Conceptual Understanding of Fundamental Calculus Concepts
Abstract
Students of calculus, even those proficient with algebraic and symbolic manipulations, often lack a conceptual understanding of fundamental concepts, and have difficulty recognizing when these concepts are at play in applications and everyday phenomena. They thus lack the ability to apply them in novel and unfamiliar situations. This ongoing project with calculus students at UNE probes the connection between conceptual understanding of three fundamental calculus concepts and the ability to recognize and use calculus to understand real-world phenomena and solve problems. Surveys and graded events assess students’ ability to identify and interpret concepts in applied problems, and discussions and writing assignments based on stories in the media are used in an effort to enhance understanding.
Location
Rooms 113 & 115
Recommended Citation
Arciero, Michael, "Conceptual Understanding of Fundamental Calculus Concepts" (2015). SoTL Commons Conference. 41.
https://digitalcommons.georgiasouthern.edu/sotlcommons/SoTL/2015/41
Conceptual Understanding of Fundamental Calculus Concepts
Rooms 113 & 115
Students of calculus, even those proficient with algebraic and symbolic manipulations, often lack a conceptual understanding of fundamental concepts, and have difficulty recognizing when these concepts are at play in applications and everyday phenomena. They thus lack the ability to apply them in novel and unfamiliar situations. This ongoing project with calculus students at UNE probes the connection between conceptual understanding of three fundamental calculus concepts and the ability to recognize and use calculus to understand real-world phenomena and solve problems. Surveys and graded events assess students’ ability to identify and interpret concepts in applied problems, and discussions and writing assignments based on stories in the media are used in an effort to enhance understanding.
