Calculus Completion Among Community College Students: The Role of Institutional and Individual Precarity

• In Event: Unlocking Student Success: Insights From Community College Research

Abstract

Calculus has long acted as both a gateway and gatekeeper for students, particularly students of color, pursuing STEM degrees and careers. This paper applies Beth Ann Hart’s framework of precarity to understand factors that affect student success in community college (CC) calculus courses. The following case study uses a mixed methods approach to understand the experiences of students in the Achieving Together in calculus (ATC) program, an alternative calculus sequence at Success Community College (SCC) designed to better support student learning. Our preliminary findings suggest students navigate both institutional and individual precarity, complicating their ability to succeed in this calculus pathway and inspiring further discussion regarding how to improve student learning in CC calculus courses.

Authors

• Brianna Wright, University of California - Los Angeles

• David Justin Chang, University of California - Irvine

• Mia Elliott, University of California - Los Angeles

• Cecilia Rios-Aguilar, University of California - Los Angeles

• Karina Ramirez, University of California - Los Angeles