scholarly journals Reliable application of the MATH taxonomy sheds light on assessment practices

2020 ◽  
Vol 39 (4) ◽  
pp. 281-295
Author(s):  
George Kinnear ◽  
Max Bennett ◽  
Rachel Binnie ◽  
Róisín Bolt ◽  
Yinglan Zheng
Keyword(s):  
Limited Range ◽  
Systematic Investigation ◽  
First Year ◽  
Assessment Practices ◽  
Calibration Process ◽  
University Mathematics ◽  
High Level ◽  
The University ◽  
First Year University ◽  
Insight Into

Abstract The MATH taxonomy classifies questions according to the mathematical skills required to answer them. It was created to aid the development of more balanced assessments in undergraduate mathematics and has since been used to compare different assessment regimes across school and university. To date, there has been no systematic investigation of the reliability of the taxonomy when applied by multiple coders, and it has only been applied in a limited range of contexts. In this paper, we outline a calibration process which enabled four novice coders to attain a high level of inter-rater reliability. In addition, we report on the results of applying the taxonomy to different secondary school exams and to all assessment questions in a first-year university mathematics module. The results confirm previous findings that there is a difference between the mix of skills assessed in school and university mathematics exams, although we find a notably different assessment profile in the university module than in previous work. The calibration process we describe has the potential to be used more widely, enabling reliable use of the MATH taxonomy to give insight into assessment practices.

Correlating entrance data and first year academic performance of students enrolled in the Integrated Master in Mechanical Engineering at the University of Porto

2021 ◽  
pp. 030641902110156
Author(s):  
TMGP Duarte ◽  
AM Lopes ◽  
LFM da Silva
Keyword(s):  
Academic Performance ◽  
Secondary School ◽  
Undergraduate Students ◽  
Mechanical Engineering ◽  
Institutional Factors ◽  
First Year ◽  
Female Type ◽  
The University ◽  
First Year University ◽  
Over Time

Understanding how the academic performance of first year undergraduate students is influenced by home, personal and institutional factors is fundamental to delineate policies able to mitigate failure. This paper investigates possible correlations between the academic performance of students at the end of high school with their achievements at the end of first year university. Data for students in the Integrated Master in Mechanical Engineering (MIEM) program within the Faculty of Engineering at the University of Porto are analysed for the period 2016/2017 to 2019/2020. The students’ performance is measured by two metrics and the students are structured as a whole and by groups, according to their gender (Male/Female), type of secondary school (Public/Private), living place (Away/Home) and the rank of MIEM in their application list of options (Option 1/Option 2–6). The information is organized statistically and possible correlations between the data are investigated. The analysis reveals limited correlation between the two metrics, meaning that all students may exhibit good or poor results at the end of first year in MIEM, independent of their status at entrance. An unanticipated pattern is exhibited for the group Option 2–6, since it shows that, despite entering into MIEM without top application marks, the students in this group can perform as well as the others. This behavior is consistent over time.

scholarly journals Determining rotational deformity in broken forearms

2003 ◽  
Vol 44 (4) ◽  
pp. 561-568 ◽  
Author(s):  
Y. M. Stokes
Keyword(s):  
Differential Calculus ◽  
Practical Problem ◽  
Rotation Angle ◽  
First Year ◽  
X Rays ◽  
Conic Sections ◽  
Rotational Deformity ◽  
X Ray ◽  
University Mathematics ◽  
First Year University

AbstractTo assess rotational deformity in a broken forearm, an orthopaedic surgeon needs to determine the amount of rotation of the radius from one or more two-dimensional x-rays of the fracture. This requires only simple first-year university mathematics — rotational transformations of ellipses plus a little differential calculus — which yields a general formula giving the rotation angle from information obtained from an x-ray. Preliminary comparisons with experimental results are excellent. This is a practical problem that may be useful to motivate the teaching of conic sections.

scholarly journals HEALTH ATTITUDES AND BEHAVIOURS OF FIRST-YEAR UNIVERSITY OF WARMIA & MAZURY STUDENTS: A CALL FOR IMPLEMENTING HEALTH EDUCATION AT UNIVERSITIES

