Using Wolfram Software to Improve Reading Comprehension in Mathematics for Software Engineering Students. Luis Rodrigo Barba – Guaman Universidad Técnica Particular de Loja Departamento de Ciencias de la Computación y Electrónica
[email protected] Loja- Ecuador Carlos Alberto Calderón -Cordova Universidad Técnica Particular de Loja Departamento de Ciencias de la Computación y Electrónica Loja- Ecuador
[email protected] Liliana Enciso Universidad Técnica Particular de Loja Departamento de Ciencias de la Computación y Electrónica Loja- Ecuador
[email protected] Lorena Elizabeth Conde - Zhingre Universidad Internacional del Ecuador Escuela de Informática y Multimedia - Ingeniería en Tecnologías de la Información y Comunicación Quito- Ecuador
[email protected] Abstract — The higher education through virtual environment is students centered oriented to the interactive learning, in situations to be closer to the real world; for that reason, teachers must have new communicative competence. students centered oriented to the interactive learning, in situations to be closer to the real world. This paper shows the use of Wolfram software as a supplementary educational resource in the process of reading comprehension in mathematics, in the first, and third semester of Information and Computer System Engineering as part of process of formation of future engineering. Mathematics is a fundamental subject in the normative process of educating the future professionals. For example, this can be applied by using the technology, and software by Wolfram. Students from experimental groups used together with the teacher the software Wolfram Mathematica. The experience in this research by teacher shows the necessity of include this math package as supplementary educational resource, which support the capacity of calculus, and interpretation of the non-trivial problems. Keywords - Education; Mathematics; Mathematica wolfram software.
I.
INTRODUCTION
In the learning context of mathematics, these are skills that can be applied in higher education, such as: [4], [10], [23] ,[27]. all the mentioned practices use the software tools (Desk, Mobil, and online) like a pedagogical resource to complement the teaching-learning process, in the field which the mathematics is applied [18], [21], [24], [29], [30]. There are
Pablo Alejandro Quezada- Sarmiento Universidad Internacional del Ecuador Escuela de Informática y Multimedia - Ingeniería en Tecnologías de la Información y Comunicación Quito- Ecuador
[email protected] Alfonso Maria Sarmiento- Ochoa Universidad Nacional de Loja Facultad de la Educación, el Arte y la Comunicación Loja- Ecuador Tula Silvana Luna- Briceño Universidad Internacional del Ecuador Escuela de Derecho Quito – Ecuador
[email protected]
researchers who are dedicated to the analysis of the different mathematical software tools in the engineering careers, which are used in higher education with a didactical focus [1],[10] and [13]. In this researches [4] , [8]. use the software Wolfram Alpha and Mathematica as a complement to the theoretical teaching in subjects of calculus and algebra in core engineering courses. Wolfram software.- Wolfram Mathematica software is a business application about computational systems; developed by the company Wolfram Research. The enterprise was founded by Stephen Wolfram in 1987 with a group of researchers who have revolutionized it since its first launch. Wolfram Research is one of the research companies whose web and software is highly respected all around the world. As a pioneer in computer sciences, and the computational paradigm, the company has kept a long-term vision to develop science, technology, and tools to make the computer science nowadays and in the future increasingly powerful [18],[22] [26], [28]. Much process is achieved thanks to the technologies by Wolf-ram in the last quarter century. This can be found in the book by the innovator Stephen Wolfram from 2002 “A New Kind of Science”, which defines a new and radical direction for the computation and the basic science and has a deep effect on science, technology and arts. It is similarly to the many techno-logical innovations by Wolfram, especially Wolfram Alpha [20].
In this research, the Wolfram software was used as an experimental case thanks to the support of the “Red Nacional de Investigación y Educación del Ecuador (REDCEDIA)”. An agreement was signed with the enterprise Wolfram Research for the purpose to use without costs for its members (Universities and Polytechnic Schools from Ecuador). This license allows teachers and students to use this application for their research and tasks [16]. II.
in research by the teachers, presented the necessity of using this math package as a resource, which supports the capacity of calculus and interpretation of non-trivial problems (Fig. 3).
METHODOLOGY
In Fig. 1, the number of admitted vs no admitted in mathematics class in the fall semester 2015 are showed.
Fig.3. Used of Wolfram Software and Smart Classroom
In the first semester of 2016, the experimental groups achieved the following: In the table 1 shows the first course was developed on a basis of a traditional methodology.
