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…

In 2011, Sonoma State University developed a STEM first-year experience (supported by NSF STEP grant 1068445) that combines general education requirements in mathematics, biology, and critical thinking. The mathematics content includes topics from precalculus and elementary statistics, with a particular focus on using functions and modeling with…

The authors described the influence of the GeoGebra based environment on students' achievements in the field of functions with parameters, during collaborative learning. Functions with parameters are important because of their application in science. Students had to choose different values for parameters and to examine the properties of the…

Mathematics low achievement has undeniably been found in both national examinations and international assessments. An educator needs to be aware and determine the factors in students' achievement. However, there were no observable studies focusing on the mediating effect of students' attitudes toward career aspiration and academic achievement.…

This article shows how the exciting new field of Machine Learning can be effectively introduced in a standard calculus sequence, once the students have been introduced to functions of several variables. This is an opportunity to engage students in a discussion of an application of calculus to an emerging field that the students encounter in their…

Research on the Advanced Placement (AP) program generally shows that students scoring 4s and 5s on AP exams outperform their non-AP peers in subsequent college courses. However, faculty often advise students with AP credit to repeat prerequisite courses in college before attempting advanced coursework, and there are few studies that provide…

Despite longstanding efforts in the K-12 STEM education community to create meaningful mathematical experiences across disciplines, mathematics continues to be a siloed subject which is tracked based on ability. With an increasing number of high-achieving students enrolling in Algebra I in Grade 7 or earlier, there is a need for research on the…

Academic scholars face a difficult challenge when attempting to grasp the intricate world of mathematics. The complexity of mathematical concepts often lies hidden beneath layers of formulas and procedures, obscuring their true essence. Traditional educational resources often fall short in conveying the profound meaning behind these concepts,…

It is evident that more qualitative research on Advanced Placement [AP] classrooms for students from marginalized backgrounds is needed to uncover how AP practices and pedagogies might better serve students who had been historically excluded from the AP Program. I asked my former calculus students (32 total - 22 participated) from my last three…

This study examines the relationships among students' perceptions of autonomy, competence, and relatedness, self-determined motivation, and achievement across two different undergraduate Calculus learning environments at the same institution. Furthermore, it also exposits how learning environments are not culturally or socially neutral by…

Epidemiological models have enhanced relevance because of the COVID-19 pandemic. In this note, we emphasize visual tools that can be part of a learning module geared to teaching the SIR epidemiological model, suitable for advanced undergraduates or beginning graduate students in disciplines where the level of prior mathematical knowledge of…

This study explores university students' understanding of the relationships between formal definitions of the limit of a function and the limit of a sequence in terms of the accumulation point in a technology-enhanced collaborative learning environment. The participants of this study are 17 prospective mathematics teachers. The data are collected…

Objective: Community colleges have considerable potential to grow the number of individuals who complete STEM baccalaureate degrees and to broaden access to educational opportunities in STEM. However, efforts to tap this potential have been hampered by nagging questions about whether community colleges prepare students adequately for advanced STEM…

In this paper, we assess the pedagogical approaches we employ in our US-based undergraduate mathematics courses during the COVID-19 pandemic. Our goal is to share anecdotal evidence on the use of math journals, oral exams, and learning portfolios in the synchronous online mathematics classroom. We reflect on our experience using artifacts of…

Various studies have concluded that many students have difficulty understanding concepts related to function derivatives. One of the concepts in function derivatives is higher-order derivatives, primarily the nth derivative pattern. This study aims to: (1) identify various types of learning obstacles experienced by prospective mathematics teacher…