Abstract
Problem solving is the ability to understand the environment, identify complex problems, and review related information to develop, evaluate strategies and implement solutions to build the desired outcome. Mathematics boosts problem solving skills and, in Higher Education, all scientific degree programs deliver at least one module in Mathematics that should develop students’ problem solving skills. Mathematics Modules of the Biotechnology Bachelor Degree and of the Strategic Science Bachelor and Master Degrees at the University of Turin use innovative digital technologies, like the Advanced Computing Environment Maple, and methodologies to facilitate the learning of Mathematics and the development of problem solving skills. At the beginning of the courses, students must learn how to use Maple through dedicated lab sessions to solve contextualized problems related to their future careers. Moreover, for the final examination, students must study, present and discuss a science-based problem solved with Maple. In this paper, we investigated how the use of Maple enabled students to develop problem solving skills. We examined 110 students’ submissions through a rubric that analyzes different dimensions: comprehension, resolution strategy identified, solution process, representation, argument, use of Maple. Dimensions are correlated with module attendance, involvement, exam marks. A qualitative analysis was also performed. The research shows that the adopted approach is useful and effective: students’ scores are high and submissions indicate the presence of problem solving skills. Problem solving labs with Maple should be introduced, in connection with other disciplines, to facilitate analysis of data, visualization, communication, and deep understanding of concepts.
Access this chapter
Tax calculation will be finalised at checkout
Purchases are for personal use only
Similar content being viewed by others
References
Zhou, C.: Handbook of Research on Creative Problem-Solving Skill Development in Higher Education. IGI Global (2016)
Hämäläinen, R., De Wever, B., Nissinen, K., Cincinnato, S.: What makes the difference – PIAAC as a resource for understanding the problem-solving skills of Europe’s higher-education adults. Comput. Educ. 129, 27–36 (2019). https://doi.org/10.1016/j.compedu.2018.10.013
Barana, A., et al.: The role of an advanced computing environment in teaching and learning mathematics through problem posing and solving. In: Proceeding of the 15th International Scientific Conference eLearning and Software Education, vol. 2, pp. 11–18 (2019). https://doi.org/10.12753/2066-026X-19-070
Barana, A., Fissore, C., Marchisio, M., Pulvirenti, M.: Teacher training for the development of computational thinking and problem posing & solving skills with technologies. In: Proceedings of the 16th eLearning and Software for Education Conference (eLSE 2020), pp. 136–144 (2020). https://doi.org/10.12753/2066-026X-20-103
World Economic Forum: The Future of Jobs Report 2020 (2020).
Carretero, S., Vuorikari, R., Punie, Y.: DigComp 2.1: the digital competence framework for citizens with eight proficiency levels and examples of use, EUR 28558 EN (2017). https://doi.org/10.2760/38842
Barana, A., Marchisio, M.: Dall’esperienza di Digital Mate Training all’attività di Alternanza Scuola Lavoro. MONDO DIGITALE 15(64), 63–82 (2016). http://mondodigitale.aicanet.net/2016-3/DidamaticaSessioni/Alternanza/paper_100.pdf
Marchisio, M., Remogna, S., Roman, F., Sacchet, M.: Teaching mathematics in scientific bachelor degrees using a blended approach. In: 2020 IEEE 44th Annual Computers, Software, and Applications Conference (COMPSAC), pp. 190–195 (2020). https://doi.org/10.1109/COMPSAC48688.2020.00034
Barana, A., Marchisio, M., Miori, R.: MATE-BOOSTER: design of tasks for automatic formative assessment to boost mathematical competence. In: Lane, H.C., Zvacek, S., Uhomoibhi, J. (eds.) CSEDU 2019. CCIS, vol. 1220, pp. 418–441. Springer, Cham (2020). https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-030-58459-7_20
Barana, A., Conte, A., Fissore, C., Floris, F., Marchisio, M., Sacchet, M.: The creation of animated graphs to develop computational thinking and support STEM education. In: Gerhard, J., Kotsireas, I. (eds.) MC 2019. CCIS, vol. 1125, pp. 189–204. Springer, Cham (2020). https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-030-41258-6_14
Polya, G.: How to Solve It. Princeton University Press, Princeton, New Jersy (1957)
