Abstract:

The first year at the university is a moment of transition where the students must confront a change on the educational tools and organization. Moreover, at a personal level, the students must decide if their chosen degree provides everything they expected.

Although the courses often include basic concepts that have been learnt mechanically in secondary and high school, the students only seek to fulfil the required procedure of evaluation and this is an error in this learning period. In addition if the student does not pass the exams, the insecurity begins and the self esteem and the capacity to be able to face the studies decrease. This work makes a study about the ways to help the students to adapt and get good behaviours to address their fears.

Overall, all the subjects that are offered in the first term/first year have a section reserved to laboratory and/or computer practices, in which there is a personal contact with the students. Although this is the part of the course that should motivate the students to broaden their knowledge of the subject, sometimes this is not the truth. This fact makes the laboratory and computer practices boring and uninspiring instead of means to consolidate the contents of the course.

In this work, which is based on the experience of the last 7 years, it is analysed the attitude and opinion of the students related to one of the most difficult subjects for them that it is mathematics.

New innovative methodologies are researched that fit the time and the number of students per group during their practices and different ways to be implemented are considered in order to be able to keep the students interested in learning.

The course in which this work has been performed is Mathematics I. This work shows the pros and cons of the previous practice program and compares it with the improvements proposed of a dynamical practice program, more in tune with thoughts, mathematical level and motivation of each student.

This is the way to change the mind of the students which often judge the syllabus unreasonable, difficult and unnecessary for their professional career. There are many benefits but the most important is to work with the communication and respect between the student and teacher. It is important to teach interest in the subjects and give them tools to find sources to overcome the obstacles.

Keywords:

Motivation, Coaching, Tutoring, Mathematics, Computer, New Methodologies, Education.