Abstract:

In the current digital era, learning Maths should be more and more attractive for students. In this sense, teachers are required to implement active methodologies and Information and Communication Technology (ICT) tools that promote this attractiveness and autonomous/independent work. This paper assesses, on the students, the effect of using the MathCityMap App in the Applied Mathematics course of the 1st year of the Integrated Master in Architecture at Lisbon School of Architecture, University of Lisbon.

The App mentioned is freely available, and it is an ICT tool that requires outdoor work with a mathematical and statistical substrate, which invites students to go outdoors and get in touch with the city, motivates them to learn mathematics and statistics, stimulating their ability for observation and creativity to solve problems. At the same time, as students of Architecture, these activities provide the opportunity to know the city they study in. Students often graduate at a university and do not know the city that welcomes them. Although Architecture students develop work in the city, these activities, such as MathCityMap App, contribute to stimulating their greater/better knowledge of the city.

Assessing the ICT tools implementation in teaching/learning is statistically difficult to carry out as the surveyed population changes annually. In fact, the student respondents are different from year to year. However, it is essential to find out whether these methodologies used/introduced “beyond the curriculum” are being useful in student learning and whether they acquire more reasoning tools to apply in other subjects and in their decision-making skills, becoming more capable of understanding and to apply the transdisciplinary of knowledge. It is fundamental to be ‘information literate’ for becoming good professional and enabling students with these skills will be for life.

In the specific case of Architecture students, whose mathematical background is diverse and varies from year to year, it becomes even more complex to understand whether the introduction of new ICTs is being useful for students' learning and contributing to the improvement of their respective skills and results. A survey was carried out and statistical analysis was implemented to understand the influence of this methodology in the students gains.

The results show the students' satisfaction with the ICT tool implementation and its motivation to learn Maths, highlighting their application in a real context.

Keywords:

Outdoor Education, Active Teaching/Learning, ICT, MathCityMap App, Higher Education, Students Survey.