An Evaluation of Students’ Experiences in Technology-based Courses in Mathematics and Statistics

1. An Evaluation of Students’ Experiences in Technology-based Courses in Mathematics and Statistics Karsten Schmidt: Students’ Experiences in Technology-based Courses in Maths & Stats

2. Background • University of Applied Sciences (FH) Schmalkalden • Established in 1991 • 5 Faculties • 3,000 students • Faculty of Business and Economics • Established in 1992 • 4 Bachelor programs • 1 Master program (English) • 600 students Karsten Schmidt: Students’ Experiences in Technology-based Courses in Maths& Stats

3. History of Matrix Algebra course • Until 2001 • Regular classroom (2 groups of up to 70 students) • Blackboard & overhead projector; pocket calculators • 2002 • In PC lab: 2 of 15 weeks • 2003 - 2004 • In PC lab: every other week (4 groups ≤ 40) • Since 2005 • In PC lab only (3 groups ≤ 40) Karsten Schmidt: Students’ Experiences in Technology-based Courses in Maths& Stats

4. History of Intermediate Statistics course • Until 2001 • Regular classroom (2 groups of up to 70 students) • Blackboard & overhead projector; pocket calculators • 2002 • In PC lab: every other week (4 groups ≤ 40) • 2003 • In PC lab: 12 of 26 lectures (3 groups ≤ 54) • Since 2004 • In PC lab only (3 groups ≤ 40) Karsten Schmidt: Students’ Experiences in Technology-based Courses in Maths& Stats

5. General Design of Bachelor Programs Karsten Schmidt: Students’ Experiences in Technology-based Courses in Maths& Stats

6. Questionnaire Survey 09A (part 1) . Karsten Schmidt: Students’ Experiences in Technology-based Courses in Maths& Stats

7. Questionnaire Survey 09A (part 2) Karsten Schmidt: Students’ Experiences in Technology-based Courses in Maths& Stats

8. Overall averages for statements (Survey 09A) Karsten Schmidt: Students’ Experiences in Technology-based Courses in Maths& Stats

9. Frequency distribution of responses to statement S8 (Survey 09A) Karsten Schmidt: Students’ Experiences in Technology-based Courses in Maths & Stats

10. Students’ attitudes towards technology (Survey 09A) Karsten Schmidt: Students’ Experiences in Technology-based Courses in Maths& Stats

11. Frequency distribution of responses to last question in questionnaire (Survey 09A) Karsten Schmidt: Students’ Experiences in Technology-based Courses in Maths& Stats

12. Female vs. male students (Survey 09A) Karsten Schmidt: Students’ Experiences in Technology-based Courses in Maths& Stats

13. “Don’t like maths & stats” vs. “Like maths & stats” students (Survey 09A) Karsten Schmidt: Students’ Experiences in Technology-based Courses in Maths& Stats

14. Negative vs. indifferent vs. positive “Attitude towards Technology” students (Survey 09A) Karsten Schmidt: Students’ Experiences in Technology-based Courses in Maths& Stats

15. Low- (no more than 40%) vs. high- (more than 80%) performance students (Survey 09A) Karsten Schmidt: Students’ Experiences in Technology-based Courses in Maths& Stats

16. Hypotheses based on previous results Male students have more positive attitudes towards CAS use in mathematics education than female students Students who are more open to computer use in the teaching of mathematics and statistics also have in general more positive attitudes towards CAS use in mathematics education Students who are better in mathematics also have more positive attitudes towards CAS use in mathematics education Karsten Schmidt: Students’ Experiences in Technology-based Courses in Maths& Stats

17. Regression models Independent variables: • Male dummy variable: 1 if male, 0 if female; • AtoT “Attitude towards Technology” (this is defined as the number of courses a student would prefer as a technology-supported course in the PC lab instead of as a traditional course in a lecture hall (possible values: none, one of two, both)); • PercMA percentage of points in Matrix Algebra portion of “Mathematics II” exam (generated by replacing the values of the variable, which contains the answers to the last question in the questionnaire, by the respective mid-points of the categories). Karsten Schmidt: Students’ Experiences in Technology-based Courses in Maths& Stats

18. Linear regression results (Survey 09A) Karsten Schmidt: Students’ Experiences in Technology-based Courses in Maths& Stats

19. Conclusions (Survey 09A) A first option to improve the status quo:Increase the proportion of time devoted to CAS use in the voluntary tutorial (2 hours each week). A better option:Set aside a couple hours for an introduction to a CAS during the three-day bridge course offered the week before the first semester starts, demonstrating its usefulness for all four compulsory courses in mathematics and statistics. Probably the best option:Dedicate between 2 and 4 hours of the compulsory Information Technology course in the first semester to an introduction to a CAS; it would then be seen more as a general instrument and the computer viewed also as an assistant for mathematics. Karsten Schmidt: Students’ Experiences in Technology-based Courses in Maths& Stats

20. Overall averages for statements (all 4 surveys) Karsten Schmidt: Students’ Experiences in Technology-based Courses in Maths& Stats

21. Differencesbetweencohorts Karsten Schmidt: Students’ Experiences in Technology-based Courses in Maths& Stats

22. 2009 cohort: changingattitudesover time Karsten Schmidt: Students’ Experiences in Technology-based Courses in Maths& Stats

23. 2010 cohort: changingattitudesover time Karsten Schmidt: Students’ Experiences in Technology-based Courses in Maths& Stats

24. Reference Karsten Schmidt & Anke Köhler (2012): Teaching Mathematics in the PC Lab – The Students’ Viewpoints International Journal of Mathematical Education in Science and Technology DOI:10.1080/0020739X.2012.714490 Link to this article: http://dx.doi.org/10.1080/0020739X.2012.714490 Karsten Schmidt: Students’ Experiences in Technology-based Courses in Maths & Stats