Undergraduate Mathematics Students Engaging in Problem-Solving Through Computational Thinking and Programming: A Case Study

Abstract

AbstractThis paper aims at exploring students’ engagement in mathematical problem-solving through computational thinking (CT) and the programming language MATLAB. The work is a single case study conducted in the context of a first-year undergraduate course on programming with applications in mathematics. It uses a three-step approach based on theoretically derived insights from the research literature to address mathematical problem-solving by means of mathematical thinking, CT, and programming. The main method used is a semi-structured interview with two undergraduate students trying to solve a mathematical task related to Pythagoras’ theorem while responding to questions about the problem-solving process. The interviews were analyzed according to an inductive strategy based on the interplay between the three-step approach and the interview data. The results describe two students’ opposite experiences. While one was able to handle and solve the task using CT and MATLAB very easily, the other struggled to get acquainted with the task, CT, and the programming activity with MATLAB. Conclusions are drawn from the results to promote mathematical problem-solving through CT and programming in mathematics courses at the undergraduate level. Future work will address some of the research gaps found in the literature, in particular the links between mathematical thinking, CT, and programming to highlight their communalities and potential differences and deepen the knowledge about their connections.KeywordsAlgorithmComputational thinking (CT)MATLABMathematical problem-solvingMathematical thinkingProgrammingUsability