[Maths-Education] New research project: Roles of Mathematics and IT in
Engineering Education
Dr Phillip Kent
maths-education@nottingham.ac.uk
Thu, 09 May 2002 21:14:00 +0100
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This is to announce a new research project at the Institute of Education,
with funding from the Ove Arup Foundation
[<a href=3D"http://www.arup.com/foundation" eudora=3D"autourl">www.arup.com/=
foundation</a>]
<br><br>
<b>REMIT: Reassessing the Roles of Mathematics and IT in the University
Education of Engineers</b> <br><br>
The present moment is a turning point for university engineering
education. IT tools have totally transformed the professional practice of
engineers, and this poses challenges and opportunities for education, not
least in the area of mathematics.<br><br>
The professional institutions in Civil, Structural and Building Services
Engineering are clearing a path for change by relaxing the long-standing
entry requirement of A-level mathematics, thus allowing for a more
diverse range of students to enter university courses. This will open up
an engineering career path to students with a broad range of creative and
imaginative abilities, but who may enter courses with a limited
mathematical background. Thus many university civil engineering and built
environment departments will need to consider some possibly deep-seated
revisions of how, when and how much mathematics they teach. Now is a
crucial time for universities to consider how to continue to produce
equally good, perhaps better, engineers as in the past, by reassessing
what are the necessary mathematical skills, and adopting novel ways to
teach them, rather than necessarily replicating the past
indefinitely.<br><br>
There is urgent need to research this issue, and this research project is
a small-scale study to: <br>
<font face=3D"Symbol">=B7 </font>look closely at the role of mathematics in
university (civil and built environment) engineering courses, and offer a
vision of future directions for the teaching of mathematics in
engineering education; <br>
<font face=3D"Symbol">=B7 </font>take a radical view of the kinds of
mathematical knowledge and skills that in the future will need to be
taught in engineering courses at university level; <br>
<font face=3D"Symbol">=B7 </font>take detailed account of the possibilities
of IT based teaching and learning methods. <br><br>
To find out more, visit the project web site at
<a href=3D"http://www.ioe.ac.uk/rnoss/REMIT" eudora=3D"autourl">www.ioe.ac.u=
k/rnoss/REMIT</a>
, or contact me by email [p.kent@ioe.ac.uk].<br><br>
If you have any information, ideas or opinions on this topic I would be=
pleased to hear from you! I will be sending out questionnaires and other=
requests for information in due course - please let me know if you would=
like to be included on the e-mailing list.<br><br>
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Dr Phillip Kent<br>
School of Mathematics Science & Technology<br>
Institute of Education, London WC1H 0AL, U.K.<br>
p.kent@ioe.ac.uk <br>
tel 020 7612 6417 mobile 07950 952034<br>
<a href=3D"http://www.ioe.ac.uk/rnoss/REMIT"=
eudora=3D"autourl">www.ioe.ac.uk/rnoss/REMIT</a><br>
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