UNLV Department of Curriculum and Instruction
Masters in Education Degree with an emphasis in Mathematics Education
Culminating Experience
(applicable for students admitted to the program in Fall 2007 and later)
revised 8/5/11
The culminating experience for the Masters of Education degree with an emphasis in Mathematics Education involves
the preparation of an electronic portfolio. The areas set forth in the Curriculum and Instruction Culminating Experience
Guidelines (see the C&I Web site for details) will serve as the dimensions of the electronic portfolio. The five
dimensions as related to mathematics education are:
DIMENSION 1: Demonstrated ability to articulate and apply theories and practices.
DIMENSION 2: Demonstrated ability to articulate and implement a professional philosophy.
DIMENSION 3: Demonstrated ability to evaluate and/or conduct research, apply problem- solving techniques,
and effectively communicate processes, implications and results.
DIMENSION 4: Demonstrated knowledge and understanding of content and related pedagogy.
DIMENSION 5: Demonstrated knowledge and understanding of professional standards.
The culminating experience will involve the candidate, in consultation with a faculty advisor, in the following process:
a) The candidate will choose 1-3 artifacts that demonstrate his/her understanding of each dimension in the portfolio
matrix. Candidates choose artifacts created during completion of their program of study, but may generate new material
where needed.
b) The candidate will write a reflective essay that describes her/his understanding of each dimension and how the
selected artifacts support that understanding. More details on this aspect are provided on the following page.
c) The artifacts and reflective essay will be combined into an electronic portfolio – a hyperlinked, multimedia document
presented via the Web or removable media (e.g., CD- ROM, DVD-ROM). Unless granted prior approval, the software
applications required to view the documents must be available on any UNLV student computer in the College of
Education. Creation of documents viewable with any standard Web browser is encouraged.
d) The candidate will deliver his/her electronic portfolio to their faculty advisor by the scheduled due date (refer to the
assessment matrix or the C&I Web site for details). The faculty advisor and one additional faculty member will view,
read, and evaluate the electronic portfolio using the assessment matrix (attached). Their scores will be averaged to
determine the final score and pass/fail grade. Unlike previous years, the due date is final. There will be no revisions
after the due date.
M. Ed. - Mathematics Education – Culminating Experience
Last updated 3/8/16
Preparing the Reflective Essay
The reflective essay is intended to illustrate how the candidate understands the ideas of the five program
dimensions and has met the program requirements within the context of mathematics education. The essay should
be written in a formal, descriptive style. Where appropriate, scholarly citations should be provided (especially in
addressing dimensions 1 and 2). Artifacts should be referenced to illustrate application of the ideas in each
dimension. Inclusion of the following themes across the dimensions of curriculum, instruction, assessment and
evaluation is strongly suggested: the underlying principles of how students learn mathematics, conceptual and
procedural understanding, and the teaching of mathematics for all students.
Candidates should create a single essay that contains an introduction, a section for each of the five dimensions, and
a summary or conclusion. Each dimension section should be on the order of 2-5 pages in length. Although the
dimension sections of the essay will focus on different aspects of the program, they should still flow and connect in
a way that shows how these dimensions contributed to the candidate’s professional growth. The essay should be
prepared in a double-spaced 12 pt. font using, where appropriate, the formatting guidelines of the American
Psychological Association (APA).
Scholarly citations are expected where appropriate and required for dimensions 1, 2, and 3. Candidates should
begin each section by first describing thoroughly the main idea for the dimension. Artifacts should be referenced to
illustrate the candidate’s application of understanding. The sections for dimension 2 and 3 should be connected to
the big ideas referenced in the section for dimension 1. The section for dimension 4 should focus on the candidate’s
content knowledge, not that of their students. The Principles and Standards for School Mathematics of the National
Council of Teachers of Mathematics (NCTM) should be used as a framework for the section related to dimension 5.
Things To Consider In Preparing The Essay:
Dimension 1: What are some of the current theoretical ideas that are driving mathematics education? Provide
literature citations as support. How do your artifacts illustrate that you are translating these ideas into what you do
and believe? Be very specific. Stronger essays offer explicit connections between theoretical ideas and practice.
Focus on in-depth examples rather than a superficial overview of theorists and their ideas.
Dimension 2: What are some examples of philosophical positions (especially with regards to mathematics
education)? What is yours? How is this connected to your artifacts? How is your philosophy connected to, or
enlightened by dimension 1?
