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NSF-USF-STEP

2 nd Workshop for Interdisciplinary and Inquiry Based Teaching of Calculus – April 5, 2014. STEP Up!. TEAM. Dr. Kandethody Ramachandran Dr. Catherine Bénéteau Dr. Scott Campbell Dr. Gordon Fox Dr. Arcadii Grinshpan Dr. Marcus McWaters Dr. Jennifer Lewis. NSF-USF-STEP.

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NSF-USF-STEP

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  1. 2nd Workshop for Interdisciplinary and Inquiry Based Teaching of Calculus – April 5, 2014 STEP Up! TEAM Dr. Kandethody Ramachandran Dr. Catherine Bénéteau Dr. Scott Campbell Dr. Gordon Fox Dr. Arcadii Grinshpan Dr. Marcus McWaters Dr. Jennifer Lewis NSF-USF-STEP

  2. 2nd Workshop for Interdisciplinary and Inquiry Based Teaching of Calculus – April 5, 2014 STEP Up! USF-STEPPROJECT • The STEP project at University of South Florida (http://www.math.usf.edu/resources/step/) is based on the premise that success in calculus is the gateway to success in the STEM fields. • This project is aimed at increasing STEM graduates through intervention programs in the Engineering and Life Science Calculus sequences. • Through this project we have developed and are implementing several transportable strategies such as • one-stop extended-hour tutoring (STEM Mart, http://lib.usf.edu/smart-lab/stem-center/), • project-based teaching, and • peer leading. • These multiple strategies have transformed the teaching of calculus at USF and are leading to increased retention and pass rates for students.

  3. 2nd Workshop for Interdisciplinary and Inquiry Based Teaching of Calculus – April 5, 2014 STEP Up! Challenges faced • The overall pass rate in Calculus sequence was about 50- 55% before project inception. • Tutoring was scattered around the campus in the individual departments restricted to scattered office hours. • In sciences and engineering, teaching was just another duty. Research on teaching methods was the issue with Education departments.

  4. 2nd Workshop for Interdisciplinary and Inquiry Based Teaching of Calculus – April 5, 2014 STEP Up! Our solutions Project Based Instruction Teach calculus through projects based on real life problems • Students work with a faculty member or supervisor in their workplace to define a problem, write and analyze appropriate equations, and write a narrative report – in essence, they write a story problem, and then answer it and write it up as a scientific report.

  5. 2nd Workshop for Interdisciplinary and Inquiry Based Teaching of Calculus – April 5, 2014 STEP Up! From Fall 2008 to Fall 2013, a total of 1162 projects have been completed. • These projects include majority from engineering topics, many from medical, natural sciences and other fields representing real life topics.

  6. 2nd Workshop for Interdisciplinary and Inquiry Based Teaching of Calculus – April 5, 2014 STEP Up! Project Based Instruction Effects • Created an electronic journal • Undergraduate journal of mathematical modeling: one + two • Project activities have resulted in a new center (Center for Industrial and Interdisciplinary Mathematics, http://ciim.usf.edu) at USF- being directed by Dr. Grinshpan. • Project bank will be a source for project based teaching http://shell.cas.usf.edu/math/mug/projectindex.htm

  7. 2nd Workshop for Interdisciplinary and Inquiry Based Teaching of Calculus – April 5, 2014 STEP Up! Peer Leading In peer leader program, selected students provide structured tutoring and serve as role models for other students • developed a curriculum for Engineering and Life Science Calculus 1

  8. 2nd Workshop for Interdisciplinary and Inquiry Based Teaching of Calculus – April 5, 2014 STEP Up! Effects Got permanent funding from the USF for • 22 Undergraduate Peer Leaders • 4 graduate TAs every semester for Mathematics.

  9. 2nd Workshop for Interdisciplinary and Inquiry Based Teaching of Calculus – April 5, 2014 STEP Up! STEM Mart • STEM Mart is a walk-in tutoring center that provides undergraduate students in the STEM disciplines an opportunity to receive free tutoring from other successful undergraduate students selected by the program. • Open extended hours (M-Th., 10am-9pm, F., 10am -4pm) and weekend hours (Sun., 1pm-5pm). • About 40 undergraduate students serve as tutors for elementary level STEM courses • STEM Mart is now recognized as a successful peer mentoring model.

  10. 2nd Workshop for Interdisciplinary and Inquiry Based Teaching of Calculus – April 5, 2014 STEP Up! STEM Mart Utilization • All together from Fall 2008 to Spring 2014 the number of recorded student visits is  25154. In fact for Spring 13 and Fall 13, a total of more than 6000 visits are recorded by more than 1600 different students. • Popular destination for calculus and physics students

  11. 2nd Workshop for Interdisciplinary and Inquiry Based Teaching of Calculus – April 5, 2014 STEP Up! Data Results PROJECT BASED INSTRUCTION Pass rates are over 25% higher for students who did projects compared to those who did not. The percentage of students who graduated with a STEM degree is 5% higher for students who did projects compared to those who did not.

  12. 2nd Workshop for Interdisciplinary and Inquiry Based Teaching of Calculus – April 5, 2014 STEP Up!

  13. 2nd Workshop for Interdisciplinary and Inquiry Based Teaching of Calculus – April 5, 2014 STEP Up! STEM MART Pass rates for students who visit STEM Mart average 69% over the course of the project. However, the average pass rate for students who make at least 5 visits/semester is 80%.

  14. 2nd Workshop for Interdisciplinary and Inquiry Based Teaching of Calculus – April 5, 2014 STEP Up! LATER COURSE The pass rate of students in EGN 3343 Thermodynamics is 5% higher for those who took Calculus I since the project inception compared to those who took it earlier OVERALL The overall pass rate in Calculus increased from 55% in 2006 (before project inception) to 73% in 2012-13.

  15. 2nd Workshop for Interdisciplinary and Inquiry Based Teaching of Calculus – April 5, 2014 STEP Up! Conclusion • These multiple strategies have transformed the teaching of calculus at USF and are leading to increased retention and pass rates for students. • The project methods are relatively easily transportable to other institutions.

  16. 2nd Workshop for Interdisciplinary and Inquiry Based Teaching of Calculus – April 5, 2014 STEP Up! • http://www.math.usf.edu/resources/step/

  17. 2nd Workshop for Interdisciplinary and Inquiry Based Teaching of Calculus – April 5, 2014 STEP Up! STIPEND • $300.00 stipend will be mailed to participants who had registered and signed in.

  18. Workshop for Interdisciplinary and Inquiry Based Teaching of Calculus – September 29, 2012 STEP Up! SUGGESTIONS

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