PROCEEDINGS OF THE 23RD ANNUAL CONFERENCE ON RESEARCH IN UNDERGRADUATE MATHEMATICS EDUCATION
2020
Boston, Massachusetts
Characterizing student engagement in a post-secondary precalculus class
Page: 193
This paper reports on several aspects of a larger study aiming to characterize the engagement of students in a Precalculus class at a four-year public university. In line with policy suggestions that advocate for the development of flexibility in mathematics problem solving, we conducted a teaching experiment which utilized a set of "multiple solutions activities" to expose students to alternative solution methods while providing opportunities to examine and critique the reasoning of others. In addition, the instructor and teaching assistant of the course attempted to use these activities to explicitly negotiate productive norms and practices. Nevertheless, several detrimental norms emerged in the class, as the effectiveness of the activities was hindered by several propensity factors, particularly students' prior knowledge and self-regulation.