NSF-USF-STEP

Workshop for Interdisciplinary and Inquiry Based Teaching of Calculus – September 29, 2012

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NSF-USF-STEP

TEAM

Dr. Kandethody Ramachandran Dr. Catherine BénéteauDr. Scott CampbellDr. Gordon FoxDr. Arcadii GrinshpanDr. Marcus McWatersDr. Jennifer Lewis

Workshop for Interdisciplinary and Inquiry Based Teaching of Calculus – September 29, 2012

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MAJOR GOAL

Student success and Increase graduation rate in STEM fields and thus raising student achievement

Workshop for Interdisciplinary and Inquiry Based Teaching of Calculus – September 29, 2012

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MAIN FOCUSImproving pass rate in Engineering

and Life Science Calculus

Three Major Components

Project based instruction Implementation of peer leading Tutoring lab called STEM Mart

Workshop for Interdisciplinary and Inquiry Based Teaching of Calculus – September 29, 2012

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Project Based Instruction

Teach calculus through projects based on real life problems

a total of 830 projects have been developed

starting from 4 sections in Fall of 2008 we reached to total of 54 sections by end of Spring 2012

Workshop for Interdisciplinary and Inquiry Based Teaching of Calculus – September 29, 2012

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Project Based Instruction

• Created an electronic journal Undergraduate journal of

mathematical modeling: one + two

• selected 58 projects are published

Workshop for Interdisciplinary and Inquiry Based Teaching of Calculus – September 29, 2012

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Data results

an increase of over 25% in the passing rates for students who did the projects versus those who did not

Over all an Increased pass rates of over 10% for the sections that offer the project option

At least 5% decrease of the withdrawal rates.

Workshop for Interdisciplinary and Inquiry Based Teaching of Calculus – September 29, 2012

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Effects

The mathematics application activities have led to the creation of Center for Industrial and

Interdisciplinary Mathematics.

Project bank will be a source for project based teaching

http://shell.cas.usf.edu/math/mug/projectindex.htm

Workshop for Interdisciplinary and Inquiry Based Teaching of Calculus – September 29, 2012

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Peer LeadingIn peer leader program, selected students provide structured tutoring and serve as role models for other studentsstarting from 0 sections in Fall of 2008 it

reached to a total of more than 85 sections. developed a curriculum for Engineering and

Life Science Calculus 1

Workshop for Interdisciplinary and Inquiry Based Teaching of Calculus – September 29, 2012

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Data results

Increased pass rates by more than 10%

12% decrease of withdrawal rates

Workshop for Interdisciplinary and Inquiry Based Teaching of Calculus – September 29, 2012

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Effects

Got permanent funding from the USF for

22 Undergraduate Peer Leaders

4 graduate TAs every semester for Mathematics.

Workshop for Interdisciplinary and Inquiry Based Teaching of Calculus – September 29, 2012

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STEM MartSTEM Mart is a one stop tutoring center for lower level STEM coursesOpened extended hours (M-Th., 10am-9pm,

F., 10am -4pm, and Sun., 1pm-5pm) in tutoring lab, STEM Mart.

About 40 undergraduate students serve as tutors for elementary level STEM courses

Starting Fall 08, a total of more than 3500 different students logging in more than 15,000 student visits were recorded.

Popular destination for calculus and physics students

Workshop for Interdisciplinary and Inquiry Based Teaching of Calculus – September 29, 2012

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Data results

Increased passing rates by more than 20% in Calculus for students

Of the students visited 5 or more times, 82% got C or better

Tutoring in various basic subjects is now permanent part of student success at USF.

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Conclusion

Implementation of this multipronged approach that combines student projects, peer guided process learning and centralized tutoring support has shown significant results that will lead us to our ultimate goal of increased graduation rate.

The project methods are relatively easily transportable to other institutions.

Workshop for Interdisciplinary and Inquiry Based Teaching of Calculus – September 29, 2012

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http://www.math.usf.edu/resources/step/

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PROGRAMTime Location  

8:30am-9:00am ENB Hall of Flags Registration9:00am-9:15am ENB 118 Welcome

Dr. Paul Dosal

Vice Provost  for Student Success

9:15am-9:50am ENB 118 Summary of the project

10:00am-11:00am ENB 109 Peer leading: Presentation, Workshop

11:00am-11:15am   Break 11:15AM-12:15PM ENB 118 PROJECT OPTION —

HOW IT WORKS AT USF

12:30pm-1:30pm ENB 118 Lunch1:30pm-2:00pm ENB 118 STEM Mart/Tutoring2:00pm-3:00pm ENB 110 Poster session3:05pm-4:00pm ENB 118 Discussions

Evaluation

Workshop for Interdisciplinary and Inquiry Based Teaching of Calculus – September 29, 2012

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STIPEND

$300.00 stipend will be mailed to participants who had registered.

Please make sure that you sign the paperwork that will be passed around during discussion time.

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THANK YOU

Workshop for Interdisciplinary and Inquiry Based Teaching of Calculus – September 29, 2012

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SUGGESTIONS