Brianna Wiseman

Student taught for 7th & 8th grade math classes: Pre-Algebra and Algebra

- Provide individual tutoring for students in College Algebra, Calculus I & II, and Matlab courses
- Adapt tutoring style to fit students individual learning styles and needs
- Collaborate with class professors and professional staff to determine appropriate tutoring materials

This paper discusses findings from a research study designed to investigate calculus instructors' perceptions of approximation as a central concept and possible unifying thread of the first-year calculus. The study also examines the role approximation plays in participants' self-reported instructional practices. A survey was administered to 279 first-year calculus instructors at higher education institutions throughout the United States. Quantitative and qualitative methods were used to analyze the data gathered. Findings from this research will contribute to what is known about the perceptions and teaching practices of calculus instructors regarding the role of approximation in first-year calculus courses. Research-based findings related to the role of approximation ideas in the first-year calculus could have implications for first-year calculus curricula.