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Mathematics for first year engineering students - student performance and attitudes
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Shaw, C. T. and Shaw, V. F. (1995) Mathematics for first year engineering students - student performance and attitudes. In: Conference on Mathematical Education of Engineers, Loughborough University, Loughborough, England, 28-30 Mar 1994. Published in: Mathematical Education of Engineers, 57 pp. 161-174. ISBN 9780198511915.
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Abstract
In all engineering degree courses a level of mathematical ability is required. As the spectrum of qualifications, and indeed their very nature, changes with time it is important to know how people cope with the mathematics content of the first year of an engineering degree. This paper reviews the performance of students in the first year mathematics program of engineering degrees at the University of Warwick. In particular, comparisons are made between students with different mathematics qualifications on entry Whilst there is some correlation between performance and mathematics grade at A-Level and marks in Foundation or Access courses, there is no correlation for BTEC students. The variability of performance is, therefore, likely to be the result of other factors.
In an attempt to quantify these other factors we have carried out a questionnaire survey of first year students on their attitudes to and difficulties with mathematics. From this we can see that, based on responses to questions on attitude, students can be grouped into six categories, and that significant differences can then be found across a wide range of other variables for these six groups. These differences are found in the mathematics qualification on entry, the usefulness of the different elements of the mathematics course and the difficulty of the various mathematics topics.
From this survey it is possible to determine implications both for admissions policies and course design.
Item Type: | Conference Item (Paper) | ||||
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Subjects: | L Education > LB Theory and practice of education | ||||
Divisions: | Faculty of Science, Engineering and Medicine > Engineering > Engineering | ||||
Series Name: | Institute Of Mathematics And Its Applications Conference Series | ||||
Journal or Publication Title: | Mathematical Education of Engineers | ||||
Publisher: | Clarendon Press ; Oxford University Press | ||||
ISBN: | 9780198511915 | ||||
Editor: | Mustoe, L. R. and Hibberd, S. | ||||
Official Date: | 1995 | ||||
Dates: |
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Volume: | 57 | ||||
Number of Pages: | 14 | ||||
Page Range: | pp. 161-174 | ||||
Publication Status: | Published | ||||
Access rights to Published version: | Restricted or Subscription Access | ||||
Conference Paper Type: | Paper | ||||
Title of Event: | Conference on Mathematical Education of Engineers | ||||
Type of Event: | Conference | ||||
Location of Event: | Loughborough University, Loughborough, England | ||||
Date(s) of Event: | 28-30 Mar 1994 |
Data sourced from Thomson Reuters' Web of Knowledge
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