Engineering Undergraduates' Views of A-Level Mathematics and Further Mathematics as Preparation for Their Degree.

IF 1.1 Q3 EDUCATION & EDUCATIONAL RESEARCH
Ellie Darlington, Jessica Bowyer
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引用次数: 9

Abstract

An ongoing reform programme of the post-16 Advanced ‘A’-level qualifications in England and Wales means that pre-university mathematics content and assessment will change from 2017. Undergraduate engineering is a subject that relies heavily on mathematics, and applicants to engineering degree programmes in the UK are required to have studied A-level Mathematics in order to be accepted. Therefore, the planned reforms are likely to have an impact on students’ transition to undergraduate engineering. To investi-gate this, we conducted an online questionnaire survey of 462 current undergraduate engineering students who had taken A-levels. Participants reported on their experiences of studying post-compulsory mathematics and the preparation it provided for their degrees. Those who had studied the more advanced A-levelçFurther Mathematicsçin addition to A-level Mathematics, considered it to be good preparation. They also believed that the A-level structure, which allows specialization in certain areas of applied mathematics, to be advantageous. In particular, possibilities for in-depth study of mechanics and pure mathematics were highly valued by participants. It is recommended that university engineering departments do more to encourage prospective students to study Further Mathematics. However, it should not necessarily be made compulsory because of con-straints regardingaccess, uptake and provisionof FurtherMathematics in certain schools.
工科本科生对A-Level数学和高等数学作为学位准备的看法。
英格兰和威尔士正在进行的16岁以上高级A水平资格考试改革计划意味着,从2017年起,大学预科数学课程的内容和评估将发生变化。本科工程是一门严重依赖数学的学科,英国工程学位课程的申请人必须学习过a -level数学才能被接受。因此,计划中的改革可能会对学生向本科工程专业的过渡产生影响。为了调查这一点,我们对462名参加过a -level考试的工科本科学生进行了在线问卷调查。与会者报告了他们在义务教育后学习数学的经历,以及为获得学位所做的准备。那些除了A-level数学之外,还学习过更高级的A-level 高等数学 的学生认为这是很好的准备。他们还认为,A-level的结构允许在应用数学的某些领域专攻,这是有利的。特别是,深入研究力学和纯数学的可能性受到与会者的高度重视。建议大学工程系做更多的工作来鼓励未来的学生学习高等数学。然而,由于某些学校在进入、吸收和提供高等数学方面的限制,它不一定是强制性的。
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来源期刊
Teaching Mathematics and Its Applications
Teaching Mathematics and Its Applications EDUCATION & EDUCATIONAL RESEARCH-
CiteScore
2.40
自引率
25.00%
发文量
24
期刊介绍: The journal provides a forum for the exchange of ideas and experiences which contribute to the improvement of mathematics teaching and learning for students from upper secondary/high school level through to university first degree level. A distinctive feature of the journal is its emphasis on the applications of mathematics and mathematical modelling within the context of mathematics education world-wide. The journal"s readership consists of mathematics teachers, students, researchers and those concerned with curriculum development and assessment, indeed anyone concerned about the education of users of mathematics.
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