2013 ◽  
Vol 54 (1) ◽  
pp. 76-90
Author(s):  
Robert Podstawski ◽  
Elżbieta Wesołowska ◽  
Renata Gizińska ◽  
Andrzej Sołoma
Keyword(s):  
Physical Activity ◽  
Alcohol Use ◽  
Healthy Lifestyle ◽  
Male Students ◽  
Personal Hygiene ◽  
First Year ◽  
Health Attitudes ◽  
Health Promoting ◽  
The University ◽  
First Year University

Despite the growing interest in health and the abundance of health-promoting programs and campaigns, there is a noticeable lack of such undertakings at colleges and universities. This is worrisome, considering the fact that the first-year of studies is the last phase of education in which it is possible to promote and establish a healthy lifestyle. The purpose of the research was to evaluate the health attitudes and behaviours of first-year university students. A total of 700 first-year male students aged 19-20 attending the University of Warmia & Mazury in Olsztyn (Poland) took part in the study by filling out anonymous questionnaires concerning health behaviours and attitudes regarding physical activity, nutrition, tobacco and alcohol use, stress and pro-health activities. The results indicate that physical activity of the respondents was limited to participation in the obligatory physical education classes during high school and while at university. Moreover, the students were concerned more about personal hygiene and appearance than physical fitness and proper nutrition. The majority of them did not have a regular schedule of meals and did not take vitamin supplements. The percentage of respondents who declared drinking alcohol regularly (once a week) and even every day is quite worrisome. One out of ten students reported losing consciousness multiple times as a result of binge drinking and over a third blacked out at least once during the first few months of their studies. Although only a small margin of the students surveyed can be considered to be addicted to smoking, nearly half of them admitted to smoking occasionally. Although a significant portion of students expressed a fear in stress generating situations during their studies, the majority possessed a very limited knowledge of stress coping methods. The research results indicate a clear need to implement adequate health promoting programs at the university level of education to help counteract the observed negative tendencies. Key words: university male students, health attitudes and habits, physical activity, nutrition, tobacco/alcohol use, stress, pro-health activities.

scholarly journals Assessment in First Year University: A Model to Manage Transition

2008 ◽  
Vol 5 (1) ◽  
pp. 23-38
Author(s):  
J. A. Taylor ◽  
Keyword(s):  
Distance Education ◽  
Undergraduate Students ◽  
First Year ◽  
Education Students ◽  
First Year Students ◽  
Specific Content ◽  
The University ◽  
First Year University ◽  
Engineering Computing

For most students assessment guides their study and learning practice. Yet in the literature associated with the first year of study at university, few have mobilised the power of assessment to develop and engage first year undergraduate students. This paper presents a model of assessment for first year students which separates the semester into three overlapping assessment phases: assessment for transition, assessment for development and assessment for achievement. The implementation and usefulness of the model is supported by examples from mathematics, engineering, computing, communication and nursing studies at the University of Southern Queensland (USQ). Particular attention is paid to assessments for transition which occur early in the semester and are linked more closely with processes than specific content. Evidence is collated on the success of assessments in improving the participation of students, especially distance education students.

scholarly journals Analyzing Educational Objectives that Include Critical Thinking: Dot Product Problems in Vector Algebra

2020 ◽  
Vol 2 (2) ◽  
pp. 108-118
Author(s):  
Aneta Gacovska-Barandovska ◽  
Vesna Celakoska-Jordanova ◽  
Emilija Celakoska
Keyword(s):  
First Year ◽  
Mathematical Activity ◽  
Solo Taxonomy ◽  
Algebra Students ◽  
Individual Interviews ◽  
Vector Algebra ◽  
Dot Product ◽  
Definition Of ◽  
The University ◽  
First Year University

The primary and secondary school educational system should be stable and any upgrading reforms should be made gradually and consistently. This is especially important in mathematics education, since the element of logical reasoning while learning is more prominent there. Inconsistencies in reforms generate deficiencies in the higher levels of young students’ reasoning skills and this situation continues on the university stage of education. We will report our findings about the reasoning of first-year university students on elements of geometry and associated algebra. We conducted an experiment where students’ understanding of the definition of dot product of two vectors, cosine function and linear (in)dependence of vectors is evaluated, and address their mathematical activity to provide insight into the key elements of the problem they are solving. We use Bloom’s and SOLO taxonomy as a tool for the assessment of our findings. We obtained the data from written exams given to vector algebra students and also from individual interviews.   

