scholarly journals Mathematics Training in Engineering Degrees: An Intervention from Teaching Staff to Students

Mathematics ◽  
2021 ◽  
Vol 9 (13) ◽  
pp. 1475
Author(s):  
María Teresa López-Díaz ◽  
Marta Peña

There has always been a great concern about the teaching of mathematics in engineering degrees. This concern has increased because students have less interest in these studies, which is mainly due to the low motivation of the students towards mathematics, and which is derived in most cases from the lack of awareness of undergraduate students about the importance of mathematics for their career. The main objective of the present work is to achieve a greater motivation for engineering students via an intervention from the teaching staff to undergraduate students. This intervention consists of teaching and learning mathematical concepts through real applications in engineering disciplines. To this end, starting in the 2017/2018 academic year, sessions addressed to the teaching staff from Universitat Politècnica de Catalunya in Spain were held. Then, based on the material extracted from these sessions, from 2019/2020 academic year the sessions “Applications of Mathematics in Engineering I: Linear Algebra” for undergraduate students were offered. With the aim of assessing these sessions, anonymous surveys have been conducted. The results of this intervention show an increase in students’ engagement in linear algebra. These results encourage us to extend this experience to other mathematical subjects and basic sciences taught in engineering degrees.

Mathematics ◽  
2021 ◽  
Vol 9 (6) ◽  
pp. 662
Author(s):  
María Jesús Santos ◽  
Alejandro Medina ◽  
José Miguel Mateos Roco ◽  
Araceli Queiruga-Dios

Sophomore students from the Chemical Engineering undergraduate Degree at the University of Salamanca are involved in a Mathematics course during the third semester and in an Engineering Thermodynamics course during the fourth one. When they participate in the latter they are already familiar with mathematical software and mathematical concepts about numerical methods, including non-linear equations, interpolation or differential equations. We have focused this study on the way engineering students learn Mathematics and Engineering Thermodynamics. As students use to learn each matter separately and do not associate Mathematics and Physics, they separate each matter into different and independent compartments. We have proposed an experience to increase the interrelationship between different subjects, to promote transversal skills, and to make the subjects closer to real work. The satisfactory results of the experience are exposed in this work. Moreover, we have analyzed the results obtained in both courses during the academic year 2018–2019. We found that there is a relation between both courses and student’s final marks do not depend on the course.


2020 ◽  
Vol 6 (2) ◽  
pp. 172-182
Author(s):  
María Perramon ◽  
Xus Ugarte

Abstract At a time when the advances in information and communication technologies meant that new approaches to virtual teaching and learning could be proposed, the teaching staff on the degree in Translation and Interpreting at UVic decided to offer part of the degree in distance learning mode. This learning mode was launched in the 2001–2002 academic year, with optional face-to-face teaching sessions some Saturdays and coexisted with the traditional face-to-face courses. During the first years, the fourth-year interpreting specialisation subjects were not taught online for technical and pedagogical reasons. Since the 2014-2015 academic year, we also teach these subjects online. The challenge that we face starting the 2017-2018 academic year is twofold: 1. To adapt the online teaching of interpreting subjects to groups with a high number of students in the new Inter-university Degree in Translation, Interpreting and Applied Languages jointly offered by the University of Vic and the Open University of Catalonia (UOC). 2. To adapt the contents and methodology of interpreting subjects to changes in professional practice: telephone and videoconference interpreting, especially in liaison interpreting. In our paper, we will show some online teaching resources, as well as several online tools which we use in our courses.


Journal ◽  
2021 ◽  
Vol 10 (3) ◽  
pp. 38-45
Author(s):  
Andrew Russell ◽  
Lucy Johnson ◽  
Emily Tupper ◽  
Alice-Amber Keegan ◽  
Halima Akhter ◽  
...  

‘Covid-19 and Me’ was an affective learning blog post exercise assigned to 1st year undergraduate students taking a medical anthropology module at the start of academic year 2020-21.  We describe the way in which a collective analysis of the accounts was undertaken and how these were presented and discussed in a set of online and face-to-face seminars. We discuss whether Covid-19 was indeed a ‘portal’ in Arundhati Roy’s use of the term, arguing that it was the written reflection and collective anthropological analysis of their accounts, rather than the virus itself, that enabled students to ‘imagine the world anew’.


