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ERIC Number: EJ1399820
Record Type: Journal
Publication Date: 2023
Pages: 23
Abstractor: As Provided
ISBN: N/A
ISSN: ISSN-1571-0068
EISSN: EISSN-1573-1774
Changes in Students' Mathematical Competencies at the Beginning of Higher Education within the Last Decade at a German University
Büchele, Stefan; Feudel, Frank
International Journal of Science and Mathematics Education, v21 n8 p2325-2347 2023
Mathematics plays a significant role in many study programs. However, several studies show deficiencies and a decline in beginning undergraduates' skills in mathematics in many content domains. However, it remains unclear whether they have improved in so-called process competencies like modeling, mathematical reasoning, or using different representations instead, because there has been a shift towards the acquisition of such in many recent curricula. We investigated this issue at a university in Germany based on data from a (non-standardized) mathematics entry test taken by 3076 economics students divided into different cohorts from 2012 to 2019. Using regression analyses, we found that, on the one hand, students' ability to carry out symbolic calculations decreased. On the other hand, their performance increased in some test questions focusing on other process competencies like reasoning, mathematizing, or using different representations, which have become common tasks at school due to a stronger emphasis on these process competencies after a curriculum reform. Our data indicate that this reform might have had the desired effect.
Springer. Available from: Springer Nature. One New York Plaza, Suite 4600, New York, NY 10004. Tel: 800-777-4643; Tel: 212-460-1500; Fax: 212-460-1700; e-mail: customerservice@springernature.com; Web site: https://bibliotheek.ehb.be:2123/
Publication Type: Journal Articles; Reports - Research
Education Level: Higher Education; Postsecondary Education
Audience: N/A
Language: English
Sponsor: N/A
Authoring Institution: N/A
Identifiers - Location: Germany
Grant or Contract Numbers: N/A