Student Interviews
Instrument 1: Interview Questions
Project: Calculus in Context (CIC)
Five College Consortium (Amherst, Hampshire, Mount Holyoke,
Smith College, and the University of Massachusetts)
Funding Source: NSF: Course and Curriculum Development-Calculus (DUE)
Purpose: To gather data from each student
about calculus course experiences
Administered To: Calculus students after
course was completed
Topics Covered:
- Course Evaluation: activities, areas for program
improvement, collaboration, content, delivery, exemplary
areas, expectations, opportunity to learn, pace, rigor,
satisfaction
- Impact on Outcomes: external factors that affect
impact, practical use, student interest, student
understanding
- Plans & Expectations (Student): increase
knowledge
- Self-Assessment (Student): application of technology,
confidence, engagement, test anxiety, skills
- Background Characteristics & Activities (Student):
prior coursework
Format/Length: 25 open-ended questions
total; 10 major topics, each with 1 to 4 questions or probes
Interview Questions
- Expectations
What were your expectations/goals for this course?
Were they met?
- Aspects of the Course
What aspects of the course facilitated your learning of
the subject matter?
Lectures
In class problem solving
Textbook
Labs
Homework
Group work
- Group Work
Did you work alone or in a group? What were the
advantages/disadvantages of working in a group?
- Computers
How much did you use the computer?
How confident do you feel working with it?
Do you feel you received adequate training in the use of
computers?
- Work Load
How would you describe the work load–heavy, light?
What took the most time/effort?
- Previous Calculus Experience
Have you had calculus before? Where?
Did your prior exposure to calculus help/hinder your understanding
in this course?
- Attitude
Has this course reduced/increased your anxiety about math?
Has this course increased/decreased your enjoyment of math?
What was responsible for these changes?
Has your experience in the course motivated you to take
further math courses? Or, are you required
to take further math courses?
- Ability
How confident do you feel in your ability to handle
calculus type problems?
Do you feel that you can analyze a quantitative problem
and solve it, using computers if necessary?
Do you feel that the course has given you skills you can
use in other quantitatively oriented courses?
- Specifics About the Course
With what topics did you have the most problem?
Which topics were presented well?
Which topics were presented poorly?
- Future Directions
What changes would you like to see in this course?
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