The Catholic University Math Department received a grant from the National Science Foundation to study help-seeking behaviors in college-level online math classes. Calculus classes can be a source of stress and even a barrier for some students, and we want to help students succeed in their majors. This grant will look at, for example, what prompts them to seek help, what kinds of help they look for, and how students look for help sources. As part of this grant, we will offer students not only a scholarship that makes the course free but also the opportunity to volunteer to be part of this important work. Students will fill out confidential short surveys during the Online Precalculus Review Course that will help them understand their own learning behaviors better, which will help them to succeed not only in the Online Precalculus Review Course, but in their calculus and other classes as well. Students will be eligible for gift card incentives after the summer course concludes, for focus groups with other students and follow-up surveys.

 

Why be part of this NSF Research?

• Understand your own learning behavior better

• Learn new skills that will help you in all classes (not just math!)

• Help expand the knowledge of how students learn

• Be eligible for focus groups/surveys to earn gift cards

You'll just fill out short surveys during the Online Precalc Review Courses (Math 11 and Math 21)

 

See the invitation letter from Dr. Kiran Bhutani, Chair of the Math Department below.  Consent forms are available on this website here.

Dear Math Students,

 My name is Dr. Bhutani and I am the chair for the Mathematics Department. I am writing to you about an important project we are doing as part of a research project funded by the National Science Foundation called E-SHARP (Enhancing student help-seeking behavior and reinforcing problem solving skills)  The Online Precalculus Review Course students have been selected and have the opportunity to participate in a voluntary study, the goal of which is to investigate how to inspire students to develop self-sustaining help-seeking behavior through constructive means, and succeed in their STEM classes.

 Participating in the study will not influence your grade in the OPRC, and all information will be confidential.  For the study, you will complete surveys about yourself and your opinions about learning: a pre-course and a post-course survey, and 5 short surveys (one after each math module). These will be confidential.

 As you take these surveys, you will learn more about your own beliefs and practices regarding help-seeking behavior. By building this foundation, you will be able to apply more effective strategies in your own classes. Students who have solid math skills are more likely to succeed in later classes and reach their own career goals.

 If you are interested in being part of this voluntary research project, please complete the application form for the summer of 2024, link below and one of our team members will contact you with more information. 

 If after reviewing the consent forms you have questions about the study or your participation, please reach out to Dr. Kiran Bhutani (Principal Investigator) at math-onlineprecalc@cua.edu

 Thank you for your interest in this important research.

 Best,

Dr. Kiran R. Bhutani