Mapping Quantitative Skills (QS) in First-year Engineering for on campus and distance students

Abstract

Quantitative skills are defined as "the ability to apply mathematical and statistical thinking and reasoning in context" (Rylands, Simbag, Matthews, Coady and Belward, 2013). The need for the development of quantitative skills in engineering is clearly articulated in the literature and is an element of competency, "1.2 Concept understanding of the mathematics, numerical analysis, statistics and computer and information sciences which underpin the technology domain" (Engineers Australia, 2013). A project mapping the quantitative skills (QS) taught, practiced and assessed in first year STEM courses at a regional institution for blended (on campus and distance) students was undertaken in 2014. In this paper we have presented the results for one course, the Bachelor of Engineering Technology (BET).