A calculus course in knowledge feedback format

Abstract

This paper presents a design of an undergraduate calculus course which attempts to achieve higher student activity and teacher-student exchange, allowing the teacher to adapt more to the present student group and to increase students work time. This is done by switching between examinations in small format and examination-free, open mathematical dialogue occasions – two learning-enhancing opposites that reinforce each other during the course. In the examination-free dialogue, students solved problems during lectures every week, where the quality of the student-teacher dialogue is essential both for dissection of properties of mathematics and for students’ willingness to continue participating. Thus, students regularly practiced verbal presentation and reflection in mathematics.