Investigating students’ perceptions of graduate learning outcomes in mathematics

King, Deborah, Varsavsky, Cristina, Belward, Shaun, and Matthews, Kelly (2017) Investigating students’ perceptions of graduate learning outcomes in mathematics. International Journal of Mathematical Education in Science and Technology, 48 (S1). S67-S80.

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Abstract

The purpose of this study is to explore the perceptions mathematics students have of the knowledge and skills they develop throughout their programme of study. It addresses current concerns about the employability of mathematics graduates by contributing much needed insight into how degree programmes are developing broader learning outcomes for students majoring in mathematics. Specifically, the study asked students who were close to completing a mathematics major (n = 144) to indicate the extent to which opportunities to develop mathematical knowledge along with more transferable skills (communication to experts and non-experts, writing, working in teams and thinking ethically) were included and assessed in their major. Their perceptions were compared to the importance they assign to each of these outcomes, their own assessment of improvement during the programme and their confidence in applying these outcomes. Overall, the findings reveal a pattern of high levels of students’ agreement that these outcomes are important, but evidence a startling gap when compared to students’ perceptions of the extent to which many of these – communication, writing, teamwork and ethical thinking – are actually included and assessed in the curriculum, and their confidence in using such learning.

Item ID: 51366
Item Type: Article (Research - C1)
ISSN: 1464-5211
Keywords: undergraduate mathematics, graduate outcomes, employability skills, student perceptions
Additional Information:

This is an Open Access article distributed under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution-nonCommercial-NoDerivatives License (http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc-nd/4.0/), which permits non-commercial re-use, distribution, and reproduction in any medium, provided the original work is properly cited, and is not altered, transformed, or built upon in any way.

Date Deposited: 30 Oct 2017 05:36
FoR Codes: 39 EDUCATION > 3901 Curriculum and pedagogy > 390109 Mathematics and numeracy curriculum and pedagogy @ 100%
SEO Codes: 93 EDUCATION AND TRAINING > 9303 Curriculum > 930301 Assessment and Evaluation of Curriculum @ 100%
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