Abstract
The aim of the special issue is to bring together important current international research on innovative teaching and learning practices in mathematics in engineering education, and to develop deeper understandings of the characteristics of current teaching and learning practices that can inform the design and implementation of future innovative practice. The focus of this review paper is to provide a state-of-the-art overview of this emerging field at the cross-roads between mathematics and engineering education, in addition to introducing the papers of this special issue. To guide this paper, we posed three review questions: (1) How can current (teaching/learning/study) practices of mathematics in engineering education be characterized with a view towards innovation?; (2) What are the ‘resources’ (cognitive, material, digital, social) used, and what are those that appear also well suited for innovative courses?; (3) What are promising innovative practices in mathematics in engineering education, and what are the implications for curriculum reform? Looking back across the studies we summarized in the review, we conclude that they are lagging behind the more fundamental changes that are happening in engineering education, whilst addressing selected aspects of innovative changes within the current system of engineering education. At the same time, the nine papers of this special issue contribute new perspectives for innovative practices in mathematics in engineering education, for a better understanding of current practices and for future research.
Highlights
The aim of the Special Issue is to bring together important current international research on innovative teaching and learning practices in mathematics in engineering education, and to develop deeper understandings of the characteristics of current teaching and learning practices that can inform the design and implementation of future innovative practices.The rationale for this Special Issue relates to the enormous changes in engineering education over the past decade (Graham, 2018), which have affected mathematics education in engineering universities
The nine papers of this special issue stand in the tradition of research we have identified in previous sections
The team addressed the following research questions: How did students’ experiences of the engineering calculus course compare to their peer’s experience of the regular calculus course? What motivated the decision to change the first-year calculus course for engineers? What was the evolution or sustainment of this curricular change? What factors may account for this curricular change being sustained or not sustained? The analysis showed a complex bundle of success factors, reaching from a interdepartmental coordinator embedded and respected in the relevant institutions, professional development of instructors, measurable success indicators and course content that took into account previous knowledge and deficiencies
Summary
The aim of the Special Issue is to bring together important current international research on innovative teaching and learning practices in mathematics in engineering education, and to develop deeper understandings of the characteristics of current teaching and learning practices that can inform the design and implementation of future innovative practices. The rationale for this Special Issue relates to the enormous changes in engineering education over the past decade (Graham, 2018), which have affected mathematics education in engineering universities. We observe a growing number of research studies on mathematics in and for engineering in recent years
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