Exploring Transfer Student’s Perceptions of Their Transition Experience in Calculus 2 at a Research Intensive Institution: A Phenomenological Study

Steven Edalgo; Karen High

Download Paper | Permalink

Conference: 2022 ASEE Annual Conference & Exposition
Location: Minneapolis, MN
Publication Date: August 23, 2022
Start Date: June 26, 2022
End Date: June 29, 2022
Conference Session: Mathematics Division Poster Session
Page Count: 8
DOI: 10.18260/1-2--40843
Permanent URL: https://peer.asee.org/40843
Download Count: 335

Request a correction

Paper Authors

biography

Steven Edalgo Clemson University

visit author page

Steven Edalgo is a Doctoral Candidate in the Department of Engineering and Science Education at Clemson University. He received his B.S. in Pure Mathematics from Georgia Southwestern State University in 2012, M.S. in Mathematical Sciences from McNeese State University in 2014, and M.S. in Mathematics Education from Oklahoma State University in 2017. He has taught undergraduate mathematics and statistics courses at several institutions in the Midwest and Southeastern regions of the United States. His teaching focus is in the areas of Calculus and Differential Equations. Steven’s primary research focuses on using phenomenological methods to understand how transfer students perceive and make sense of their transitional experiences in Calculus II at a large research intensive institution. Additionally, he is involved with other STEM education projects that utilize mixed methods research to develop a conceptual framework to explore how faculty mentoring influences faculty productivity.

visit author page

biography

Karen High Clemson University

visit author page

Dr. Karen High holds an academic appointment in the Engineering Science and Education Department (ESED) at Clemson University. Prior to this Dr. Karen was at Oklahoma State University where she was a professor for 24 years in Chemical Engineering. She received her B.S. in chemical engineering from University of Michigan in 1985 and her M.S. in 1988 and Ph.D. in 1991 in chemical engineering both from Pennsylvania State University. Dr. Karen’s educational research emphasis includes faculty development and mentoring, graduate student development, critical thinking and communication skills, enhancing mathematical student success in Calculus (including Impact of COVID-19), and promoting women in STEM. Her technical research focuses on sustainable chemical process design, computer aided design, and multicriteria decision making. She also has extensive experience in K-12 STEM education and program evaluation and assessment. She has held a variety of administrative positions: 1) Director of STEM Faculty Development Initiatives-Clemson, 2) Associate Dean for Undergraduate Studies in the College of Engineering, Computing and Applied Sciences-Clemson, 3) Interim Director of Student Services-Oklahoma State University, 4) Coordinator of the Women in Engineering Program-Oklahoma State University, and 5) Director of the Oklahoma State University Measurement and Control Engineering Center-Oklahoma State University.

visit author page

Download Paper | Permalink

Abstract

Calculus continues to prevail as a gatekeeper course to the disciplines in science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM). Most STEM majors will spend their first year taking Calculus 1 and Calculus 2. Some research suggests that both courses prove to be challenging courses to pass with high DFW rates at research intensive (R1) academic institutions. Moreover, some studies suggest that transfer students contribute the most in DFW rates in Calculus 2 at R1 institutions. Research regarding transfer student experiences in Calculus 2 at a R1 academic institution is lacking. A few studies have explored transfer students transitioning to 4 year comprehensive institution. In this study, we explore transfer student perceptions of their transition into Calculus 2 at a R1 institution. We employ the use of Schlossberg’s Transition Theory and Tinto’s Theory as our guiding conceptual framework. The framework is a theoretical model that was developed to explain perceptions of a human being transitioning and engagement with academic and social systems during the transition process. The conceptual framework will guide the development interview protocols, and data collection and grounded in the analysis. In this study, we use a Psychological Phenomenology research methods design. The research will consist of in-depth semi-structured interviews with transfer students during the transition in Calculus 2 at a large land grant institution and post transition after completing Calculus 2. The interviews will be in phases since it is important to understand the transition in multiple phases. The data will be analyzed for themes using an emergent coding approach. The results will be presented from the researcher interpretation of the transfer student transitioning experience in Calculus 2 by providing a rich description. Using the conceptual framework and methods discusses, a pilot study was conducted to refine research questions and interview protocol development. The pilot study yielded themes that align with the conceptual framework and influenced research questions through the lens of the conceptual framework, and refined the interview protocol. The main results from the pilot study show that transfer students typically perceive their Calculus 1 experience at the non-R1 institution to be a positive experience and they perceive their transition to Calculus 2 at a R1 institution to be negative. However, more research is needed to gain a deeper understanding of their perceptions. This Work in Progress will provide further preliminary results from more data collected and analyzed. This research aims to provide an exploration of the transition experience of transfer students in Calculus 2 classrooms at a research intensive institution. The results are expected to inform the need for more attention on transfer student success in the calculus sequence at larger institutions. An overview of this ongoing Work in Progress research will be presented at a poster session.

