Bridging the gap between mathematics courses and mathematics in the workplace: the example of a study and research path for future engineers

Pierre-Vincent Quéré (1)

1 CREAD EA 3875 - Centre de Recherche sur l'Education, les apprentissages et la didactique

The work presented here refers to the Anthropological Theory of the Didactic (ATD). I consider engineers' schools and the workplace for engineers as two different institutions, where mathematics is present in different components of the praxeologies (Chevallard, 2017). In a recent research (Quéré, 2017) I have evidenced that French engineers encounter different types of mathematical praxeologies in the workplace. I have classified them in two main categories: “proper” praxeologies (Basic, Statistic and Specific) or “transversal” praxeologies (Modelling, Reasoning, and Communication and Documentation). Whereas some of them seem to be taught in the engineering studies, the Modelling and the Communication and Documentation praxeologies are declared as lacking by the engineers I've met along the research. This suggests the need for specific innovations in the preparation of future engineers. In this poster I describe and analyse the design and implementation of a Study and Research Path (SRP, Barquero, Bosch, & Gascón, 2008) in Chemistry and Statistics, in an engineer school in France. I try to show how this kind of innovative teaching can be a way to bridge the gap between mathematics courses for future engineers and mathematics in the workplace.

Mots clés: Teaching and learning of mathematics for engineers; Novel approaches to teaching; Study and Research Path

Domaines: Education

Pierre-Vincent Quéré. Bridging the gap between mathematics courses and mathematics in the workplace: the example of a study and research path for future engineers. INDRUM 2020, Université de Carthage, Université de Montpellier, Sep 2020, Cyberspace (virtually from Bizerte), Tunisia. ⟨hal-03113909⟩