An Investigation Of Application Of Mathematics Review To Improve Problem Solving Skills And Active Learning Of Engineering Students In Physics Applied to Engineering Education

Mathematics is the soul of physics. They complement each other and are inseparable. Attired expertise of mathematics is an essential component in intuitive and active problem solving in physics. This study explores the extent up to which the mathematical competence supports the learners in improving their Problem-Based Learning Skills. In addition this study investigated student's active learning in Physics pertaining to the mathematical reviews encapsulated before the physics Classes applied to undergraduate engineering programs. Second-semester engineering students were focused on while conducting this study. While carrying out the tasks learners were expected to carry out arithmetic transfer to establish a connection between the two disciplines in a meaningful way in the inception of the class.Besides, they were expected to translate the numbers as concepts in physics as they advance in the topic. The transition phase from physics concepts to problem-solving is expected to be smooth pertaining to the mathematical framework students have shaped during the mathematical review session in the beginning of the class. The consideration of the achievement level of students in two disciplines in the preliminary stage of the study was extremely helpful in the later stage to analyze the outcome. Any modification in the normal approach to problem solving at any stage done by any of the students was tracked down. Student's ability to give meaning to the result obtained in the form of numbers during the problem solving session was investigated to identify their ability to conceptualize the answer in terms of physics. The transition phase from numbers to the concept is not smooth and thus contribute to the low understanding of conceptual physics.

I. Introdijctton

Successful engineers are normally creative and analytical in their approach. The quality time spends during their study period reflects in their future carrier. One of the subject, which depends on quality work is physics as it involves more cognitive exercise. This is evident in areas related to problem solving. Students find difficulty with both mathematical aspect and concepts in physics and they normally tend to be passive listeners rather than active learners during problem solving session. Problem solving has been defined in many ways for example it has been defined as advancing in an uncertain path to attain a certain goal [1]; presumed advancement from a known state to a state of aspiration [2]; an act that points from primitive information to certain goal. [3]; a constructive work which involves a series of hurdles to reach a solution [4].