This paper discusses experience with alternative assessment strategies for an introductory course in dynamical systems, where the use of computer algebra and calculus is fully integrated into the learning process, so that the standard written examination would not be appropriate. Instead, students' competence was assessed by grading three large…

We report on implementations of online homework systems at two moderately-sized state universities. These implementations were created with the intention of supporting student engagement outside of the classroom by mimicking the attempt-feedback-reattempt sequence of events which often occurs in a teacher's presence. Evidence is presented which…

This study examined students' perceptions of the Tablet PC as an instructional tool for teaching Calculus. A thirteen item survey was developed by the researchers and administered to 103 students in an introductory Calculus course at a large university in the Northeast of the United States. The purpose of this survey was to collect data regarding…

This paper suggests examples that may be used to better integrate modern technology into the calculus I curriculum, and at the same time extend the student's understanding of the underlying concepts. Examples are chosen from the usual topics considered in most courses and not limited to any specific form of the technology.

We investigated the common difficulties that students have with concepts related to rotational and rolling motion covered in the introductory physics courses. We compared the performance of calculus- and algebra-based introductory physics students with physics juniors who had learned rotational and rolling motion concepts in an intermediate level…

The possibility of approximating a function with a linear combination of exponential functions of the form e[superscript x], e[superscript 2x], ... is considered as a parallel development to the notion of Taylor polynomials which approximate a function with a linear combination of power function terms. The sinusoidal functions sin "x" and cos "x"…

This paper focuses on blended learning in mathematics I module in elementary calculus, at a University of Technology. A computer laboratory was used to create a learning environment that promoted interactive learning together with traditional teaching. The interactive learning was performed using projects to optimize the discovery and error…

This case study presents the experience of an instructional designer working on an instructional development project for the first time. The project team was creating online course materials for a college level business calculus course. Project management skills, considerations in the project budget, and communication issues are suggested as…

Part of the history of oil and gas development on Indian reservations concerns potential underpayment of royalties due to under-valuation of production by oil companies. This paper discusses a model used by the Shoshone and Arapaho tribes in a lawsuit against the Federal government, claiming the Government failed to collect adequate royalties.…

We describe an easy and fun project using water rockets to demonstrate applications of single variable calculus concepts. We provide procedures and a supplies list for launching and videotaping a water rocket flight to provide the experimental data. Because of factors such as fuel expulsion and wind effects, the water rocket does not follow the…

This note discusses the boundary in the frequency--amplitude plane for boundedness of solutions to the forced spring Duffing type equation. For fixed initial conditions and fixed parameter [epsilon] results are reported of a systematic numerical investigation on the global stability of solutions to the initial value problem as the parameters F and…

This study examined how students with a minimum background of Calculus IV (n=17) differ from other college students (n=17) on personality traits as determined by the 16 PF, fifth edition. Significant differences were found on Factor A (Warmth), Factor B (Reasoning), Factor F (Liveliness) and Factor H (Social Boldness). Gender differences were also…

This document contains nine research papers presented at the Joint Special Session on Research in Undergraduate Mathematics Education at the annual meeting of the American Mathematical Society and the Mathematical Association of America (San Francisco, California, January 1991). Paper titles are: "The Teaching and Learning of College…

A study was conducted at California's Orange Coast College (OCC) to determine if students who completed college algebra at OCC or at another college prior to enrolling in the college's calculus for business, management, and social sciences (CBMSS) course performed significantly better than students who had not previously completed college algebra.…

This paper documents how eight high school students in a precalculus class enhanced with graphing calculators think about functions. Three models of thinking about functions emerged from students' function images observed over a period of 9 months. In the graph model, students believed that functions are essentially graphs; in the equation model,…