Core skills assessment to improve mathematical competency |
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| Authors: | Michael Carr Brian Bowe Eabhnat Ní Fhloinn |
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| Institution: | 1. Faculty of Engineering, Dublin Institute of Technology, Dublin, Irelandmichael.carr@dit.ie;3. Faculty of Engineering, Dublin Institute of Technology, Dublin, Ireland;4. School of Mathematical Sciences, Dublin City University, Dublin, Ireland |
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| Abstract: | Many engineering undergraduates begin third-level education with significant deficiencies in their core mathematical skills. Every year, in the Dublin Institute of Technology, a diagnostic test is given to incoming first-year students, consistently revealing problems in basic mathematics. It is difficult to motivate students to address these problems; instead, they struggle through their degree, carrying a serious handicap of poor core mathematical skills, as confirmed by exploratory testing of final year students. In order to improve these skills, a pilot project was set up in which a ‘module’ in core mathematics was developed. The course material was basic, but 90% or higher was required to pass. Students were allowed to repeat this module throughout the year by completing an automated examination on WebCT populated by a question bank. Subsequent to the success of this pilot with third-year mechanical engineering students, the project was extended to five different engineering programmes, across three different year-groups. Full results and analysis of this project are presented, including responses to interviews carried out with a selection of the students involved. |
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| Keywords: | diagnostic testing core mathematical skills basic mathematics improvement |
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