Faculty
Professors:
Robert C. Hilborn (chair), Thomas R. Butts, Frederick L. Fifer,
Jr.(emeritus), Russell Hulse, Cynthia Ledbetter,
Lynn Melton
Associate Professors: Titu Andreescu, Homer
Montgomery, Mary L. Urquhart
Science Education Specialist: Barbara
A. Curry
Clinical Professor: Bill Neal
Affiliate Faculty: John Burr,
Matthew Goeckner, John Hoffman, Scherry Johnson,� Robert Stern
The
Master of Arts in Teaching (M.A.T.) degree in Science Education stresses
training in the art of teaching and advanced knowledge in the sciences. �Designed for individuals with significant
ability in a science discipline and a serious commitment to teaching, the
program offers an opportunity for professional development of experienced
teachers.
The
M.A.T. degree in Mathematics Education is aimed at mathematics and computer
science teachers in grades 8 � 12. It is a content-oriented program that
strives to achieve a balance between increasing subject-matter knowledge and
investigating relevant pedagogical and content issues of the mathematics
curriculum with an emphasis on linking collegiate mathematics with secondary
mathematics. (Mathematics teachers in grades 4 � 8 may wish to consider the
option, �The Teaching of Mathematics in Grades 4-8� in the Master of Arts in
Interdisciplinary Studies program.)�
Students taking at least 18 graduate hours in mathematics content
courses as part of the degree program can meet the minimal mathematics
requirements for teaching at a community college.
The
Department has a dedicated classroom that can be configured for different
teaching styles and facilities for producing teaching materials.� The University�s new Mathematics, Science,
Engineering Teaching/Learning Center will provide additional facilities for
teaching in different environments and for carrying out science and
mathematics education research.� Scientific
equipment, which supports the various programs at the university, is
available to students in the M.A.T. program. Facilities in biology,
chemistry, computer science, geoscience,
mathematics and physics are briefly described in the respective disciplinary
sections of the catalog.
See
the University's general admission requirements here.
Admission
to the Graduate Program in Science Education requires, in addition to general
University requirements, at least 24 credit hours in science. Students with
strong backgrounds in an area of specialization are encouraged to discuss
alternate plans with the Science Education Graduate Adviser. A student
without the required science content backgrounds will be required to correct
the deficiencies and should apply initially as a non-degree-seeking student. �Appropriate course programs for such
students will be developed in consultation with the Science Education
Graduate Adviser.� The M. A. T. Science
Education program can be completed with traditional classes, entirely with
online classes, or with a mix of online and traditional classes.
Admission
to the Graduate Program in Mathematics Education requires, in addition to the
general University requirements, at least one year of calculus, linear
algebra and a junior-level course involving mathematical proof. Those
teaching mathematics in grades 4 - 8 may wish to consider the option
"The Teaching of Mathematics in Grades 4 - 8" in the Master of Arts
in Interdisciplinary Studies program. Consult the Mathematics Education Graduate
Adviser for details.
For
both Science Education and Mathematics Education programs, opportunities may
arise for students to work directly in local schools. Be advised that
public schools and many private schools within the state of
The
University's general degree requirements are discussed here.
Additional requirements for each M.A.T. degree are described below.
All
students seeking the Master of Arts in Teaching (M.A.T.) Science Education
degree (Thesis Option) must satisfactorily complete the following
requirements (minimum of 36 graduate semester hours): �
Science Education
Courses (9 hours)
SCE 5301 Critical
Issues in Science Education
SCE 5305 Evaluating Research in Science Education
SCE 5308 Research Design and Methodology for Science Education
Statistics (3 hours)
SCE 5340 Statistics in Science/Mathematics
Education or HCS 6312 (ACN 6312) Research
Methods in Behavioral and Brain Sciences -
Part I (or acceptable equivalent) is a
prerequisite to enrolling for thesis research hours.