scholarly journals Self-efficacy in first-year university students: a descriptive study

2019 ◽  
Author(s):  
Paula Alvarez-Huerta ◽  
Iñaki Larrea ◽  
Alexander Muela ◽  
José Ramón Vitoria
Keyword(s):  
Social Sciences ◽  
Student Motivation ◽  
Self Efficacy ◽  
Future Research ◽  
First Year ◽  
Professional Career ◽  
And Gender ◽  
The University ◽  
First Year University ◽  
Motivation And Learning

The study and analysis of the self-efficacy beliefs of students has become an important line of educational research. The purpose of this study, conducted at the University of Mondragon (Spain), is to explore the different perceptions concerning the creative and entrepreneurial self-efficacy of students on their entrance to university. Results revealed clear patterns with regards to discipline and gender. Students commencing their degrees in social sciences show lower creative and entrepreneurial self-efficacy perceptions than their peers in other disciplines. Women show lower scores than men across different disciplines with the exception of women commencing engineering studies. Self-efficacy has been related to student motivation and learning and has been found influential in the choice of the professional career. The high significance of this construct in education makes the results of this study have clear implications for the development of learning environments that address the differences found between gender and disciplines. Directions for future research are also indicated.

Pedagogical Inteaction in the University Environment

2020 ◽  
Vol 8 (2) ◽  
pp. 76-82
Author(s):  
Mariela Todorova-Koleva
Keyword(s):  
University Students ◽  
Communication Skills ◽  
Effective Interaction ◽  
First Year ◽  
Mutual Respect ◽  
University Environment ◽  
Good Communication ◽  
Faculty Of Education ◽  
The University ◽  
First Year University

The article represents the main points of the pedagogical interaction between first year university students, and the lecturers in the university environment. An inquiry was conducted among 45 students from the Faculty of Education in University of Veliko Tarnovo „St. Cyril and St. Methodius According to the students, the basis of good and effective interaction is mutual respect, good communication and communication skills, the presence of feedback and a process involving both the lecturers and the student.

scholarly journals REDESIGNING THE UBC FIRST YEAR INTRODUCTION TO ENGINEERING: SUCCESSES AND CHALLENGES

2017 ◽  
Author(s):  
Peter M. Ostafichuk ◽  
Carol P. Jaeger ◽  
Jon Nakane ◽  
Susan Nesbit ◽  
Naoko Ellis ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Teaching And Learning ◽  
Course Design ◽  
Lessons Learned ◽  
First Year ◽  
Engineering Profession ◽  
University Of British Columbia ◽  
Practical Engineering ◽  
Assessment Techniques ◽  
High Level ◽  
The University

A new first year introduction to engineering experience was developed at the University of British Columbia. This paper provides an overview of the two new courses and the lessons learned both in developing and delivering the courses. Several key problematic areas in the previous curriculum were addressed, namely, to improve student connection with the engineering profession, increase design and practical engineering experiences, more effectively integrate sustainability into the curriculum, and better emphasize the human and social connection to engineering.The courses operate in a flexible learning framework with a sequence of online, lecture, and studio components arranged in a whole-part-whole format delivered to a class of 850 students. Elements of numerous effective course design, teaching and learning practices, including integrated course design, constructive alignment, components of Team-Based Learning, classroom assessment techniques, peer evaluation, and peer grading were incorporated into these courses. Student feedbackthrough surveys has shown that the new format has been highly successful in addressing most of the key high-level goals, such as establishing a student connection to the engineering profession, helping students understand what engineers do and how they do it, and providing an introduction and appreciation for design, sustainability, decision-making, professionalism, and ethics..

Prediction of University Success: A Follow-up Study of the 1977 Internal Intake to the University of New England

1979 ◽  
Vol 23 (3) ◽  
pp. 301-303 ◽  
Author(s):  
David Watkins
Keyword(s):  
New England ◽  
Predictive Power ◽  
First Year ◽  
Study Methods ◽  
School Certificate ◽  
Follow Up Study ◽  
The University ◽  
University Success ◽  
First Year University

A follow-up study of 275 first year university entrants showed that a measure of good study methods made a worthwhile contribution to the prediction of tertiary performance beyond the level of the Higher School Certificate alone. Other possible predictors included in this study (satisfaction with university and various personality measures) showed little predictive power.

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