Friday, April 1, 2016

Learning Calculus by following a simple model of learning

Many learners find it difficult to learn a subject or anything that they want to learn. The difficulties come from the fact that people have always thought that in order to learn something somebody has to teach it in the first place. Learning doesn't always come from someone else. One can learn by oneself. In fact learning happens throughout life mostly in the informal way. Life would be impossible without learning. Learning happens explicitly after birth. Babies learn to cry to get fed. This is a natural process of a simple stimulus-response conditioning. A natural stimulus is used in order to get a response. The baby cry is a natural stimulus to get a response which is food. Learning viewed this way is a change of behavior. Later comes complex stimulus-response conditioning. The complex stimulus-response conditioning is known as classical conditioning of Pavlov. In complex stimulus-response conditioning a second stimulus is introduced, which stimulus is neutral. Dog naturally salivate when they see meat but Pavlov was able to teach a dog to salivate at the sound of a bell  by associating the sound of a bell to the presentation of the meat to the dog. By repeating several times the association meat with the sound of a bell the dog learns to salivate when the bell rings. This process of conditioned learning has been used by humans to live and to create different structures in society.

Learning happens whether we want it or not. In order to learn more complex things ways of learning are necessary. One cannot depend exclusively one someone else to learn as if this person isn't present learning cannot take place. A teacher doesn't force learning to take place. He facilitates and creates conditions for learning. This starts by believing that you can learn. Then you learn the study skills and habits. You need to know the theories, rules and processes in order to learn math.

 Mathematics play an important role in human activities. They are used from simple everyday activities such as personal budgeting, checkbook balancing, groceries shopping to more complicated disciplines such as Economy, Science, Computers, Engineering, etc. The buildings we live in the roads we use, the computers, cellphones, tablets, televisions, etc are designed by people who know math. Calculus is an important branch of mathematics used in various disciplines taught at the college level. The notions of limits are fundamental in understanding some very important notions in Calculus such as Continuity, Derivation and Integrals.

 I have designed 5 Calculus courses for learners taking AP Calculus who need remediation or who need supplemental resources. These courses can also be taken by independent learners for specific purposes or for their personal enrichment. Three courses are available to subscribe on the site of the courses. The first course covers all the main topics: limits, continuity, derivatives, integrals. The second is titled: "Introduction to Calculus: Functions, Limits, Continuity. The third is on Differential Calculus. The fourth is on Integral Calculus.  

Tutoring is also available on these courses. Tutoring based on other Calculus courses students are taken is also available, Tutoring in other math courses taken in class is also available.

Tutoring in French, ESL and Spanish is also available. All tutoring can be done face-to-face and online. 
 
To subscribe for Calculus courses and tutoring visit Center for Integral Development

For tutoring in other courses visit New Direction Education Services


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