Pre/Post-Assessment Cycles in Calculus: Supporting Student Preparation, Reflection, and Learning

Abstract

This article describes a semester-long implementation of pre/post-assessment cycles in an undergraduate Calculus I course. The activity was designed to address a common difficulty in lower-division mathematics courses: students often enter a new unit without knowing which prior ideas are relevant, which concepts deserve special attention, or how to judge their own progress before high-stakes exams. Brief pre-assessments were administered before major course units, and related post-assessment questions revisited key ideas after instruction. Students also completed short reflection prompts about what they learned, what remained challenging, and how their understanding changed. The paper analyzes student performance data, participation patterns, and reflective responses to examine how these cycles supported preparation, reflection, and learning. The study contributes a practical model for embedding low-stakes assessment and reflection into the regular structure of an undergraduate mathematics course.