Summer Calculus Workshop

I have designed Inquiry-Based Learning (IBL) worksheets for the Calculus II and Calculus III sections in the 5-day Freshman Summer Calculus Workshop at the University of Arizona. I led Calculus II in Summer 2017 and Calculus III in Summer 2018 and 2019. The worksheets for each of the sections may be accessed below.

Self-Reflection

In my 2 years of formal teaching as a graduate student, no other teaching technique has elicited greater enthusiasm and enjoyment in the learning process than the inquiry-based learning (IBL) method used during the summer calculus workshop. It has completely revolutionized my thinking and attitude towards teaching. I am deeply grateful for all the training, experience, and growth I gained from the workshop.

In many ways, the 5-day workshop for a group of 10-12 students was an ideal setting for me to try the IBL teaching approach for the first time. The timespan and group size was just right. It was an excellent opportunity to gain valuable experience in the entire IBL process, from planning and developing worksheets and in-class activities to leading day-long lessons. The discussions with and feedback I received from Dr. Aditya Adiredja, the workshop organizer, was invaluable as well as conversations with the 3 fellow colleagues leading other sections in the workshop.

Trying the IBL method surprised me in many ways. Since I would not lecture and the students would be working problems in the board the entire time, I presumed there would be less work preparing and running the class. But, it was exactly the opposite. It required great amounts of thought and care in crafting worksheets consisting of an intentional sequence of questions that build on each other, are conceptually rich, and that effectively lead students (without too much handholding) towards self-discovery. In the classroom, I have never before put in more effort in paying the close attention and exercising the careful judgement needed to create a nurturing learning environment and culture for the students’ collective learning. The IBL method is exhausting for the instructor and students alike… in a very good way.

It was illuminating to see that students can indeed learn, discover, prove, and conjecture knowledge new to themselves all on their own with careful and deliberate orchestration by the instructor. In this way, the IBL method fosters independent thinking and empowers students to take ownership in their learning while mastering the subject content. At the same time, students gain greater confidence, self-initiative, and knowledge that is meaningful and enduring. Plus, the satisfaction felt by the students is palpable (and most definitely shared by the instructor!).

The power of IBL seems to lie in how it fundamentally challenges the idea that the instructor has the knowledge which must be passed on to the students. In contrast, the IBL philosophy is that the students have all the ingredients within and among themselves to build the knowledge themselves. The instructor’s role is radically different, as we do not provide the knowledge. We are keenly observant onlookers and listeners, perhaps even sitting in the back of the room, knowingly provoking rich interactions, inspiring ideas, posing open-ended questions, and purposely recognizing and valuing each student’s insightful contribution. We spur on the shared journey the students take together.

The summer workshop experience was very transformative for me. I was pushed to totally reinterpret my role as instructor in the classroom. Along the way, I was abundantly rewarded with some of the most gratifying moments in my teaching career so far.