mathematics.
   2. Recognize and use connections within mathematics and between mathematics and other disciplines.
4. Communicate mathematical ideas both verbally and in written form.
5. Think critically and draw conclusions; read, interpret, develop (synthesize), and analyze graphs, tables, statistics and other types of quantitative data to make reasoned estimates.
   • Formulate and use generalizations based upon pattern recognition.

Many of these objectives will be addressed (and assessed) throughout our various mathematical courses; however, the General Education Courses will serve as our primary point of assessment.

Department Developmental Courses:

MTH 025	PreAlgebra
MTH 050	Introduction to Algebra
MTH 103	Intermediate Algebra

Department General Education Courses:

MTH 135	College Algebra
MTH 145	Contemporary Mathematics
MTH 138	Pre Calculus

Additional “Upper Division” Department Courses that support 4 year degrees:

MTH 181	Trigonometry
MTH 220	Foundations of Math for Teachers
MTH 260	Foundations of Geometry for Teachers
MTH 261	Calculus I
MTH 280	Calculus II

Department Faculty Background:

The Mathematics Department consists of 4 full-time ranked faculty and a Mathematics Specialist housed in the campus’ Academic Support Center. This person coordinates math tutoring efforts, including training tutors, and also teaches two-courses for the department each semester. Half of the department’s full-time faculty have high school teaching experience while the other half brings work experience from other institutions of higher education. Additionally, the department utilizes 6 to 8 per-course faculty each semester who teach on our campus and at three off-campus sites (Mountain Grove, Houston and Dalian China) and yearly supervises 10 to 12 dual-credit faculty who teach in area high schools.

Our Student’s Background:

Approximately 75% of Missouri State University-West Plains students require at least one developmental/introductory mathematics course. As a department, we understand and take seriously the task of teaching these under-prepared students. Our students typically have an ACT score lower than the national average; however, as a group, our graduates have scored above the national average on the CAAP test for the past 10 years.

The Department’s Key Values and Strategies for Promoting Success:

It is our belief that a well-educated college student should develop a level of mathematical ability consisting of consumer math, algebraic, geometric, and problem solving/critical reasoning skills and that they can be successful if they have the desire and commitment to do so. Thus, our key values are to:

(Adopted Spring 2003; Updated Fall 2005)

1. Provide courses that help students develop their critical thinking and problem solving skills so that they can successfully further their education and/or excel in the workplace while becoming productive members of the community.
2. Accommodate different learning styles and utilize a wide variety of successful presentation strategies.

Since the typical Missouri State – West Plains student is somewhat under-prepared, the math faculty are dedicated to helping those students who are determined to help themselves. To this end, as a department:

1. We regularly offer developmental courses to help under-prepared students gain the skills and knowledge essential to achieve success at the collegiate level. Class size is typically kept under 25 students.
2. We have developed a list of specific knowledge objectives for each course numbered below 135 (See Appendix C). These objectives are shared with the students throughout the semester and are used to create the departmental comprehensive finals.
3. In our master syllabi we present students with tips (created by the Department during Fall 2001) on what they can do to be successful in their mathematics course. Attendance and diligence in doing homework is stressed as is student academic integrity. We make sure that the students are aware of the campus’ Academic Support Center and the tutorial help available.
4. Each faculty member maintains 10 office hours each week and, if necessary, takes appointments to meet with students outside of the posted office hours.
5. We meet at least once a semester to look over the various course/knowledge objectives and comprehensive finals for each course, and each individual instructor adjusts his/her unit objectives and unit tests each semester based upon what worked (or didn’t work) the previous semester. The faculty frequently shares teaching ideas and strategies with one another. All adjunct and dual-credit faculty are invited to department meetings and are encouraged to provide input into the decision making process. They all receive copies of the department-generated materials (syllabus, objectives, finals) and are expected to use these materials in their courses.
6. We work closely and communicate often with the faculty of the Missouri State University – Springfield Math Department, ensuring that the courses taught on our campus are in-line with those in Springfield.
7. The faculty are actively involved in various local, state, and national professional math educator organizations.

In short, the members of the Math Department are continually, albeit sometimes informally, engaging in student learning and/or course assessment activities in addition to proposing and/or making necessary adjustments to their pedagogy and/or courses. For example, in 2004 the department developed a 1 hour pre-algebra course as a means to give severely under-prepared students even more preparation.

Individual Faculty Strategies:

At the beginning of each unit, individual instructors typically give their students a list of unit objectives from which the unit tests are created. Some Department faculty (including adjunct and dual-credit) collect homework daily. Others give weekly “homework quizzes”. All give unit tests and the department’s comprehensive final. Note cards and open note/open book/take home tests are not allowed. Homework accounts for about 1/8 of the students overall grade. Very little extra-credit is utilized. Overhead Graphing Calculators are utilized as are various software programs. Some faculty hold “study sessions” periodically throughout the semester and occasionally an instructor will work in conjunction with the Academic Support Center to offer workshops on specific concepts.

Specific Departmental Goals:

1. Missouri State – West Plains students will continue to score at or above the national average on the CAAP test.

   (Adopted 1998)

2. At least 70% of the students who take at least one developmental/introductory math class and subsequently enroll in College Algebra or Contemporary Math will earn a C or better in their first attempt.

   (Adopted Spring 2006)

3. Students enrolled in our Trigonometry, Pre-Calculus, Calculus I and Calculus II courses will be asked to supply us with an address so that we can survey them at a future date (within two years) to determine if they were successful in subsequent math courses taken at other institutions. At least 80% of those surveyed should report that they were successful (earned a C or better). A copy of the survey, and the results, will be kept on file with the Academic Dean, the Director of Institutional Research and/or the Assessment Committee.

   (Adopted Spring 2006)

Additionally, each full-time instructor has developed at least 3 measurable student-learning assessment goals for each General Education Course taught. Most goals concern student performance on the departmental comprehensive final. These goals are on file with the Director of Institutional Research and/or the Assessment Committee.

Long Range Department Goals:

(Adopted Spring 2003; Updated Fall 2005)

Members of the Math Department will:

1. Work with local school districts to help better prepare incoming students.
2. Explore ways to expand the math course offerings, including offering a mathematical capstone course.
3. Continue to participate in various professional development activities and/or take additional graduate courses, working toward terminal degrees if possible.
4. Offer a wide variety of mathematical/educational opportunities to the community.
5. Encourage our students to participate in various mathematical/educational opportunities both on campus and around the state.
6. Host a regional math conference in conjunction with local math organizations.
7. Develop a pre-test/survey instrument and a post-test/survey instrument to measure the attitudes and attainment of students who take at least one math developmental course and successfully complete their general education math requirement.
8. Continue working to obtain and improve upon the measurable goals listed above.
9. Continue exploring effective and efficient technologies and delivery options.
10. Continue meeting regularly to examine our assessment plan and more specifically assess the progress of our students, the content of our courses, and the effectiveness of our teaching.