Case study

Design and implementation of multi-purpose quizzes to improve mathematics learning for transitional engineering students


  • Received: 01 July 2022 Accepted: 01 August 2022 Published: 06 September 2022
  • For students who are academically ineligible to enter a bachelor program in engineering but still want to upskill their knowledge in engineering, many universities provide an associate degree program in engineering to these students. The higher achievers from the associate degree program can transfer to a full degree program in engineering. Mathematics courses in such associate degree programs are often challenging to both the teachers and students due to various reasons. This paper presents a small part of a mathematics revitalization project on pedagogical adjustment to scaffold mathematics learning for students in an associate engineering program at Central Queensland University (CQU), a regional university in Australia, from 2018 to 2020. The design and implementation of the online multi-purpose quizzes (MPQ) to improve both the learning environment and outcomes for the engineering students from 2018 to 2020 are reported in this work. Statistically, the online MPQ empowered students to achieve their best possible outcomes by attempting the questions with time flexibility, on a confined set of topics, and with more chances of amending errors than the traditional written assessments. Hence, their performance in the online MPQ was consistently better than that in the written assignments in 2018-2020. The weaknesses of the online MPQ are also discussed.

    Citation: William Guo. Design and implementation of multi-purpose quizzes to improve mathematics learning for transitional engineering students[J]. STEM Education, 2022, 2(3): 245-261. doi: 10.3934/steme.2022015

    Related Papers:

  • For students who are academically ineligible to enter a bachelor program in engineering but still want to upskill their knowledge in engineering, many universities provide an associate degree program in engineering to these students. The higher achievers from the associate degree program can transfer to a full degree program in engineering. Mathematics courses in such associate degree programs are often challenging to both the teachers and students due to various reasons. This paper presents a small part of a mathematics revitalization project on pedagogical adjustment to scaffold mathematics learning for students in an associate engineering program at Central Queensland University (CQU), a regional university in Australia, from 2018 to 2020. The design and implementation of the online multi-purpose quizzes (MPQ) to improve both the learning environment and outcomes for the engineering students from 2018 to 2020 are reported in this work. Statistically, the online MPQ empowered students to achieve their best possible outcomes by attempting the questions with time flexibility, on a confined set of topics, and with more chances of amending errors than the traditional written assessments. Hence, their performance in the online MPQ was consistently better than that in the written assignments in 2018-2020. The weaknesses of the online MPQ are also discussed.



    加载中


    [1]

    Mestre, J., Hart, D.M., Rath, K.A. and Dufresne, R., The effect of web-based homework on test performance in large enrollment introductory physics courses. Journal of Computers in Mathematics and Science Teaching, 2002, 21(3): 229-251.

    [2]

    Cole, R.S. and Todd, J.B., Effects of web-based multimedia homework with immediate rich feedback on student learning in general chemistry. Journal of Chemical Education, 2003, 80(11): 1338-1343. http://doi.org/10.1021/ed080p1338

    doi: 10.1021/ed080p1338
    [3]

    Beatty, I.D. and Gerace, W.J., Technology-enhanced formative assessment: A research based pedagogy for teaching science with classroom response technology. Journal of Science Education and Technology, 2009, 18: 146-162. http://doi.org/10.1007/s10956-008-9140-4

    doi: 10.1007/s10956-008-9140-4
    [4]

    Cohen, D. and Sasson, I., Online quizzes in a virtual learning environment as a tool for formative assessment. Journal of Technology and Science Education, 2016, 6(3): 188-208. http://doi.org/10.3926/jotse.217

    doi: 10.3926/jotse.217
    [5]

    Dizon, A.C.O., An, S., Lubguban, A.A. and Suppes, G.J., Online quiz methods for remedial learning in chemical engineering. Education for Chemical Engineers, 2018, 23: 18-24. http://doi.org/10.1016/j.ece.2018.04.001

    doi: 10.1016/j.ece.2018.04.001
    [6]

    Gamage, S.H.P.W., Ayres, J.R., Behrend, M.B. et al., Optimising Moodle quizzes for online assessments. International Journal of STEM Education, 2019, 6: 27. https://doi.org/10.1186/s40594-019-0181-4

    doi: 10.1186/s40594-019-0181-4
    [7]

    Dimas, D.J., Jabbari, F. and Billimek, J., Using recorded lectures and low stakes online quizzes to improve learning efficiency in undergraduate engineering courses, in ASEE Annual Conference and Exposition, 2014.

