Using Online Instructional Support in Precalculus

This research study employs online instructional support in precalculus concepts to advance undergraduate students’ success in calculus courses. We employed five types of instruments to collect data. Results showed no significant effect on Calculus scores as a result of the intervention, however, our findings show an evidence of improvement in students’ confidence level

Adapting to Trig: Using the ALEKS Adaptive Technology to Improve Students’ Learning and Retention in A College Trigonometry Course

The Department of Mathematics and Statistics at Georgia State University has recently introduced the MATH 1112 “College Trigonometry” course designed to prepare students in several STEM majors for Calculus courses. This project received STEM funds to introduce the paradigm of individualized adaptive learning, offered by the ALEKS online platform, into teaching of College Trigonometry at GSU. The key objectives of the proposed work are: To incorporate the ALEKS adaptive learning technology into the College Trigonometry course. The project team designed a comprehensive course program that included both trigonometry topics and review topics necessary for students’ success in the current and future courses. By its inherent design, ALEKS software automatically generated individualized learning paths for each student, reintroducing earlier topics and review topics as necessary. To facilitate self directed learning initiatives by capitalizing on the adaptive nature of ALEKS’s individualized learning paths, which places more responsibility on students to plan their work outside of class. We offered students additional guidance and tutoring support by making a lab space with a dedicated GTA available to them. To enhance the use of technology in the course by developing supplemental demonstrations using CAS. At all stages, we collected both qualitative and quantitative data on students’ learning and attitudes

Calculus at Georgia State University

Calculus continues to be a challenge for many students. We have pursued a multifaceted approach to supporting students that involves a) a drop-in tutorial center, b) Supplemental Instruction, c) weekly graded homework, d) online practice using ALEKS, and e) a new Calculus for the Life Science course sequence. The influences of these various support mechanisms will be discussed