International Journal of Engineering Technology, Management and Applied Sciences
www.ijetmas.com October 2015, Volume 3, Issue 10, ISSN 2349-4476
Comparison of Gaps in Mathematics in Engineering Curricula
M H M R Shyamali Dilhani
Lecturer
Department of Interdisciplinary Studies
Faculty of Engineering, University of Ruhuna, Sri Lanka
ABSTRACT
Students entering the engineering programme struggle to success their mathematics courses. Because there are many
applications can be seen especially in engineering faculties. Therefore, engineering faculties have a separate department
to teach mathematics for the undergraduate and postgraduate. Most of the fraction of time allocation for the
mathematics is higher in the first year and low in subsequent years. The engineering students need to grasp basic
principles of mathematics in order to learn engineering subjects. There was an observation of that the mathematics
taught at undergraduate level is still not sufficient to grasp some advanced knowledge in certain subjects. Therefore a
research was conducted in Faculty of Engineering University of Ruhuna, Sri Lanka aim to compare the gaps of
mathematics in the engineering curricular. Multiple choice questionnaires were used to test first year engineering
students. Google form of short questionnaire on a adequacy of mathematics at engineering faculties was provided to
postgraduate students who has gone abroad for higher studies. Quantitative data was analyzed using descriptive
statistics, while qualitative data was analyzed using strategy. Final results showed that mathematical knowledge of the
first year undergraduate students were excellent and most of the students scored more than 60% on the test. Only five
students got less than 50% marks. Most of the postgraduate students were given good comments for existing curricular
and commonly all were asking to add the same modules to the existing engineering curricula. This study further revealed
that extra modules should be introduced into the engineering curricular within the existing modules. The result presented
in this paper will be helpful to revise the curricular of other engineering faculties too.
Keywords: descriptive statistics, extended curriculum program, inductive strategy, knowledge gap.
INTRODUCTION
Engineering degree program is a four years course in Sri Lanka and it contains three years of mathematics
courses. The students are selected to Engineering courses based on students‟ marks achieved in the final
school leaving examination that is the Advanced Level (A/L) under the science stream. However, according to
the Moyo [6], Wolmarans et al. [9] students entering the engineering courses struggle to success their
mathematics courses. Therefore, the students who are going to abroad for higher studies have to struggle with
mathematical knowledge gap. “Mathematical knowledge gap is defined as the lack of smooth transition from
high school mathematics to university first year mathematics for students majoring in science, mathematics
and engineering due to the shortcoming of both the high school and the first year university mathematics
programs between the knowledge possessed by school leavers and the knowledge required for first year entry
into mathematics courses” [1].
Mathematics is very important to study in many disciplines. There are many applications can be seen
especially in engineering faculties. Each and every Engineering faculties have a separate department to teach
mathematics for the undergraduate and postgraduate. Most of the fraction of time allocation for the
mathematics is higher in the first year and low in subsequent years. Also, most of the engineering faculties
when the students are in the final year mathematics are not normally taught. As such tendency of engineering
students are given low priority to learn application of mathematics. Therefore, they consider mathematics as a
subject that is not useful as engineers [8]. The engineering students need to grasp basic principles of
mathematics in order to teach engineering subjects [4]. However, students do not understand that in most of
the engineering subjects involved with some component in mathematics. There was an observation of that the
mathematics taught at undergraduate level is still not sufficient to grasp some advanced knowledge in certain
subjects [8]. Also, research carried out Shyamali Dilhani and Cyril Kariyawasam [8] found that this subject
requires solution of differential and partial differential equations.
Especially, most of the undergraduate students who have gone overseas for higher studies are complaining that
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M H M R Shyamali Dilhani
International Journal of Engineering Technology, Management and Applied Sciences
www.ijetmas.com October 2015, Volume 3, Issue 10, ISSN 2349-4476
the knowledge of mathematics they received as undergraduate is not sufficient to carry out their studies as
well as research work. Therefore, most of their supervisors are requested by themselves to follow some
undergraduate mathematics courses. Some academics believe that mathematics is a barrier which prevents
good students from entering engineering stream [3].
The current technological advances like “problem/project based learning, support programs for the students,
online support, visual sources, mathematical software programs, online instructional materials, computeraided assessment, flexible, formative and summative assessment (Broadbridge & Henderson, 2008)” [2]
have increased the importance of mathematic in engineering [5]. How and what mathematics to teach
engineering students? This is a problem faced by those who teach mathematics to engineering students. For
engineers, mathematics is not just a set of tools, to solve certain well defined problems but it is a mechanism
which helps them to approach new problems with confidence [7].
This paper reports on a study carried out at a Faculty of Engineering University Ruhuna, Sri Lanka aim to
compare the gaps of mathematics in the engineering curricula. In this study, primary data are collected from
Sri Lankan graduates who have gone abroad for higher studies. Secondary data are collected from first year
undergraduates (2013 batch) who were studying in the Faculty of Engineering, University of Ruhuna, Sri
Lanka.
Using both qualitative and quantitative data, findings of the study showed that all the first year engineering
undergraduate students had the enough mathematical knowledge and most of the students in the class scored
higher than 60%. Findings further revealed that the major drawback is students who are gone for higher
studies and they have to self-study or to participate for extra mathematics courses relater to their course work
or research work. The insights generated in this study will be help to engineering as well as other institutions
looking into designing their curriculum for bridging the knowledge gap. To investigate the matter under study,
was guided by the following objectives:

