Maths in the Advanced Engineering Diploma
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Transcript of Maths in the Advanced Engineering Diploma
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Promoting Excellence in Engineering Higher Education
Maths in the Advanced Engineering Diploma
Fred Maillardet and Les Mustoe
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Promoting Excellence in Engineering Higher Education
Origin of EPC Maths Working Group
• EPC concern over falling maths standards from the early 1990s
• Others have shared our concerns: “The maths problem” (IMA in 1995) and “Crisis in maths” (UCAS in 2002)……
• EPC specific concerns: algebraic manipulation, basic geometry and trigonometry, and general fluency in handling number concepts
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Promoting Excellence in Engineering Higher Education
Maths Working Group
• MWG formed in 2001: “To improve the general standard of mathematics of entrants to university engineering degree courses”
• Initial membership: EPC, IMA, LMS, HoDoMS, HEA ESC, IoP, Deans of Science, UCAS
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Promoting Excellence in Engineering Higher Education
The New Engineering Diploma Level Three
• EPC expressed general support for the need to reduce the academic-vocational divide
• However, now confused by the reference to “Academic Diplomas” !
• Diplomas designed to lead to work or apprenticeships or further study…..EPC focusing on the latter
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Promoting Excellence in Engineering Higher Education
Initial concerns
• EPC was concerned when the details were first published in 2007 re:
The maths content
Teachers’ ability to deliver
The level of real industrial support
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Promoting Excellence in Engineering Higher Education
Maths Content: Principal Learning
• Mathematical Techniques and Applications for Engineers is only 60 glh covering:
• Algebra
• Geometry and Trigonometry
• Calculus
• Statistics
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Promoting Excellence in Engineering Higher Education
Maths Task Group
• EPC and ESC formed a special Maths Task Group to try to address these issues
• MWG membership increased to include RAEng, NCETM, MEI, EDDP and QCA
• The Task Group quickly reached a consensus on what was required
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Promoting Excellence in Engineering Higher Education
Unit proposed
• An additional unit based on the Loughborough University Foundation Course
• This course was designed for students without ‘A’ level maths who wish to progress to study engineering at degree level
• The subsequent degree performance of students taking this course has often exceeded ‘A’ level entrants
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Promoting Excellence in Engineering Higher Education
Unit length and coverage
• Unit is 180 glh (in addition to the Principal Learning Mathematics of 60 glh)
• ‘Applied Specialist Learning’ – i.e. optional for those wishing to progress to study engineering at degree level
• Coverage broadly similar to ‘A’ level
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Promoting Excellence in Engineering Higher Education
Topics
• Mathematical Models in Engineering• Models of Growth and Decay• Models of Oscillations• Functions• Geometry• Differentiation• Integration• Linear Algebra• Statistics and Probability• Algebraic Processes
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Promoting Excellence in Engineering Higher Education
Applications orientation
• Teaching maths in the context of applications is seen as critical
• “Exemplars” are being developed for each maths topic to illustrate real engineering applications
• Each exemplar is supported by a relevant industrial company – e.g. JCB, Rolls Royce, Thales, NPower….
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Promoting Excellence in Engineering Higher Education
Commentary on the maths unit
• It is challenging; aimed at able mathematicians; B grade at GCSE Higher tier, or equivalent, advised
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Promoting Excellence in Engineering Higher Education
..\My Documents\EPC Maths WG\JCB_Dieselmax_Power_D5.doc
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Promoting Excellence in Engineering Higher Education
Exemplars• ‘Real problems’ are more challenging for students
(and teachers!) compared to traditional maths questions
• ….but solving real problems gives a sense of achievement leading to increased enthusiasm
• Could help overcome the ‘can’t do’ attitude all too prevalent in students (and parents!)
www.raeng.org.uk/education/diploma/maths/default.htm
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Promoting Excellence in Engineering Higher Education
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Promoting Excellence in Engineering Higher Education
Exam Structure
• Part 1: 2 hours
• 8 – 10 compulsory questions
• Part 2: 1.5 hours
• Context is pre-released
• 4 questions testing applications ability
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Promoting Excellence in Engineering Higher Education
Exam Pilot trial 1
• 17 students from 5 universities studying Foundation Years sat the pilot examination
• Students more comfortable with ‘substitution’ problems and thus found Part 1 easier• Part 2 confirmed students’ unease with real
problems despite the pre-release. Excess of info’ found to be as confusing as lack of info’!
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Promoting Excellence in Engineering Higher Education
Exam Pilot Trial 2
• Use of technical language challenging: e.g. ‘rate of change’ for ‘differentiate’ ‘sketch the relationship between’ for ‘plot the graph of’…… ‘Time elapsed’, ‘Datum’……
• MEI Further Maths Network could provide the support needed for both students and teachers
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Promoting Excellence in Engineering Higher Education
Conclusions
• Real engineering applications could make maths more attractive to a wider audience
• More support is needed for teachers if this change is to succeed
• The New Engineering Diploma offers an opportunity to widen participation
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Promoting Excellence in Engineering Higher Education
Final conclusion
• The development of the ASL unit in the Advanced Diploma has shown how cooperation between mathematicians sympathetic to the needs of engineers and engineers sympathetic to mathematics can yield a good result.
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Promoting Excellence in Engineering Higher Education
Maths in the Advanced Engineering Diploma
Thank you for listening
www.epc.ac.uk