This article describes the initial development of a qualitative system dynamics model as part of the periodic review of a mathematics course. In an effort to enhance the learning experience of undergraduate computing students (for whom the course is a compulsory part of their curriculum) a small sample of students were interviewed regarding their…

The use of humor in the mathematics classroom has been advocated by many as an example of good practice in learning and teaching. In universities where the student body is drawn from diverse ethnic and social groupings, it is not clear whether a common understanding of what constitutes humor exists and therefore whether students would benefit from…

The teaching of mathematical modeling to undergraduate students requires that students are given ample opportunity to develop their own models and experience first-hand the process of model building. Finding an appropriate context within which modeling can be undertaken is not a simple task as it needs to be readily understandable and seen as…

The decline in the development of mathematical skills in students prior to university entrance has been a matter of concern to UK higher education staff for a number of years. This article describes a pilot study that uses the Analytic Hierarchy Process to quantify the mathematical experiences of computing students prior to the start of a first…