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Promoting Excellence in Engineering Higher Education

Maths in the Advanced Engineering Diploma

Fred Maillardet and Les Mustoe


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


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


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


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


Maths Content: Principal Learning

• Mathematical Techniques and Applications for Engineers is only 60 glh covering:

• Algebra

• Geometry and Trigonometry

• Calculus

• Statistics


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


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


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


Topics

• Mathematical Models in Engineering• Models of Growth and Decay• Models of Oscillations• Functions• Geometry• Differentiation• Integration• Linear Algebra• Statistics and Probability• Algebraic Processes


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….


Commentary on the maths unit

• It is challenging; aimed at able mathematicians; B grade at GCSE Higher tier, or equivalent, advised


..\My Documents\EPC Maths WG\JCB_Dieselmax_Power_D5.doc


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



Exam Structure

• Part 1: 2 hours

• 8 – 10 compulsory questions

• Part 2: 1.5 hours

• Context is pre-released

• 4 questions testing applications ability


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’!


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


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


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.


Maths in the Advanced Engineering Diploma

Thank you for listening

[email protected]

[email protected]

www.epc.ac.uk