Mathematics achievement in engineering: an exploratory study with MIEGI students

Abstract

Mathematics is a discipline that appears on the syllabus of many courses, including courses in engineering, where it is an essential discipline to the formation of all future engineers, whatever their field of study and work. Despite that, engineering students tend to reveal difficulties with courses based on mathematics. The factors that influence learning mathematics have been the subject of study for several researchers around the world. Researchers attempt to identify variables that explain mathematics achievement, but fail to address university students. In this paper, we present the results of an exploratory study based on industrial engineering students of University of Minho, concerning their grades in the courses of statistics and numerical methods. The preliminary results show that gender is an unexpected and significant factor.