The Impact of Web-Based Materials on Student Learning and Course Delivery in Engineering Mathematics

The use of web-based resources to support mathematics in undergraduate courses is becoming a popular method of providing learning support. Increasingly, students entering higher education ha ve an expectation that electronic materials will be avail able to them in a format that allows them to access these materials via the internet. This is certainly the c ase for mature students who may be managing work-based and domestic commitments alongside their academic studies. It is also true for younger full-time students who have grown up with the convenience offered by the internet. Our motivation for pursuing a web-based approach to learning support lies in the impact this approach c an have on student learning. Reflective modes of study are encouraged by the interaction of computer based assessment, instant feedback and the availability o f well structured response mechanisms of which web-based learning resources may form a part. This in turn encourages student engagement with course material. This paper investigates the impact of web-based materials on the delivery and assessment of a first year engineering mathematics course. The success of the approach is assessed in terms of assessment results , performance in future years of the academic programme and student attitudes to the materials on offer.