RUME 28
2026
Alexandria, Virginia
Insights Into Student Perceptions of Learning Assistants in Calculus I: A Mixed-Methods Study Involving Survey and NLP Analysis
Page: 241
Increasingly, institutions of higher education utilize undergraduate Learning Assistants (LAs) to support students’ learning in introductory calculus courses. Prior research has shown a promising impact of the LAs on students’ success and retention. However, little is known about students’ perceptions of LAs’ roles or whether academic factors influence these perceptions. In this mixed-methods study, we analyzed 411 Calculus I students’ survey responses. The results of statistical analysis indicate that, regardless of course performance or prior Calculus experience, students generally perceive LAs positively, with students who seek additional learning resources having even more favorable perceptions of LAs. Additionally, a natural language processing (NLP) technique– topic modeling—revealed two themes: Investigating Procedural Activities and Conceptually Framing Results through Collaboration. Findings support LAs’ role in fostering meaningful engagement for a range of students and demonstrate the value of NLP in educational research, offering insights for LA support of active learning in Calculus courses.