PROCEEDINGS OF THE 22ND ANNUAL CONFERENCE ON RESEARCH IN UNDERGRADUATE MATHEMATICS EDUCATION
2019
Oklahoma City, Oklahoma
A case study of student motivation and course structures in introductory calculus
Page: 1159
Student success in introductory calculus is imperative to obtaining a degree in STEM. Calculus I is a main gatekeeper course for STEM majors, and many students leave the class with a diminished motivation to pursue further courses related to mathematics. This poster reports a qualitative case study from a larger mixed-methods project aimed at exploring the relationship between course structures (hybrid, traditional, and large active learning) and student motivation in calculus. Using the theoretical framework of self-determination theory (SDT), six students were interviewed to investigate how each course structure was related to students’ perceptions of their competence, autonomy, and relatedness. Emerging themes showing differences in student motivation between the three course types will be presented.