In the fall of 1999, we supplemented the activities in our reform calculus courses (lectures, computer labs, out-of-class projects, in-class collaborative group work, and worksheets) with Calculus Conversations, a web-based threaded discussion among students. In response to three problems posted to the website by the instructors, students were encouraged to frame thoughtful questions and solutions of their own and to respond to questions and solutions posed by others.

The three problems (see Resources for a complete listing of the Calculus Conversation problems and related exam questions.), posted at regular intervals throughout the semester, focused on ideas central to the major themes of the course. The solutions to the problems required minimal calculation or procedures and could be easily described in narrative form.

To further encase the activity in a Just Plain Folk atmosphere, once the problem was posed, instructors took a hands-off approach. The on-line conversation was conducted entirely by the students.

To acquaint the students with Calculus Conversations we asked them to post an on-line introduction of themselves to the website. This web posting was followed by an in-class "get acquainted" session where we provided information about what we hoped would be accomplished through their participation in Calculus Conversations.

The general format for Calculus Conversations was to post a question and provide a three- to five-day period for student-to-student interaction.

On a set date, the website postings were closed and an in-class conversation among the students in the presence of the instructor took place. One student served as a moderator of the discussion and one student served as a recorder. This in-class component of Calculus Conversations allowed students to bring in sketches or graphs of their ideas and gave them an opportunity to explain their solutions in greater depth.

On the day following the in-class session, the instructors provided feedback on the students' conversation, which frequently consisted of encasing their ideas in more formal mathematical terms.

Our final check on student learning related to the Calculus Conversations question was through an exam question. Participation in Calculus Conversations was both required and graded.