Mathematics teaching pedagogies to tertiary engineering and information technology students: a literature review

Improving the mathematical skills of undergraduate Engineering and Information Technology (EIT) students has been an enduring challenge for educators. Lecturers continually implement new strategies that try to overcome the challenges encountered in teaching university students with varying levels of success being encountered. This paper provides insight into how educators have handled the challenges students face in their mathematics learning journey. In addition, the paper highlights some of the methods used to improve the performance of these students as problem solvers, as well as the development and implementation of creative techniques that may have made the situation more successful and less challenging. The literature was searched through using a structured literature review approach based on the primary databases: Scopus; the Education Research Complete (ERC); and the Education Resources Information Centre (ERIC). This study followed the three main steps of a systematic literature review: retrieval, selection, and analysis of the literature. Analysis of the literature showed that there is still a need to further develop and deliver innovative pedagogical strategies for teaching mathematics to EIT students. It is recommended that an interdisciplinary approach, inclusive of technology, will lead to increased understanding, improve performance and, ultimately, enhance student satisfaction.