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- MatActiva Project – A mathematical dynamic environment to engage students in the learning processPublication . Torres, Cristina; Lopes, Ana Paula; babo, lurdes; Azevedo, Jose ManuelSeveral studies report that mathematical subjects have high failure rates from earlier grades to higher education. Nowadays, higher education institutions are facing many unprepared students with regard to the mathematical skills. Although students avoid mathematical courses, yet science, technology, engineering and mathematics fields keep among the job-growth areas. Aware of this reality, in 2007, a group of Mathematics lecturers from ISCAP (Institute of Accounting and Administration of Porto) started the development of an online project on the Moodle platform called, MatActiva. This project arose as a need to improve learning and increase the levels of success in the first years Mathematic courses. It aims to enhance mathematics education, creating a learning environment aligned with real needs of the students, in which they can learn at their own pace, motivating and encouraging them to overcome the difficulties, and giving them more confidence. It is a whole learning environment that provides innovative resources and carefully constructed materials (e.g. video-lectures, multiple-choice tests, challenges) on topics such as Elementary Mathematics, Calculus, Algebra, Statistics and Financial Mathematics. Nowadays, it is supported by several math lecturers and ERASMUS students. Throughout the development of the project some challenges were found and gradually exceeded. One of them is related with mathematical symbols and the TeX language. Another problem concerns the construction of good multiple-choice questions and how to obtain a good bank of questions. Many doubts also arose when we began producing video-lectures in 2009 as there was little information about that. The project´s success is measured by platform usage´s volume and student´s engagement using learning analytics tools and by student´s opinion, regularly inquired during the project. In addition to continuous improvement of the materials, we plan the development of an app for smartphones and switch to a more recent Moodle version with further capabilities and tools.
- Rethinking feedback in a connected agePublication . Lopes, Ana Paula; babo, lurdes; Azevedo, Jose Manuel; Torres, CristinaFeedback has long been identified as a core component in the learning process and remains a regular subject of academic research. It can be performed in several forms, for different purposes but the literature emphasizes the undeniable power of feedback on the achievement and development of learning outcomes. This article presents a reflexion about current trends on feedback in higher education and seeks to contribute to deepening the theme and the diverse issues related, in a comprehensive and integrative perspective of the various aspects involved. Different approaches to the concept of feedback, the characteristics of effective feedback, strategies of successful feedback examples and best practices will be considered. We will address recent issues in the literature on the power and challenges of providing feedback in a connected age through technology. There are few instruments that assess the frequency, type and impact of feedback in classrooms, however the enormous quantity of data produced surrounding the interactions in Virtual Learning Environments provides a valuable material to the Learning Analytics field that can be used to improve feedback practices. This research seeks to enhance the learning process over the analysis of dataset to provide informative feedback to learners and educators. In addition, based on a reflexive approach supported by our professional experience performed in the Moodle platform we present some results of how feedback can be used to optimize mathematical understanding. We will also present a brief analysis of the data collected in a survey that seeks to increase the knowledge about students' perceptions regarding this issue.
- Using data mining with time series data in short-term stocks predictionPublication . Azevedo, Jose Manuel; Almeida, Rui; Almeida, PedroData Mining (DM) methods are being increasingly used in prediction with time series data, in addition to traditional statistical approaches. This paper presents a literature review of the use of DM with time series data, focusing on short- time stocks prediction. This is an area that has been attracting a great deal of attention from researchers in the field. The main contribution of this paper is to provide an outline of the use of DM with time series data, using mainly examples related with short-term stocks prediction. This is important to a better understanding of the field. Some of the main trends and open issues will also be introduced.
