Date of Award

8-2022

Degree Type

Report

Degree Name

Master of Science (MS)

Department

Mathematics and Statistics

Committee Chair(s)

Brynja Kohler

Committee

Brynja Kohler

Committee

James Cangelosi

Committee

Zhaohu Nie

Abstract

Many students encounter infinite series for the first time as part of their single-variable calculus coursework. As part of this initial engagement with infinite series convergence, students grapple with infinity in ways that they haven't had to before. For instance, the fact that summing infinitely many terms sometimes yields a finite value, but at other times diverges, poses significant conceptual challenges.

I recently designed and implemented a curriculum for second-semester calculus centered in doing problems to help students develop ideas surrounding infinite series convergence, rather than using direct instruction. The unit design was patterned after a workshop at the Park City Mathematics Institute's Teacher Leadership Program (PCMI TLP).

In this paper, I discuss the design of the three-week curriculum and I discuss what participants in the class learned and how these learnings shape future iterations of the materials.

Share

COinS