# Cody Hood Prospectus

Applied Calculus Student Understanding of the Definite Integral

Date: 4/9/2019
Time: 8:30AM-10:00AM
Place: 403 Armstrong Hall

Abstract:Current literature on student understanding of the definite integral strongly suggests that students who perceive the definite integral in a manner that closely aligns with a Riemann sum definition prove to perform better when interacting with applications involving the definite integral in comparison to students with less robust concept images. I look to see if this relationship holds for students in an Applied Calculus course. In my talk I will discuss what current literature says about this topic and what research I plan on conducting that will discover how well students who don’t initially approach the definite integral from a Riemann sum perspective are able to adapt when required to think about the definite integral as an extension of a Riemann sum. A decomposition of the symbolic nature of the definite integral in the context of applications will be used to help students elicit and achieve this level of understanding.

All are welcome to attend.

Date, Location:
2019-04-09