Improving Student Learning of Calculus Topics via Modified Just-in-Time Teaching Methods

Although the use of traditional just-in-time teaching techniques has long been viewed positively by students and instructors in undergraduate calculus courses, past studies in this area have not addressed gains in student achievement with respect to specific calculus topics. This paper investigates the latter by administering modified just-in-time review modules over college algebra topics in a first-semester calculus course at Kansas State University during Spring 2012. Analysis of student performance revealed significant gains in learning on the topics of limits and the chain rule for derivatives. Issues pertaining to the timing of the reviews, along with descriptions of the review assignments, analysis of student performance, and implications for classroom instruction are discussed.

尽管传统适时教学（just-in-time teaching）技术长期以来在本科微积分课程中受到学生与授课教师的普遍认可，但该领域过往研究并未针对特定微积分知识点探讨学生学业成就的提升情况。本文针对上述研究空白，于2012年春季学期在堪萨斯州立大学（Kansas State University）的第一学期微积分课程中，围绕大学代数知识点实施了改良版适时复习模块以开展相关探究。对学生学业表现的分析结果显示，学生在极限与导数链式法则相关知识点的学习中取得了显著提升。本文还讨论了与复习时机相关的各类问题，并对复习任务设计、学生学业表现分析以及课堂教学的启示进行了阐述。