Mathematical modelling is an interlinking process between mathematics and real-world problems that can be applied as a means to increase motivation, develop cognitive competencies, and enhance the ability to transfer mathematical knowledge to other areas of science, such as engineering disciplines. This study was designed to investigate the effect…

Differential equations are an important mathematical concept used to model processes in many disciplines. However, the literature shows that students experience many difficulties when studying this topic. We investigate the effect of using context while teaching differential equations on engineering students' ability to construct and interpret…

In this note, some variants of Cauchy's mean value theorem are proved. The main tools to prove these results are some elementary auxiliary functions.

We present a model for roleplaying (RP) for university students that is aimed at fostering the interactions of each learner with the teacher and coursemates, self- and peer-assessment, as well as an awareness and meaningful learning of mathematics. Specific features of our model are its focus on metacognition and individualized learning, based on…

Use of three-force member concept for rigid bodies whenever possible, to circumvent the more taxing use of equilibrium equations has been long-established. However, most students fail to reap its benefits due to a number of reasons, including the fact that its importance is hardly emphasized to them; skills and details needed for the concept are…

Improving the mathematical skills of undergraduate Engineering and Information Technology (EIT) students has been an enduring challenge for educators. Lecturers continually implement new strategies that try to overcome the challenges encountered in teaching university students with varying levels of success being encountered. This paper provides…

This study forms part of a collaboration project between universities in South Africa and Sweden in which we investigate whether the emphasis in undergraduate mathematics courses for engineering students would benefit from being more conceptually oriented than a traditional more procedurally oriented way of teaching. In this paper, we report in…

Lecturers of first-year mathematics often have reason to believe that students enter university studies with naïve conceptions of mathematics and that more mature conceptions need to be developed in the classroom. Students' conceptions of the nature and role of mathematics in current and future studies as well as future career are pedagogically…

In this article, we report on the findings of an exploratory study into the experience of students as they learn first year engineering mathematics. Here we define engineering as the application of mathematics and sciences to the building and design of projects for the use of society [M. Kirschenman and B. Brenner, "Education for Civil…

The teaching of mathematics in Singapore continues, in most cases, to follow a traditional model. While this traditional approach has many advantages, it does not always adequately prepare students for University-level mathematics, especially applied mathematics. In particular, it does not cultivate the ability to deal with "non-routine…

In engineering careers courses, differential equations are widely used to solve problems concerned with modelling. In particular, ordinary differential equations (O.D.E.) linear systems appear regularly in Chemical Engineering, Food Technology Engineering and Environmental Engineering courses, due to the usefulness in modelling chemical kinetics,…

In this article we describe the process of studying the assumptions and the conclusion of a theorem. We tried to provide the students with exercises and problems where we discuss the following questions: What are the assumptions of a theorem and what are the conclusions? What is the geometrical meaning of a theorem? What happens when one or more…

This article reports on a collaboration project between South Africa and Sweden, in which we want to investigate whether the emphasis in undergraduate mathematics courses for engineering students should be more conceptual than the current traditional way of teaching. On the basis of a review of the distinction between conceptual and procedural…

The boundary element method provides an excellent platform for learning and teaching a computational method for solving problems in physical and engineering science. However, it is often left out in many undergraduate courses as its implementation is deemed to be difficult. This is partly due to the perception that coding the method requires…

The paper discusses the interaction between intuitive biases of probabilistic thinking and mathematical knowledge. It would appear that students may answer numerical problems correctly but falter on simple descriptive solutions. Students appear to relinquish formal knowledge for simpler heuristics when attempting to describe the outcome of an…