IMPROVING UNDERGRADUATE STUDENT SUCCESS IN MATHEMATICS WHILE BUILDING PATHWAYS TO THE GEOSCIENCES: CONTEXTUALIZING PRE-CALCULUS CONCEPTS WITH VOLCANIC HAZARD THEMED PROBLEMS

Introductory level math courses represent an obstacle for undergraduate STEM-intended majors at the University of Texas at Arlington (UTA), which yield D-F-Withdraw rates greater than 60%. To address the issue of student success in introductory mathematics courses and to create a new pathway to Earth Science for a diverse student population, we are integrating geoscience content into UTA’s college algebra and pre-calculus curriculum. A fully modified college algebra course was implemented at UTA in Spring 2020 (currently being assessed), and a modified preparation for calculus course is under development (full implementation Fall 2021). Our goals are to (1) improve the success of STEM-intended majors at UTA in mathematics courses that lead to calculus, and (2) introduce students to the geosciences and related career pathways before they decide on a major. UTA is a large, urban, Hispanic-serving R-1 public university with an extraordinarily diverse student population, with approximately 33% Hispanic, 32% Caucasian, 15% Black or African American, and 13% Asian students (2018 demographic data). Surveys from students in the algebra course report little prior exposure to the geosciences, and they place a very high value on “the ability to help people and society” and “help the environment” in choosing their future careers. This information guided us in selecting volcanic hazards as a geoscience theme for part of the preparation for calculus course to highlight how volcanologists help people and communities living near volcanoes. We have modified laboratory and homework content to include the volcanic hazard theme so that abstract mathematical concepts are presented with scientific applications that follow a consistent theme throughout the unit. As with other thematic units throughout the course, we have constructed a video presentation to explain and expand on the concepts in this part of the course and highlight how geoscience professionals use the mathematical skills that the students are learning. Students are surveyed before and after implementation of the modified courses to quantify student interest in science and math and determine their career perceptions of the sciences.