Encouraging Students’ Motivation and Involvement in STEM Degrees by the Execution of Real Applications in Mathematical Subjects: The Population Migration Problem

Abstract

This paper presents a simplified model of the population migration problem, addressed to first-year engineering students in order to show them the use of linear algebra tools. The study consists of predicting the census in the city centre and in the suburbs, determining the city population equilibrium point, and making a sociological interpretation of population flows. This practical problem is part of the seminar “Applications of Linear Algebra in Engineering”, which is being held at the Universitat Politècnica de Catalunya-BarcelonaTech (UPC). This seminar consists in the learning of linear algebra by the implementation of real applications where mathematical tools are required to resolve them. This paper presents an application of linear algebra to the population migration problem and analyses students’ appreciation through anonymous surveys and personal interviews. The surveys assessed students’ motivation towards the subject of linear algebra and their learning of mathematical concepts. Personal interviews were conducted for students in order to let them express in detail their opinion about the seminar. The results confirm that the introduction of real applications in the learning of mathematics increases students’ motivation and involvement, which implies an improvement in students’ performance in the first courses of STEM degrees.

Work in Progress: Impact on Students Dropout rates of Introducing a First-Year Hands-on Civil Engineering Course

“…According to the American Society for Engineering Education, the main reasons why students drop out are deficient advising and teaching; complicated engineering curriculum and a lack of "belonging" within engineering [14], [16]- [18], [23]. Introducing a first-year hands-on civil engineering course aims to reduce dropout rates at the undergraduate program.…”

“…Recent research shows that the low interest in STEM majors is principally due to the elevated failure rate in the first years of engineering programs [19], [23], [24]. This high failure rate in the early courses means that students are not achieving their academic goals, leading to a loss of student engagement [19].…”

“…On the other hand, researchers have emphasized on the significance of students' feelings of belongingness. This feeling dramatically improves students' engagement and motivation [19], [23], [39], [40], which is particularly important in STEM majors [23]. A high level of engagement and motivation is improbable to happen in traditional lecture classes [25], because this potentially produces a barrier between teachers and students [18].…”

“…Hence, to decrease the dropout rate, it is essential to review the syllabus of the introductory courses and the teaching methodologies used in them. In addition, it is important to illustrate practical and real applications of their future careers [23], [24].…”