Weber State University   

Mathematics

Results of Assessment

2006-2007 (submitted 12/04/07)

Assessment is an ongoing process in the Mathematics Department. It is carried out across the various programs and on several levels. We are monitoring how our programs are serving our majors, client schools, quantitative literacy and developmental students. The curriculum is continually evaluated to see if changes are needed.

Developmental Mathematics

The greatest change in the last few years in the Mathematics Department is that of Developmental Mathematics (DM), which incorporates courses (Math 1010 and below) that are prerequisite to quantitative literacy.  It has become a separate program, The Developmental Mathematics Program, and has its own director (this year the director is acting and there is a national search going on for a permanent director).  All of the lecturers (full time, non-tenured) are in this program, but each will teach one course per semester at the quantitative literacy level.  Once in a while a regular mathematics faculty member will also teach a developmental course.

This new program will be in charge of all courses, experiments, transfers, and other issues related to developmental mathematics.  NADE certification will be worked through on by this program.  The reason for the split is so more attention can be given to students at this level, and their special needs, without taking time from regular mathematics programs and courses.  Assessment of this program in the future will be done by DM faculty and staff.

Graduate Exit survey

We continue to give graduate exit surveys to all graduates as a part of the graduation sign-off of majors and minors. These surveys continue to show that the department is doing a good job of preparing our majors for future success. The responses show that the faculty is generally doing a good job in the classroom. The results have been fairly consistent with student evaluations. GRE scores are also attempted to be recorded, although very few students have reported them.

Several of our recent graduates are in graduate school in mathematics or statistics, and a few have finished Ph.D.’s in mathematics. A few more are working as programmers/engineers in industry. Even more are now high school teachers. Our teaching program was changed again last year to try increase the level of knowledge of our teachers in geometry.  We have also increased our major requirements by an extra course, which for most graduates, will be math history.  It is hoped that the history will give a perspective that will enhance teaching in the high schools.  Our graduates seem satisfied with the education that they have been given.

We are trying to increase our numbers of majors, and we now have a committee dedicated to this task. We are continually looking at the graduate exit surveys for new ideas on how to accomplish this and how to increase the success of our majors.

Quantitative Literacy

One of our faculty members (Dixie Blackinton) is on a committee to assess general education at Weber State University, and on the subcommittee looking at quantitative literacy.  She replaces Lee Badger, who recently retired.  More will be done in the future.

Adjunct Faculty and Lecturers

Adjuncts and Lecturers in developmental math courses are being dealt with by the new program.  Assessment will be underway.

Plans are still being considered of how to better train adjuncts, mentor, and assess them. We currently have a meeting with them at the beginning of each semester to talk about standards, policies, and questions that they might have.  There are places for them to get questions answered as they come up during the semester. Their student evaluations are studied after each semester to get a feel for how they are doing. Statistics on course grades are kept. More planning is underway.

The Solution Space

The Solution Space (tutoring lab in Building 4) is now being run by the Developmental Mathematics Program.  The tutors are mostly math majors and they do a great job.  Many students take advantage of this help.  Continual efforts are made to advertise that help is available here. Within the scope of this study area, many things are being done to help DM students pass their courses.  Some help is also being given to quantitative literacy level students.  Assessment will be ongoing, and mostly done by the Developmental Mathematics Program.

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