Supporting deep understanding with emerging technologies in a STEM university math class

In this work we present an innovative learning environment format, based on student-centred activities, that may support undergraduate students to deep understanding mathematics in the first year of engineering degree. In particular, we refer to the difficulties students meet in the transition from the high school mathematics to the one they meet at university, which requires a significant shift to conceptual understanding, especially in Calculus courses. The goal of this presentation is to investigate the case of multivariable functions, a topic at the foundation of many mathematical models and its application. We show the results of the first pilot study which involves 160 undergraduate students. More precisely, we report how a flipped-learning approach based on online activities and working group allows students to deep understand the main properties concerning multivariable functions.