Citation
Format

Edalgo, S., & High, K. (2022, August), Exploring Transfer Student’s Perceptions of Their Transition Experience in Calculus 2 at a Research Intensive Institution: A Phenomenological Study Paper presented at 2022 ASEE Annual Conference & Exposition, Minneapolis, MN. 10.18260/1-2--40843

TY - CPAPER
AB - Calculus continues to prevail as a gatekeeper course to the disciplines in science,
technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM). Most STEM majors will spend their first year
taking Calculus 1 and Calculus 2. Some research suggests that both courses prove to be challenging
courses to pass with high DFW rates at research intensive (R1) academic institutions. Moreover,
some studies suggest that transfer students contribute the most in DFW rates in Calculus 2 at R1
institutions. Research regarding transfer student experiences in Calculus 2 at a R1 academic
institution is lacking. A few studies have explored transfer students transitioning to 4 year
comprehensive institution. In this study, we explore transfer student perceptions of their transition
into Calculus 2 at a R1 institution.
We employ the use of Schlossberg’s Transition Theory and Tinto’s Theory as our guiding
conceptual framework. The framework is a theoretical model that was developed to explain
perceptions of a human being transitioning and engagement with academic and social systems
during the transition process. The conceptual framework will guide the development interview
protocols, and data collection and grounded in the analysis.
In this study, we use a Psychological Phenomenology research methods design. The
research will consist of in-depth semi-structured interviews with transfer students during the
transition in Calculus 2 at a large land grant institution and post transition after completing
Calculus 2. The interviews will be in phases since it is important to understand the transition in
multiple phases. The data will be analyzed for themes using an emergent coding approach. The
results will be presented from the researcher interpretation of the transfer student transitioning
experience in Calculus 2 by providing a rich description.
Using the conceptual framework and methods discusses, a pilot study was conducted to
refine research questions and interview protocol development. The pilot study yielded themes that
align with the conceptual framework and influenced research questions through the lens of the
conceptual framework, and refined the interview protocol. The main results from the pilot study
show that transfer students typically perceive their Calculus 1 experience at the non-R1 institution
to be a positive experience and they perceive their transition to Calculus 2 at a R1 institution to be
negative. However, more research is needed to gain a deeper understanding of their perceptions.
This Work in Progress will provide further preliminary results from more data collected and
analyzed.
This research aims to provide an exploration of the transition experience of transfer
students in Calculus 2 classrooms at a research intensive institution. The results are expected to
inform the need for more attention on transfer student success in the calculus sequence at larger
institutions. An overview of this ongoing Work in Progress research will be presented at a poster
session.
AU - Steven Edalgo
AU - Karen High
CY - Minneapolis, MN
DA - 2022/08/23
PB - ASEE Conferences
TI - Exploring Transfer Student’s Perceptions of Their Transition Experience in Calculus 2 at a Research Intensive Institution: A Phenomenological Study
UR - https://peer.asee.org/40843
DO - 10.18260/1-2--40843
ER -