PME-NA

Exploring Mathematics Graduate Teaching Assistants Grading of Students' Solutions for Optimization Problems in Calculus

• In Event: Exploring Mathematics Graduate Teaching Assistants Grading of Students' Solutions for Optimization Problems in Calculus

Description

This study investigated how graduate teaching assistants grade optimization problem from calculus. We interviewed six mathematics GTAs about their general grading philosophies and specifically their grading practices for optimization problems in calculus. We then asked them to grade three student solutions for each of three optimization problems for a total of nine graded solutions. We used open thematic analysis for the transcribed interviews and three themes emerged that is supported by all graduate student graders. This study discusses two of the three themes: Reflection of Understanding and Key Steps in Optimization Solutions. In addition, we delve deeper into reflection of understanding theme using Skemp’s instrumental and relational understanding. The graders wanted to see relational understanding on specific key steps. Our results provide insight into how GTAs grade student solutions for optimization problems and offer possible insights into the variations in scores we observed on the student solutions.

Authors

• David Allan Miller, West Virginia University

• Jesse Cook, West Virginia University

• William Robertson, West Virginia University

• Kaitlyn Roxby, West Virginia University

• Edwin (Ted) Townsend, West Virginia University