Engaging life-sciences students with mathematical models: does authenticity help?

Abstract

Compulsory mathematics service units for the life sciences present unique challenges: even students who learn some specific skills maintain a negative attitude to mathematics and do not see the relevance of the unit towards their degree. The focus on authentic content and the presentation and teaching of global or qualitative methods before teaching the corresponding quantitative techniques led to a positive change in the attitudes and disposition of the students.

Keywords:

• quantitative skills
• mathematical modelling
• life sciences
• differential equations
• authenticity

Acknowledgements

I would like to acknowledge the support of my colleagues David Easdown and Manjula Sharma, and also thank the referees for their many suggestions which significantly improved this paper.