Peer instruction methodology for linear algebra subject: A case study in an engineering course

Abstract

While the initial course in linear algebra plays a decisive role in an engineer's basic formation, it is often marked by high rates of student failure and dropout and thus constitutes an important issue in the field of engineering education. The present study aims to enhance the teaching and learning processes in the first phase of linear algebra in engineering curriculum, viz., matrices, systems of linear equations, notions of vectors, and line and plane equations. To address this end, a methodological teaching proposal, Peer Instruction (PI), is proposed to improve student comprehension, classroom interaction, cooperation among peers, and assimilation of fundamental concepts. The PI method was applied in the initial phase of a linear algebra course in the undergraduate Chemical Engineering program at the Federal University of Ceara, Brazil. To measure student prior knowledge, a conceptual pre-test was conducted. Subsequently, eleven 2-hour classes were taught using PI, and a final exam was then conducted. Comparison of pre-and post-test results shows significant increase in student performance. The incremental increase in student-teacher and student-student interactions played a significant role in methodology's success.