PROCEEDINGS OF THE 16TH ANNUAL CONFERENCE ON RESEARCH IN UNDERGRADUATE MATHEMATICS EDUCATION (Vol 2)
2013
Denver, Colorado
Switcher and Persister Experiences in Calculus I
Page: 2-100
Previous reports show that not only are too few students pursuing Science, Technology, Engineering, or Mathematics (STEM) fields, but also many who originally intend to pursue these fields leave after their experiences in introductory STEM courses. Based on data gathered in a national survey, we will present an analysis of 5381 STEM intending students enrolled in introductory Calculus in Fall 2010, 12.5% of whom switched out of a STEM trajectory after their experience in Calculus I. When asked why these students no longer intended to continue taking Calculus (an indicator of continuing their pursuit of a STEM major), 31.4% cited their negative experience in Calculus I as a contributing factor. We analyze student and their instructor survey responses on various aspects of their classroom experience in Calculus I to better understand what aspects of this experience contributed to their persistence.