Documents the experiences of 25 first-year university students with regard to the kinds of tasks calculus instructors should design in order to engage students in mathematical practices that often require the use of a graphing calculator. (MM)

Addresses the assertion that the teaching of calculus using reform techniques puts students at a disadvantage when they must take subsequent math or science courses that are not instructed using the reform techniques. Answers the question of whether one method of instruction in calculus is better than another with regard to students' grades in…

Describes how the cubic formula can be presented easily at the precalculus level, shows how to verify that the formula is correct, and identifies when it is profitable to use. (KHR)

Under the assumption that the current perplexing state of calculus instruction is a result of the presuppositions inherent within conventional teaching practices, the author examines why calculus is taught the way it is, indicates unprofitable practices that result from the way calculus is taught, and recommends possible ameliorative actions. (JJK)