Online Inquiry Math Courses at Rockhurst University

Calculus I and Precalculus (Summer 2018)

Rockhurst University is happy to announce a new online math initiative. Rockhurst will begin offering online math courses which focus on the student engaging in inquiry as the main paradigm of instruction. Students will develop problem solving and critical thinking skills through this approach. In particular, courses will be:

· Student-centered and active – students will work on a variety of activities in groups and individually and interact with the instructor via messaging, video etc

· Meeting regularly online as a class to work on and discuss problems in small groups and as a whole class.

· Adaptive to student needs/abilities providing support that is tailored to the student.

· Focused on community development among students in the course.

Precalculus is designed with a modeling focus to help future math, engineering, business and science majors understand functions and their characteristics. Students apply their understanding to solve problems and develop mathematical models. The goal is for students to leave the class with an understanding of how functions can be used to answer questions and solve problems in applied settings. Calculus I is designed for students to develop a deep understanding of the derivative and it’s applications. Students develop the definition of derivative through inquiry activities and by doing this gain a deep understanding of the meaning of the derivative. Students apply this understanding and standard derivative rules to develop problem solving approaches in the areas of optimization and related rates.

Precalculus and Calculus I will be offered online during Summer 2018.

We would love to hear more from you if you think your students might be interested in these courses. For further information, contact Dr. Mairead Greene at Mairead.greene@rockhurst.edu.