Engineering students’ approaches to learning in two student-centred instructional models before and during the COVID-19 pandemic

ABSTRACT

In this study, we investigated how well two different student-centred instructional models fostered engineering students’ learning in a time of crisis. We analysed students’ (N = 375) approaches to learning during four engineering mathematics courses in a Finnish university before and during the COVID-19 pandemic. Students’ deep and surface approaches to learning, as well as organised studying, were measured five times during an eight-month period. For the control group the student-centred elements were added to the framework of traditional lecture-based teaching, whereas the intervention group’s instructional model disrupted the structures of traditional teaching more profoundly. Our results indicate that the pandemic and related restrictions were linked to a decrease in students’ deep approach to learning and organised studying, and an increase of surface approach to learning in both groups. However, the intervention group’s instructional model supported the deep approach to learning better than that of the control group.

KEYWORDS:

• Approaches to learning
• student-centred teaching
• flipped learning
• pandemic
• engineering mathematics

Acknowledgements

The authors would like to thank all other teachers of the courses considered in this study, especially Jussi Kangas and Petteri Laakkonen.

Disclosure statement

No potential conflict of interest was reported by the author(s).

Ethics approval

Ethical committee of Tampere University has given permission for this research.

Additional information

Notes on contributors

Johanna Rämö

Johanna Rämö is a university lecturer at the Computing Sciences unit, Tampere University, Finland. She received a Ph.D. in mathematics from Queen Mary, University of London, United Kingdom. Her research concerns undergraduate mathematics education, focusing on learning environments and novel assessment methods.

Petri Nokelainen

Petri Nokelainen is a full professor of Engineering Pedagogy in Tampere University, Finland. His current research interests include motivation, self-regulation, emotions and basic psychological needs satisfaction in the contexts of engineering higher education and working life.

Riikka Kangaslampi

Riikka Kangaslampi is working as a university lecturer in mathematics at the Computing Sciences unit, Tampere University, Finland. She received her degree of Doctor of Science in Technology from Helsinki University of Technology, Finland, in 2008. Her main research interests are discrete geometry and university mathematics education.

Elina Viro

Elina Viro is a university instructor in mathematics at Tampere University and is writing her doctoral thesis on project-based learning in mathematics at the lower secondary school level. She has coached first-year engineering mathematics students. In addition, she has conducted pedagogical courses for mathematics pre-service teachers. She is interested in developing student-centred teaching and learning.

Terhi Kaarakka

Terhi Kaarakka is a university lecturer in mathematics at Tampere University. Terhi has made a doctoral dissertation on stochastics. She teaches engineering mathematics for large groups and therefore she is interested in how technology can support mathematics learning

Maiju Nieminen

Maiju Nieminen is a secondary school teacher of mathematical sciences. She received her degree of Master of Science (Technology) from Tampere University in 2021.

Jani Hirvonen

Jani Hirvonen is a university instructor in mathematics at the Computing Sciences unit, Tampere University. While his doctoral dissertation handled theoretical mathematics, he’s nowadays interested in university mathematics education in general and especially with the support of technological means.

Simo Ali-Löytty

Simo Ali-Löytty is working as a university lecturer in mathematics at the Computing Sciences unit, Tampere University, Finland. He has long pedagogical and technical experience in using and designing digital learning activities. His current research interest is technology-supported mathematics education.