University students' ability to interconnect the calculus concepts and function graphing

Tokgoz E., Ceyhan M. H.

125th ASEE Annual Conference and Exposition, Utah, United States Of America, 23 June - 27 December 2018, vol.2018-June identifier

  • Publication Type: Conference Paper / Full Text
  • Volume: 2018-June
  • City: Utah
  • Country: United States Of America
  • Keywords: APOS theory, Asymptote, Critical points, Derivative, Functions, Limit, Schema, Triad classification
  • Ankara University Affiliated: Yes

Abstract

© American Society for Engineering Education, 2018.Success in several advanced STEM courses depend on students' ability to understand and implement calculus concepts in different problem settings. Function concept in calculus is one of the pre-requisite concepts that students are expected to have a well-developed knowledge. In this work, students' ability to answer fill-in-the-blank calculus questions after observing a function's graph are evaluated quantitatively and qualitatively. The main idea behind of this IRB (Institutional Review Board) approved research is to have a better understanding of STEM majors' missing conceptual calculus knowledge for building a bridge between algebraic and geometric representations of functions. Seventeen undergraduate and graduate engineering and mathematics majors' written and transcribed video recorded responses are evaluated by using Action-Process-Object-Schema (APOS) theory. The analysis of the data indicated Mathematics majors' success.