Authentic Problems from Engineering... in Mathematics

DidMat seminar with Karsten Schmidt (DTU) and Carl Winsløw (KU)

In this seminar, we present ongoing work on the definition and use of "authentic problems from engineering" (APEs) in a first year mathematics course at the Danish Technical University, and more particularly in the setting of so-called "Mat1-projects" at the end of the course. We have analysed 37 project assignments based on 10 didactic variables which are considered essential to capture what is considered important in the design, including aspects of what an APE can mean in the setting of a basic math course. Our subsequent investigation will go beyond the assignment and their design, to study student outcomes and its alignment with the 17 engineering programmes which the course caters to.

The present work was first presented on April 6 in Kristiansand, Norway, at the 2nd conference of the International Network for Didactical Research on University Mathematics (INDRUM).