'Lost in transition': alienation and drop out during the transition to mathematically-demanding subjects at university

This paper explores the reasons why some previously engaged students drop out during their transition to mathematically-demanding university degrees. The concept of alienation is used to explain drop out: alienation occurs when social practices restrict the individuals' agency in such ways that they are unable to transform the social conditions in which they participate, even though they might place a great effort in doing so, hence becoming alienated objectively and subjectively. So, for instance, engineering students that see themselves as 'practical', find that the theoretical/academic practice of university mathematics becomes irrelevant to their aspirations and ways of learning, i.e. alien to their identity as learners. The impossibility of changing this situation becomes recognised and results in their drop out

Emotions in undergraduate mathematical modelling group work

Taking a socio-cultural perspective of affect in education, we use observations of two groups of undergraduate engineering students to explore the role of emotions on the students’ mathematical thinking and learning while working collaboratively on a mathematical modelling coursework assignment outside the classroom. Our analysis revealed complex interrelations between patterns of emotions and aspects of mathematical learning. We conclude that ‘negative’ feelings might sometimes lead to positive consequences on the activity of individuals and conversely, that ‘positive’ feelings do not necessarily lead to positive outcomes. Hence, pedagogical practices should aim to foster a range of emotions that can open possibilities for students’ success

An activity theory analysis of group work in mathematical modelling

In this paper we analyse the activity of a group of engineering undergraduate students while working on a mathematical modelling task. Using Cultural-Historical Activity Theory as analytical framework, we focus our attention on their social interactions to understand how these mediate the collective sense making of the group and determine in great part the outcome of the activity. We conclude that a key factor to students’ mathematical learning in collaborative tasks is the quality of peer interactions which stems from students’ competences, such as communicative and inter-personal skills

The importance of the disciplinary perspective

In addition to general findings from education research in the widest sense, further insights can be gained by considering the particular perspective afforded from education within a specific discipline. In this chapter we present two such views: In part 1, we use the discipline of physics to highlight the distinctions between general and discipline-based education research and argue for a crucial bridging role for the latter. In part 2, we use the discipline of mathematics to explore the role of context while examining the use of mathematical modelling as a pedagogic practice

A definition for effective assessment and implications on computer-aided assessment practice

For a decade, computer-aided assessment (CAA) has been used extensively with first-year mathematics and engineering undergraduates studying mathematics modules at the institution under investigation. This project sought to evaluate the effectiveness of CAA. Using assessment literature and activity theory to frame the study, this paper explores the aims of assessment and what it means for assessment to be “effective”: it proposes a definition for effective assessment and discusses whether CAA can be considered effective assessment by this definition

Lecturers’ perspectives on the use of a mathematics-based computer-aided assessment system

Computer-aided assessment (CAA) has been used at a university with one of the largest mathematics and engineering undergraduate cohorts in the UK for more than ten years. Lecturers teaching mathematics to first year students were asked about their current use of CAA in a questionnaire and in interviews. This article presents the issues that these lecturers faced as they made use of this assessment tool. Lecturers explained how they attempted to overcome these issues. The findings show that while the lecturers were happy to use the CAA system because it is efficient and timesaving, there were concerns that it might not always be beneficial for students. The bases for lecturers’ concerns were that some students developed tendencies to depend on the feedback to complete assessments and to develop procedural, context-dependent strategies for solving problems

The effectiveness of computer-aided assessment for purposes of a mathematical sciences lecturer

Computer-Aided Assessment (CAA) is becoming an increasingly popular method for assessing students in their mathematics courses in higher education. This article examines six lecturers’ practices of using CAA on their mathematics courses. The interview with these lecturers revealed that the CAA system did provide many benefits that were promised; however, there were some important aims not satisfied by the system, which limited the scope of its effectiveness. Using a model for effective assessment, which draws upon ideas from the assessment literature and cultural-historical activity theory, the lecturer interviews give an insight into what stops this assessment tool from remaining effective. This study shows that the CAA system was reasonably effective to an extent, and lecturers had achieved a relatively stable practice that they were satisfied to maintain; however, there were shortcomings with the existing system that limited the scope of its effectiveness, which led to diverse practices and a desire to change system

“This is what you need to be learning”: an analysis of messages received by first-year mathematics students during their transition to university

This paper explores the messages that first-year mathematics students receive in the context of their academic studies during their transition from school to university mathematics. Through observations of lectures and discussions with first-year mathematics undergraduates in an English university, we identified and analysed the messages that two of their lecturers transmitted to them during this transitional phase. The results suggest that strongly framed messages are more easily perceived by students and affect them during their transition. Additionally, messages that have been received in the school context continue to have control over students’ thinking and on many occasions can impede adjustment to the new setting

“Why do I have to learn this?” A case study on students’ experiences of the relevance of mathematical modelling activities

In this paper we explore how students can experience the relevance of mathematical modelling activities. In the literature we found that relevance is a connection among several issues (relevance of what? to whom? according to whom? and to what end?). We framed this concept in terms of Cultural-Historical Activity Theory (CHAT), a theory for analysing how individuals engage in activities within social environments. We designed modelling activities within a mathematics course for engineering students: there were ample mathematical modelling tasks, a guest lecture by an employee from an engine company who used mathematical modelling in his job, and a group work modelling assessment with a presentation to the whole group. After the course, we interviewed ten students with a wide range of final grades in the course. We analysed the interview data in light of the theoretical framing of the concept of relevance. Our analysis showed that, generally, students experienced the modelling activities as relevant, and that they imagined themselves working in professional practices for which mathematics is relevant. However, doing mathematics was also judged as being relevant only to obtain grades, leave school and enter professions for which mathematics might not be needed. We offer recommendations for making mathematics education more relevant to more students.publishedVersionnivå

Study habits in undergraduate mathematics: a social network analysis

This paper presents an exploratory social network analysis of the study behaviours of undergraduate mathematics students. Focusing on the second-year students within a large lecture class, it presents data on their self-reported percentage lecture attendance, number of hours spent studying alone and with others outside lecture time, and occasional and frequent conversations about mathematics with other students. It then presents analytical results on relationships between individuals’ centrality within the network and amount of study time