We’ve completed a mid-semester survey of 34 freshman college mathematics students who have been using deep learning methods for the first time. Here are just a few of the results…
Two-thirds of the respondents felt that deep learning methods were difficult to understand at first, but 85% indicated that by mid-semester they understood what was expected of them in using the new methods. 80% said their understanding of the course curriculum improved more than they had originally expected.
This is from a group in which over half indicated their previous classroom experience in mathematics was not positive.
The percentage of students indicating that deep learning methods should not be used in a college freshman mathematics course was only 6%. 71% indicated that deep learning would help improve the understanding of mathematics for non-STEM majors.
We still have our work cut out for us, but the responses we’ve been getting so far encourages us to keep going…