Engaging Engineering Mathematics students online: Tutoring using MS Teams

Abstract

Uncommon in the South African higher education landscape, online learning came to the fore during the global pandemic. We present an account of the use of Microsoft Teams for hybrid mathematics tutorials in a one-semester Vector Calculus course at a South African university in 2022. Interviews with the lecturer, analysed through a Community of Inquiry lens, showed the lecturer's perspective of the design and experience for tutors and students. Our aim is to improve the design of future hybrid tutorials to ensure engineering students' capacity in mathematics is well developed, their communication skills are improved, and that they experience working in a team. Future research will evaluate students' and tutors' accounts of their experiences. Our findings raise awareness of the possibilities and potential difficulties when using Microsoft Teams for communication, teaching and learning mathematics.