The constructivist approach is based on the idea that knowledge can never be passed from one person to another. The only way to acquire knowledge is to create or construct them. The constructivist approach changes also the role of the teacher in the educational process, the task of them is to organize the environment so that the student himself can construct the cognitive forms that teacher wants to give him. In the paper, the nature of the constructivist approach is identified, different aspects regarding mathematics education are analysed as well as the potential impact on the development of mathematical competences in the context of sustainable development is discussed. The study process and learning methods appropriate to constructivist approach also were studied. In order to illustrate the need for a constructivist approach in mathematics education, the survey of students from Latvia University of Life Science and Technologies (LLU) and Riga Technical University (RTU) were carried out, the results of which proved that mathematics learning at universities has to be changed. The current study proved that the constructivist approach radically changes the process of teaching and learning mathematics, connecting it with daily life, rather than teaching only abstract formulas and using a creative approach to mathematical tasks solving. This study shows that using constructivist approach to the teaching of mathematics, the competences needed for sustainable development are boosted.
Abstract. Nowadays the education systems are developing in accordance with the national and international strategies targeting the sustainable development, by providing competencies needed for sustainable socioeconomical and environmental development. A particular attention should be paid to mathematics as an instrument for sustainable development. To improve the studies of mathematics according to sustainable development trends, it is necessary to reflect the views of the students on the issues of mathematics learning experience and mathematics teaching at the university. The survey results, which was carried out at the Latvia University of Life Sciences and Technologies (LLC) and at the Riga Technical University (RTU), are analysed in this article. The questionnaire form includes six diagnostic blocks. In this article the results are analysed from three diagnostic blocks: "Mathematics learning experience" (N = 2), "Self-assessment of mathematics" (N = 2) and "Mathematics teaching at university" (N = 5). Students from two universities had to assess the statements by expressing their approval or disapproval on a 4-stage Likert scale: strongly agree, agree, disagree, and strongly disagree. The total sample of the research included 699 cases. The study data were analysed by the respondents' professional field and self-assessment of competence in mathematics as well as by university. The key element of successful mathematics teaching and learning is the real-life contexts of mathematics studies, usage in a particular specialty, thus creating interest in students as well as motivating them to succeed in mathematics and developing competence.
E-learning has become mandatory at all levels of educational institutions due to the coronavirus pandemic. This paper analyses the learning difficulties that university students have encountered as a result of this changed situation. Empirical research includes a survey of students at three Baltic universities: Latvia University of Life Sciences and Technologies (LLU), Vytautas Magnus University (VMU) and Estonian University of Life Sciences (EMÜ). The aim of our article is to compare opinions on the challenges faced by students of Baltic States during mandatory remote learning. The results of this study revealed that there were no statistically significant differences between respondents in the countries participating in the survey in terms of the opinions expressed on the availability of appropriate hardware, communication with teacher and interaction with classmates and difficulty focusing on remote studies. Students who prefer face to face learning style mentioned difficulties in paying attention to studies, In addition, the majority of respondents indicated that they often had problems communicating with teachers. It was found that not only achieving learning outcomes, implementing practical works, and the volume of study works caused challenges but also lack of digital skills and interaction with classmates.
It is known that mathematics has an impact on the development of the professional competence both directly (serves as a tool for solving and calculating various problems) and indirectly (promotes logical thinking, develops skills to formulate and solve problems etc.). To identify importance of mathematics studies in the development of professional competence in assessment of graduates the research was done by Latvian University of Agriculture and Siauliai University in the framework of Latvian-Lithuanian cross-border cooperation program‘s project „Cross-border network for adapting mathematical competences in the socio-economical development”. A questionnaire based research was the part of this research. The survey results obtained in Latvia are analysed in this article and include the following aspects: mathematics in professional practice and need for improvement of mathematical knowledge and assessment of practical potential of mathematics.
One of the most often mentioned competence in the surveyed literature is problem solving. It is also one of the key skills for the sustainable development of society. The article includes analysis of pedagogical approaches like project-based, problem-based learning and enquiry-based learning, as well as describes the use of design thinking as one of the problem solving approaches in higher education. As mathematics studies at universities play an important role in developing problem solving skills, an empirical study was carried out to identify the pedagogical approaches used by mathematics teachers and to illustrate the development of problem solving skills in mathematics studies at universities in Latvia. It includes a survey of mathematics teachers in Latvia aimed at identifying their experience in implementing different pedagogical approaches to mathematics and assessing the extent to which these methods help develop problem solving skills. The answers of mathematics teachers show that problem solving skills are developed at the middle level, which means only for the use in a certain situation (that is slightly different from previously known). The most effective approach to promoting problem-solving skills is the so-called context approach, which means focusing on the practical task related to a specialty. In the empirical study self-assessment method is used and the results are based only on respondents' opinion.
In the last decade, the concept of competence has been developed and competence-based learning has become the dominant educational approach in Latvia. It poses new challenge also for mathematics studies-to provide opportunities for students to achieve competence and acquire knowledge, values and skills needed for successful professional and fulfilled personal life. The aim of the article is to give insight into International Student Scientific Mathematics Olympiad (ISSMO), organized by Latvia University of Life Sciences and Technologies in order to contribute to the development of students' mathematical and social competence such as effectively communicate with others, cooperatively work in teams. This article describes the methodology of the International Student Scientific Mathematics Olympiad organization, summarizes the experience and analyses the results of the ISSMO of two largest technical universities in Latvia and among so-called Agricultural Universities in Baltic States in 2018. Olympiad is focused on application of mathematics to real-life situations. The results show that solving practical problems requiring the use of other study subjects presents difficulties for all students.
Currently, the competence-based approach is the main task of higher education to prepare young professionals for a successful career and to ensure the country's socioeconomic growth. In order to implement the competence-based approach in practice, it is necessary to develop a methodical framework that includes mathematical competence and skills necessary for professional activities to be developed within a mathematical subject, including also personal qualities that are formed in mathematics studies. In the context of competencebased learning, mathematics studies at the university must be more focused on acquiring sustainable development competences in real life context taking into account the characteristic aspects of an engineer's professional activities. To realise the competence-based approach in mathematics studies in practice, it is necessary to develop a methodological framework from a perspective of the constructivist approach: contextual, interdisciplinary and discipline-based and information technology methods. Therefore, the aim of the article is to establish the methodological background to assess information technologies professionals and stakeholders' math education needs, to create a methodology for the application of mathematical competences worked out by the European Society for Engineering Education Maths Working Group to the students of information technologies specialties, as well as work out an integrative professional and mathematical competence structure with the following components: cognitive, contextual, motivational and value-based components. Based on the interviews with professionals and other stakeholders, in the article the model is described with specified didactical requirements for the mathematics teaching principles appropriate to sustainable development and contributing to mathematics competence building.
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