Approaches to learning of linear algebra among engineering students

Abstract

The present paper investigates engineering students` own descriptions of what they mean by learning of linear algebra and how they know that they have learned something. I seek to extract keywords from engineering students` descriptions of learning of this discipline by drawing on grounded theory techniques and classifying the answers in conceptual and procedural approaches. By this, both detailed and more meta perspectives on learning are obtained. Results indicate that when explaining their learning of linear algebra, conceptual more than procedural approaches are enphasized. However, in order to know that they have learned someting, many engineering students need to know that they are able to solve relevants tasks in the discipline.