A Short Preparatory Calculus Course: Is it Effective?

Abstract

In the UTSC Math & Statistics Learning Centre, we designed a 2-week summer preparatory course to help incoming students review background materials that are essential for the success in their first-year calculus courses. This paper discusses the design, implementation, and effectiveness of the course. We examined the effectiveness of the preparatory course through assessing students’ mathematics skills and their confidence of their mathematics skills before and after the course. We also examined the students’ perception and satisfaction with the course. The results show that students demonstrate a higher level of mastery of the fundamental mathematics skills after completing the course; they also tend to be more confident about their mathematics skills. Additionally, students rated the course as very helpful, providing them with a more positive experience than their past experience with mathematics. The course also helped the students getting used to the university learning environment.