RUME 25
2023
Omaha, Nebraska
Implementing and Scaling-Up of Research-Based Precalculus Curriculum
Page: 1147
Small-scale teaching experiments focused on how students reason about exponential functions provide an incredibly useful foundation when thinking about the design of classroom tasks. However, scaling-up certain critical features of these experiments such as focused and prolonged instruction on a single topic is unrealistic for those teaching at the university level. Drawing on research on covariational reasoning, exponential functions, and design-based research methodology, we developed and implemented two interactive lessons with the goal of enhancing students’ understanding of exponentiation and covariational reasoning. In particular, we sought to identify the quantities and relationships that students focused on during classroom tasks and the ways in which the tasks could be refined to support students’ understanding of exponential covariation. From this analysis, revisions made to the curricular materials and other implications for research and teaching are discussed.