Abstract:

Some authors argue that the training of future engineers must overcome the paradigm in which the acquisition and transmission of knowledge predominate, assuming a new one oriented to generate in students new ways of thinking in order to develop skills to address future professional problems.

Based on these ideas, the authors of this paper decided to teach Numerical Analysis at Facultad Regional San Nicolás through situations that foster the development of mathematical skills.

Mathematical skills are formed and developed by means of the exercise of mental actions by continuous training, and become modes of action that give solution to theoretical and practical tasks. Therefore, some situations were incorporated into the activities done in class that, making use of open educational resources not only to allow remembering or applying certain numerical methods, but also to help students analyze whether it is possible to apply them or not, according to the characteristics of the proposed problem.

The aim of this paper is to share the experience developed in the Numerical Analysis courses at Facultad Regional San Nicolás, Universidad Tecnológica Nacional from Argentina. Although the teaching based on mathematical skills is not a simple task, notable improvements were obtained in the experiences recently developed. Particularly, an estimation of the degree of development of different mathematical skills used in two assessment instances, one at the beginning and the other at the end of the course, is shown. Specially designed rubrics were used to analyze the students’ answers.

Keywords:

Numerical Analysis, Mathematical Skills, Bloom´s Taxonomy.