    [8]

    Tisdell, C.C., Embedding opportunities for participation and feedback in large mathematics lectures via audience response systems. STEM Education, 2021, 1(2): 75-91. https://doi.org/10.3934/steme.2021006

    doi: 10.3934/steme.2021006
    [9]

    Romero, E., García, L. and Ceamanos, J., Moodle and Socrative quizzes as formative aids on theory teaching in a chemical engineering subject. Education for Chemical Engineers, 2021, 36: 54-64. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.ece.2021.03.001

    doi: 10.1016/j.ece.2021.03.001
    [10]

    Martins, S.G., Weekly online quizzes to a mathematics course for engineering students. Teaching Mathematics and its Applications: An international journal of the IMA, 2017, 36 (1): 56-63. https://doi.org/10.1093/teamat/hrw011

    doi: 10.1093/teamat/hrw011
    [11]

    Notaroš, B.M., McCullough, R., Athalye, P.S. and Maclejewski, A.A., New partially flipped electromagnetics classroom approach using conceptual questions. International Journal of Engineering Education, 2019, 35(4): 1215-1223.

    [12]

    Gyllen, J.G., Stahovich, T.F., Mayer, R.E., Entezari, N. and Darvishzadeh, A., Priming productive study strategies with preparatory quizzes in an engineering course. Applied Cognitive Psychology, 2021, 35(1): 169-180. https://doi.org/10.1002/acp.3750

    doi: 10.1002/acp.3750
    [13]

    Torun, A.R., The effect of weekly distributed mathematics homework and quizzes on the learning performance of engineering students. International Journal of Engineering Education, 2019, 35(5): 1561-1565.

    [14]

    Gero, A. and Stav, Y., Summative assessment based on two-tier multiple-choice questions: Item discrimination and engineering students' and teachers' attitudes. International Journal of Engineering Education, 2021, 37(3): 830-840.

    [15]

    Sun, G., Cui, T., Guo, W., Beydoun, G., Xu, D. and Shen, J., Micro learning adaptation in MOOC: A software as a service and a personalized learner model. Lecture Notes in Computer Science, 2015, 9412: 174-184. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-319-25515-6_16

    doi: 10.1007/978-3-319-25515-6_16
    [16]

    Garshasbi, S., Yecies, B. and Shen. J., Microlearning and computer-supported collaborative learning: An agenda towards a comprehensive online learning system. STEM Education, 2021, 1(4): 225-255. https://doi.org/10.3934/steme.2021016

    doi: 10.3934/steme.2021016
    [17]

    Guo, W., Li, W. and Tisdell, C.C., Effective pedagogy of guiding undergraduate engineering students solving first-order ordinary differential equations. Mathematics, 2021, 9(14): 1623. https://doi.org/10.3390/math9141623.

    doi: 10.3390/math9141623
  • Reader Comments
  • © 2022 the Author(s), licensee AIMS Press. This is an open access article distributed under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution License (http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0)
通讯作者: 陈斌, bchen63@163.com
  • 1. 

    沈阳化工大学材料科学与工程学院 沈阳 110142

  1. 本站搜索
  2. 百度学术搜索
  3. 万方数据库搜索
  4. CNKI搜索

Metrics

Article views(1461) PDF downloads(80) Cited by(2)

Article outline

Figures and Tables

Figures(3)  /  Tables(9)

Other Articles By Authors

/

DownLoad:  Full-Size Img  PowerPoint
Return
Return

Catalog