On the transition period of implementing new mathematics curriculum for Foundation Engineering students

TL;DR

This paper discusses the transition to a new mathematics curriculum for Foundation Engineering students at the University of Nottingham Malaysia, highlighting improvements in material organization, student skills, and teaching methods.

Contribution

It introduces a revised curriculum structure and demonstrates its positive impact on student learning and teaching effectiveness in Foundation Engineering mathematics modules.

Findings

Enhanced student mathematical background in critical thinking and problem solving

Improved curriculum organization and resource utilization

Positive feedback from lecturers and students

Abstract

An overview on several mathematics modules in the transition period of introducing a new curriculum for the Foundation programme in Engineering at the University of Nottingham Malaysia Campus is discussed in this paper. In order to progress to Undergraduate programmes in Engineering, previously the students must complete three mathematics modules of 40 credit points in total, for which one of them was a year-long module with 20 credit points. Currently under the new curriculum, the students are required to complete five mathematics modules with 10 credit points each. The new curriculum gives positive impacts for both the lecturers and the students in terms of material organization, fully utilizing textbooks and a new arrangement for tutorial sessions. The new curriculum also provides the students with stronger mathematical background in critical thinking and problem solving skills to equip them to embark the Undergraduate programmes in Engineering.