PROCEEDINGS OF THE 19TH ANNUAL CONFERENCE ON RESEARCH IN UNDERGRADUATE MATHEMATICS EDUCATION
2016
Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania
Service-learning in a precalculus class: Tutoring improves the course performance of the tutor
Page: 1470
We have introduced an experiment: as part of a Precalculus class, university students have been tutoring algebra prerequisites to students from the community via an academic service- learning program. The goal of the experiment was to improve university students’ mastery of basic algebra and to quantitatively describe benefits of service-learning to students’ performance in mathematics. At the end of the experiment, we observed 59% decrease of basic algebraic errors between experimental and control sections. The setup and analysis of the study have been informed by the theoretical research on service-learning and peer learning, both grounded in the constructivist theory of John Dewey.