Communication Competence in Mathematics: Analysis of the Evolution of Calculus Student Skills throughout their Freshmen Year

Marta Graciela Caligaris, María Elena Schivo, María Rosa Romii

Abstract


The objective of this paper is to analyze if freshmen evolve throughout the year in the communication of a statement, result or mathematical text considering three semiotic registers of representation, the natural, the graphic and the symbolic ones. This paper presents a study carried out throughout the school year 2018 on the performance of students in the communication competence in Mathematics. The issues on calculus in one variable, on the specialties of Industrial Engineering and Electronic Engineering at the Facultad Regional San Nicolás, Universidad Tecnológica Nacional (FRSN-UTN) from Argentina, were considered. For the collection of data associated with the students' productions, four assessments were carried out. Among other skills, Engineering students must be able to effectively use and articulate the external representations needed to communicate mathematical ideas: spoken language, written symbols, drawings or physical objects. Although during the first semester the results were alarming in the three registers of representation, mainly for Industrial Engineering, it can be seen that during the second semester the number of unsatisfactory starts to decrease, finishing both courses with small differences.

https://doi.org/10.26803/ijlter.18.4.3


Keywords


Competences, Communication, Semiotic registers

Full Text:

PDF

References


Cubero, S. N. (2017). Essential Communication Skills for Engineers, Scientists and Multi-disciplinary Teams. International Journal of Information and EducationTechnology, 7 (7), 483-494. https://doi.org/10.18178/ijiet.2017.7.7.917

Davis, M. T. (2010). Assessing Technical Communication within Engineering Contexts Tutorial. IEEE Transactions on Professional Communication, 53, pp. 33-45. https://doi.org/10.1109/tpc.2009.2038736

Deveci, T. (2019). Interpersonal Communication Predispositions for Lifelong Learning: The Case of First Year Students. Journal of Education and Future, 15, 77-94.

a. https://doi.org/10.30786/jef.358529

Díaz, H. (2009). El lenguaje verbal como instrumento matemático. [Verbal language as a mathematical instrument]. Educación y Educadores [Education and Educators], 12 (3), 13-31.

Duval, R. (2004). Semiosis y pensamiento Humano. Registros semióticos y aprendizajes intelectuales. [Semiosis and human thought. Semiotic registers and intellectual learning]. Cali: Universidad del Valle.

Duval, R. (2006). A cognitive analysis of problems of comprehension in a learning of Mathematics. Educational Studies in Mathematics, 61, 103–131.

a. doi.org/10.1007/s10649-006-0400-z

Gallardo-Echenique, E., Bullen, M., Marqués-Molías, L. (2016). Student Communication and Study Habits of First-year University Students in the Digital Era. Canadian Journal of Learning and Technology, 44 (1), http://dx.doi.org/10.21432/T2D047

Gebre, E. (2018). Learning with Multiple Representations: Infographics as Cognitive Tools for Authentic Learning in Science Literacy. Canadian Journal of Learning and Technology, 44 (1), http://dx.doi.org/10.21432/cjlt27572

Giordano Lerena, R. & Compilador. (2016). Competencias genéricas de egreso del ingeniero argentino [Generic egress competencies of the argentine engineer] In Competencias y perfil del ingeniero iberoamericano, formación de profesores y desarrollo tecnológico e innovación. [Competencies and profile of the Ibero-American engineer, teacher training and technological development and innovation]. Bogotá, Colombia: ARFO Editores e Impresores Ltda.

Giordano Lerena, R. (2018). Diseñando los nuevos estándares de acreditación de carreras de ingeniería en Argentina. [Designing the new standards of accreditation of engineering careers in Argentina]. In Luis Alberto González Araujo (Ed.), Aseguramiento de la calidad y mejora de la educación en Ingeniería: Experiencias en América Latina. [Quality assurance and improvement of engineering education: Experiences in Latin America]. (pp. 75-101). Colombia: Opciones Gráficas Editores Ltda.

Gynnild, V. (2016) Task design for improved learning in science and engineering: a principled approach. In L. Gómez Chova, A. López Martínez, I. Candel Torres (Eds.), ICERI2016. Proceedings of the 9th Annual International Conference of Education, Research and Innovation (pp. 7973-7978). Sevilla, España.

Hernández Sampieri, R., Fernández Collado, C., & Baptista Lucio, P. (2003). Metodología de la investigación. [Research methodology]. México DF: McGraw Hill.

Kumar, S., Hsiao, J. K. (2007). Engineers Learn “Soft Skills the Hard Wayâ€: Planting a Seed of Leadership in Engineering Classes. Leadership and Management in Engineering, 7 (1), 18-23. https://doi.org/10.1061/(asce)1532-6748(2007)7:1(18)

Nadeem, M., Blumenstein, M., Biglari-Abhari, M. (2018). Exploring the Impact of in Class Writing Exercises in an Engineering Course. In Lee, Nikolic, Ros, Shen, Lei, Wong, Venkatarayalu (Eds.), Engineering Next-Generation Learning. Proceedings of 2018 IEEE International Conference on Teaching, Assessment, and Learning for Engineering (pp. 624-631). Wollongong, NSW, Australia.

a. https://doi.org/10.1109/tale.2018.8615411

Palma, M., de los Ríos, I., Miñán, E. (2011). Generic competences in engineering field: a comparative study between Latin America and European Union. Procedia Social and Behavioral Sciences, 15, 576-585. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.sbspro.2011.03.144

Pimienta Prieto, J. (2012). Las competencias en la docencia universitaria: preguntas frecuentes. [Skills in university teaching: frequently asked questions]. México: Pearson Educación.

Romiti, M., Sgreccia, N. y Caligaris, M. (2012). Desempeño de los alumnos en el estudio del concepto de límite. [Performance of the students in the study of the limit concept]. Conference proceedings of The XVII National and IX International Encounter on Mathematics Teaching in Engineering Careers.

a. Retrieved from http://emci.edu.ar/anales-de-encuentros/#2012

Romiti, M.R., Sgreccia, N., & Caligaris, M.G. (2014). Preferencia de registros de representación en el concepto de límite de funciones de alumnos de primer año de Ingeniería. [Preference of representation registers in the concept of limit of functions of students of first year of Engineering]. Acta Latinoamericana de Matemática Educativa [Latin American Act of Educational Mathematics], 27, 1107–1115. México: Comité Latinoamericano de Matemática Educativa. [Latin American Committee on Educational Mathematics]

a. Retrieved from https://clame.org.mx/uploads/actas/alme27.pdf

Sierpinska, A. (2013). Understanding in Mathematics. Hoboken, NJ: Taylor and Francis.

Szilárda, S., Benedeka, A., Ionel-Cioca, L. (2018). Soft Skills Development Needs and Methods in Micro-Companies of ICT Sector. Procedia - Social and Behavioral Sciences, 238, 94-103. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.sbspro.2018.03.012


Refbacks

  • There are currently no refbacks.


e-ISSN: 1694-2116

p-ISSN: 1694-2493