Dimension 3: How have you been involved in action research? What reviews of literature or journal article critiques
have you written? Has any of the research that you have interacted with impacted your beliefs or practice? How,
specifically? Again, avoid a superficial listing of research-related activities or a restatement of your artifacts.
Dimension 4: Consider the mathematics education courses that have you taken. If applicable, how were you
involved in one of the RPDP certificate programs? Provide specific examples of content or pedagogy that you have
learned during the program that have impacted your beliefs or practice. Do not simply list all of the courses that
you have taken.
Dimension 5: A vision and expectations for the profession are referenced by two publications of the National
Council of Teachers of Mathematics (NCTM): The Principles and Standards for School Mathematics
(http://standards.nctm.org/) and Professional Standards for Teaching Mathematics:
(http://www.nctm.org/Catalog/product.aspx?id=13744)
Describe these themes and use your work and artifacts to illustrate how your personal professional development
meets these standards. Also, provide evidence that you understand the Mathematics Standards of the Common
Core State Standards Initiative (http://www.corestandards.org/the-standards/mathematics)
M. Ed. - Mathematics Education – Culminating Experience
Last updated 3/8/16
Preparing the Electronic Portfolio
The purposes of the electronic portfolio are (1) to bring the different program pieces together in a way that supports
and justifies, rather than repeats, what has been described in the reflective essay while (2) allowing the candidate to
communicate their professional growth in a creative and individual manner.
A navigational file is the gateway to the portfolio and should visually illustrate the contents of the reflective essay.
It is expected that this will be accomplished with appropriate pictures, videos, and graphic representations.
Examples of the candidate’s students in action, the candidate’s student work, the candidate in action, and the
candidate’s accolades are excellent ways for illustrating the essay visually.
The navigational file is often a Word document or a short series of PowerPoint slides that link to the other
necessary files.
Suggested Steps in the Process of Preparing the Portfolio:
1. Develop an electronic organizational system. Create a single folder on your computer to place copies of
artifacts, the reflective essay, illustrative images and videos, and the navigational document.
2. Select appropriate artifacts for each dimension and place a copy in the special folder you created in step 1.
Review all of your course materials and professional development documentation over the time period you were
involved in the masters program for possible artifacts.
3. Write the reflective essay. Use the included description as a guide.
4. Simplify the names of files and folders. Change the names of files and folders within the special folder you
created in step 1 so that they are less than 12 characters and do not contain any special characters like pound signs
(#) and spaces.
5. Create a visual, multi-representational, navigational document in the special folder that links to all of the
artifacts and essay.
6. Any web-based citations must be hot-linked at that point in your portfolio.
Submitting the Electronic Portfolio
The portfolio is delivered electronically as a single folder, zipped or copied/burned to a predetermined form of
removal media. It is the candidate’s responsibility for coordinating and delivering the portfolio to their faculty
advisor by the deadline. Failing to do so could result in failure of the culminating experience.
Evaluation of the Electronic Portfolio
The electronic portfolio will be viewed, read, and evaluated by the candidate’s faculty advisor and one additional
faculty member. Each will complete the assessment matrix and their scores will be averaged to determine the final
score. Candidates will be provided with their assessment matrix score, feedback, and pass/fail status within 14
business days of their submission due date.
M. Ed. - Mathematics Education – Culminating Experience
Last updated 3/8/16
CIG 697 Mathematics Education Assessment Matrix Rubric
Date __________________
Score ____/18 Circle one: Pass Fail
Student Name__________________________
Advisor Signature ______________________
Concentration __________________________
STANDARDS
LEVELS
Theory into Practice
Professional
Philosophy
Conduct and/or
Evaluate Research
Distinguished (3)
Exceeds expectations
by insightfully
articulating
relationships between
theory and practice
regarding the teaching
and learning of
mathematics
Provides convincing
evidence of a coherent
and consistent
philosophy of teaching
and learning
mathematics
Demonstrates on a
consistent basis the
ability to identify,
study, and solve
problems related to
the teaching and
learning of
mathematics
Proficient (2)
Meets expectations by
showing thorough
understanding of
relationships between
theory and practice
regarding the teaching
and learning of
mathematics
Provides evidence of a
coherent and
consistent philosophy
of teaching and
learning mathematics
Demonstrates
ability to identify
and study problems
in the teaching and
learning of
mathematics.
