Author Archives: Sandra Kingan

Teaching a large Calculus I class – lessons learned

Last semester I taught a large section of Calculus I. There were 124 students in the class. Teaching a large class is not for everyone, but if you are so inclined, it can be a rewarding experience provided you pay … Continue reading

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Analysis of a Calculus Test – Part 2

Continuing the analysis (over-analysis perhaps) of the test, I began to wonder how students are performing on the limits portion (36 points) of the 100-point test as compared to the formula-driven derivatives portion (50 points). Certainly, the derivative is defined … Continue reading

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Analysis of a Calculus Test – Part I

I gave a test a couple of weeks ago in my Calculus I class. The syllabus covered limits and derivatives. Among other problems, I always ask students to write down the derivative formulas and then give an assortment of derivative … Continue reading

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The data deluge

The theme for Math Awareness Month this year was “Mathematics Statistics and the Data Deluge.” The April issue of SIAM News had an interesting article titled Got Data: Now What? The article identified the analysis of large data sets to … Continue reading

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Homework

One of the most effective teaching strategies in lower division service courses like pre-calculus, calculus, mathematical thinking etc. is to assign a good amount of homework. A good amount tends to be an individual call. You know it is a … Continue reading

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