The impact of prerequisites for undergraduate calculus I performance

Zachariah Benton Hurdle; Wiktor Mogilski

doi:10.29333/iejme/12146

Full Text (PDF)

Zachariah Benton Hurdle ¹ ^* , Wiktor Mogilski ¹

More Detail

¹ Utah Valley University, Orem, UT, USA^* Corresponding Author

Abstract

We conducted a quantitative analysis to determine how the prerequisite path of students taking calculus I impacts their grade performance. We began by investigating the performance of students that took college algebra and trigonometry versus those that took pre-calculus ahead of their credit-bearing calculus I attempt. We concluded that there was a significant difference between the two prerequisite routes. We then performed regression analysis to view the number of credit prerequisite credit hours, including multiple attempts, as a predictor of calculus I GPA and A-proportion. We found a strong negative correlation between these variables. We hope this study can be replicated at other institutions and in other fields to help university policymakers with decision-making regarding course listings.

Keywords

calculus
prerequisite
college mathematics
mathematics performance

License

This is an open access article distributed under the Creative Commons Attribution License which permits unrestricted use, distribution, and reproduction in any medium, provided the original work is properly cited.

Article Type: Research Article

INT ELECT J MATH ED, Volume 17, Issue 3, August 2022, Article No: em0696

https://doi.org/10.29333/iejme/12146

Publication date: 05 Jun 2022

Article Views: 2719

Article Downloads: 1532

Open Access Disclosures References How to cite this article

Disclosure

Declaration of Conflict of Interest: No conflict of interest is declared by author(s).

Data sharing statement: Data supporting the findings and conclusions are available upon request from the corresponding author(s).

