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MATH 30: Calculus 1 | student-centered, transparency, alignment

Reflection on Instructional Change:

One practice I implemented from the ACUE course was to create transparent assignments/activities aligned to the learning outcomes. I followed the guidelines provided within the course to improve transparency. I will describe here one particular hands-on activity about estimating error propagation via linearization. In particular, the activity starts with a paragraph which introduces the topic, followed by the purpose, knowledge and skills that students will practice and hone by engaging with the activity, breakdown of the criteria for success and finally a complete description of the task. I used a similar structure for other assignments as well. I chose to include these steps because I believe students are more motivated to engage with the material when the know why and how it will be impactful and relevant for their education and professional growth.

Writing transparent activities/assignments helped me gain a better understanding of how to support students' motivation. It also helped me improve my alignment between learning objectives and class activities/assessments. By making the rationale behind an activity clear for the students, I am helping them understand why the material is relevant. Verbal feedback from the students at the end of the activity I described in the previous paragraph confirmed this. During the activity, students engaged in groups with the task at end. The atmosphere was lively and productive.

My experience as an Observer in the Observe and Analyze session was very positive. For one, I got to see how other instructors implemented engaging practices in their classes.

In addition, I loved hearing discussions about improving engagement when using group work. In particular I liked the idea of having students stand or move to help break the ice or keep them active throughout the class period.

**Evidence of Instructional Change**
Screenshot of first page of a transparent class activity	Screenshot of student submission for a transparent assignment	ACUE badge on Designing Student-Centered Courses

Changes in Course Syllabus:

Pre FLC - Syllabus

Post FLC - Syllabus

**Faculty Bio**
	I am an Assistant Professor in the department of Mathematics and Statistics. I joined Sac State after receiving my PhD from the University of Pittsburgh and spending a year at the University of South Florida as a postdoc. My research is in Partial Differential Equations and I love trying new teaching approaches and creating engaging activities and materials for my students.

**Program Sponsors**
	This work was supported by: National Science Foundation Hispanic Serving Institution Project STEM Zone DUE 1832335 US Department of Education Hispanic Serving Institution Project Degree with a Purpose P031S210061 US Department of Education Hispanic Serving Institution Project STEM4Equity P031C210012 *Any opinions, findings, conclusions, or recommendations expressed in this material are those of the author(s) and do not necessarily reflect the views of the National Science Foundation or the US Department of Education.