Calculus I

The primary text for this course is Calculus Volume 1 from OpenStax. Lumen has curated, designed, and built additional resources to enhance both the teaching and learning experience. Each module begins with a prerequisite material review section, in which critical skills from Precalculus and College Algebra are revisited. Additionally, just-in-time reviews of essential math concepts appear throughout the text to help those students who need further learning support. The course includes embedded algorithmically generated practice questions, worked-example videos, and a complete set of outcome-aligned online assessments in OHM.

For even more practice opportunities, there are problem sets for each section and an activity for each module. Keeping student engagement in mind, we have created a full suite of thought-provoking assignments: discussion prompts, Desmos interactives, application-based assignments (in relation to economics, computer science, biology, physics, and engineering), flipped classroom options, and a capstone project. Faculty can adapt and use these materials in a variety of ways depending on their class structure and institutional requirements. All content is constructed around the goal of helping students master the learning outcomes for this course.

OHM for Calculus I is a great option for the many institutions and faculty who have shifted towards remote instruction. Thoughtful, evidence-based learning design and a digital-first flexible format make OHM course materials effective in any modality (e.g. online, face-to-face, hybrid or hyflex). The course can also be used in terms or semesters of various lengths. Careful attention to content and platform accessibility ensures the course works well for individuals with varying abilities. Together these measures reduce uncertainty for instructors as they work through the impact of COVID-19 on course design and instruction.

This course is designed to be used as part one of a three-part calculus sequence:

  • Calculus 1 covers functions, limits, derivatives, and integration.
  • Calculus 2 (coming soon) covers integration, differential equations, sequences and series, and parametric equations and polar coordinates.
  • Calculus 3 (coming soon) covers parametric equations and polar coordinates, vectors, functions of several variables, multiple integrations, and second-order differential equations.

Important note: Calculus 1 is designed to accommodate both Early and Late Transcendental approaches to calculus. Exponential and logarithmic functions are introduced informally in Module 1 and presented in more rigorous terms in Module 6. Differentiation and integration of these functions is covered in Modules 3–5 for instructors who want to include them with other types of functions. These discussions, however, are in separate sections that can be skipped for instructors who prefer to wait until the integral definitions are given before teaching the calculus derivations of exponentials and logarithms.

Each module will contain:

  • Embedded Practice Problems
  • Lumen OHM Homework
  • Discussion Prompts with instructor guides
  • Excel Assignments with solutions
  • Lumen OHM Pretests
  • Lumen OHM Quizzes
  • PowerPoint Presentations

Additional Course Features

These course materials include:

  • Online Homework Manager (OHM): A flexible, user-friendly math homework system with customizable learning content, assessments, and activities you can tailor to fit your needs. Request an OHM instructor account
  • Candela: Lumen Learning’s Candela courses provide curated and outcome-aligned open educational resources (OER) in a convenient e-book format.
  • Outcome-aligned OER: Designed to replace expensive textbooks, this course curates open educational resources (OER) aligned with learning outcomes. Teach as-is or customize to fit your needs.
  • LMS Integration: This course may be delivered with seamless LMS integration and automatic grade return for Canvas, Blackboard, Brightspace, and Moodle.
  • Accessibility: Lumen is 100% committed to providing learning materials that are accessible to all learners. Lumen course materials are mobile-friendly.

Developed By

  • Sidney Tate, Ensign College
  • Daniel Breuer, Mitchell Community College
  • Ryan Melton, Kilgore College
  • Katie Christensen, Kennesaw State University
  • Dr. Lydia Maynard, Shenandoah University
  • Matthew Simmons, Florida State College at Jacksonville
  • Dr. Jackie Johnston, Northeast Texas Community College
  • Ariel Cintrón-Arias, Ph.D.
  • William Lindsey

Why Teach with Open Course Materials?