To investigate the existence of the mathematical knowledge

To evaluate the impact of the engineering curriculum to bridge the knowledge gap of undergraduate
and post graduate students
1.
MATERIALS AND METHODS
The study was carried out at the faculty of engineering, University of Ruhuna in Sri Lanka. The participant of
the study were 216 first year undergraduate students and 30 postgraduate students who are reading for their
postgraduate degrees in overseas. A purpose of sampling was selected because it felt that first year and
postgraduate students had information gained through their experiences in the intervention.
Fifteen questions were designed for the multiple choice questionnaire and eight short questionnaire prepared
for the survey. Multiple question were designed in such a way that a student would get a marks similar to what
they received at the undergraduate level examination. Also, level of the questions was similar to that of the
undergraduate engineering mathematics modules. Further, survey questions were based on postgraduate
students degree programme and they were requested to give their comments for current engineering
mathematics curricula. Submit your manuscript electronically for review.
2.
RESEARCH METHODOLOGY
The methodology consisted of two parts. First, the undergraduate students answered a formal question paper.
This consists multiple choice questions which are related to the first year engineering mathematics module.
The five questions captured the knowledge in following areas for undergraduate students. Those are
1.
Calculus
2.
Coordinate Geometry
3.
Trigonometry
4.
Complex Analysis
5.
Differential Equation.
The second was a short questionnaire on adequacy of Mathematics taught at Engineering Faculties. If they had
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M H M R Shyamali Dilhani
International Journal of Engineering Technology, Management and Applied Sciences
www.ijetmas.com October 2015, Volume 3, Issue 10, ISSN 2349-4476
their first degree in Sri Lanka and post graduate education overseas they were asked whether they had to
follow any mathematics modules under their programme. Also, eight questions were asked from this students
and it consisted about the postgraduate students who had to follow mathematics modules as a requested or
opted. Moreover, students‟ opinion about the topics that should be included into engineering curriculum was
collected.
Also, there was an informal interview with an academic staff who are in different department at the Faculty of
Engineering University of Ruhuna. These three components captured both objective and subjective aspects of
the research.
3.
RESULTS AND FINDINGS
The results of the multiple choice questionnaire was shown in the table 1. Figure 1 shows the relationship
between the students marks with number of student achieved that marks. In this figure horizontal axis
indicates the marks obtained by students and vertical axis shows that the number of students answer for the
questionnaire.
Table 1: Frequency table of Students’ participation for questionnaire
Number of Students
Marks
5
40
4
60
16
67
29
74
45
44
38
35
80
87
90
100
Te s t R e s u lt s
45
44
38
35
29
N u m b er of S tu d en ts
16
5
40
4
60
67
74
80
87
90
100
Ma rk s
Figure 1: Number of students’ against their marks
The figure 1 shows that 45 students (i.e the highest number of population of the students) got 80 marks. The
result of the students were skewed to the left and only five students have got 40 marks. Mean of the test result
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M H M R Shyamali Dilhani
International Journal of Engineering Technology, Management and Applied Sciences
www.ijetmas.com October 2015, Volume 3, Issue 10, ISSN 2349-4476
was 83.36 and median of the test result was 87. This implied that students‟ mathematics knowledge were
averagely at the higher level.
Also, with the survey data of postgraduate students did not have any problem with knowledge of mathematics
while they were undergraduate students. However, they were requested to add some modules related to their
current studies. For some unidentified reason most of the students asked to include the same module because
they were not in the same specialized field. It was not important whether the student is doing Master of
Science, Engineering or doctor of philosophy. 30 students were participated for this survey and summary of
the results were shown in the table 2.
Table 2: Summary of the results of short answer questionnaire
Question asked on adequacy of
Mathematics taught at
Engineering faculties
Were you requested (or you
opted) to follow courses/modules
in mathematics:
If yes what were the modules:
Responses
Yes
No
36%
64%