Communicates
clearly mathematical
content and pedagogy
in the teaching and
learning of
mathematics
Marginal (1)
Provides some
evidence of
understanding
relationships between
theory and practice
regarding the teaching
and learning of
mathematics
Provides limited
evidence of a
philosophy or
contradictory evidence
of a philosophy of
teaching and learning
mathematics
Demonstrates
awareness of
problems in the
teaching and
learning of
mathematics.
Communicates
limited mathematical
content and pedagogy
in the teaching and
learning of
mathematics
Unacceptable (0)
Provides little or no
evidence of
understanding
relationships between
theory and practice
regarding the teaching
and learning of
mathematics
Provides no evidence
of a philosophy of
teaching and learning
mathematics or
evidence must be
inferred.
Demonstrates little
or no evidence of
awareness of
problems in the
teaching and
learning of
mathematics.
Communicates no
mathematical content
and pedagogy in the
teaching and learning
of mathematics
Effective Fall 2007
Content and
Pedagogical
Knowledge
Communicates
distinctively and
authoritatively
mathematical content
and pedagogy in the
teaching and learning
of mathematics
Professional Standard
Knowledge
Presentation and
Format-APA style
Communicates
exemplary evidence
of ability to meet
professional
standards (NCTM)
and performance
standards for student
learning of
mathematics
Communicates
satisfactory evidence
of ability to meet
professional
standards (NCTM)
and performance
standards for student
learning of
mathematics
Communicates
limited evidence of
ability to meet
professional
standards (NCTM)
and performance
standards for student
learning of
mathematics
Communicates no
evidence of ability to
meet professional
standards (NCTM)
and performance
standards for student
learning of
mathematics
Demonstrates
exemplary use of
correct grammar,
spelling and
punctuation and APA
style formatting
Demonstrates
satisfactory use of
correct grammar,
spelling and
punctuation and APA
style formatting
Demonstrates limited
use of correct grammar,
spelling and
punctuation and APA
style formatting
Demonstrates no use of
correct grammar,
spelling and
punctuation and APA
style formatting
CIG 697 Mathematics Education Assessment Matrix Rubric
Date __________________
Score ____/18 Circle one: Pass Fail
Student Name__________________________
Advisor Signature ______________________
Concentration __________________________
Paper or Project due on or before: Spring - April 1, Summer - July 1, Fall - November 1.
• PASS: Total score > 12 with no score = 0.
• NO PASS TO PASS: Total score > 8 and < 12 for NO PASS.
Revise and resubmit on or before the Friday of the last week in instruction.
Total score > 12 with no score = 0 for PASS; total score < 12 for FAIL.
• FAIL: Total score < 8 FAIL.
Each emphasis concentration’s interest group may complete the cells of the Culminating Experience assessment matrix with language specific to the paper or
project required of students in that area. The following list of descriptors provides guidelines so as to distinguish among performance levels for comparable rigor
across emphasis concentrations.
DISTINGUISHED (3)
 exceeds expectations
 provides multiple layers of connected and convincing
evidence
 demonstrates exceptional performance
 communicates distinctively and authoritatively
 proposes original and creative solutions
MARGINAL (1)
 meets minimum expectations
 provides some evidence
 demonstrates limited performance
 exhibits limited ability to communicate ideas
 presents partial or faulty argument
PROFICIENT (2)
 meets expectations
 provides multiple sources of clear evidence
 demonstrates satisfactory performance
 communicates accurately
• presents a clear and convincing argument
UNACCEPTABLE (0)
• fails to meet expectations
• provides little or no evidence
• demonstrates insufficient or incomplete performance
• exhibits lack of ability to communicate ideas
• presents unsupported or incoherent argument
 meets minimum expectations
 provides some evidence
 demonstrates limited performance
 exhibits limited ability to communicate ideas
 presents partial or faulty argument
)
UNACCEPTABLE (0)
Effective Fall 2007
CIG 715 Assessment Matrix
Date __________________
Score ____/18 Circle one: Pass Fail
•
•
•
•
•
fails to meet expectations
provides little or no evidence
demonstrates insufficient or incomplete performance
exhibits lack of ability to communicate ideas
presents unsupported or incoherent argument
Effective Fall 2006
Student Name__________________________
Advisor Signature ______________________
Concentration __________________________