Leong, Y.H., Janjaruporn, R.: Teaching of problem solving in school mathematics classrooms. In: Cho, S.J. (ed.) The Proceedings of the 12th International Congress on Mathematical Education, pp. 645–648. Springer, Cham (2015). https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-319-12688-3_79
Lesh, R., Leher, R.: Models and modeling perspectives on the development of students and teachers. Math. Think. Learn. 5(2–3), 109–129 (2009). https://doi.org/10.1080/10986065.2003.9679996
Shoenfeld, A.H.: Learning to think mathematically. In: Grouws, D.A. (ed.) Handbook of Research on Mathematics Teaching and Learning, pp. 334–370. Macmillan, New York, (1992)
Fissore, C., Floris, F., Marchisio, M., Rabellino, S., Sacchet, M.: Digital competences for educators in the Italian secondary school: a comparison between DigCompEdu reference framework and the PP&S project experience. Proc. Int. Conf. E-Learn. 2020, 47–54 (2020)
Barana, A., Fissore, C., Marchisio, M., Pulvirenti, M.: An online math path to foster the transition of students between lower and upper secondary school. In: Proceedings of the 16th eLearning and Software for Education Conference (eLSE 2020), pp. 568–575 (2020)
Fissore, C., Marchisio, M., Rabellino, S.: Secondary school teacher support and training for online teaching during the Covid-19 pandemic. In: Proceedings of EDEN 2020 - Human and Artificial Intelligence for the Society of the Future, pp. 311–320 (2020)
Barana, A., Fioravera, M., Marchisio, M.: Developing problem solving competences through the resolution of contextualized problems with an advanced computing environment. In: Proceedings of the 3rd International Conference on Higher Education Advances, HEAd 2017 Universitat Politecnica de Valencia, Valencia, pp. 1015–1023 (2017). https://doi.org/10.4995/HEAd17.2017.5505
Lin, Y.-T., Wu, C.-C., Chen, Z.-H., Ku, P.-Y.: How gender pairings affect collaborative problem solving in social-learning context: the effects on performance, behaviors, and attitudes. Educ. Technol. Soc. 23(4), 30–44 (2020)
Barana, A., Conte, A., Fissore, C., Marchisio, M., Rabellino, S.: Learning analytics to improve formative assessment strategies. J. E-Learn. Knowl. Soc. 15(3), 75–88 (2019). https://doi.org/10.20368/1971-8829/1135057
Marchisio, M., Rabellino, S., Roman, F., Sacchet, M., Salusso, D.: Boosting up data collection and analysis to learning analytics in open online contexts: an assessment methodology. J. E-Learn. Knowl. Soc. 15(3), 49–59 (2019). https://doi.org/10.20368/1971-8829/1135048
Marchisio, M., Rabellino, S., Spinello, E., Torbidone, G.: Advanced e-learning for IT-army officers through virtual learning environments. J. E-Learn. Knowl. Soc. 13(3) (2017). https://doi.org/10.20368/1971-8829/1382
Abdul Razzak, N.: Strategies for effective faculty involvement in online activities aimed at promoting critical thinking and deep learning. Educ. Inf. Technol. 21(4), 881–896 (2014). https://doi.org/10.1007/s10639-014-9359-z
Lamprecht, A., Margaria, T., Neubauer, J.: On the use of XMDD in software development education. In: Proceedings of the 2015 IEEE 39th Annual Computer Software and Applications Conference, Taichung, pp. 835–844 (2015). https://doi.org/10.1109/COMPSAC.2015.178
Gossen, F., Kühn, T., Margaria, T., Lamprecht, A.: Computational thinking: learning by doing with the Cinco adventure game tool. In: Proceedings of the 2018 IEEE 42nd Annual Computer Software and Applications Conference (COMPSAC), Tokyo, pp. 990–999 (2018). https://doi.org/10.1109/COMPSAC.2018.00175
Romero, M., Lepage, A., Lille, B.: Computational thinking development through creative programming in higher education. Int. J. Educ. Technol. High Educ. 14, 42 (2017). https://doi.org/10.1186/s41239-017-0080-z
Author information
Authors and Affiliations
Corresponding author
Editor information
Editors and Affiliations
Rights and permissions
Copyright information
© 2021 Springer Nature Switzerland AG
About this paper
Cite this paper
Fissore, C., Marchisio, M., Roman, F., Sacchet, M. (2021). Development of Problem Solving Skills with Maple in Higher Education. In: Corless, R.M., Gerhard, J., Kotsireas, I.S. (eds) Maple in Mathematics Education and Research. MC 2020. Communications in Computer and Information Science, vol 1414. Springer, Cham. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-030-81698-8_15
Download citation
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-030-81698-8_15
Published:
Publisher Name: Springer, Cham
Print ISBN: 978-3-030-81697-1
Online ISBN: 978-3-030-81698-8
eBook Packages: Computer ScienceComputer Science (R0)