Coordinating Math Teacher

What Exactly is a Coordinating Math Teacher (CMT)?

The Department of Mathematics at the University of Colorado at Colorado Springs offers a number of its ‘traditional’ mathematics courses asynchronously via the Internet. This makes it possible for students to complete such courses without physically being present on the Colorado Springs campus. In K-12 school districts throughout the country there is a growing population of students who complete all of the mathematics courses offered at the high school level, who then find themselves unable to enroll in an appropriate mathematics course during their junior or senior years. By affording such students the opportunity to enroll in university-level courses while still attending high school, we believe that such students will avoid the ‘mathematical downtime’ which often comes back to haunt them when they enter the university. In addition, such students can get a ‘jump’ on their university careers by completing a university-level course which offers credits that can subsequently be transferred to colleges and universities throughout the country.

Our internet ‘broadcast’ allows us to deliver all the mathematical content and pedagogical tools required for students to successfully complete the course. (This is done by archived lectures, hard copy of lecture notes, electronic office hours, and asynchronous email communications.) The one element which is missing from the equation is our ability to administer examinations in a ‘secure’ environment.

This is where the Coordinating Math Teacher plays a vital role.

Depending on the particular course, students are required to take exams either three (resp. four) times during a semester. Exams are usually 75 minutes in duration. They happen roughly at the 5 week and 10-week mark (resp. 4, 8, and 12 week mark) of the semester. The last exam period (the ‘final’ exam) is 150 minutes in duration. The responsibility of the Coordinating Math Teacher is to act as a ‘point person’ in the building for the administration of these exams. Specifically, the CMT will arrange to receive the exam from the course instructor (e.g. by U.S. mail, fax, electronically…). The CMT will arrange for a time and secure place to administer and proctor the exam to the student(s). (One of the primary roles of the CMT is to ensure that students adhere to whatever testing requirements are set forth by the course instructor, e.g. the use of calculators, crib sheets, and the like.) The CMT will then arrange to return the exams to the course instructor, again by whatever means are appropriate. (Remark: For pedagogical reasons we do NOT believe that multiple-choice format examinations are an appropriate way to test student knowledge. Thus, our exams typically consist of a series of questions in which students are required to produce written answers; all work is required to be shown. This is why we do NOT subscribe to the practice of giving any sort of on-line, multiple-choice exams.)

For the time and effort required in these matters, the CMT receives $75.00 per semester per 3-credit hour course for the first student enrolled in that course, plus $25.00 per semester per course for each additional student enrolled in that course. (The rate is $100.00 plus $35.00 per additional student for a 4-credit hour course.)

It will be made clear to students that the teachers in their buildings are NOT in any way required to help them with any aspect of this course, other than exam administration. In particular, this allows counselors or other administrators to serve in the role of CMT. However, in our experience, we have found that there are some things that the CMT might help students do, but for which students themselves will be responsible. These might include setting up study groups and / or finding a time and place and software system by which students can ‘participate’ in the course during the school day.

We hope that you will agree to act as a Coordinating Math Teacher for those students who are interested in enrolling in University of Colorado at Colorado Springs MathOnline courses. Please do not hesitate to contact us if you have questions about any aspect of this program.