Comparative Study of Teaching Computational Mathematics in Two Different Learning Environments

Dara Maghdid

Comparative Study of Teaching Computational Mathematics in Two Different Learning Environments

Dara Maghdid

Forskningsoutput: Avhandling › Doktorsavhandling (monografi)

Sammanfattning

Popular Abstract in Swedish
I denna avhandling undersöker vi vilka anpassningar som behöver göras i designen av matematikkurser när de överförs från en kulturell miljö till en annan. Vi fokuserar på en kurs i beräkningsmatematik som undervisas på Lunds Universitet i Sverige och som vi under studien överförde till Sorans Universitet i Kurdistan/Irak.
Projektet har två delar. Den första diskuterar hur man kan identifiera vilka ändringar i undervisningens stil, innehåll, organisation och utvärdering som behöver göras för att nå bästa resultat. Den andra delen belyser hur olika värderingar kring matematik påverkar studenters intresse för att studera ämnet och vilka förväntningar matematikstudenter har på sin framtida karriär.
Vi har genomfört fyra undervisningsexperiment i Lund och Soran. Under dessa har vi samlat in data på båda platserna genom att intervjua studenter och låta dem svara på frågeformulär. För andra delen av projektet har vi också låtit matematiker som jobbar på företag svara på frågeformulär.
Våra resultat från första delen avgör de nödvändiga ändringar som behöver göras i ovannämnda kurs om den skulle överföras till Soran. Från den andra delen drar vi slutsatser kring studenters brist på upplevd koppling mellan matematik och tillämpningar i verkligheten. Vi drar också slutsatsen att läroplanerna för vissa matematikkurser i Soran borde innefatta mer tillämpad matematik.

Originalspråk	engelska
Kvalifikation	Doktor
Tilldelande institution	Matematik LTH
Handledare	Führer, Claus, handledare
Tilldelningsdatum	2016 apr. 8
Förlag	Lund University / Centre for Mathematical Sciences /LTH
ISBN (tryckt)	978-91-7623-682-6
Status	Published - 2016

Bibliografisk information

Defence details

Date: 2016-04-08
Time: 13:15
Place: Lecture hall MH:C, Centre for Mathematical Sciences, Sölvegatan 18, Lund University, Faculty of Engineering

External reviewer(s)

Name: Zamorska, Beata
Title: Assistent Professor
Affiliation: Collegium Da Vinci, Poland.

---

Ämnesklassifikation (UKÄ)

Beräkningsmatematik

Citera det här

@phdthesis{58f8875e284d4d3c998febd4da332871,

title = "Comparative Study of Teaching Computational Mathematics in Two Different Learning Environments",

abstract = "This thesis aims to investigate necessary adaptations in the design of a mathematics course when it is transferred from one cultural environment to another. We focus on an elementary course in computational mathematics with Python taught at Lund University, Sweden, and at Soran University, Kurdistan/Iraq. This project holds two main parts. The first part elucidates how the necessary changes in teaching style and teaching content can be determined, how to organize the course for best results and how to apprise learning outcomes. We primarily investigate how variation theory affects the course given in Lund and determine whether it is necessary to modify the way the theory is used when the course is given in Kurdistan. Students in both environments were interviewed and observed. The second part shows how different values of mathematics motivate students to study this subject (input) and it also shows students expectation of their future careers (output). We aspire to increase the popularity of mathematics and the motivation among students to choose mathematics as a major. Principally we adapt the curriculum to a more practice oriented view on this subject. We collected data for this part by asking students and mathematicians who are working in companies to fill out questionnaires. Two teaching experiments were conducted in Lund and in Soran in order to collect material for the first part of this study, and another two experiments were used for the second part. In this thesis, results and conclusions from both parts are presented. Our findings in the first part determined the necessary changes in teaching style and curriculum when we transfer this course to Soran and also determined the changes of the way of teaching. The results also indicate how future experiments in the second part need to be modified. The conclusion of the second part refers to the lack of students{\textquoteright} experienced connection between mathematical concepts and their application in real life problems. Our observation led to the deduction that the experience of the practical use of mathematics increases the interest of bigger student groups in mathematics. The curriculum of some of mathematics courses in Soran should be changed towards applied mathematics.",

keywords = "Computational mathematics, Teaching style, Variation Theory, Mathematics values, Motivation",

author = "Dara Maghdid",

note = "Defence details Date: 2016-04-08 Time: 13:15 Place: Lecture hall MH:C, Centre for Mathematical Sciences, S{\"o}lvegatan 18, Lund University, Faculty of Engineering External reviewer(s) Name: Zamorska, Beata Title: Assistent Professor Affiliation: Collegium Da Vinci, Poland. ---",

year = "2016",

language = "English",

isbn = "978-91-7623-682-6",

series = "Doctoral Theses in Mathematical Sciences",

publisher = "Lund University / Centre for Mathematical Sciences /LTH",

type = "Doctoral Thesis (monograph)",

school = "Mathematics (Faculty of Engineering)",

}

TY - THES

T1 - Comparative Study of Teaching Computational Mathematics in Two Different Learning Environments

