Description

"The increasing scope of curriculum content, time restraints and gateway assessment require mathematics teachers to actively explore alternative learning strategies in order to effectively address students’ learning needs. In addition to meeting curriculum-specific objectives, teachers are often expected to directly address graduate outcomes at each stage of the learning experience. A cooperative learning approach is one effective strategy to meet required objectives, while also addressing the requisite holistic outcomes to help students be competitive in today’s work environment.

This paper discusses an approach utilised to integrate mathematics within the interdisciplinary Foundations program: Computing, Research Skills and Projects (CRSP), at Dubai Men’s College (DMC). The CRSP course, originally developed to address English language and research skills objectives, has been designed with the intent of transforming students’ attitudes and approaches to learning. CRSP is a blended learning course delivered through fifty percent face-to-face sessions, and fifty percent through the learning management system, WebCT. The latter effectively incorporates the meaningful application of learning technologies such as audio, video, animations, applets and online quizzes. Mathematical tasks have been integrated in such a way as to exploit the course’s instructional design strategies, as well as its inherent adherence to adult learning principles and learning technologies. Mathematic objectives are dynamically related to other disciplines by providing relevant tasks within authentic contexts. Students develop new mathematical understandings, critical thinking and decision making skills that build on and enrich their knowledge, application and appreciation of mathematics. These active learning experiences then provide the opportunity for students to effectively transfer skills, knowledge and attitudes to Math-specific Foundations courses, as well as in subsequent years of study.

This paper will refer to research findings which indicate that students who complete the CRSP course have positive attitudes to the learning of mathematics and are better able to solve problems requiring mathematical skills outside the classroom."

Please cite as: Moran, D., & Owen, H. (2007). Transforming students' approaches to learning and applying mathematics [Electronic Version]. Proceedings: Learning Technologies and Mathematics Middle East Conference from http://math.arizona.edu/~atp-mena/co....