Peculiarity of perception of mathematical disciplines by future engineers

Mathematical disciplines are a part of all engineering study programmes. Their teaching specifics depends on programme, and modules of subjects are continuously improved and modified. However, reprezentation of material, proposed in programme, its perception by students, aspects of independent work are very relevant. Seeking to improve quality of studies of mathematical disciplines and motivate students to interest in them we performed research on perception of mathematical disciplines. The main goal of this research was to detect pecularity of perception of mathematical disciplines by future engineers, and to correct teaching methodics dependently on received results. Also we were seeking to reveal opinion of students on studied disciplines, to observe dominant tendences, motivate students‘ interest on studied discipline. To accomplish the research, we proposed students special sets of tasks with different representation of information and organized questionings. Results were processed using program package SPSS 16.Pecularity of perception of mathematical disciplines was investigated in Vilnius Gediminas Technical University, Faculty of Fundamental Sciences. In this investigation took part 98 secondgrade students of technical specialities, batchelor studies. Pecularity of perception was investigated during disciplines of differential equations and discrete mathematics. The main results and conclusions: 1. During the semester students pay little attention to tests, that are not estimated by a mark. Average mark is between 4 and 5, i.e. in many cases knowledge of students is unsafisfactoriled or poor. 2. Students of engineering informatics study programme better understood tasks with applications of mathematics (tasks on physics, modelling of real life processes and so on) and readily are searching for methods of solution. Students like to solve such tasks during practical lectures. However, these tasks are interesting, but require a wider viewpoint on studied discipline, so during evaluated tests these tasks are rarelly choosed. 3. During evaluated tests students are inclined to choose „standard“ tasks, since they think that they will be guaranteed to get higher marks. 4. Marks during the semester are little changing and correlate with evaluation of final exam. 5. To prepare for mathematical disciplines, students generally invoke  lectures‘ syllabuses, electronical study media and computer manuals. 6. Considering the results of research we recommend in study programms of mathematical disciplines to give more attention to the applied nature of the tasks, to graphic illustration of data and results. Keywords: quality of studies, perception of mathematical disciplines.