Modern Mathematical Education of Electrotechnical Engineer

G.Dmukh, PhD, Associate Professor, Department of Algebra, Geometry and Mathematical Analysis at Far Eastern Federal University, Vladivostok, Russian Federation

Abstract: the author looks at the features of mathematical education for future engineers in general and electrotechnical engineers in particular and explores the role of practice-oriented tasks in mathematical education of engineering students.

Keywords: mathematical training, engineering education, mathematical methods, practical application of mathematics.

Mathematical training has great significance in engineering education. Leading scholars and professors constantly improve the content of mathematical courses, develop and introduce new up-to-date teaching methods. However, new problems still emerge in the process of education. One of the main questions that those who teach mathematics to future engineers have to face was raised by academician S.L.Sobolev: “Are our students taught everything they need or may need?”

Due to the fact that engineering practices are becoming more complex, mathematical courses at university level are more demanding. Gradually faculties alter the curriculum, review and improve traditional teaching methods. Attitude to many traditional branches of mathematics is changing as they have to give time to the most important branches of present-day mathematics. Nevertheless, having ideal curriculum and perfect teaching materials, with professors of the highest level of expertise who have as many classroom hours for teaching mathematics as they need, one would not be able to learn every bit of mathematical knowledge they may need for their future career in engineering. A future engineer has to continue their mathematical education at different levels throughout their university course. Mathematical subjects are considerably complemented by specialist disciplines, which also have the necessary mathematical apparatus. Optional courses and textbooks in the branches of mathematics that are not fully covered in the curriculum also play a great role in the mathematical education of a future engineer. An engineer’s mathematical training is not completed at graduation, it is never completed.

Even if one could take into account the majority of mathematical branches and topics that a future engineer might need during their career, this vast content could never fit into a curriculum. As experience shows, various branches of mathematics that have no immediate engineering application today may prove indispensable in the solutions of new engineering tasks tomorrow and become foundation for further development and enrichment of an engineer’s mathematical apparatus. Due to this fact it is impossible to foresee the development of an engineer’s mathematical tools over the next few years.

Psychological aspects of mathematical education also play a great part. Whether the branch of mathematics is studied in order to solve a particular application task or whether it is for future use directly determines the level of students’ involvement. The process of skill and knowledge acquisition is considerably more effective if there is acute practical need for the knowledge.

Therefore, when a new branch of mathematics is studied, it is necessary to consider practical tasks that answer the needs of specialist disciplines in order to increase students’ cognitive interest for pursuing mathematical subjects and enhance their creative potential. The purpose of these tasks is not so much to receive the answer as to learn new knowledge (skill, solution method, technique) in order to transfer it onto other subjects. In this case subject knowledge here is a tool for acquisition of cross-subject knowledge.

The Department of Algebra, Geometry and Analysis of the Far-Eastern Federal University carries out the academic work with due regard to main requirements for quality education and in accordance with educational standard for engineering mathematics.

Each academic discipline offered by the department is supplied with a syllabus and teaching materials. The syllabuses are regularly revised and updated based on the latest advances in science and technology and changes in the curriculum. All undergraduate students are well provided with learning materials for practical training and calculation and drawing classes as well as independent study material. Each course unit is supplied with a set of practice and final tests that are successfully implemented in the academic process. The department is planning to create a collection of electronic blackboard course summaries and textbooks for all courses offered.

The issue of students’ progress and the results of course tests and examinations as well as the questions of syllabus revision are regularly discussed at the department faculty meetings. Students’ progress on various course units is regularly monitored. The department faculty offer additional academic support classes and tutorials beyond scheduled ones.

In addition, a necessary and predictable condition to enhance the undergraduate students’ progress is the development and implementation of modern information technologies in the academic process. The range of modern technological means in education is already wide and expanding rapidly. When they are used with students, it is wise to combine them with traditional methods of teaching mathematics and computer-based technologies. Constant improvement in the information technology area fosters and accelerates innovations in mathematical training.

The department faculty do a considerable amount of work creating computerized teaching materials, test software, supportive notes, electronic textbooks. Students who are interested in research are also involved in this kind of work. Far Eastern Federal University has successfully launched project “Motivation” with the aim to encourage those faculty members who are most actively involved in research work.

Mathematical education efficiency depends heavily on effective supervision of students’ independent work, which must be a controlled process. With traditional teaching methods students’ independent work cannot be controlled by the professor. This becomes possible with the development and implementation of multimedia teaching materials. They include various testing systems and give the teacher an opportunity to continuously assess students’ progress in mathematics and, as a result, they provide better retention of the material. This is the goal that modern educational technologies pursue.

Therefore, one condition for undergraduate students’ successful independent work on mathematical courses is high quality courseware with plentiful training activities. Another condition is an opportunity for students to check their comprehension of the course material independently as well as to practice the acquired skills and apply the acquired knowledge.

As the amount of information for students to digest is growing (due to the reduction of class hours), automated learning and assessment are becoming vital. Students often have to work independently to gain information they cannot receive from lectures due to limited class hours. In this situation the question of material retention assessment remains unsolved. It can partly be answered through the rating system of performance appraisal adopted by the university.

Within a computerized mathematical course students are expected to work with an electronic document that contains a considerable amount of additional material prepared by the professor. This form of academic work is of interest for both full-time and part-time education. Currently existing software allow including an assessment option into the document display environment. However, the majority of these systems typically offer the “question – answer” mode. This solution is not perfect and can be improved.

One cannot learn everything. Formal education has to teach students methods of self-education, keys to knowledge acquisition and develop the skill and the need for self-improvement. A modern person cannot live a life with the amount of knowledge they once received. As a result, the world educational paradigms are changing from the information transmitting ones to the culturally determined developing ones. Therefore, the main purpose of contemporary education is to give a person the starting point for self-development.

One of the necessary conditions that determine the quality of undergraduate students’ preparation is the quality of the faculty. Therefore, higher education system has to be based on the pedagogical culture and appropriate personnel policy of the educational institution.

Motivational management plays an important role in the quality education management system. It includes the elaboration of the incentive system and the program of professional development of faculty members. Another aspect is to encourage students in balanced sustainable progress and self-improvement.

As can be seen from the above, professional teaching materials, implementation of modern information technologies, professionally oriented assignments, flexible material retention assessment, constant demonstration of the links between mathematics and other technical and scientific courses, which is high-quality teaching, all form the professional competence of the future Bachelors of Engineering. What is most important is that the students should understand that through studying mathematical courses they acquire in-depth understanding of their profession. Phenomena and processes, which are new and abstract terms introduced to students in class, become precise when applied to practical tasks.

All in all, studying mathematical disciplines and working on a sufficient quantity of practice oriented assignments both form the line of thought necessary for engineering students. They also develop the students’ ability to analyze the technological process as a controllable object and prepare them to participate in assembly, adjustment, repair and maintenance operations. They acquire the ability to apply information technologies in their field of expertise and are prepared to conduct equipment condition and remaining life inspections, in particular, they learn how to plan the power plant operation, address the issue of security constrained unit commitment. As a result, they demonstrate the ability and preparedness to analyze scientific and technical information, study domestic and foreign experience and apply testing methods of electrical equipment and electricity generation facilities, etc.

References:

1. Sigorsky V. (1977) Matematichesky apparat ingenera [Mathematical Apparatus of Engineer]. Second edition, “Tekhnika”. (in Russian)

2. Vikulova N. “Formation of professional competence through learning mathematics”. (in Russian)

3. Zhelonkina T., Lukashevich S. and Shershnev E., “Courseware as the foundation of quality education”. (in Russian)