References

Akbuga, E., Hurdle, Z., Daniel, S., & Laffey, R. (2019). Using calculus writing assignments to foster student motivation. Mathematics in Schools, 47(4), 37-39.
Bergeron, L., & Gordon, M. (2017). Establishing a STEM pipeline: Trends in male and Ffemale enrollment and performance in higher level secondary STEM courses. International Journal of Science and Mathematics Education, 15, 433-450. https://doi.org/10.1007/s10763-015-9693-7
Berry, J. S., & Nyman, M. A. (2003). Promoting students’ graphical understanding of the calculus. The Journal of Mathematical Behavior, 22(4), 479-495. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jmathb.2003.09.006
Bertrand, E. J., McArdle, D. T., Thoma, L., & Wu, L. (2019). Implementing online programs in gateway mathematics courses for students with prerequisite deficiencies, PRIMUS, 1-16. https://doi.org/10.1080/10511970.2019.1629556
Bloemer, W., Day, S., & Swan, K. (2017). Gap analysis: An innovative look at gateway courses and student retention. Online Learning, 21(3), 5-14. https://doi.org/10.24059/olj.v21i3.1233
Bressoud, D. M. (2014). Attracting and retaining students to complete two- and four-year undergraduate degrees in STEM: The role of undergraduate mathematics education [ Commissioned paper]. The Committee on Barriers and Opportunities in Completing 2-Year and 4-Year STEM Degrees. National Academy of Sciences.
Bressoud, D. M. (2015). Insights and recommendations from the MAA national study of college calculus. Mathematics Teacher, 109(3), 179-183. https://doi.org/10.5951/mathteacher.109.3.0178
Bressoud, D. M., Carlson, M. P., Mesa, V., & Rasmussen, C. (2013). The calculus student: Insights from the Mathematical Association of America national study. International Journal of Mathematical Education in Science and Technology, 44(5), 685-698. https://doi.org/10.1080/0020739X.2013.798874
Carrell, S. E., Maghakian, T., & West, J. E. (2011). A’s from Zzzz’s? The causal effect of school start time on the academic achievement of adolescents. American Economic Journal: Economic Policy, 3(3), 62-81. https://doi.org/10.1257/pol.3.3.62
Eagan, K., Hurtado, S., & Chang, M. (2010). What matters in STEM: Institutional contexts that influence STEM bachelor’s degree completion rates? In Proceedings of the 20^th Annual Meeting of the Association for the Study of Higher Education. National Institute of General Medical Sciences.
Easey, M., & Gleeson, J. (2016). The relevance of mathematics: Leaders and teachers as gatekeeper for queensland senior calculus mathematics. In Proceedings of the 39^th Annual Conference of the Mathematics Education Research Group of Australasia (pp. 198-205).
Ellis, J., Fosdick, B., & Rasmussen, C. (2016). Women 1.5 times more likely to leave STEM pipeline after calculus compared to men: Lack of mathematical confidence a potential culprit. PLoS ONE, 11(7), 1-27. https://doi.org/10.1371/journal.pone.0157447
Gleason, J. (2010). Effect of class size on student outcomes in mathematics course with technology assisted instruction and assessment. In Proceedings of the 13^th Annual Conference on Research in Undergraduate Mathematics Education.
Hagman, J., Johnson, E., & Fosdick, B. (2017). Factors contributing to students and instructors experiencing a lack of time in college calculus. International Journal of STEM Education, 4(1), 12. https://doi.org/10.1186/s40594-017-0070-7
Herriott, S., & Dunbar, S. (2009). Who takes college algebra? PRIMUS, 19(1), 74-87. https://doi.org/10.1080/10511970701573441
Hurdle, Z., Akbuga, E., & Schrader, P. (in preparation). Exploring calculus I students’ performance between varying course times among other predictive variables.
Jarvis, T. (2000). Class size and teacher effects on student achievement and dropout rates in university-level calculus. https://www.math.byu.edu/~jarvis/class-size/class-size-preprint.pdf.
Kollar, I., Ufer, S., Reichersdorfer, E., Vogel, F., Fischer, F., & Reiss, K. (2014). Effects of collaboration scripts and heuristic worked examples on the acquisition of mathematical argumentation skills of teacher students with different levels of prior achievement. Learning and Instruction, 32, 22-36. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.learninstruc.2014.01.003
Mensah, J. K., Okyere, M., & Kuranchie, A. (2013). Student attitude towards Mathematics and performance: Does the teacher attitude matter? Journal of Education and Practice, 4(3), 132-139.
Moreno, S., & Muller, C. (1999). Success and diversity: The transition through first-year calculus in the university. American Journal of Education, 108(1), 30-57. https://doi.org/10.1086/444231
Orhun, N. (2004). Student’s mistakes and misconceptions on teaching of trigonometry. Journal of Curriculum Studies, 32(6), 797-820.
Pope, N. G. (2016). How the time of day affects productivity: Evidence from school schedules? The Review of Economics and Statistics, 98(1), 1-11. https://doi.org/10.1162/REST_a_00525
Pyzdrowski, L. J., Sun, Y., Curtis, R., Miller, D., Winn, G., & Hensel, R. A. M. (2013). Readiness and attitudes as indicators for success in college calculus. International Journal of Science and Mathematics Education, 11, 529-554. https://doi.org/10.1007/s10763-012-9352-1
Rasmussen, C., & Ellis, J. (2013). Who is switching out of calculus and why. In Proceedings of the 37^th Conference of the International Group for the Psychology of Mathematics Education (pp. 73-80).
Raymond, E. (2000). Cognitive characteristics. Learners with mild disabilities. Allyn & Bacon.
Riegle-Crumb, C., Moore, C., & Ramose-Wada, A. (2011). Who wants to have a career in science or math? Exploring adolescents’ future aspirations by gender and race/ethnicity. Science Education, 95(3), 458-475. https://doi.org/10.1002/sce.20431
Sonnert, G., & Sadler, P. (2014). The impact of taking a college pre-calculus course on students’ college calculus performance. International Journal of Mathematics Education in Science and Technology, 45(8), 1188-1207. https://doi.org/10.1080/0020739X.2014.920532
Sonnert, G., Sadler, P., Sadler, S., & Bressoud, D. (2014). The impact of instructor pedagogy on college calculus students’ attitude toward mathematics. International Journal of Mathematical Education in Science and Technology, 46(3), 370-387. https://doi.org/10.1080/0020739X.2014.979898
Soria, K., & Mumpower, L. (2012). Critical building blocks: Mandatory prerequisite registration systems and student success. NACADA Journal, 32(1), 30-42. https://doi.org/10.12930/0271-9517-32.1.30
Van Der Stuyf, R. (2012). Scaffolding as a teaching strategy. Adolescent Learning and Development, 0500A, 2-13.
Wilkins, J. L. M., & Ma, X. (2003). Modeling change in student attitude toward and beliefs about mathematics. Journal of Educational Research, 97(1), 52-63. https://doi.org/10.1080/00220670309596628
Wu, X., Deshler, J., & Fuller, E. (2018). The effects of different versions of a gateway STEM course on student attitudes and beliefs. International Journal of STEM Education, 5(1), 44. https://doi.org/10.1186/s40594-018-0141-4

How to cite this article

APA

Hurdle, Z. B., & Mogilski, W. (2022). The impact of prerequisites for undergraduate calculus I performance. International Electronic Journal of Mathematics Education, 17(3), em0696. https://doi.org/10.29333/iejme/12146

Vancouver

Hurdle ZB, Mogilski W. The impact of prerequisites for undergraduate calculus I performance. INT ELECT J MATH ED. 2022;17(3):em0696. https://doi.org/10.29333/iejme/12146

AMA

Hurdle ZB, Mogilski W. The impact of prerequisites for undergraduate calculus I performance. INT ELECT J MATH ED. 2022;17(3), em0696. https://doi.org/10.29333/iejme/12146

Chicago

Hurdle, Zachariah Benton, and Wiktor Mogilski. "The impact of prerequisites for undergraduate calculus I performance". International Electronic Journal of Mathematics Education 2022 17 no. 3 (2022): em0696. https://doi.org/10.29333/iejme/12146

Harvard

Hurdle, Z. B., and Mogilski, W. (2022). The impact of prerequisites for undergraduate calculus I performance. International Electronic Journal of Mathematics Education, 17(3), em0696. https://doi.org/10.29333/iejme/12146

MLA

Hurdle, Zachariah Benton et al. "The impact of prerequisites for undergraduate calculus I performance". International Electronic Journal of Mathematics Education, vol. 17, no. 3, 2022, em0696. https://doi.org/10.29333/iejme/12146