ACTIVE LEARNING IN LARGE INTRODUCTORY CLASSES IN MATHEMATIC

Abstract

The teaching-learning process has been a constant target of studies, particularly in Higher Education, in consequence of the annual increase of new students. The concern with the maintenance of a certain quality level in the training of these students, conjugated with the will to widen the access to all of those who finish Secondary School Education, has triggered a greater intervention from the education specialists, in partnership with the teachers of all Higher Education areas, in the problem analysis.

Considering the particular case of Sciences and Engineering, it is witnessed a rising concern with the active learning strategies and forms of assessment. Research has demonstrated that students learn more if they are actively engaged with the material they are studying. In this presentation we describe and present the results of an active learning strategy in an Algebra course of the Informatics’ Engineering Bach., with nearly 430 students and a team of 5 teachers.

The students start to study a subject with some help from the teachers, and they have to prepare a presentation on the studied subject. They make the presentation to their colleagues and after that they are evaluated. During this year we notice that students have shown a deeper interest in Algebra classes and also improving overall results. This paper helps us answer the following questions: Who evaluates the presentations? How is this done? What other forms of assessment are there in this subject? What was used to assess that students showed deeper interest? 

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C4.3.pdf (234.66 KB)
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Pages
13
Year
2009