Fig. 1. Admitted and no admitted in mathematics in Fall 2015. (Academic systems from Universidad. Técnica de Loja)
The 60% of 584 students no passed the mathematics class, this is a problem of prior knowledge from high school. To avoid the high rate of no admitted, we will use the Wolfram software in order to improve learning through reading controls. This research work was descriptive and it was used by two experimental groups from the first and third semester of Information and Computer System Engineering from the Universidad Técnica Particular de Loja – UTPL from Ecuador (Fig. 2).
1. very agreetm ent
2. agreetm ent
3. moder ately agreet ment
4. disagre ement
5. very disa gree ment
Consider to the academic subject difficult.
8,70%
8,70%
43,48%
30,43%
8,70 %
Until the moment the academic subject seems interesting.
26,09%
56,52%
17,39%
0%
0%
The practice activities have relation with the theoretical content.
47,83%
30,43%
17,39%
4,35%
0%
60,87%
21,74%
17,39%
0%
0%
39,13%
17,39%
30,43%
13,04%
0%
4,35%
26,09%
43,48%
13,04%
13,0 4%
39,13%
43,48%
17,39%
0%
0%
Consider that the academic subject is important in the professional training. My previous bases in Math are appropriated in the academic subject. The contents are Abstract. The practice activities are specifically math calculus.
Fig. 2. Students Participants
This is a private institute of higher education with a highly renowned distance education at national and international level. Teachers and students from the experimental groups used together the software Wolfram Mathematica. This experience
The second course it was developed on a basis of a traditional methodology, but they had to validate the answer of the given problem by using the math software (Fig. 4).
The practice activities are specifically math calculus.
Fig. 4 Validation Software
To interpret these results (Table 1) of the features of the academic subject for the engineering: • The academic subject is difficult to understand. • For the most of the students it seems interesting. • It is theoretical, and abstract. • Most of the students consider to the subject very important in the development of their career. • Furthermore, it is considered important to have previous knowledge in math foundations [25]. Below (Table 2) is the data which were obtained by the group that used the mathematic software, all of them had the same survey. The number of students consisted of 17 of which were 82% male and 18% female, 12 were between 17, and 19, 5 between 20 and 22 years old. Besides that, were 95% of them have studied this academic course for the first time and only the 5% for the second time. 1.ver y agree tment .
2. agre etme nt
3. mode rately agree tment
4. disag reem ent
5. very disagree ment
Consider to the academic subject difficult.
23,53 %
29,4 1%
29,41 %
17,65 %
0%
Until the moment the academic subject seems interesting.
17,65 %
41,1 8%
41,18
0%
0%
The practice activities have relation with the theoretical content.
0%
70,5 9%
17,65 %
11,76 %
0%
Consider that the academic subject is important in the professional training.
64,71 %
29,4 1%
0%
0%
5,88%
The contents are Abstract.
47,0 6%
17,65 %
0%
0%
In is possible to note that there is not much difference in comparison with the control group. However, it is possible to note a slight increase such as the subject seems interesting, less difficult, the theoretical/abstract part is important in the professional training. Furthermore, this change aspect or slight increase can be influenced by the use of the mathematic software. For this reason, Wolfram Mathematica has an impact on the student perception, because it is possible to do the direct calculus and solving a problem; this can be something positive in the current academic course. The score obtained in math class is summarized below: the figure 5 shows the class that used the mathematic software in the resolution of problems, more than half obtained an acceptable score. The figure 6 shows the traditional mathematic class, half the students got the middle of score in the assigned tasks.
Fig.5. Score using wolfram mathematic software.
Fig. 6. Score with the traditional methodology
III. My previous bases in Math is appropriated in the academic subject.
35,29 %
0%
41,1 8%
41,18 %
17,65 %
0%
0%
64,7 1%
29,41 %
5,88 %
0%
CONCLUSIONS
It is necessary to mention that the present research work continue in this first stage until the end of the academic semester. In addition, to assess the perception of the students in using the math software, a survey was done, the table I and II show the results. On average, the students have considered that the academic subject seems interesting, even though there are abstract and theoretical topics in the engineering area, some mention that is
important in their formation and professional training, in the future this can be seen as an enhancement of the learningteaching process in the mathematic class for engineering. Reading comprehension through the use of Wolfram software allows a visual learning of fundamental theoretical concepts in the mathematic. The use of a technological tools in the class room al-lowed that the students practice skills as such: programming, research, team working and interpretation of result set.
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