We call any goals not directly related to content goals: meta goals.
The following sample list shows the meta-goals that Prof. Christine von Renesse includes on her syllabus for her calculus classes:
Upon successful completion of this course students will:
- Recognize and challenge their own beliefs and feelings about mathematics.
- Work well with other students.
- Find work partners that have similar speed, curiosity and learning edge.
- Gain social competence in negotiating different ways of thinking.
- Persevere when it gets difficult and frustrating.
- Be ok making mistakes and learning from them.
- Be more confident in doing mathematics.
- Admit not knowing and ask questions to learn.
- Be prepared and ready to try/learn when coming to class.
- Realize that mathematics is more about creating and deep thinking than memorizing procedures.
- Be curious about mathematics.
- Recognize how they learn best and put a plan into action.
- Enjoy the challenge of reasoning.
- Only accept mathematics that makes sense to them.
- Communicate mathematical ideals in writing and orally.
On our goals page you can also find student meta goals that are more targeted toward mathematics for liberal arts courses.