The Mathematical Expertise of Mechanical Engineers – The Case of Mechanism Design

Alpers, Burkhard

doi:10.1007/978-1-4419-0561-1_8

Cited by 8 publications

(7 citation statements)

References 3 publications

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“…Consequently, model-eliciting activities in engineering education have been studied (e.g., Moore, Diefes-Dux, & Imbrie, 2006). In relation to the second goal, Alpers (2010) adds that the mathematical education of engineers should not be restricted to mathematical modeling but also develop an attitude of "skeptical reverence" (Gainsburg, 2007) of the role of mathematics in the work of an engineer. In contrast, Winkelman (2009) found that in engineering education, mathematics is commonly characterized more in terms of intellectual status, gatekeeper, detachment, lack of creativity, and ease of evaluation than as a direct support for engineering design, to which it serves more formally as a foundation and is studied only as a pre-requisite.…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Conceptual and Procedural Approaches to Mathematics in the Engineering Curriculum: Student Conceptions and Performance

Engelbrecht

Bergsten

Kågesten

2012

J of Engineering Edu

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BACKGROUNDDemands by engineering faculties of mathematics departments have traditionally been for teaching computational skills while also expecting analytic and creative knowledge-based skills. We report on a project between two institutions, one in South Africa and one in Sweden, that investigated whether the emphasis in undergraduate mathematics courses for engineering students would benefit from being more conceptually oriented than the traditional more procedurally oriented way of teaching. PURPOSE (HYPOTHESIS)We focus on how second-year engineering students respond to the conceptual-procedural distinction, comparing performance and confidence between Swedish and South African groups of students in answering conceptual and procedural mathematics problems. We also compare these students' conceptions on the role of conceptual and procedural mathematics problems within and outside their mathematics studies. DESIGN/METHODAn instrument consisting of procedural and conceptual items as well as items on student opinions on the roles of the different types of knowledge in their studies was conducted with groups of second-year engineering students at two universities, one in each country. RESULTSAlthough differences between the two countries are small, Swedish students see procedural items to be more common in their mathematics studies while the South African students find both conceptual and procedural items common; the latter group see the conceptually oriented items as more common in their studies outside the mathematics courses. CONCLUSIONSStudents view mathematics as procedural. Conceptual mathematics is seen as relevant outside mathematics. The use of mathematics in other subjects within engineering education can be experienced differently by students from different institutions, indicating that the same type of education can handle the application of mathematics in different ways in different institutions.

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Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Conceptual and Procedural Approaches to Mathematics in the Engineering Curriculum: Student Conceptions and Performance

Engelbrecht

Bergsten

Kågesten

2012

J of Engineering Edu

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“…According to Steen (2003), school mathematics is complex, but used in simple problems, whereas workplace mathematics is simple, but is used in complex problems. Alpers (2010) states that mathematics in engineering education has two major goals: BIt should enable students to understand, set up and use the mathematical concepts, models, and procedures that are used in the application subjects^and Bto provide students with a sound mathematical basis for their future professional life^(p. 2). Whilst content is still essential in engineering education, Cardella (2008) states the importance of Bmathematical thinking^.…”

Section: Mathematics In Technical Educationmentioning

confidence: 99%

Which Techno-mathematical Literacies Are Essential for Future Engineers?

Wal

Bakker

Drijvers

2017

Int J of Sci and Math Educ

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Due to increased use of technology, the workplace practices of engineers have changed. So-called techno-mathematical literacies (TmL) are necessary for engineers of the 21st century. Because it is still unknown which TmL engineers actually use in their professional practices, the purpose of this study was to identify these TmL. Fourteen semi-structured interviews were conducted with engineers with a background in different educational tracks in higher professional education (e.g. civil, chemical, biotechnical and mechanical engineering). As a result of the data analysis, 7 commonly used TmL are identified: data literacy, technical software skills, technical communication skills, sense of error, sense of number, technical creativity and technical drawing skills. Engineers also noted a discrepancy between their education and workplace needs; they characterized mathematics in their education as an island with limited relevance. These findings lead to recommendations for the future of science, technology, engineering and mathematics (STEM) in higher technical professional education that can help students learn STEM for the future. Keywords Engineering education . Mathematics education . STEM education . Workplace competencies . Workplace skillsThe practices of science, technology, engineering and mathematics (STEM) change, and so should STEM education. But what is this STEM for the future, and what should the future of STEM education look like? This paper is concerned with one aspect of this question, namely which mathematical skills engineers use in practice. Through identifying these skills, the future of mathematics curricula for engineering education can be reshaped in line with the future of STEM.

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“…Alpers, 2010;Flegg et al, 2012). The educational demand from mathematics defines the knowledge and skills of the basic courses needed to pursue the more advanced mathematics courses as well as mathematical courses of more applied character such as optimization, statistics and numerical methods.…”

Section: An Interpretation Of Observed Outcomesmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…Referring to Keith Devlin, Flegg et al (2012) argue that a mainly procedural view on mathematics "may obscure the role that thinking mathematically plays in engineering practices" (p. 718). Indeed, a need of a broader spectrum of mathematical skills for practising engineers has been suggested by several authors (Alpers, 2010;Cardella, 2008;Kent & Noss, 2003). For example, in his review of research on engineering workplace mathematics, Alpers (2010) pointed to a range of aspects that "capture the way mathematical thinking or activities occur during the work on practical problems" (p.…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Conceptual and Procedural Approaches to Mathematics in the Engineering Curriculum – Comparing Views of Junior and Senior Engineering Students in Two Countries

Bergsten

Engelbrecht

Kågesten

2016

EURASIA J MATH SCI T

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One challenge for an optimal design of the mathematical components in engineering education curricula is to understand how the procedural and conceptual dimensions of mathematical work can be matched with different demands and contexts from the education and practice of engineers. The focus in this paper is on how engineering students respond to the conceptual-procedural distinction, comparing performance and confidence between second and fourth year groups of students in their answers to a questionnaire comprising conceptually and procedurally focused mathematics problems. We also compare these students' conceptions on the role of conceptual and procedural mathematics problems within and outside their mathematics studies. Our data suggest that when mathematical knowledge is being recontextualised to engineering subjects or engineering design, a conceptual approach to mathematics is more essential than a procedural approach; working within the mathematical domain, however, the procedural aspects of mathematics are as essential as the conceptual aspects.

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The Mathematical Expertise of Mechanical Engineers – The Case of Mechanism Design

Cited by 8 publications

References 3 publications

Conceptual and Procedural Approaches to Mathematics in the Engineering Curriculum: Student Conceptions and Performance

Conceptual and Procedural Approaches to Mathematics in the Engineering Curriculum: Student Conceptions and Performance

Which Techno-mathematical Literacies Are Essential for Future Engineers?

Conceptual and Procedural Approaches to Mathematics in the Engineering Curriculum – Comparing Views of Junior and Senior Engineering Students in Two Countries

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