Provost & Academic Vice President

Student Learning Outcomes

Mathematics  (B.S.)

 

Mathematics and Data Science and Statistics Options

Upon completion of this program, the student will be able to: 

  1. demonstrate a satisfactory knowledge of the material in the core courses
  2. demonstrate the use of abstract mathematical reasoning in MATH 341 (Logic and Sets)
  3. demonstrate the ability to read, write, and present mathematics in MATH 391 (Writing in the Mathematical Sciences), or MATH 444 (Undergraduate Research Project)

 

Teacher Education Option

Based on standards established by the National Council of Teachers of Mathematics (NCTM), upon completion of this program, the student will be able to:

  1. demonstrate and apply knowledge of major mathematics concepts, algorithms, procedures, connections, and applications within and among mathematical content domains
  2. solve problems, represent mathematical ideas, reason, prove, use mathematical models, attend to precision, identify elements of structure, generalize, engage in mathematical communication, and make connections as essential mathematical practices; understand that these practices intersect with mathematical content and that understanding relies on the ability to demonstrate these practices within and among mathematical domains and in their teaching
  3. apply knowledge of curriculum standards for mathematics and their relationship to student learning within and across mathematical domains; incorporate research-based mathematical experiences and include multiple instructional strategies and mathematics-specific technological tools in his or her teaching to develop all students’ mathematical understanding and proficiency; provide students with opportunities to do mathematics—talking about it and connecting it to both theoretical and real-world contexts; plan, select, implement, interpret, and use formative and summative assessments for monitoring student learning, measuring student mathematical understanding, and informing practice
  4. exhibit knowledge of adolescent learning, development, and behavior; use this knowledge to plan and create sequential learning opportunities grounded in mathematics education research where students are actively engaged in the mathematics they are learning and building from prior knowledge and skills; demonstrate a positive disposition toward mathematical practices and learning, include culturally relevant perspectives in teaching, and demonstrate equitable and ethical treatment of and high expectations for all students; use instructional tools such as manipulatives, digital tools, and virtual resources to enhance learning while recognizing the possible limitations of such tools
  5. provide evidence demonstrating that as a result of their instruction, secondary students’ conceptual understanding, procedural fluency, strategic competence, adaptive reasoning, and application of major mathematics concepts in varied contexts have increased; support the continual development of a productive disposition toward mathematics; show that new student mathematical knowledge has been created as a consequence of their ability to engage students in mathematical experiences that are developmentally appropriate, require active engagement, and include mathematics-specific technology in building new knowledge
  6. be a lifelong learner and recognize that learning is often collaborative; participate in professional development experiences specific to mathematics and mathematics education, draw upon mathematics education research to inform practice, continuously reflect on their practice, and utilize resources from professional mathematics organizations

In addition to the outcomes listed above, all professional educator licensure programs at Western Illinois University are designed to meet the 2013 Illinois Professional Teaching Standards (IAC 23, Part 25)  and are also aligned with the standards established by the Interstate New Teacher Assessment and Support Consortium.  These standards can be found at the links below: 

https://www.isbe.net/Documents/IL_prof_teaching_stds.pdf 

https://ccsso.org/sites/default/files/2017-12/2013_INTASC_Learning_Progressions_for_Teachers.pdf