On the problem of motivation of technical university students in the case of group implementation of an interdisciplinary term project

Abstract

The authors consider the problems concerned with the mathematical constituent of implementation of interdisciplinary semester projects by groups of students. Significance of using the method of projects for creation of the innovative environment in a technical university, as well as for formation of professional competences of future engineers is demonstrated. The authors have analyzed the techniques of student groups’ work on term projects and reflected the role of a teacher in the process of implementation of such projects. It is stressed that one of the major components of technical university education is fundamental training of engineering students based on deeper and wider cycle of mathematical and common engineering disciplines. It provides close interdisciplinary relations between the mathematics course and engineering disciplines, increases the motivation to master mathematics, helps the students to recognize the need to gain profound mathematical knowledge, and forms the skills of creative application of the gained knowledge to successful mastering their engineering professions chosen. It is demonstrated that, in a technical university, an interdisciplinary term project is in essence a task that unites various scientific and technical disciplines and demands engineering and technical knowledge as well as mathematical methods of task solution: applied methods of mathematical modeling, methods of probabilistic and statistical analysis of data, and various types of mathematical packages.