Science Content Courses (21 hours)
A minimum of four graduate courses
(minimum of 12 semester hours) in a chosen specialization related to the
student's major area of study. Specialty areas include biology, chemistry,
geosciences and physics,
�A minimum of three graduate courses (minimum
nine semester hours) in one specialty area other than the chosen
specialization
.
Thesis Research
A minimum of six semester hours in
thesis research, SCE 8398, and
Submission of an acceptable thesis
which warrants publication in peer-reviewed journals, scholarly books,
monographs or the equivalent.
In
addition to the above requirements, students must establish a thesis
supervisory committee and must submit, no later than the second semester of
enrollment, an acceptable research proposal to that committee. Upon
completion of the thesis research, the candidate will publicly defend the
thesis. The thesis is directed by a Supervising Professor and must be
approved by the student�s thesis supervisory committee.
Science Education
(Non-Thesis)
The
M.A.T. degree in Science Education requires 36 semester hours, distributed as
follows:
Science Education
Courses (9 hours)
SCE 5301 Critical
Issues in Science Education
SCE 5305 Evaluating Research in Science Education
SCE 5308 Research Design and Methodology for Science Education
Science Content Courses (18-24
hours)
Primary Area:
12-16 graduate hours in biology, chemistry, geosciences, or physics.
Secondary Area: 6-8 graduate hours in biology, chemistry, geosciences, or
physics.
Electives (3-12 hours)
Three to twelve
hours of electives are taken to complete the required minimum of 36 hours.
These elective hours, chosen in consultation with the Science Education Graduate
Advisor, may include additional graduate science, mathematics, engineering,
computer science, education and science education courses.
No
more than two of the four courses required for a primary area may be taken
during a summer field trip. No more than 15 hours will be accepted for
transfer credit. Under appropriate circumstances, the Department Head may permit
exceptions for portions of these requirements.
The
M.A.T. degree in Mathematics Education requires 36 graduate semester hours,
distributed as follows:
Mathematics
Content Courses (15 hours)
Five approved
courses chosen from:
Analysis: MATH 5301, 5302;
Algebra and Discrete Mathematics: CS 5333, MATH 6311;
Geometry: MATH 5305, 5306;
Probability and Statistics: STAT 5351, 5352
Other relevant
courses approved by the Mathematics Education Graduate Adviser
Students wishing
to emphasize computer science may substitute appropriate courses for those in
the Mathematics Education Core as approved by the Mathematics Education Graduate
Adviser.
Students
interested in teaching in a community college will need at least 18 graduate
semester hours in mathematics content.�
They should consult with the Mathematics Education Graduate Adviser
about their course programs.
Mathematics Education Course (3
hours)
EMTH 5310
[ED5310] Seminar: The Teaching of Mathematics and Computer Science.
Guided Electives (18 hours)
Six graduate courses
in mathematics, computer science or other area involving applications of
mathematics or pedagogy (approval by Mathematics Education Graduate Adviser
required). MTHE 5320 (which may be repeated up to six times) is highly
recommended.
SCE
5301 Critical Issues in Science Education (3 semester hours) Examination of
classic issues in science and technology and the relationships developed
between them. Topics include population and population growth, food and food
sources, energy and energy sources, water needs/solutions, diseases and
cures, housing-safe and adequate, environmental issues-personal and
political, and security-local and global. Also offered through the MAT-SE
online strand. (3-0) Y
SCE 5305 Evaluating Research in
Science Education (3 semester
hours) Examination of selected topics in the methodological and
philosophical foundations of science education as applied to contemporary
issues affecting today's students. Topics include current research on
hands-on/inquiry teaching, concept mapping, student misconceptions,
learning/teaching styles, alternative assessment, gender differences,
learning environments, action research, and knowledge transfer to provide a
context for the history of science literacy and educational literacy;
quantitative and qualitative research methods; and professional writing
techniques. Prerequisite: one semester teaching experience in science or
consent of instructor. Also offered through the MAT-SE online strand. (3-0) Y
SCE 5308 Research Design and
Methodology (3 semester hours)
Application of the methodological and philosophical foundations of research
in science education pertaining to an individual research question. Topics
include educational research ethics and design, measuring instruments and
data manipulation, methodological rigor, evidence-based conclusions, and
publication genres to support the development of a professional presentation
and formal research paper. Also offered through the MAT-SE online strand.
