A Comparison of Student Performance in a One-year Freshman College Calculus Course Resulting From Two Different Methods of Instruction
Abstract
The purpose of this study w as to compare, in terms of student performance, the relative effectiveness of two methods of teaching elem entary calculus at the collegiate level. The two methods of teaching were: Method 1, an integrated calculus and advanced calculus approach in which the £ • £ notation w as introduced at the beginning of the course and used to develop the concepts of limit, continuity, the derivative and the d efinite integral and to prove the related theorems; Method 2, a tw o-sem ester approximation of a techniques course in calculus followed by an advanced calculus course, in which an intuitive approach w as used initially with the notation de-em phasized until the second sem ester at which time the t - £ notation w as em phasized and the related theorems proved. The study w as limited to fifty-one freshman students in four c la sses of elem entary c a lc u lu s a t DePauw U niversity during th e aca d em ic y e ar 1965 — 66. Two c la ss e s were taught by each method. Each c la ss had a different instructor each sem ester. There were two such instructor-com binations who taught one c la ss by each method.
Degree
Ph.D.
Subject Area
Science education
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