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WVU Calculus

WVU Calculus. Dr. Vicki Sealey sealey@math.wvu.edu Dr. Jessica Deshler deshler@math.wvu.edu. Overview. Structure of calculus courses at WVU Roles of graduate teaching assistants (GTAs) and undergraduate tutors Curriculum and methods of one of these courses (Non-Engineering Math 155)

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WVU Calculus

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  1. WVU Calculus Dr. Vicki Sealey sealey@math.wvu.edu Dr. Jessica Deshler deshler@math.wvu.edu

  2. Overview • Structure of calculus courses at WVU • Roles of graduate teaching assistants (GTAs) and undergraduate tutors • Curriculum and methods of one of these courses (Non-Engineering Math 155) • Info about nationwide AP calculus students

  3. Introductions • Tell us about yourself (name, where you teach, etc.) • Tell us about calculus at your school

  4. Options for Calculus I • Math 155 – One semester calculus I course • Engineering sections • Gary Ganser • Non-engineering sections • Vicki Sealey • Math 153/154 – Two semester calculus I course • Eddie Fuller/Stacey Bowling • Math 150 – Business calculus • Marjorie Darrah

  5. Eligibility for Calculus • Quantitative Reasoning Assessment • Basic Algebra (BA) • Calculus Readiness (CR) Math 150/153: 15 BA / 24 Total Math 155: 17 BA / 33 Total

  6. QRA Placement

  7. Eligibility for Calculus • Course Credit Math 150: C or better in College Algebra Math 153/155: C or better in College Algebra and Trigonometry Course credit is honored over QRA scores

  8. Eligibility for Calculus • AP Credit • 3 on the AB exam: placement into Math 155 • 4 or 5 on AB exam: credit for Math 155 • 3 on BC exam: credit for Math 155 • 4 or 5 on BC exam: credit for Math 155 and Math 156

  9. Course Structure for Math 155 Non-Engineering • Textbook: Essential Calculus by James Stewart • Scientific calculator required • Graphing calculator strongly recommended • CAS not allowed (TI-89 and above, for example) • Memory cleared before each test • Sometimes not allowed on quizzes

  10. Course Structure, cont. • Four credit course, but meets for an additional 50 minutes per week • More time to do math (not just see math) • Time for group work activities • Evening exams • Common across sections • Common grading

  11. Homework • Roughly half online and half written • Online HW common across sections • WeBWorK or WebAssign • Immediate feedback, multiple attempts • Video tutorials (WA only) • Each student has slightly different numbers in each question • GTA answers questions through e-mail

  12. Instructors • Use an instructional team • Course coordinator (Vicki) • Grad student coordinator (Jessica) • Lead instructor (Iwona Wojciechowska) • Consistency across semesters (and within each semester) • Dedication to this course

  13. Graduate Teaching Assistants • Their roles in the course: • Each section has an instructor and a graduate teaching assistant (GTA) • Each GTA is assigned to two sections • Proctor and grade exams, quizzes • Assist the instructor as needed in-class • Group activities • Teach up to one class per week

  14. Graduate Assistants • Professional development as novice instructors of college math • Teaching experience • Write exam questions • Office hours – working one-on-one with students (Math Learning Center) • Grading – common grading on exams, quizzes • Rubrics developed by Vicki Sealey, Jessica Deshler, and by GTAs.

  15. Other Help • Math Learning Center • Tutoring center in Towers dorms • Shared office hours • Review sessions outside of class

  16. Curriculum • Concept first approach • Procedures follow the concepts • Applications often motivate a need for concepts • Emphasis on limits • Limits of functions • Holes, jumps, asymptotes • Derivatives • Limit of difference quotient • Integrals • Limit of Riemann sums

  17. Teaching Philosophy • Constructivist perspective • Reflective abstraction (Piaget) • Not just seeing math topics • Doing something with math and reflecting on the structure • Cooperative learning

  18. AP Calculus Statistics • From 1992, of students who took some form of calculus in high school • 31% took precalculus in college • 32% took no calculus • Students who pass the AP exam do quite well in college. • We’re concerned about the students who don’t pass the test but are still top students. • Many of these students aren’t taking additional math courses.

  19. QRA Placement

  20. ASU Calculus Statistics • In a 5-year period at ASU, of all students who received an A in precalculus and their major required at least Calculus I… 43% did not take calculus.

  21. ASU Calculus Statistics • During the same 5-year period at ASU • 43% of engineering majors • 54% of math majors • 51% of physical science majors • 50% of technology majors who enrolled in calculus I and whose major required calculus II never earned credit in calculus II.

  22. Our hopes • College math should be a natural progression from students’ high school math courses • More students interested in studying mathematics • Math majors (including dual majors) • Math minors • Math ‘enthusiasts’

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