Resumen de Engaging life-sciences students with mathematical models: does authenticity help?

Leon Poladian

• Compulsory mathematics service units for the life sciences present unique challenges: even students who learn some specific skills maintain a negative attitude to mathematics and do not see the relevance of the unit towards their degree. The focus on authentic content and the presentation and teaching of global or qualitative methods before teaching the corresponding quantitative techniques led to a positive change in the attitudes and disposition of the students.