Mathematics Education, M.A.

Director: Raymond Lee

Sir Isaac Newton made the statement, “If I have seen further than others, it is because I have stood on the shoulder of giants.” In this statement, Sir Isaac Newton gave the essence of mathematics; it is a body of knowledge accumulated through cultural and historical development, and it is a shared experience.

Program Description

The Master’s of Arts in Mathematics Education Program seeks to build upon the undergraduate degree through the extension of the width and breadth of students’ mathematics background and through the enhancement of those skills and attributes which assist in the improvement of learning and teaching. The program’s conceptual framework is based upon the premise of extending the experienced teacher’s instructional background in those subject areas that are pertinent to the secondary curriculum: function, algebra, and geometry. The extension of the instructional background is contained within the casing of problem solving and research. Problem solving and research should promote data collection, analysis, reflective thought, conjecture, and assessment which provide collaborative leadership to other experienced practitioners. The growth will be demonstrated through the capstone project of the Portfolio.

Program Goals

The educational objectives of the program are

1. to provide students with a solid foundation and understanding of mathematics;
2. to enable students through study to appreciate both the aesthetic and practical aspects of mathematics.
3. to provide experiences that will help students see that they will need to have a variety of teaching and learning strategies available at all times;
4. to provide students with current theories regarding the psychological development of the learner, and an understanding of human dynamics found in the home, the school, and the community;
5. to demonstrate methods of evaluating student learning, textbooks, curriculum educational techniques, and the educational process as a whole;
6. to prepare students to deal with a diverse population that has a broad spectrum of needs, aspirations, and expectations for themselves and others;
7. to provide a consideration of societal needs that are satisfied by applications of and careers based on mathematics and technology; and
8. to stress the importance to a teaching professional of keeping abreast of current trends in mathematics education through the reading of professional journals and participation in mathematics workshops, institutes, conferences, professional meetings, and inservice programs.