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Forged in failure: engagement patterns for successful students repeating calculus

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Abstract

Although there is extensive research on attrition in gatekeeper courses and students’ cognition about calculus concepts, there is one population in introductory calculus that remains understudied: those who failed their initial course and chose to repeat it rather than change majors. These students can provide insight into overcoming poor mathematics affect and major persistence. This case study follows eight students repeating calculus from their second try at undergraduate calculus until they graduated or left the university; six graduated with either a mathematics major or mathematics minor. While participants identified several reasons for their success in the repeated course (processing their initial failure, having a better instructor in the repeated course, and participating regularly in the formative assessments), only participation in formative assessment led to the long-term cognitive and behavioral engagement required for long-term success.

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Notes

  1. Corwin said in his first interview, “The assignments are not worth very many points, so there really are not any consequences for skipping them.” David knew that the assignments were graded, but forgot to do them, and agreed with Corwin that the small weight of the assignments meant that they were not very important. Although this shows a type of strategic thinking and behavioral engagement, regularly missing even low stakes assignments is unlikely to lead to long term success in any mathematics course.

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  1. Department of Mathematics, Texas A&M University-Commerce, P. O. Box 3011, Commerce, TX, 75429-3011, USA

    Rebecca Dibbs

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Dibbs, R. Forged in failure: engagement patterns for successful students repeating calculus. Educ Stud Math 101, 35–50 (2019). https://doi.org/10.1007/s10649-019-9877-0

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