The purposes of this study were (a) to develop, implement, and evaluate a computer-oriented instructional program for introductory calculus students, and (b) to explore the association between a computer-oriented calculus instructional program, a non-computer-oriented calculus instructional program, student achievement on three selected calculus topics, and student attitude toward mathematics.
An experimental study was conducted with two groups of introductory calculus students during the Spring Semester, 1989. The computer-oriented group consisted of 32 students who were taught using microcomputer calculus software for in-class presentations and homework assignments. The noncomputer-oriented group consisted of 40 students who were taught in a traditional setting with no microcomputer intervention.
Each of three experimenter-developed achievement examinations was administered in a pretest/posttest format with the pretest scores being used both as a covariate and in determining the two levels of student prior knowledge of the topic.
For attitude toward mathematics, the Aiken-Dreger Revised Math Attitude Scale was administered in a pretest/ posttest format with the pretest scores being used as a covariate. Students were also administered the MAA Calculus Readiness Test to determine two levels of calculus prerequisite skill mastery.
An ANCOVA for achievement and attitude toward mathematics was performed by treatment, level, and interaction of treatment and level. Using a .05 level of significance, there was no significant difference in treatments, levels of prior knowledge of topic, nor interaction when achievement was measured by each of the three achievement examination posttests. Furthermore, there was no significant difference between treatments, levels of student prerequisite skill mastery, and interaction when attitude toward mathematics was measured, at the .05 level of significance.
It was concluded that the use of the microcomputer in introductory calculus instruction does not significantly effect either student achievement in calculus or student attitude toward mathematics.
