Enhance engineering college math teaching with gaming and virtual reality learning modules

Abstract

Traditional math teaching is insufficient in grasping students' attention1. As a result, students are losing interest in learning mathematics and their performance is below that of students in other industrialized nations2. Surveys demonstrate that many engineering students feel math is boring and they don't see the connection between mathematics and real life engineering problems. To address these issues, revamping college math teaching and incorporating modern technology into the classroom become crucial. This paper presents a project that is currently conducted at Prairie View A&M University (PVAMU), which, through pilot math class teaching, proved to be efficient in increasing student engagement and supporting teachers' instructional needs. The key strategy of the project is to develop innovative math learning modules and use them to enhance students' performance. By applying cutting-edge computer graphics and virtual reality technologies, these modules can: (1) make mathematics learning interesting while still retaining the underlying contents; (2) make abstract and non-intuitive mathematics concepts "visible" and "touchable", and thereby, easy to understand; and (3) bridge mathematics and engineering and motivate students to pursue engineering careers. The goal of the project is to ensure that students, especially freshmen and sophomores, can benefit from the instructional strategies and develop a solid math foundation for their science and engineering careers. A summary of courses impacted, samples of the math learning modules, and student feedback are discussed. © 2011 American Society for Engineering Education.