Prerequisite: SCE 5305 (3-0) Y
SCE 5309 Critical Thinking (3 semester hours) Study of critical
issues, problem-solving techniques and reasoning abilities as they relate to
science/mathematics education in today's classrooms. (3-0) Y
SCE 5334 Instructional Strategies in
Science (3 semester hours)
Designed for the master teacher/department leader, strategies for fostering
an integrated science program based on national and Texas curriculum and
assessment standards are presented through hands-on activities. (3-0) T
SCE 5340 Statistics in Science/Mathematics Education (3 semester hours) Understanding and application of statistical
techniques needed in the design and interpretation of research in
Science/Mathematics Education.�
Includes descriptive and inferential statistics, regression,
computer-based tools, and other appropriate topics. (3-0) Y
SCE 8398 Thesis Research (1 to 6 semester hours) May be
repeated. (3-0) Y
SCI 5319 Energy and the Environment (3 semester hours). This course addresses the issues of human impact on the
environment and how we, as stewards, can make sound technical decisions about
strategies to ameliorate those effects.�
Topic will include -- from the perspective of both energy supply and
environmental effects -- global climate change, energy basics and
conservation, fossil fuels, nuclear energy, and alternative sources of energy
(solar, wind, hydroelectric, biomass). (3-0) Y
SCI 5320 Astrobiology (3 semester hours) The ultimate
integrated science, astrobiology brings together from the fields of
astrophysics, planetary science, terrestrial geosciences, and of course,
biology, an understanding how the history and diversity of life on our own
planet relates to the possibilities for life on other worlds. (2-3) T
SCI 5321 Science for Elementary School
Teachers (3 semester hours)
Fundamental concepts in chemistry, physics, life and earth sciences, with
particular emphasis on their applicability to the elementary science
curriculum, including laboratory activities. (May be repeated to a maximum of
9 hours.) (2-3) Y
SCI 5322 Basis of Evolution (3 semester hours) Through discussions
of the nature of science, Charles Darwin's travels, natural selection, the
geologic record, and other topics, students will be acquainted with the
scientific data that supports evolutionary theory. (2-3) T
SCI 5323 Laboratories and Demonstrations
for Middle School Science Teachers (3 semester
hours). This course will emphasize ways that
laboratory work and demonstrations help pre-high school students to acquire
lasting understanding of concepts in chemistry and physics.� Through a variety of laboratory exercise
and demonstrations, teachers will be encouraged to select appropriate
materials for their curriculum.�
Development of laboratory and demonstration presentation skills as
well as new modules will be included in the course work.(2-3)
Y
SCI 5324 Ecology (3 semester hours) General ecological
principles as related to productivity, population diversity, communities and
ecosystem functions. Field data collection techniques included. (2-3) Y
SCI 5326 Astronomy: Our Place in Space
(3 semester hours) This course
focuses on developing student understanding of our planet fits within a
larger astronomical context. Topics will include common misconceptions
in astronomy, scale in the solar system and beyond, phases of the moon,
seasons, navigating the night sky, our sun as a star, properties and
lifecycles of stars, galaxies, and cosmology. (2-3) T
SCI 5327 Comparative Planetology (3 semester
hours) Every world in our solar system is unique, but none more so than
our own planet Earth. In this course we will explore the astrophysical,
chemical, and geological processes that have shaped each planet, moons and
the myriad of rocky and icy bodies in our solar system. We will also
investigate what discoveries of worlds orbiting other stars may tell us about
our own solar system and home world. (2-3) T
SCI 5328 Marine Science (3 semester hours) The purpose of this
class is to acquaint students with issues surrounding our use of the oceans
and their resources. Students will also gain skills in writing an on-line