- New challenges in mathematics for the european higher educationPublication . Torres, Cristina; babo, lurdes; Azevedo, Jose ManuelIn this paper we will talk about a math project submitted to the Lifelong Learning Programme. European higher education needs a reform in order to play its full role in the Europe of Knowledge. Modernisation of higher education is necessary in the areas of curricula (Bologna process), funding and governance so that higher education institutions can face the challenges posed by globalisation and contribute more effectively to the training and retraining of the European workforce. On the other hand Mathematics is an essential component of all educational systems. Mathematical literacy is being scrutinized in assessment efforts such as the OCDE Programme for International Student Assessment (PISA). This showed a low level in Europe. Due to the Bologna Process, which brought several didactical implications for Higher Education (HE) institutions, there is the need of lifelong learning. This evolution is in conflict with the earlier mentioned lack of competencies on basic sciences, such as Mathematics. Forced by this duality, efforts are combined to share expertise in the Math field and the integration of pedagogical methodologies becomes a necessity. Thus, several European countries have proposed an International Project to the Lifelong Learning Programme, Action ERASMUS Modernisation of Higher Education, to make institutions more attractive and more responsive to the needs of the labour market, citizens and society at large. One of the main goals of the project is to attract students to math through high-quality instructional units in an understandable, exciting and attractive way.
- Developing multiple - choice questions in mathematicsPublication . Torres, Cristina; Lopes, Ana Paula; Azevedo, Jose Manuel; babo, lurdesIn this paper we wish to illustrate different perspectives used to create Multiple-Choice questions and we will show how we can improve these in the construction of math tests. As it is known, web technologies have a great influence on student’s behaviour. Based on an on-line project beginning at 2007 which has been contributing to help students on their individual work, we would like to share our experience and thoughts with colleagues who have a common concern when they have the task of constructing Multiple-Choice tests. We feel that Multiple-Choice tests play an important and a very useful supporting role in selfevaluation or self-examination of our students. Nonetheless, good Multiple–Choice Test Items are generally more complex and time-consuming to create than other types of tests. It requires a certain amount of skill. However, this skill maybe increases through study, practice and experience. This paper discusses a number of issues related to the use of Multiple-Choice questions, lists the advantages and disadvantages of this question format contrasting it with open questions. Some examples are given in this context.
- Using a spreadsheet to support e-assessmentPublication . Azevedo, Jose Manuel; Pedrosa, AntónioSome of the courses of the scientific area of Mathematics at ISCAP use multiple choice questions (MCQ) tests as a fundamental part of the assessment. The assessed topics include Differential and Integral Calculus, Algebra, Statistics, and Financial Mathematics. In the undergraduate programs of Accounting, Marketing and International Commerce, these courses are taught in theoretical-practical classes and their main objective is to provide the necessary support tools to other courses of these programs. On the other hand, these undergraduate programs, in particular Accounting, have many classes and many students, so MCQ tests have been an indispensable tool for both continuous and final exam assessment. The open source MOODLE platform, used through a local network intended only for continuous assessment, has been the support software for MCQ tests. In order to integrate student classifications so as to be more easily retrieved by all teachers, and in order to obtain them more quickly, an MS ExcelTM spreadsheet was developed. This allows us to automate the whole process from collecting the students’ answers, to obtaining their final classification and calculating important statistics. This paper describes the development process of this tool, which has proved extremely important in the e-assessment method already implemented. Therefore, some of the results presented show: (i) the substantial reduction in the time elapsed between the moment the tests were carried out by the students and the moment of the publication of the grades; (ii) the existence of automatic control in case of duplication of tests by the same student, (iii) the action of complementing MOODLE in the treatment of negative grades of students; (iv) the possibility of performing several statistical analysis that can be organized by class, by subject, by attendance regime to classes (nocturnal versus diurnal), and include comparisons with previous years and tables of frequencies of grades.
- Moodle and multiple-choice testsPublication . babo, lurdes; Azevedo, Jose Manuel; Torres, Cristina; Lopes, Ana PaulaMultiple-Choice items are used in many different kinds of tests in several areas of knowledge. They can be considered an interesting tool to the self-assessing or as an alternative or complementary instrument to the traditional methods for assessing knowledge. The objectivity and accuracy of the multiple-choice tests is an important reason to think about. They are especially useful when the number of students to evaluate is too large. Moodle (Modular Object-Oriented Dynamic Learning Environment) is an Open Source course management system centered around learners' needs and designed to support collaborative approaches to teaching and learning. Moodle offers to the users a rich interface, context-specific help buttons, and a wide variety of tools such as discussion forums, wikis, chat, surveys, quizzes, glossaries, journals, grade books and more, that allow them to learn and collaborate in a truly interactive space. Come together the interactivity of the Moodle platform and the objectivity of this kind of tests one can easily build manifold random tests. The proposal of this paper is to relate our journey in the construction of these tests and share our experience in the use of the Moodle platform to create, take advantage and improve the multiple-choices tests in the Mathematic area.
