A pedagogical tool based on the development of a computer application to improve learning in advanced mathematics

Íñigo Sarría Martínez De Mendivil
Rubén González Crespo
Alexander González-Castaño
Ángel Alberto Magreñán Ruiz
Lara Orcos Palma

Abstract

Dynamic study of iterative methods has become more common in recent decades thanks to the development of computers, something that illustrates the importance of including these methods in curricula. There are several types of software whose didactic application in the classroom is very useful, but they have not been designed in response to students’ difficulties related to learning of the dynamics of iterative methods. It should also be noted that there is no software exclusively designed for teaching iterative methods, and th with the difficulties students encounter in this area, has caused many students problems with understanding fundamental concepts as it is a subject with a large visual component. Taking into account all the above factors, we have designed a software program to help students understand this subject and allow teachers to perform simulations in the classroom while preventing students from using the tool or the parametric plane or dynamic plane that is appropriate for the particular situation they face. This article considers the development of a methodological proposal in which the software we designed is used with a sample of students from the Discrete and Continuous Dynamic Systems module on the Master’s degree in Mathematical Engineering and Computing at the Universidad Internacional de La Rioja, and their results are compared with another sample of students who did not have access to this mathematical tool. The result that emerges is that the group that followed the new methodology obtained much higher average score than the groups taught with the previous methodology.

This is the English version of an article originally printed in Spanish in issue 274 of the revista española de pedagogía. For this reason, the abbreviation EV has been added to the page numbers. Please, cite this article as follows: Sarría Martínez De Mendivil, Í., González Crespo, R., González-Castaño, A., Magreñán Ruiz, Á. A., & Orcos Palma, L. (2019). Herramienta pedagógica basada en el desarrollo de una aplicación informática para la mejora del aprendizaje en matemática avanzada | A pedagogical tool based on the development of a computer application to improve learning in advanced mathematics. Revista Española de Pedagogía, 77 (274), 457-485. doi: 10.22550/REP77-3-2019-06

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Author Biography

Íñigo Sarría Martínez de Mendivil holds a Doctorate from the Universidad Internacional de La Rioja, a Licentiate degree in Mathematics from the Universidad del País Vasco, a University Expert qualification in Analysis of the Knowledge Society from the Universidad Internacional de La Rioja, and a Certificate in Teaching from the Universidad Complutense of Madrid. He is Director of the Computer Science and Technology Area of the Higher School of Engineering and Technology at the Universidad Internacional de La Rioja and is the Coordinator of the Master’s in Mathematical Engineering and Computing.
https://orcid.org/0000-0002-2584-9671

Rubén González Crespo is a Doctor of Engineering in Computer Engineering and has a degree in Engineering in Industrial Organisation from the Universidad Pontificia de Salamanca. Master’s in Project Management and Administration and a Master’s in Web Engineering from the same university. Diploma in International Studies from the Sociedad de Estudios Internacionales. Head of Academic Policy and Planning and Head of the Higher School of Engineering and Technology at the Universidad Internacional de La Rioja.

https://orcid.org/0000-0001-5541-6319
Ángel Alberto Magreñán Ruiz has a Doctorate (Cum Laude and special prize) in Mathematics, Certificate in Teaching, Licentiate degree in mathematics and Technical Engineering degree in Business Computing from the Universidad de La Rioja. He is currently an Associate Professor in the Mathematics Teaching Area of the Department of Mathematics and Computation of the Universidad de La Rioja.

https://orcid.org/0000-0002-6991-5706

Lara Orcos Palma has a doctorate in mathematics from the Universidad Politécnica de Valencia. Licentiate degree in Chemistry from the Universidad de La Rioja, Licentiate degree in Biochemistry from the Universidad de Salamanca, she studied a Master’s in Teacher Training at the Universidad de La Rioja and a Master’s in Chemical Science and Technology with Spain’s Universidad Nacional de Educación a Distancia. She is currently assistant to the academic coordination of the Bachelor’s degrees in Early Years and Primary Teaching in the Faculty of Education at the Universidad Internacional de La Rioja.

https://orcid.org/0000-0001-8138-551X

Alexander González-Castaño has a Physics degree from the Universidad Nacional de Colombia and has a Master’s in Mathematical and Computational Engineering from the Universidad Internacional de La Rioja. He is currently a Lecturer with the Corporación Universitaria Minuto de Dios – UNIMINUTO.

https://orcid.org/0000-0003-0235-6812

Citación recomendada | Recommended citation

Martínez De Mendivil, Í. S., Crespo, R. G., González-Castaño, A., Magreñán Ruiz, Á. A., & Palma, L. O. (2019) . A pedagogical tool based on the development of a computer application to improve learning in advanced mathematics. Revista Española de Pedagogía, 77(274). https://www.revistadepedagogia.org/rep/vol77/iss274/12