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Ponte Academic Journal
Jul 2017, Volume 73, Issue 7

USING GROUP WORK AS A LEARNING STRATEGY FOR TECHNIQUES OF INTEGRATION BY ENGINEERING STUDENTS

Author(s): A. Maharaj

J. Ponte - Jul 2017 - Volume 73 - Issue 7
doi: 10.21506/j.ponte.2017.7.36



Abstract:
This qualitative study explored a didactical approach based on collaborative learning in a second-year Mathematics module. The rationale for carrying out this exploration was to empower students to become active, responsible and critical learners. The study was carried out with 72 second-year Mechanical Engineering students at a South African university of technology, who were divided into eighteen groups of four members and engaged in mathematics tasks structured in the form of activity sheets guided by social constructivism. Written responses, classroom activity observations and questionnaires contributed to the data. The activities involved four tasks on techniques of integration, namely, direct integration, integration using substitution, integration by parts and integration using partial fractions. Findings emanating from the data analysis indicated that this approach to collaborative learning provided positive attributes which aided effective Mathematics learning and learning in general
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