Abstract:

The massive decline in mathematical knowledge and skills among students entering higher education levels alarms all mathematics teachers. Employers of engineering graduates require employees who are able to learn, are flexible, can solve problems independently and have good analytical skills. So, students should learn how to use math software, solve problems that can be solved easily and efficiently with computers. The main goal of this research was to describe the effectiveness of added laboratory exercises from the subject Mathematics 1 and the impact of visualizing the curriculum on its better understanding. The study was attended by students of the first year of bachelor's studies at the University of Žilina in Slovakia and consisted of two parts - a questionnaire and a test. The results convincingly show that visualization as a part of learning process not only helps students to retain the knowledge long-term but also contributes to raising their self-confidence in their mathematic skills.

Keywords:

Visualization, understanding, mathematics, education.