Utilising a STEAM-based approach to support calculus students’ positive attitudes towards mathematics and enhance their learning outcomes

Abstract

The curricular unit Calculus I – Extraordinary Semester (UCCISE) – was explicitly created to respond to students’ difficulties in the curriculum unit Calculus I (UCCI). Only students who fail the UCCI are allowed to attend UCCISE. Considering the enrolled students’ familiarity with mathematical software, the potential of group work to stimulate collaboration among students, and the existence of several art pieces on the University Campus, led to the proposal of a groups’ project focusing on the calculus of areas based on sections of these pieces. Hence, a STEAM approach emerged to achieve the suggested UCCISE objectives. This study aims to understand how using a STEAM approach in a higher education Calculus course could improve students’ perceptions of mathematics, promote their learning, and contribute to lower levels of failure in UCCISE, using teaching experiments as a research methodology. Four researchers were involved in this study, including the Calculus teacher, so this study has action research characteristics. The interpretive paradigm of analysis was used with the triangulation of data. The collected data come from the students’ productions, interviews, and final questionnaires. Results show that the work developed by the 35 students was relevant and should be a practice to be used in UCCI. This experience led to a reduction in the levels of failure compared to the UCCI. However, in the first years at a university level, STEAM approaches are still challenging.