Comparing and Contrasting Secondary and Undergraduate Precalculus Teaching

Abstract

Precalculus is a course that bridges the divide between early secondary mathematics and early tertiary mathematics. As such, it exists in both high schools and colleges, taking different forms depending on the curricular and pedagogical requirements of each institution and student body. Each precalculus class, secondary and tertiary, can benefit from the other's instructional methods. To begin this exchange of ideas, two perspectives of precalculus teaching are presented and contrasted: one from a high school teacher and one from a college instructor. Teaching contexts, key issues, and active learning pedagogical techniques are described, and potential pedagogical takeaways for each teacher’s specific concerns are suggested.