Documented Outcomes
In 1997,
as part of a FIPSE dissemination project, eight institutions conducted
evaluations of the outcomes of their Calculus With Precalculus
course. Some results:
Continuance:
Typically more than 85% of the
students who completed the first term of the course continued to the
second term.
Completion:
The
rate of student completion of
two terms of Calculus With Precalculus was 30% to 100% higher than that
in the two-course sequence Precalculus followed by Calculus I.
Comparison:
Performance on common exam
questions showed that students in Calculus with Precalculus:
• mastered precalculus concepts
previously tested on a placement examination;
• significantly outperformed those in
Precalculus-followed-by-Calculus;
• performed almost as well as those in
Calculus I with much stronger background
and adult
students excelled,
outperforming
Calculus I students.
Attitudes:
Student attitudes towards
mathematics and confidence in their mathematical ability
improved. Teachers preferred this approach compared to
Precalculus followed by Calculus I.