ACT! ACTive learning in core courses in mathematics and statistics for engineering education

The main purpose of the project is to modernise content and form of selected core courses in mathematics and statistics serving the 17 Master of Technology programmes at NTNU. Modernising content will make the courses better attuned to the needs of the students that they serve. Modernising form includes use of modern technology, adapting to the diversity in the student group and the desire to provide easily accessible learning resources. A fundamental principle for the project is student active learning. Core courses in mathematics and statistics are provided for up to 1700 students per course and taught by a team of teachers, from learning assistants to professors, in various settings. This is a complex structure with special challenges for instigating student active learning methods. We intend to meet these challenges through smart use of digital technology, and developing learning environments that stimulate student activity. Expected outcome will be core courses better adapted to the engineering study programmes with increased student activity, improving relevance and learning outcome.

The project is part of NTNU Toppundervisning.

The project consists of three Work Packages, WP1, 2, and 3.

We will develop the core courses in mathematics and statistics so that their content reflects the recent development within the subjects of mathematics and statistics, and within the engineering fields where the subjects are applied. This will make the courses better adapted to the students’ needs, both in their study programmes and in their later professional life.

We will develop a variety of multimodal, interactive digital learning resources, as well as a common interface through which all resources can be reached, providing a uniform digital environment in all core courses for teaching, learning and assessment, where components can be easily changed and updated, following the ongoing revision of content (WP1).

We will develop learning environments characterised by high degree of student activity and close student/teacher interaction that can accommodate large student groups, suitable for use of learning resources developed in WP2