Learning calculus concepts through interactive real-life examples

Calculus concepts are considered the foundation for many theories in our life. Yet, calculus classes internationally face high drop-out rates, failure and negative attitude. This paper presents an action research on a calculus class at one private university in the capital city of the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia. The study aims to show how cooperation, technology and interactive learning (using real-life examples) support students’ understanding of calculus concepts and improve their level of enjoyment and appreciation to the subject. Data was collected through questionnaire and focus-group interviews. The results showed that students were enthusiastic about the course. Moreover, students were able to connect calculus concepts to their major and apply them in real-life scenarios. The level of satisfaction was reported to have improved using this approach.