Poster #11 - Rehumanizing Assessments in University Calculus II Courses

• In Event: 64.090 - MTCC Poster Session 15
  In Poster Session: 64.090-1 - Poster Session on Diverse Topics in Mathematics Education

Abstract

Answering the call of Francis Su (Su, 2017) that "math is for human flourishing" and a challenge by Rochelle Gutiérrez to rehumanize math (Gutiérrez, 2018), I changed assessments in two university calculus II courses. The traditional way to change assessments is to revamp the questions, either by type or by content. Instead, I focused on revamping/rehumanizing the structure of exams that included small group discussions between students for part of the exams. This change, along with a consistently enacted classroom mission statement, led to higher exam scores, more student engagement, and students reported feeling they had a deeper understanding of concepts, as well as a humane and positive math experience in a class they thought was very difficult.

Author

• Kelly MacArthur, University of Utah