lesson plan and in preparing a research report. (2-3) Y
SCI 5331 Conceptual Physics I: Force
and Motion (3 semester hours)
The primary focus of the class will be deepening the participants' conceptual
understanding of physics, always with the added component of applicability to
the pre-college classroom. We will use a hands-on approach, and will
utilize equipment common in local school districts and examples of physics in
the everyday world. (3-0) T
SCI 5332 Conceptual Physics II: Energy
in Motion (3 semester hours)
The physics content topics will be covered in workshop style, with hands-on
materials available in local districts or demonstrations and experiments that
can be done with inexpensive or common materials. Students will also be
expected to think critically about how topics discussed in the course can
relate to their own classrooms. (3-0) T
SCI 5333 Conceptual Physics III:
Physics in the Modern World (3 semester
hours) The physics content topics covered in this course will deepen the
participants' conceptual understanding of physics, using hands-on materials
available in local districts or demonstrations and experiments that can be
done with inexpensive or common materials. (3-1) T
SCI 5334 Instructional Strategies in Science (3 semester hours) Designed
for the master teacher/department leader, strategies for fostering an
integrated science program based on national and Texas curriculum and
assessment standards are presented through hands-on activities. (3-0)
T
SCI 5335 Environmental Field Methods
(3 semester hours) Hands-on
activities explore the properties and qualities of water through traditional
and digital sampling methods. Designed for teachers, this inquiry-based
course addresses information technology and environmental science standards
in the context of real-world constructivist practice. May be repeated for
credit as topics change. (2-3) T
SCI 5330 Special Topics (3 semester hours) May repeat for
credit to a maximum of 9 hours. (3-0) Y
SCI 5425
Integrated Science for Teachers (4 semester hours) Investigation of science
standards using pedagogical models of best practice applicable to a variety
of learners in diverse contexts. Inquiry-based investigations feature various
topics in physical, earth and life sciences-with a hands-on emphasis on the
latest scientific research and educational applications. Courses
are offered online only. (May be repeated to a maximum of 12 hours as topics
cycle through earth, life and physical sciences.) (4-4) Y
SCE 5V06 Special Topics in Science
Education (1-3 semester hours) (May
be repeated for credit to a maximum of 9 hours.) ([1-3]-0)
SCI
EMTH 5310 [ED 5310] Seminar: The
Teaching of Mathematics and Computer Science
(3 semester hours) A forum for
sharing ideas on current issues in the teaching of mathematics and computer
science, grades 8-12, through participant presentations and discussions. Some
work on mathematics history is included. Prerequisite: One year of teaching
experience in mathematics or computer science. (May not be counted as credits
toward the M.S. or Ph.D. degrees in Mathematical Sciences.) (3-0) Y
MTHE 5320 Usual and Unusual Problems
Using Secondary Mathematics (3
semester hours) For teachers only. Emphasis on (1) problem solving, (2)
linking 'college mathematics' and 'secondary mathematics', and (3) using
technology. Content varies from term to term with courses in algebra,
geometry, precalculus, calculus,
probability/statistics, discrete mathematics, mathematical modeling. (May be
repeated to a maximum of 18 semester hours.) (May not be counted as credits
toward the M.S. or Ph.D. degrees in Mathematical Sciences.) (3-0) S
MTHE 5330 Topics in Mathematics (3 semester hours) Special topics for
mathematics teachers. (May be repeated for credit to a maximum of 9 hours.)
(May not be counted as credits toward the M.S. or Ph.D. degrees in
Mathematical Sciences.) (3-0) R
MTHE 5V06 Special Topics in
Mathematics (1-3 semester hours) (May be repeated for credit to a maximum
of 9 hours) (May not be counted as credits toward the M.S. or Ph.D. degrees
in Mathematical Sciences.) ([1-3]-0) R