Improving the Teaching of Engineering Mathematics using Action Research

Abstract Our experience showed that students will struggle with new concepts in Engineering Mathematics and faced difficulties with the need to use various mathematical techniques to solve problems. Thus, we embarked on a study to improve our teaching and students’ learning. We designed teaching strategies to support students’ development of mathematical knowledge and problem solving as well as communication and team working skills. We used an action research perspective as various methods within this stance can ensure flexibility in responding to the dynamics of interaction between the teachers and the students. This paper will present an account of our study and highlight various issues in the use of action research.

[1]  B. Dick Postgraduate programs using action research , 2002 .

[2]  Stephen Kemmis,et al.  The Action Research Planner: Doing Critical Participatory Action Research , 2013 .

[3]  Anne Watson,et al.  Questions and Prompts for Mathematical Thinking , 1998 .

[4]  Morwenna Griffiths,et al.  Using Reflective Practice to Link Personal and Public Theories. , 1992 .

[5]  A. Strauss,et al.  The discovery of grounded theory: strategies for qualitative research aldine de gruyter , 1968 .

[6]  Md. Nor Bakar What do students learn about functions? : a cross cultural study in England and Malaysia , 1991 .

[7]  Alan H. Schoenfeld,et al.  Explorations of Students' Mathematical Beliefs and Behavior. , 1989 .

[8]  Sue Johnston-Wilder,et al.  Designing and Using Mathematical Tasks , 2006 .

[9]  Theodore Eisenberg,et al.  Functions and Associated Learning Difficulties , 2002 .

[10]  Jose P. Mestre,et al.  Conceptual Issues Related to Mathematics Achievement of Language Minority Children , 2013 .

[11]  David Tall,et al.  Ambiguity and flexibility: A proceptual view of simple arithmetic , 1983 .

[12]  J. Mason Asking mathematical questions mathematically , 2000 .

[13]  J. Mason Learning and Doing Mathematics , 1996 .

[14]  Caroline Stenbacka Qualitative research requires quality concepts of its own , 2001 .

[15]  Sara Delamont,et al.  Inside Schools: Ethnography in Educational Research , 1987 .

[16]  Stanley Mpofu Jean McNiff, Pamela Lomax and Jack Whitehead. 1996. You and Your Action Research Project , 1998 .

[17]  M. Driscoll Psychology of Learning for Instruction , 1993 .

[18]  D. Tall,et al.  Duality, Ambiguity and Flexibility in Successful Mathematical Thinking , 1991 .

[19]  R. Skemp The psychology of learning mathematics , 1979 .

[20]  David Tall,et al.  Diagnosing Students' Difficulties in Learning Mathematics , 1993 .

[21]  Janet Ainley Who Are You Today? Complementary and Conflicting Roles in School-Based Research. , 1999 .

[22]  James J. Kaput,et al.  Research issues in undergraduate mathematics learning : preliminary analyses and results , 1994 .

[23]  David Tall,et al.  Functions and Calculus , 1996 .

[24]  Yudariah Mohammad Yusof,et al.  Factors Affecting Students’ Change of Learning Behaviour , 2012 .

[25]  Eddie Gray,et al.  An analysis of diverging approaches to simple arithmetic: Preference and its consequences , 1991 .

[26]  J. Morse Qualitative data analysis (2nd ed): Mathew B. Miles and A. Michael Huberman. Thousand Oaks, CA: Sage Publications, 1994. Price: $65.00 hardback, $32.00 paperback. 238 pp , 1996 .

[27]  J. Mason Researching Your Own Practice: The Discipline of Noticing , 2002 .

[28]  Glenda Anthony,et al.  Factors influencing first-year students' success in mathematics , 2000 .

[29]  Stephanie Prestage,et al.  Adapting and Extending Secondary Mathematics Activities: New Tasks FOr Old , 2001 .

[30]  Robert G.Burgess,et al.  Approaches to Field Research , 1989 .

[31]  Richard Harris You and your action research project , 2012 .