Abstract:
This short article describes an innovative approach to teaching mathematics to first year undergraduates on a variety of B. Eng. courses offered in the Faculty of Engineering, Science and Built Environment (FESBE) of London South Bank University (LSBU).
Introduction
All over the world undergraduates join science and engineering courses with poorer mathematical background than in the past. The problem is particularly acute in the United Kingdom [7]. University tutors and lecturers spend an inordinate amount of time covering the basics. The FESBE experience shows that students can still achieve deep learning of mathematics – and remarkably quickly – through a teacher-guided (often called Socratic) dialogue, based on the frequent reinforcement of basic mathematical abstractions through Eulerian sequencing. The latter is a systematic approach to mathematics as a language, which allows students to analyse (sequence) given mathematical expressions and thus find the relevant solution algorithm (sequence of solution steps)…
This short article describes an innovative approach to teaching mathematics to first year undergraduates on a variety of B. Eng. courses offered in the Faculty of Engineering, Science and Built Environment (FESBE) of London South Bank University (LSBU).
All over the world undergraduates join science and engineering courses with poorer mathematical background than in the past. The problem is particularly acute in the United Kingdom [7]. University tutors and lecturers spend an inordinate amount of time covering the basics. The FESBE experience shows that students can still achieve deep learning of mathematics – and remarkably quickly – through a teacher-guided (often called Socratic) dialogue, based on the frequent reinforcement of basic mathematical abstractions through Eulerian sequencing. The latter is a systematic approach to mathematics as a language, which allows students to analyse (sequence) given mathematical expressions and thus find the relevant solution algorithm (sequence of solution steps)…
Filename:
10135fradkin_l_etal_engmaths.pdf
Keywords:
maths, mathematics, engineering mathematics, engineering, science, built environment, teaching, learning, student support, software, assessment, CAL, computer aided learning, FESBE, London South Bank University, LSBU, first year, higher education, university, teaching, learning, teacher guided dialogue, Socratic, Eulerian sequencing, school university transition, calculus, differentiation, algebra, deep-learning, deep-level reasoning, e-PACT, Personal Algebra and Calculus Tutor, MSOR Connections Feb 2010 Vol 10 No 1
