General College Curriculum Goals

Course: GC 0721 Introductory Algebra — Note: Goals are almost identical for the following math classes: 0712, 0713, 0721, 0731

Credits: 0 (but counts as 4 credits for financial aid)

Workload: 12 hours per week

Diversified Core: None

Designated Theme: None

Writing Intensive: No

Completed by: Douglas Robertson

Date completed: November 26, 1998

A. Develop academic skills (i.e., processes involved with both acquiring and demonstrating knowledge) and successfully apply them to college-level coursework

Curricular Goals	Course Goals	Learning Activities
1. Students will read college-level texts.	Acquire content from the textbook including vocabulary, skills, procedures, properties.	Students read relevant sections of the text before attending class on that topic. Students read relevant sections of the text when having difficulty with homework exercises. Students read relevant sections of the text when reviewing for quizzes and exams.
2. Students will understand lecture material.	Students learn to take accurate and complete lecture notes. Students ask questions during lecture either to clarify or to bring in new ideas.	Students are required to take notes on lectures. Teacher randomly checks student notes for accuracy and completeness. Teacher solicits questions from the class. Teacher asks questions of the class, based on the lecture material just presented.
3. Students will participate in classroom discussions.	Students exchange ideas, support arguments, document solutions, and ask questions orally when interacting with each other and the teacher.	Students participate in discussions lead by the teacher. Students have meaningful discussions with each other when working in pairs or groups.
4. Students will write a variety of documents.	Students write clear solutions to problems on homework, in-class work, and exams.	Teacher models correct and complete solutions on the board to the class as a whole. Teacher works individually with students to improve their written communication of ideas, both in and outside of class.
5. Students will understand quantitative problems.	Students solve problems expressed in English.	Students translate from English to algebra and vice versa. Students use algebra to solve problems expressed in English
6. Students will be able to use a computer.
7. Students are willing to receive information and respond to it.	Students are attentive in class and actively engage with the course content and the instructor.	Teacher creates an environment where students are encouraged to be actively engaged in the classroom experience.
8. Students develop values, organize them into systems, and apply those systems to their private and public lives.	Students show respect for the ideas of others. Students are willing to examine ideas that are contrary to their own beliefs.	Teacher creates an environment that it is comfortable for students of all abilities, interests, and backgrounds. Teacher intervenes when the personal or civil rights of students are attacked or threatened.
9. Other.

B. Build and use a foundation of general knowledge in the discipline

Curricular Goals	Course Goals	Learning Activities
10. Appreciate the discipline as a valuable area of knowledge.	Students see mathematics as a useful tool to solve problems. Students view mathematics as a field of study in various ways including: (a) mathematics as problem solving (e.g., using problem solving strategies, formulating problems, and applying mathematical modeling to real–world applications); (b) mathematics as communication (e.g., using language to communicate mathematical ideas orally and in writing, clarifying thinking, formulating definitions, expressing generalizations, reading mathematics with understanding, asking proper questions, and employing mathematical notation); (c) mathematics as reasoning (e.g., making and testing conjectures, formulating counter examples, constructing and evaluating valid arguments); (d) mathematical connections (e.g., recognizing equivalent representations, using mathematics in applications).	Students use mathematics to solve a wide range of problems, both applies and theoretical. Students learn basic principles of algebra and combine those to form new principles.
11. Identify and describe issues or problems in the discipline.	Students identify problems where mathematics can be used as a problem solving tool. Students describe situations using mathematical models.	Identification not yet implemented. Students translate from English descriptions to mathematical models in various forms (symbolic, graphical, data table).
12. Analyze and reflect upon issues or problems in the discipline.
13. Solve issues or problems in the discipline.
14. Think creatively.	Students develop, display, and justify non-standard ways of solving some problems.	Students who create non-standard solutions are encouraged to explain how and why they work.
15. Other.

C. Demonstrate greater awareness of and respect for individual, cultural, ethnic, and religious differences

Curricular Goals	Course Goals	Learning Activities
16. Awareness and respect for diversity in terms of content.	Students know some of the history of mathematics and different systems developed by different cultures.	Teacher and textbook provides historical context for some mathematical ideas and symbols.
17. Awareness and respect for diversity in terms of process.	Students are able to solve a given problem in more than one way.	Teacher illustrates more than one way of solving a problem by looking at the problem from different perspectives. Teacher shows solution process of students who solve a given problem differently. When appropriate, teacher points out advantages of solving problems in different ways to show depth of meaning or efficiency.
18. Other.

D. Develop attitudes and behaviors that are associated with success in college

Curricular Goals	Course Goals	Learning Activities
19. Class participation.	Students learn to work together on problems. Students are actively engaged in class discussions.	Students work in pairs or groups to solve problems. Students respond to questions given in class.
20. Use of learning resources.	Students use each other, the Math Center, and the instructor for extra help.	Teacher requires students to work together in class. Teacher encourages students to work together outside of class. Teacher encourages students to do homework in the Math Center. Teacher encourages students to work individually with the instructor.
21. Task completion.	Students complete their homework assignments completely and on time.	Homework is due at specific times, four times per week. Late homework is not accepted. Makeup quizzes and exams are not given.
22. Appropriate interaction with peers, faculty, and staff on academic issues.	Students seek help from peers, instructors, UTAs, and advisers. Students interact in class thoughtfully and respectfully.	Teacher requires students to work together in class. Teacher encourages students to work together outside of class. Teacher encourages students to do homework in the Math Center. Teacher encourages students to work individually with the instructor. Teacher encourages students to work with advisers on appropriate registration for the next math class.
23. Understand themselves better as learners.	Students determine problems they have with math and use strategies to overcome the problems.	Teacher requires students go over missed items on quizzes and exams to determine if patterns exist in errors. Teacher models good test preparation activities.
24. Evaluate their own strengths, limitations, and interests.	Students examine their graded tests, quizzes, and homework to determine if they are making consistent or systematic errors.	Teacher encourages students to go over their work and look for patterns of errors and make note cards on those (e.g., always forget to distribute a negative sign). Teacher gives students regular and frequent feedback on performance on homework, quizzes, and exams.
25. Set attainable academic and career goals.	Students who register for a course have the proper mathematical background that will enable them to be successful in that course.	Diagnostic tests are given on the first day of class to check for prerequisite knowledge. Reinstruction on missing prerequisite knowledge is done during the fist week of class. Students who do not have the proper prerequisite knowledge are encouraged to switch to a different course.
26. Time management.	Students arrange their schedules so that they can spend one to two hours per day working on math outside of class.	Teacher discusses planning strategies for getting homework done and studying for tests.
27. Test taking.	Students learn how math tests are different from other types of tests. Students learn strategies for taking math tests.	Teacher leads class discussion on test preparation and test taking.
28. Library skills.
29. Condensing and summarizing.	Students learn how to take notes in a math class.	Teacher requires students to make note cards on important vocabulary, properties, and procedures and on difficult homework problems and common errors.
30. Techniques for organizing knowledge.	Students learn the difference between definitions, properties, and procedures.	Class discussions on these.
31. Familiarity with different learning strategies.
32. Awareness of personal learning styles.
33. Other.