AU - Maghdid, Dara

N1 - Defence details Date: 2016-04-08 Time: 13:15 Place: Lecture hall MH:C, Centre for Mathematical Sciences, Sölvegatan 18, Lund University, Faculty of Engineering External reviewer(s) Name: Zamorska, Beata Title: Assistent Professor Affiliation: Collegium Da Vinci, Poland. ---

PY - 2016

Y1 - 2016

N2 - This thesis aims to investigate necessary adaptations in the design of a mathematics course when it is transferred from one cultural environment to another. We focus on an elementary course in computational mathematics with Python taught at Lund University, Sweden, and at Soran University, Kurdistan/Iraq. This project holds two main parts. The first part elucidates how the necessary changes in teaching style and teaching content can be determined, how to organize the course for best results and how to apprise learning outcomes. We primarily investigate how variation theory affects the course given in Lund and determine whether it is necessary to modify the way the theory is used when the course is given in Kurdistan. Students in both environments were interviewed and observed. The second part shows how different values of mathematics motivate students to study this subject (input) and it also shows students expectation of their future careers (output). We aspire to increase the popularity of mathematics and the motivation among students to choose mathematics as a major. Principally we adapt the curriculum to a more practice oriented view on this subject. We collected data for this part by asking students and mathematicians who are working in companies to fill out questionnaires. Two teaching experiments were conducted in Lund and in Soran in order to collect material for the first part of this study, and another two experiments were used for the second part. In this thesis, results and conclusions from both parts are presented. Our findings in the first part determined the necessary changes in teaching style and curriculum when we transfer this course to Soran and also determined the changes of the way of teaching. The results also indicate how future experiments in the second part need to be modified. The conclusion of the second part refers to the lack of students’ experienced connection between mathematical concepts and their application in real life problems. Our observation led to the deduction that the experience of the practical use of mathematics increases the interest of bigger student groups in mathematics. The curriculum of some of mathematics courses in Soran should be changed towards applied mathematics.

AB - This thesis aims to investigate necessary adaptations in the design of a mathematics course when it is transferred from one cultural environment to another. We focus on an elementary course in computational mathematics with Python taught at Lund University, Sweden, and at Soran University, Kurdistan/Iraq. This project holds two main parts. The first part elucidates how the necessary changes in teaching style and teaching content can be determined, how to organize the course for best results and how to apprise learning outcomes. We primarily investigate how variation theory affects the course given in Lund and determine whether it is necessary to modify the way the theory is used when the course is given in Kurdistan. Students in both environments were interviewed and observed. The second part shows how different values of mathematics motivate students to study this subject (input) and it also shows students expectation of their future careers (output). We aspire to increase the popularity of mathematics and the motivation among students to choose mathematics as a major. Principally we adapt the curriculum to a more practice oriented view on this subject. We collected data for this part by asking students and mathematicians who are working in companies to fill out questionnaires. Two teaching experiments were conducted in Lund and in Soran in order to collect material for the first part of this study, and another two experiments were used for the second part. In this thesis, results and conclusions from both parts are presented. Our findings in the first part determined the necessary changes in teaching style and curriculum when we transfer this course to Soran and also determined the changes of the way of teaching. The results also indicate how future experiments in the second part need to be modified. The conclusion of the second part refers to the lack of students’ experienced connection between mathematical concepts and their application in real life problems. Our observation led to the deduction that the experience of the practical use of mathematics increases the interest of bigger student groups in mathematics. The curriculum of some of mathematics courses in Soran should be changed towards applied mathematics.

KW - Computational mathematics

KW - Teaching style

KW - Variation Theory

KW - Mathematics values

KW - Motivation

M3 - Doctoral Thesis (monograph)

SN - 978-91-7623-682-6

T3 - Doctoral Theses in Mathematical Sciences

PB - Lund University / Centre for Mathematical Sciences /LTH

ER -

Comparative Study of Teaching Computational Mathematics in Two Different Learning Environments

Sammanfattning

Bibliografisk information

Ämnesklassifikation (UKÄ)

Fingeravtryck

Citera det här