On the Use of Computer Algebra Systems and Microsoft Excel by Students in the MSc Program in Engineering
The article presents the investigation of how large (potentially international) groups of first-year students in the MSc program in Engineering perceive and use scenarios of software products: computer algebra systems Matlab, Mathcad, Mathematica, a common spreadsheet Microsoft Excel, and the computer algebra system adapted for mobile devices Wolfram Alpha. The first stage of the research included the use of statistical methods for the collection and processing of empirical data: namely, the survey of first-year graduate students of Bauman Moscow State Technical University on the perception and usage of scenarios of software products Matlab, Mathcad, Mathematica, Microsoft Excel and Wolfram Alpha in solving problems arising in the educational process. The methodological basis of the second stage of the research is quantitative and qualitative methods of statistical analysis: qualitative analysis and comparison of distributions, correspondence analysis, chi-square test, etc. The research ascertained that students consider the interface of all aforementioned software products to be quite understandable; however, computer algebra systems are not perceived as convenient for presenting results in the form of a report or a presentation. For these purposes, the interviewed students found the package Microsoft Excel to be more suitable. The association of the program Matlab, and partly Mathcad, with solving problems in physics and specialty (in engineering practice), and applicability for demanding computing has been revealed. The research established that students clearly distinguish the differences in the tasks, the solution to which is possible with the help of different software product. The ease of use on a tablet or a smartphone is not an important factor when choosing a software package for solving problems. However, respondents believe that Microsoft Excel is better adapted for use on a smartphone or a tablet compared to computer algebra systems. There are no critical differences in the attitude and methods of using software systems between native speakers of Russian and foreign students - non-native speakers of Russian, but significant differences are present in the proportion of students using different computer algebra systems in these two groups. The results of the present research show that any of the computer algebra systems considered in this study (Mathcad, Matlab, Mathematica), as well as the widely spread package Microsoft Excel, can be used in teaching large engineering groups that can include foreign students. It is advisable to choose one of the computer algebra systems and use it simultaneously with Microsoft Excel.
Keywords
системы компьютерной алгебры,
Microsoft Excel,
инженерное обучение,
восприятие программных продуктов,
computer algebra system,
Microsoft Excel,
engineering education,
perception of program packagesAuthors
| Mezhennaya Natalia M. | Bauman Moscow State Technical University | natalia.mezhennaya@gmail.com |
Всего: 1
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