An Integrated Calculus Laboratory

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The University of California Berkeley is developing courseware for a computer class laboratory that is a central feature of a new four-semester calculus sequence. Students spend three hours a week in this computer laboratory working in groups of 25 using the courseware with a trained Graduate Student Instructor. This laboratory work is fully integrated with three hours of lectures in a traditional large class format. The courseware consists of detailed lesson plans and worksheets together with implementation in MatLab. The laboratory courseware attempts to balance individual and group work, integrates computer and paper and pencil work, and integrates with an existing traditional curriculum. Further, the overall project is creating an infrastructure in the department that makes it inviting and easy for all faculty to teach in these new courses. The project pays particular attention to the proper training of the Graduate Student Instructors. The project is collaborating with the Professional Development Program at Berkeley by featuring elements that are aimed at improving the success rates of at-risk students in these key gateway courses. Project results are being widely disseminated through presentations, a World Wide Web site, and commercial publication.