Towards a better understanding of engineering students’ use and orchestration of resources: Actual Student Study Paths

Birgit Pepin (1) , Jan Kock (1)

1 Eindhoven University of Technology, Eindhoven School of Education

In this study we explore (1) which kinds of ‘resources’ engineering students use in selected first year university mathematics courses (Calculus, Linear Algebra); and (2) how they use/orchestrate them for their study of mathematics. Using a case study and mixed methods approach, we found that in the large Calculus course students followed various study paths. Moreover, it appeared that in such courses students used/included human and social resources extensively. In the smaller Linear Algebra course students could follow the study path established by the lecturer/course designer, with all resources provided for students to pass their examinations. At the theoretical level, we coined the term Actual Student Study Path to describe their self-reported ways of how they identified and orchestrated their chosen resources for their study of the mathematics.

Mots clés: Student use of resources; university mathematics education; actual student study path/s

Domaines: Mathématiques [math]; Education

Birgit Pepin, Jan Kock. Towards a better understanding of engineering students’ use and orchestration of resources: Actual Student Study Paths. Eleventh Congress of the European Society for Research in Mathematics Education, Utrecht University, Feb 2019, Utrecht, Netherlands. ⟨hal-02422663⟩