Increasing students’ Maths engagement with MyLab Math
Samah Abu Siyam uses Pearson MyLab Math across various courses at Abu Dhabi University, UAE. MyLab Math is used to integrate real-life applications, tailor assessments and enhance student engagement and understanding, with a focus on saving time and providing effective, student-centred learning experiences.
“What you need to do is move the experience of learning from teacher-centred to student-centred.”
Currently, the instructor teaches three main courses at Abu Dhabi University, UAE: Mathematics, Precalculus, and Calculus, alongside a summer course in Maths for Business and Maths for Life. The focus of these courses includes precalculus and calculus, with a strong emphasis on algebra basics. MyLab Math is integrated into all courses, serving as a practice tool during class and for assessments like homework, quizzes, and case studies. In Maths for Business and Maths for Life in particular, the tool is used to connect theoretical concepts with real-life applications, enhancing student understanding both in and out of the classroom.
Using MyLab Math, which is linked to the textbook, the instructor can assess student understanding by outcomes and specific objectives. After teaching each objective, quizzes or in-class activities are created to identify areas where students may struggle or excel. This approach allows for immediate feedback and tailored assessments based on individual needs, saving time by automating grading and linking results to Blackboard. MyLab Math helps make the classroom more student-centred, as students can work independently, identify their mistakes, and build understanding. The tool supports students of all levels effectively, with no major issues reported.
For the Maths for Life course - which covers basic operations - the tool is used to connect these operations with real-life scenarios, making the content more engaging. Although students sometimes struggle with applying multiple operations, the integration of case studies in both Maths for Life and Maths for Business helps assess their understanding. Homework contributes 20% of the total grade across all courses, while Maths for Business includes 30 marks from case studies. By introducing the tool thoroughly at the start and demonstrating its use, the instructor saves time and ensures that students are well-prepared, enhancing their engagement and understanding throughout the course.
“I feel that the students are really engaged, and they are really enjoying, not just engaged.”