Abstract:

High failure rates in introductory calculus courses remain a persistent challenge in higher education. This study examines the impact of a targeted re-teaching intervention on student success following initial course failure.

In the fall semester of 2024, 257 students sat a final exam in an introductory calculus course in a Nordic university, of whom 142 (55%) passed and 115 (45%) failed. Students who failed were subsequently offered enrolment in a follow-up course during the spring semester. A total of 80 students (70% of those eligible) chose to participate in this intervention.

The follow-up course was designed using the Thinking Classroom framework, which seeks to transform traditional, lecture-based instruction into an environment that prioritises student thinking and active learning. Core elements of this approach include the use of "thinking tasks" to increase student engagement and deep learning and visibly randomised groups of students working together in front of a vertical non-permanent surface (e.g., whiteboards). Rather than emphasising passive note-taking, the method encourages students to collaboratively construct understanding through discussion and exploration.

At the end of the spring semester, participating students completed a final exam comparable in difficulty to the original assessment. Of these, 53 students (66%) passed. This represents a substantial improvement relative to their prior performance, as all participants had previously failed the same course. The results suggest that a structured, student-centered pedagogical redesign may support meaningful gains in achievement among students at risk of non-completion.

To complement the performance data, students in the intervention course were invited to complete a survey on their learning experience, with 32 students responding. The results indicate strong positive perceptions of the Thinking Classroom approach: 26 (around 81%) respondents strongly agreed that attending class was helpful for their learning, and 24 (75%) reported that they would like to see more courses adopt this teaching framework. These findings suggest that, in addition to improved academic outcomes, the intervention may enhance student engagement and the value students place on in-class participation.

Keywords:

University education, calculus, intervention, thinking classroom.