In this note, we describe a large-scale transition to an active learning format in first-semester calculus at the University of Florida. Student performance and attitudes are compared across traditional lecture and flipped sections.

In the continual pursuit of classroom learning effectiveness, researchers and educators aim to develop strategies that improve student performance and learning. One such strategy is to create academically homogeneous environments where students are grouped into classes based on their preconceived academic ability. The research team tests this…

The percentage of college students receiving unproductive grades in introductory mathematics courses is a concern for post-secondary institutions across the country. Many factors can be targeted as potential explanations for this lack of success, yet none of these issues are more noteworthy than the fact that many students enter college…

We describe the process of adjusting the balance between computer-based learning and peer interaction in a college algebra course. In our first experimental class, students used the adaptive-learning program ALEKS within an emporium-style format. Comparing student performance in the emporium format class with that in a traditional lecture format…

In this paper, we describe the evolution of calculus instruction at a mid-sized, career-oriented, comprehensive public university. Changes in practice, that began with a single faculty member implementing technology as a tool for student inquiry, have spread to other department faculty via support from an internal grant, workshops, and the use of…

The flipped classroom model interchanges the roles of in-class and out-of-class time to allow students more time to engage with cognitively demanding tasks when expert help from their instructor is more available. An extensive body of literature supports the effectiveness of this model. In contrast, I present a case study of a less-successful…

As calculus instruction moves further from lecture-based instruction toward student-centered pedagogy, support services must align with the changing goals for the course. This paper describes the work of a department as they collectively design and redesign a co-requisite Calculus I course, in an effort to better promote students' academic and…

Preparing students placing into developmental mathematics for success in undergraduate mathematics and preparing future teachers for the increasing demands of K-12 school settings are both persistent, yet seemingly divergent, problems facing higher education. In this paper, we shed light on a model that attempts to address aspects of each problem…

Inquiry is promoted as a way to engage students so that they learn more deeply; inquiry is also an end in itself, introducing students to the research process and the behaviors of a mathematician. This article reflects on an individual exploratory project used in a sophomore-level number theory course, examining how it supported student inquiry…

We propose a new course structure to address the needs of college students with previous calculus study but no course validations as an alternative to repeating the first year of calculus. Students are introduced directly to topics from Calculus III unpreceded by a formal review of topics from Calculus I or II, but with additional syllabus time…

This case study details the integration of an online grading platform in a Calculus program. Initially implemented to increase the efficiency and quality of grading written assessments in a large undergraduate program, the effects were many and surprising. Two main concerns surfaced that we needed to address, namely: (1) consistency in grading;…

Although the use of traditional just-in-time teaching techniques has long been viewed positively by students and instructors in undergraduate calculus courses, past studies in this area have not addressed gains in student achievement with respect to specific calculus topics. This paper investigates the latter by administering modified just-in-time…

The purpose of this exploratory, mixed-methods study was to compare student performance in flipped and non-flipped sections of Calculus I. The study also examined students' perceptions of the flipping pedagogy. Students in the flipped courses reported spending, on average, an additional 1-2 hours per week outside of class on course content.…

This quantitative research compares five sections of College Algebra using flipped classroom methods with six sections using the traditional lecture/homework structure and its effect on student achievement as measured through a common final exam. Common final exam scores were the dependent variables. Instructors of flipped sections who had…

Flipping the classroom refers to moving lectures outside of the classroom to incorporate other activities into a class during its standard meeting time. This pedagogical modality has recently gained traction as a way to center the learning on students in mathematics classrooms. In an effort to better understand the efficacy of this approach, we…