Mathematics ◽  
2020 ◽  
Vol 8 (5) ◽  
pp. 840 ◽  
Author(s):  
Antonio-José Moreno-Guerrero ◽  
Inmaculada Aznar-Díaz ◽  
Pilar Cáceres-Reche ◽  
Santiago Alonso-García

Currently, the e-learning method, due to the period of confinement that is occurring due to COVID-19, has increased its use and application in the teaching and learning processes. The main objective of this research is to identify the effectiveness of the e-learning method in the teaching of mathematics with adults who are in high school, in contrast to the traditional expository method. The study developed is quantitative, descriptive and correlational. The research design is quasi-experimental, with a control group and an experimental group. The results show that the use of the e-learning method has a positive influence on motivation, autonomy, participation, mathematical concepts, results and grades. It can be concluded that the e-learning method leads to improvement in adult students who are studying the mathematical subject in the educational stage of high school, provided that it is compared with the expository method. Therefore, this method is considered effective for its implementation in adults.


2021 ◽  
Vol 11 (7) ◽  
pp. 348
Author(s):  
Evangelos Tyflopoulos ◽  
Cecilia Haskins ◽  
Martin Steinert

Topology optimization (TO) has been a useful engineering tool over the last decades. The benefits of this optimization method are several, such as the material and cost savings, the design inspiration, and the robustness of the final products. In addition, there are educational benefits. TO is a combination of mathematics, design, statics, and the finite element method (FEM); thus, it can provide an integrative multi-disciplinary knowledge foundation to undergraduate students in engineering. This paper is focused on the educational contributions from TO and identifies effective teaching methods, tools, and exercises that can be used for teaching. The result of this research is the development of an educational framework about TO based on the CDIO (Conceive, Design, Implement, and Operate) Syllabus for CAD engineering studies at universities. TO could be easily adapted for CAD designers in every academic year as an individual course or a module of related engineering courses. Lecturers interested in the introduction of TO to their courses, as well as engineers and students interested in TO in general, could use the findings of this paper.


Author(s):  
Lasmi Lasmi

Square function is one of mathematical concepts that must be well-comprehended by students. However, there are many students who are having obstacles in understanding the concecpt. For this reason, there is crucial a need of applying a teaching model which make students active in order to construct their knowledge and comprehension of the concept. The purpose of this study was to examine students’ achievements, detect the students’ activities, examine the students’ responds to the applying TAI model oriented by APOS theory. The classroom action research (CAR) was used in this study with 28 students of grade-10 (classroom X-MIA.1) of MAN 2 Banda Aceh in academic year 2015/2016 as the subjects of this study. The instruments used in this study were the student observation form, teacher observation form, student respond questionnaire toward the application of the learning model and the test items. The data was analyse by using percentage of the descriptive analysis. The results showed that in cycle I to IV: (1) 89,29% students achieved the minimum level of students’ achievement; (2) students were moderately active; (3) 100% students enjoyed the learning model and were agreed if in the next teaching and learning to be used the similar model. Consequently, the model of TAI oriented by APOS theory is an appropriate model used in the teaching and learning of square function concept.


Norma ◽  
2021 ◽  
Vol 26 (2) ◽  
pp. 225-237
Author(s):  
Jelena Knežević ◽  
Marina Milošević ◽  
Bojan Lazić

An adequate methodological approach in teaching mathematics in the classroom plays an important role in understanding mathematical concepts and achieving learning outcomes. This paper points out the characteristics, significance, and effects that can be achieved by applying project-oriented learning in teaching. This paper aims to point out the possibilities of applying the project model of work in the teaching of mathematics. Based on the results of previous research on this issue, as well as recommendations from the Program of teaching and learning for the first cycle of primary education, a model of project-based learning of content on measurement and measures is presented, which can serve to support teachers in organizing and affirming project-oriented teaching mathematics.


