Goals of the MST concluding experience are to provide the opportunity for the participants to:

• demonstrate knowledge of the content and discourse of mathematics
• demonstrate the ability to reason mathematically, solve problems, and communicate mathematics effectively at different levels of formality.
• synthesize knowledge gained from the MST experience.
• make connections between and among the various mathematical experiences and between the MST coursework and the courses they teach.
• demonstrate/document mathematical growth and maturity.
• demonstrate what they can do with a piece of mathematics that they have not formally studied but are prepared to investigate.
• model a process of self-assessment and reflection.

Requirements of the MST Concluding Experience

In addition to successfully completing 30 graduate credits, each MST student will be required to:

1. develop a mathematical portfolio.
2. successfully complete a comprehensive problem set in conjunction with a problem solving seminar.

Mathematical Portfolio:

Each MST student will be required to develop a mathematical portfolio. The portfolio will be a collection of each student's best mathematical work. It will represent a chronicle of the student's mathematical career during the time he/she was enrolled in the MST program and provide a student with the opportunity to pull information together and make connections between various mathematical experiences. For more complete portfolio guidelines, click here.

The following items will be required in the portfolio. Additional items may be added and are encouraged. If a participant chooses to include other items they must write a description of why that particular item was included.

Required Items for the Portfolio:

1. A letter to the reader
2. A presentation, talk, workshop, or article that brings together several mathematical ideas. This would be developed in consultation with and approved by your faculty advisor.
3. Responses to a set of questions pre-college students might ask. The responses must include a description of how the mathematics learned in the MST program could be used to answer the students' questions.
4. A description of a mathematical insight you have had during your participation in the MST program that has changed the way you think about mathematics as a discipline or the learning or teaching of mathematics, or made you think differently about yourself or your students as mathematics learners.
5. A review of 2 articles that the participants are asked to read over the period of their program - one in mathematics content at the level of the Monthly and one in mathematics teaching at the level of the Mathematics Teacher. These articles need to be approved by your advisor; consult your advisor for suggestions of appropriate articles.
6. The best test or assignment from each of the "core" courses that the students must take as part of their program. A rationale for each of choice must be provided.
7. A mathematical autobiography.
8. An annotated list of courses taken.

Portfolio Evaluation:

Students will be encouraged to share their portfolios with others to get feedback from their faculty advisor prior to the final submission (see portfolio timeline suggestions). Any feedback/suggestions they receive should be documented and placed in the final product. The completed portfolio will be due on August 15 (for September graduation) or November 15 (for December graduation). A rubric has been developed to evaluate the portfolio and the rubric contains specific criteria for evaluation. If necessary, specific suggestions for improvement will be given to the student along with a deadline for resubmitting the portfolio.

Comprehensive Problem Set and Problem Solving Seminar:

Each MST student will be asked to complete a comprehensive problem set developed by a committee appointed by the department's graduate committee in conjunction with the MST directors. This problem set should include problems which require participants to use knowledge gained throughout the MST experience, problems presented in an unfamiliar situation where the students need to use what they have learned to solve the problem, and situations which ask the participants to learn a new mathematical concept or strategy and use this knowledge to solve problems. Students will complete the problem set during their third summer in conjunction with a problem solving seminar.

Problem Set Evaluation

The problem set will be due prior to the last week of the participant's final summer session. Individual oral presentations will be scheduled for each student during the last week of the program. At the oral presentation the committee will have the opportunity to determine the participant's depth of mathematical understanding and ability to communicate mathematics. Questions asked by the committee might include variations on the assigned problems as well as other mathematical problems based on the participant's MST experience. If necessary, suggestions for improvement will be given to the student along with a process and deadline for completing the problem set.

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