Search

The Mathematical Sciences Department at Shenandoah University focused on increasing the participation of women in the mathematics program by fostering a welcoming learning community and promoting double majors. Data from the past decade is presented. During this time, the program saw an increase in women undergraduate mathematics majors from 11% to as high as 71%. This paper describes the initiatives taken to make these changes. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR] more...

This editorial serves as an introduction to the Special Issue on Implementing Mastery Grading in the Undergraduate Mathematics Classroom. We provide a broad introduction to mastery grading and describe articles in this special issue that provide a wide range of implementations of mastery grading in a variety of undergraduate mathematics classrooms. We conclude by identifying additional resources available to new practitioners, and describing ideas for future work related to mastery grading. We hope this special issue will serve as a resource for both experienced practitioners and those who wish to begin using mastery grading. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR] more...

Mastery-based testing is an assessment scheme that challenges students to provide complete solutions to problems derived from clear course concepts. Students are allowed multiple attempts to demonstrate mastery, which helps create a classroom environment where students value persistence toward thorough understanding. In this paper, we describe in detail the benefits and implementation of mastery-based testing in college mathematics courses. We also summarize student response data that show positive reactions to this testing method. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR] more...

This paper investigates the advantages of using a two-step homework system. First, technology is used to collect and grade traditional homework. Then, students are expected to present and explain problems from their assignments in class. Several versions of implementation are discussed for different course levels and sizes. Through these methods, students are encouraged to revisit their course material and gain a deeper understanding of mathematical concepts. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR] more...