Aligning Calculus with Life Sciences Disciplines: The Argument for Integrating Statistical Reasoning

Governmental and educational organizations have pointed out that students coming into the biological sciences require stronger skills in statistics and data modeling that are not usually addressed in typical engineering-based calculus courses. Our work here documents how faculty in biology and mathe...

Full description

Saved in:
Bibliographic Details
Published in:PRIMUS : problems, resources, and issues in mathematics undergraduate studies resources, and issues in mathematics undergraduate studies, 2022, Vol.32 (2), p.199-217
Main Authors: Luque, Antoni, Mullinix, James, Anderson, Matt, Williams, Kathy S., Bowers, Janet
Format: Article
Language:English
Subjects:
Biological Sciences
biology majors
Calculus
College Faculty
College Mathematics
College Science
Colleges & universities
Curricula
Data analysis
Failure rates
Interdisciplinary Approach
Knowledge Level
knowledge survey
Learner Engagement
Life sciences
Mathematical analysis
Mathematics Instruction
Perception
Program Effectiveness
Science Instruction
Skills
Statistics
STEM curriculum design
STEM Education
Student Attitudes
Students
undergraduate calculus
Undergraduate Students
Urban Schools
Urban Universities
Citations: Items that this one cites
Items that cite this one
Online Access:Get full text
Tags: Add Tag
No Tags, Be the first to tag this record!
Description
Summary:Governmental and educational organizations have pointed out that students coming into the biological sciences require stronger skills in statistics and data modeling that are not usually addressed in typical engineering-based calculus courses. Our work here documents how faculty in biology and mathematics addressed this issue at a large urban university in the southwestern USA. The Calculus for Life Sciences course was redesigned to integrate data analysis and engage students in activities connecting the foundational and practical aspects of statistics-based calculus for professionals in life sciences. The goal was to obtain a better-prepared cohort of students with a positive perception of the use of mathematics and statistics in their careers. Over the course of four semesters, the course doubled the average enrollment of students, the failure rate reduced by more than 50%, and students reported positive attitudinal responses regarding the application of math to biological studies. The perception of mastery reported by students throughout the semester, however, did not correlate with the mastery of skills demonstrated on graded activities. This article provides a case study of the successes and pitfalls that we encountered as we attempted to shift all aspects of the course, including pedagogy, grading, and curriculum.
ISSN:1051-1970
1935-4053
DOI:10.1080/10511970.2021.1881847