In your opinion what are the
topics that should be included in
our engineering mathematics
curriculum:












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M H M R Shyamali Dilhani
Discrete Mathematics
Random Variables and Stochastic Processes
Numerical Methods for Engineers
Advanced Mathematics for Engineers
Optimization
Numerical Methods in Structural Analysis
Operations Research
Applied Statistics
More on Linear Algebra
Some basics of Discrete Mathematics and Random
Variables and Stochastic Processes.
Queuing theory
The use of software to solve mathematical
problems. Laplace principle (large deviations
theory).
Advance integration
Tensor analysis
Dynamic simulation mathematic
Graph Theory
Advanced Engineering Dynamics
Mathematics related to quantum mechanics.
Mathematical modelling of natural systems with
applications
Optimization.
International Journal of Engineering Technology, Management and Applied Sciences
www.ijetmas.com October 2015, Volume 3, Issue 10, ISSN 2349-4476
This survey results depicted that the current topics in our engineering curriculum can be satisfied. However,
they were requested to add more modules related to their higher studies. It will be very important to all the
engineering faculties to do curriculum revision. Major finding was majority was asking to include
optimization techniques into the current syllabus of the faculty. Some comments of the survey data are shown
in below.

Engineering students did not have any idea why they should learn some mathematics modules.
Therefore purpose of studying mathematics should be well explained.

More modules related to „Mathematical modeling‟ are very useful.

The curriculum is broadly acceptable, but the depth and intensity of study needs to be increased.

Toward the latter years (3rd and 4th years) advanced mathematics courses need to be introduced as
technical electives/core courses.

The syllabuses must be also incorporated the usage of software and completion of applied projects
rather than only theoretical aspects of mathematics and manual problem solving.

Students need to be guided to understand further knowledge of the practical dimensions and
applications of the material being taught.
This comparison was justified because the multiple choice questionnaire and the survey on mathematics
taught in engineering faculties were of similar difficulty. At the informal interviews the academic staff
members who are in different department indicated that student cannot relate the mathematics they learned to
their engineering subjects. The general consensus was that they prefer more applications oriented mathematics
than theoretical mathematics.
CONCLUTIONS, IMPLICATIONS AND SIGNIFICANCE
It is concluded that the types of mathematics taught at the engineering faculty is useful for engineers of certain
disciplines. Also, existing mathematics curriculum is acceptable with some changes.
The following recommendations are made to change existing mathematics curriculum.

Mathematics curriculum should be prepared in consultation with the engineering faculty staff.

Curriculum should be prepared in consultation with the students who has been studying for
postgraduate.

Syllabi need to be oriented towards practical dimensions and application of the material.
This research is very useful for those who are planning and designing mathematics curriculum at the
engineering faculty level. Even though the knowledge of mathematics has satisfied undergraduate level.
ACKNOWLEDGMENT
I appreciate the support extended by academic staff and students of the faculty of Engineering, University of
Ruhuna, Galle, Sri Lanka in carrying out this research work. In addition, I appreciate Sri Lankan postgraduate
students who are in overseas for higher studies. Without their great support this will not success.
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www.ijetmas.com October 2015, Volume 3, Issue 10, ISSN 2349-4476
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