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\textbf{ Math 5365\hfill Spring 2014}\vspace{2cm}\\
Dear MAT Student,\bigskip

One of the requirements for the MAT-Mathematics degree is to assemble a portfolio of your work and your academic growth.  We have instituted this requirement for several reasons:

\begin{itemize}
\item The opportunity for you to reflect on what you have learned each semester will help with your learning.  

\item A portfolio may prove useful to you upon graduation when you are looking for a job or for further graduate studies.  The practice of assembling it is a good habit for your career, both in regular evaluations and job-seeking.

\item It is also useful to us in evaluating how well our program is working for all students, which will help us improve the program for future students.  We will be looking for evidence whether our program is helping you achieve the program learning outcomes we have set out.
\end{itemize}

You will add items to your portfolio each semester while the ideas of that semester are still fresh in your mind.  Your portfolio will consist of several types of items:

\begin{itemize} 
\item For each core course of the MAT program that you take:
	\begin{itemize}
	\item A sample of your best work, as chosen by you.
	\item An end-of-course product (final exam, final project, etc.) 
	\item Other items you would like to add.
	\end{itemize}
\item At the end of each semester, you will fill out a reflection survey on all your activities in our program for that semester.  Your honest, careful reflection will make this document useful for you and for us.

\end{itemize}

Your portfolio will be evaluated for completeness and communication quality.  This will be counted as part of the assessment in MATH 5396.  \vspace{2cm}

\textsc{For Math 5396, I will add links to your Mathematica and GeoGebra projects to your portfolio. Please email me PDF versions of your material for the final presentation and your end-of-semester reflection!\medskip\\
Upon completion, I will send you a link to your portfolio in its current state.}



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