Enhancing Mathematics Instruction Through Laboratory Exercises

Abstract

This paper describes creating a new course for engineering technology students at Southeast Missouri State University that focuses on application-based mathematics instruction through laboratory experiments. The course structure comprises beginning the semester with pre-calculus and trigonometry and progressing to calculus and differential equations. The topics are covered from the engineering and engineering technology applications standpoint, with examples from electrical and mechanical systems. A hands-on, problem-based learning approach is selected for teaching the application of mathematics to engineering technology students. This entails students being presented with real-world problems, solving them using mathematical concepts, and then verifying results by using software tools. Specifically, twelve laboratory exercises using Scilab have been incorporated into the course. For engineering students, using engineering examples improves both their ability to understand the material’s relevance and their understanding of mathematical techniques that may be applied to real-world problems that they will likely encounter in their future jobs.