Author(s):  
Ibnu Rizal Kurnia ◽  
Lilik Ariyanto ◽  
Sutrisno Sutrisno

This research is motivated by the importance of the ability to understand students' mathematical concepts. Alternative learning to improve these abilities is a learning model of contextual teaching and learning. The purpose of this study was to determine the effect of contextual teaching and learning on the ability to understand mathematical concepts in terms of student motivation. The research design used in this study is Quasi Experimental Design with factorial 2 × 3. Sampling using Cluster Random Sampling technique. The population in this study were all seventh grade students in Bawang 1 State Middle School. The data in this study were obtained from the results of the posttest ability to understand mathematical concepts and student motivation questionnaires. Data processing is done by using the same two-way cell anava calculation followed by the Scheffe 'test and regression test to know the magnitude of the effect. Conclusions from the results of processing the data are 1) The ability to understand mathematical concepts in set material using the contextual teaching and learning learning model provides the ability to understand mathematical concepts that are the same as students with conventional learning models. 2) Students with high motivation have the ability to understand mathematical concepts better than students with low motivation, and students with moderate motivation have the ability to understand the same mathematical concepts as students who have low motivation. 3) There is no difference in students' ability to understand concepts between students who are given a contextual teaching and learning model and conventional on the level of student motivation. 4) Motivation of learning affects the ability to understand students' mathematical concepts in students given the model of contextual teaching and learning. Learning motivation can be used as an alternative to the affective aspect in measuring the ability to understand students' mathematical concepts, especially in set material because motivation affects the ability to understand mathematical concepts of class VII students.


2020 ◽  
Vol 8 (2) ◽  
pp. 15
Author(s):  
Carlos Alberto Moreira Dos Santos ◽  
Marco Antonio Carvalho Pereira ◽  
Mariana Aranha De Souza ◽  
João Paulo Machado Dias ◽  
Felipe Souza Oliveira

This work reports a review on some of the ways in which education and research can be used to solve today’s complex problems by taking into account teaching and learning strategies that go beyond traditional teaching strategies. It revisits different teaching approaches and connects them directly to uni-, pluri-, multi-, inter-, and transdisciplinary attitudes, and how educational professionals think of the subject of teaching. This discussion reflects on how teachers tend to reproduce procedures they observed in their own graduation programs and why experienced teachers opt for inter- and transdisciplinary attitudes. Using a qualitative approach, this work illustrates the results from a Project-Based Learning strategy applied to a group of Major Engineering students to solve problems at the University’s Campus. Participants included 25 students engaged to Physics Engineering program supervised by different faculty members, experienced undergraduate and graduate students, and technicians, who had mentored the undergraduate students’ teams, all working in subjects closely related to the projects. The products developed by the teams show evidence that the students were motivated and engaged in the projects; this supports the premise that inter- and transdisciplinary approaches drive collaboration in the execution of projects, develop soft skills and permit knowledge development in an articulate and complex way thereby leading to a broader education of the students.


2020 ◽  
Vol 9 (7) ◽  
pp. e669974652
Author(s):  
Maria José Costa dos Santos ◽  
Rodolfo Sena da Penha ◽  
Wendel Melo Andrade

In the scenario of discussions about the didactic and epistemological obstacles that 'haunt' the teaching and learning processes of Mathematics content in Elementary School in the early years, we find among other Santos theorists (2007; 2014; 2015; 2017). In this study, we aim to present the importance of challenging the Pedagogy graduate to leave his 'comfort zone', where he reproduces the mathematical contents/models, and provoke him to deconstruct/reconstruct/discover the mathematical concepts, to the detriment of a paralytic reproduction, and thus, we contribute to the thinking/questioning, from challenging situations. This practice has also contributed to the pedagogist's perception that his knowledge must exceed that of the student; and, above all, it has made it possible for the pedagogist to reflect more on his praxis, in order to constitute himself within the process as an epistemic subject, providing him with a rethinking of his action in a vision of what it is to teach. The actions have awakened us to the need for a more innovative teaching formation that overcomes challenges and difficulties in the exercise of teaching with excellence.


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