- Multiple-choice tests: a tool in assessing knowledgePublication . Azevedo, Jose Manuel; Lopes, Ana Paula; babo, lurdes; Torres, CristinaThe purpose of this paper is to analyse if Multiple-Choice Tests may be considered an interesting alternative for assessing knowledge, particularly in the Mathematics area, as opposed to the traditional methods, such as open questions exams. In this sense we illustrate some opinions of the researchers in this area. Often the perception of the people about the construction of this kind of exams is that they are easy to create. But it is not true! Construct well written tests it’s a hard work and needs writing ability from the teachers. Our proposal is analyse the construction difficulties of multiple - choice tests as well some advantages and limitations of this type of tests. We also show the frequent critics and worries, since the beginning of this objective format usage. Finally in this context some examples of Multiple-Choice Items in the Mathematics area are given, and we illustrate as how we can take advantage and improve this kind of tests.
- Teaching and learning mathematics using moodlePublication . Lopes, Ana Paula; babo, lurdes; Azevedo, Jose ManuelThis paper summarizes a project that is contributing to a change in the way of teaching and learning Mathematics. Mathematics is a subject of the Accounting and Administration course. In this subject we teach: Functions and Algebra. The aim is that the student understand the basic concepts and is able to apply them in other issues, when possible, establishing a bridge between the issues that they have studied and their application in Accounting. As from this year, the Accounting course falls under in Bologna Process. The teacher and the student roles have changed. The time for theoretical and practical classes has been reduced, so it was necessary to modify the way of teaching and learning. In the theoretical classes we use systems of multimedia projection to present the concepts, and in the practical classes we solve exercises. We also use the Excel and the mathematical open source software wxMaxima. To supplement our theoretical and practical classes we have developed a project called MatActiva based on the Moodle platform offered by PAOL - Projecto de Apoio Online (Online Support Project). With the creation of this new project we wanted to take advantage already obtained results with the previous experiences, giving to the students opportunities to complement their study in Mathematics. One of the great objectives is to motivate students, encourage them to overcome theirs difficulties through an auto-study giving them more confidence. In the MatActiva project the students have a big collection of information about the way of the subject works, which includes the objectives, the program, recommended bibliography, evaluation method and summaries. It works as material support for the practical and theoretical classes, the slides of the theoretical classes are available, the sheets with exercises for the students to do in the classroom and complementary exercises, as well as the exams of previous years. Students can also do diagnostic tests and evaluation tests online. Our approach is a reflexive one, based on the professional experience of the teachers that explore and incorporate new tools of Moodle with their students and coordinate the project MatActiva.
- An experiment with online practice for assessmentPublication . Vieira, Isabel; Paula Lopes, Ana; Lopes, Cristina; Azevedo, Jose Manuel; Torres, Cristina; Babo, LurdesWhen teaching is a passion we do whatever we can to pass it over to our students, and it is even more relevant when we teach a subject to students from a different area. As professors in a Higher Education Institution (HEI) we have the responsibility to prepare the students for the future. We have to gain their attention so that they become engaged in the subject taught and have success at the end. The aim of this paper is to describe and analyse an experiment that took place in the Spring term of 2019, with first year students of a Mathematics course from the undergraduate degree in Marketing. We have developed several questions, related to the course syllabus, on an online platform, and created a Question Pool. Outside the classroom, students at their own pace could solve these exercises. All questions have the solution step by step, thus the students can realize what is expected gaining insights in the subject. We discuss how the students accepted the initiative and how they used it. The results will be presented, analysed and used to improve the methodology.