Undergraduate and graduate STEM majors' technology preference for solving calculus related questions

Abstract

Technology has an important role in determining solutions to STEM problems. Computer and calculator programs are often used for engineering calculations. Various technologies can be used for solving different types of problems and this can be effective on students' learning paradigms. The objective of this qualitative paper is to investigate undergraduate and graduate STEM majors' technology preference to solve three different calculus problems as well as their reasoning for the preferred technology. The findings presented in this paper are particularly important to determine different technology preferences of engineering and math students to solve different calculus questions as well as the variation in the chosen technology to solve calculus problems when problem changes. Participants of this study are 17 undergraduate and graduate mathematics and engineering majors who were either enrolled or had recently (two weeks) completed a Numerical Methods/Analysis course. Written and video recorded responses of the participants are analyzed for the results presented in this article.