Characterizing Calculus I Students’ Participation In The Parallel Spaces Of Coursework And Inquiry-Oriented Supplemental Instruction

Calculus has long been known as a “gateway course” to STEM fields in postsecondary education. To address this issue, researchers in the Math Department at Montclair State University designed a model of supplemental instruction that features peer-facilitated workshops where Calculus I students work in groups on inquiry-oriented, groupworthy tasks. The purpose of this poster is to present preliminary findings of a multiple-case study that seeks to answer the question, "How do undergraduate Calculus I students experience and navigate their learning of calculus in the parallel spaces of coursework and inquiry-oriented supplemental instruction?" Preliminary findings presented in this poster will include characterizations of the different forms of agentive participation in each of the two spaces, contrasts between the two spaces, and their complementary nature relative to learning calculus with understanding. As this study progresses, the findings presented here will be used to address this research question more deeply.