Anna University of Technology, Chennai, plans to involve engineering colleges affiliated to it in starting preparatory schools to introduce Plus-2 pass students to higher mathematics as they step into engineering.
After conducting a preliminary test on the level of understanding mathematics from the first-year engineering students, the university has realised that there was a strong need to give extra learning programmes to the students to understand the use of mathematics they have learnt up to Plus-2 in engineering education, said Professor S. Gowri, registrar, AUTC.
The fact that the students were poor in mathematics has also been exemplified by the university exam results in the subject which stood at 50 per cent compared to other subjects where the pass percentage was high.
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Faculty from leading engineering colleges have come together to design a curriculum and learning material, with the theme ‘engineering through mathematics,' in consultation with senior professors to make mathematics more interesting to students. “The strategy is to create a preparatory school for Plus-2 passed students as they enter engineering institutions,” he said.
Beginning with a revision of Plus-2 maths portion, the students would be introduced to higher mathematics which they would be learning in four years of engineering.
Apart from theoretical foundation, the course would also teach the students on the application of mathematics in engineering profession.
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As a good number of students are expected to join, AUTC has communicated to principals of 160-odd affiliated engineering colleges to participate by sending faculty members for training and certification by professors from IIT-M and Anna University, said officials in the planning and development wing of AUTC.
Every college would get students to train in multiples of sixties (per class) for the two faculty members sent for training.
Five classes in a centre would be an optimum number to conduct the preparatory school, Professor Gowri said.