Evaluation of Pre-final Test on Improving Students’ Performance in Engineering Mathematics

Abstract

Engineering Mathematics expecially Vector Calculus, Linear Algebra and Ordinary Differential Equations has been vital courses in all engineering curriculum. Lack of fundamental knowledge of Engineering Mathematics will reflect badly on the students’ performance when they are unable to grasp higher level of other engineering subjects. Thus the objective of this study is to cross examine the students’ performance in Linear Algebra subject in Electrical Engineering department in a public university in Malaysia. Students were given pre-final test based on the course outcomes of the Linear Algebra course. The results of the pre-final test were transferred to excel and then analyzed using Rasch model. A total of one hundred students from the Electrical Engineering department participated in the pre-final test. There were a total of five questions in the pre-final test which were evaluated by two lecturers. Each question was develop based on one course outcome from the Linear Algebra course. Rasch model able to categorize the exam questions according to the level of difficulties of the questions. Two questions were identified as difficult for the students in Linear Algebra course. The course outcome related to the questions are vector space and power series. With this early identification, the existing teaching method need to be re-examined. Theories on Linear Algebra need to be reinforced to the students after several classes. Furthermore, more practical application questions should be discuss with students to bridge the theory of Engineering Mathematics among the engineering undergraduates.