We investigated the effects of a major revision of the differential and integral calculus curriculum, the primary goal of which was to improve STEM retention. The revamped curriculum has greater emphasis on the power of computing to help visualize patterns and gain insights to better prepare students for STEM majors, and less emphasis on…

Motivating students to watch pre-lesson videos to prepare for class is among the most significant challenges cited with flipped learning. We demonstrate boosting student preparation by up to 29% by implementing start-of-lesson quizzes. This is shown through the comparison of a flipped control group without the quizzes to flipped experimental…

This article describes a partially flipped course design for Calculus II which has been implemented by a varied instructional team at a medium-sized public engineering university (Colorado School of Mines (Mines)) over a period of three years. We have identified three main factors which have contributed to the success of the implementation: (1)…

The purpose of this paper is to explain a newly implemented interactive delivery model for students at the Colorado School of Mines (Mines) repeating Calculus for Scientists & Engineers I during the spring of 2017. Since calculus is a necessary component for so many STEM degrees, it will continue to be a gateway to obtaining such degrees and…

In an effort to improve upon Calculus I instruction at our institution, we designed a pilot study that incorporated a variety of evidence-based classroom practices. The goal was not to formally test known successful teaching interventions. Rather, the purpose was to develop and identify course materials and instructional methods that would not…

Separation of variables can be a powerful technique for solving many of the partial differential equations that arise in physics contexts. Upper-division physics students encounter this technique in multiple topical areas including electrostatics and quantum mechanics. To better understand the difficulties students encounter when utilizing the…

Finding ways to improve student success in calculus is a critically important step on the path to supporting students who are pursuing degrees in STEM fields. Far too many students fail calculus 1 and are pushed to drop their majors in technical fields. One way of addressing this issue is by following a program that was pioneered at University of…

We examine how student aptitudes impact how much students learn from doing graded online and written homework in an introductory electricity and magnetism course. Our analysis examines the correlation between successful homework completion rates and exam performance as well as how changes in homework completion correlate with changes in exam…

Two approaches, Linear Discriminant Analysis, and Logistic Regression are used and compared to predict success or failure for first-time freshmen in the first calculus course at a medium-sized public, 4-year institution prior to Fall registration. The predictor variables are high school GPA, the number, and GPA's of college prep mathematics…

In this study we aimed to understand who was struggling in freshman calculus courses, and why. Concentrating on the Fall sections of the class, the best predictors for success (R[superscript 2] = 0.4) were placement test results, the student's own appraisal of the quality of mathematics teaching they received in high school, and the Motivated…

Gender differences in student learning in the introductory, calculus-based electricity and magnetism course were assessed by administering the Conceptual Survey of Electricity and Magnetism pre- and postcourse. As expected, male students outgained females in traditionally taught sections as well as sections that incorporated interactive engagement…

In a national context of high failure rates in freshman calculus courses, the purpose of this study was to understand who is struggling, and why. High failure rates are especially alarming given a local environment where students have access to a variety of academic, and personal, assistance. The sample consists of students at Colorado State…

On a national level, data indicate that about 40 percent of students in calculus courses finish with a grade of D or F, drop the course, or withdraw (Reinholz, 2009). This high failure rate has led to research studies investigating the teaching of calculus at the national level (House, 1995). Calculus courses have a history of high failure rates,…

We report the qualitative and quantitative results of incorporating interdisciplinary application projects and increasing the use of teaching with technology into Calculus I, II and III at the University of Colorado Denver. Minimal changes were made to the curriculum and minimal time was required of instructors to make the changes. Instructors…

The calculus-based, introductory physics course is the port of entry for any student interested in pursuing a college degree in the sciences, mathematics, or engineering. There is increasing demand for online delivery options that make the course more widely available, especially those that use best practices in student engagement. However,…