Linear algebra in engineering: an analysis of Latin American studies

Abstract

The relevancy of linear algebra (LA) in different areas and also the difficulties faced by undergraduate engineering students studying this content are well known. Grounded on this premise, we aimed at articulating papers related to the teaching and learning of LA in engineering undergraduate programs through a mapping of the main investigations on the teaching and learning of LA carried out since 2000, by the Work Group Mathematical Education in Higher Education, associated with the Brazilian Society of Mathematical Education (SBEM), together with work produced between 2007 and 2018 by other Latin American studies on this subject in Mathematical Education societies with a representation similar to that of SBEM. We focused specifically on the link between the content of LA and that studied in specific courses. Methodologically, we followed the principles of Content Analysis and, based on a body of eight papers, we noted the following: (1) examples of situations through which it is possible to establish links between LA and contexts of engineering; (2) the role played out by the Technologies of Information and Communication (TIC) in the implementation of these links; (3) the importance of the concepts of eigenvalue and eigenvector in the resolution of problems of engineering; (4) the need to facilitate the mobilization of students to use different registers of semiotic representation, while working with the concepts of LA; (5) the importance of reflecting upon the (initial and continued) training of teachers who teach LA in engineering and ultimately, (6) the use of links between LA and contexts of engineering as an element of motivation for students and for their recognition of when to use them. © 2019, FIZ Karlsruhe.