A calculus retention program for students at risk in engineering

Abstract

Historically, calculus has served as a filter in many engineering schools. However, this entry level mathematics requirement is filtering far more than those who are not capable intellectually. This has become a national concern, and is the main thrust behind the calculus reform currently taking place in the mathematics community. During the 1994 spring semester, three faculty members at the University of Louisville's Speed Scientific School (the engineering school) initiated a pilot program whose main goal was to deepen students' understanding of the material in calculus. Additionally, the program was designed to create a more friendly environment in which to learn mathematics and help increase the retention rate of the engineering students. To address these goals, a group of African American and female students was recruited to work in small groups on problems related to the material being covered in calculus each week. These sessions utilized the Uri Treisman collaborative learning model currently in use at several other universities, with some modifications for this particular situation. The pilot program was fairly successful, and the effort continued with students during the summer and fall 1994 terms. The paper outlines the essential elements of this cooperative learning program, describes the modifications made over the year and discusses its successes and failures. An analysis is presented comparing students who had no or little participation in the program with students who attended the program regularly.