Bachelor of Science in Mathematics for Secondary Education (Leads to Initial Teacher Licensure)

The Learner and Learning -
Teacher candidates design and implement developmentally appropriate learning experiences and inclusive learning environments that enable each learner to meet high standards, are based on how students grow and develop, and recognize that patterns of learning and development vary individually within and across cognitive, linguistic, social, emotional, and physical areas. (InTASC 1, 2, 3)

• Create developmentally appropriate instruction that takes into account individual learners’ strengths, interests, and needs and that enables each learner to advance and accelerate their learning.
• Design instruction to address each student’s diverse learning strengths and needs and create opportunities for students to demonstrate their learning in different ways.
• Bring multiple perspectives to the discussion of content, including attention to learners' personal, family, and community experiences and cultural norms.
• Collaborate with learners, families/guardians, and colleagues to build a safe, positive learning climate of openness, mutual respect, support, and inquiry.

Application of Content -
Candidates apply the central concepts, tools of inquiry, and structures of the disciplines he/she teaches to engage students in critical thinking, creativity and collaborative problem-solving, making the content accessible and meaningful to assure mastery. (InTASC 4, 5)

• Apply content knowledge by engaging learners in diverse perspectives that question and challenge assumptions and approaches in order to master content and foster metacognition, innovation, and problem solving.
• Evaluate and modify instructional resources and curriculum materials for their comprehensiveness, accuracy for representing particular concepts in the discipline, and appropriateness for their learners.
• Create opportunities for students to learn, practice, and master academic language in their content.

Instructional Practice -
Candidates plan and implement instruction using a variety of instructional strategies and multiple methods of assessments that support every student in meeting rigorous learning goals by drawing upon knowledge of content areas, cross-disciplinary skills, and pedagogy, as well as knowledge of learners and the community context. (InTASC 6, 7, 8)

• Select and adapt formative and summative assessments that minimizes sources of bias to support, verify, and document learning.
• Plan for instruction based on formative and summative assessment data, prior learner knowledge, and learner interest.
• Analyze assessment data to effectively provide feedback and inform future instructional practices.
• Select and create learning experiences and assessments that are appropriate for curriculum goals and content standards, aligned to learning objectives, and are relevant to learners.

Professional Responsibility -
Candidates engage in ongoing professional learning and use evidence to continually evaluate and improve their practice, as well as seek appropriate leadership roles and opportunities to take responsibility for student learning, to collaborate with learners, families, colleagues, other school professionals, and community members to ensure learner growth, and to advance the profession. (InTASC 9, 10)

• Engage in ongoing learning opportunities to develop knowledge and skills in order to provide all learners with engaging curriculum and learning experiences within the context of local and state standards.
• Reflect on personal biases and access resources to deepen understanding of cultural, ethnic, gender, and learning differences to promote ethical practice, build stronger relationships and create more relevant learning experiences.
• Work collaboratively with peers and school colleagues to build ongoing connections with digital and community resources to enhance student learning and well-being.

Calculus -
Graduates of Grand Canyon University’s Bachelor of Science in Mathematics for Secondary Education program will use differential and integral calculus to solve problems in a variety of contexts. Students can connect visual, analytical, and data-driven descriptions of situations and use appropriate techniques to analyze and solve problems.

• Students can calculate limits, derivatives, definite integrals and indefinite integrals and determine points of continuity and discontinuity. (NCTMC A.5.1)
• Students can apply the Fundamental Theorem of Calculus to evaluate definite integrals. (NCTMC A.5.)
• Students can determine convergence of sequences and series and build power series for common functions. (NCTMC A.5.3)
• Students apply calculus concepts to functions of parametric, polar and vector functions of a single variable. (NCTMC A.5.2)

Probability and Statistics -
Graduates of Grand Canyon University Bachelor of Science in Mathematics for Secondary Education program will apply ideas of probability to discrete and continuous processes involving random events. Students will understand distributions, estimation, sufficiency, and hypothesis testing.

• Students will examine the sources of statistical variability and the role randomness in statistical inference. (NCTMC A.4.1)
• Students will be able to select the appropriate probability distribution for a variety of data sets and estimate the parameters. (NCTMC A. 4. 2, A.4.3)
• Students will be able to develop and perform the most appropriate test of hypothesis using a variety of experimental designs. (NCTMC A.4.2, A. 4. 5.)
• Students will be able to construct a sufficient statistical representation of a variety of data sets. (NCTMC A.4.3)

Number and Quantity -
Graduates of Grand Canyon University’s Bachelor of Science in Mathematics for Secondary Education program will develop an understanding of the structure of the Integers, Rational, Real and Complex number systems, and use appropriate technology and varied representational tools to answer questions about number and quantity.

• Use standard and non-standard algorithms of numbers. (NCTMC A.1.1)
• Apply the fundamental ideas of number theory – divisors, factorization, prime and composite numbers, GCF, LCM and modular arithmetic. (NCTMC A.1.2)
• Use reasoning to solve problems involving ration, rate, and proportion and be able to translate these to real-life problems with appropriate units. (NCTMC A1.3; NCTMS 2a, 2e)

Algebra -Graduates of Grand Canyon University’s Bachelor of Science in Mathematics for Secondary Education program are fluent in pre-calculus algebra and linear algebra and can use multiple representations and appropriate technology to solve problems. They are familiar with the theory of algebra – groups, rings, and fields – and can apply those concepts to number systems.