Abstract
The teaching of mathematics has always concerned all the professionals involved in engineering degrees. Curently students have less interest in these studies, what has caused an increase of this concern. The lack of awareness of students about the significance of mathematics in their careers, provoke the decrease of undergraduate students’ motivation, which derives in a low interest in engineering degrees. The aim of this work is that engineering students achieve a greater motivation and involvement in first academic courses, through the implementation of real and technological applications related to their degrees in the learning of mathematical concepts. To this end, the 2019/2020 and 2020/2021 academics years, the seminar “Applications of Multivariable Calculus in Engineering” has been held in Universitat Politècnica de Catalunya-BarcelonaTech (UPC), based on the teaching of Multivariable Calculus by the execution of real problems where calculus concepts are necessary to solve them. With the aim of analyzing students’ motivation and assessment of the seminar, anonymous surveys and personal interviews have been conducted. The number of attending students to the sessions in each academic year has been 16 and all of them have been participants in the surveys and interviews. The results show that students’ responses were generally positive and they agree that their motivation to the subject Multivariable Calculus has increased with the use of real applications of mathematics. The execution of practical problems with engineering applications improves the acquirement of mathematical concepts, what could imply an increase of students’ performance and a decrease of the dropout in the first academic courses of engineering degrees.
Highlights
The economic development of countries is mainly based on technology
This study focuses on the seminar “Applications of Multivariable Calculus in Engineering”, whose purpose is to present real and technical applications of Multivariable Calculus related to engineering degrees with the objective of increasing students’ motivation towards the learning of mathematics in first academic courses
The study has been conducted at the Universitat Politècnica de Catalunya-BarcelonaTech (UPC), a public university specialised in STEM degrees
Summary
The economic development of countries is mainly based on technology. Professionals in fields related to science, technology, engineering and mathematics (STEM) are necessary to improve the economy of countries. Technological production implies encouraging and supporting students to become technological professionals. STEM disciplines are considered essential for the economic development of technological societies. The potential negative economic impact of undersupply is of concern due to opportunity costs and loss of competitiveness [1]. STEM education could integrate students’ skills and better professional competences. The 21st century, as the age of information technologies, entails new job prospects and upcoming jobs which require new skills from professionals. Technology is necessary in many jobs such as science, business, engineering, etc
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