Influences and consequences of academic monitoring in mathematics subjects at a federal university: a look at student perceptions

Abstract

This article aims to understand the influence and consequences of academic monitoring in the relationship between undergraduates and mathematics in the context of a federal university. The methodology used was the case study, with a mixed research approach. For this, a semi-structured questionnaire was applied to forty-one students enrolled in two classes of Calculus I and Mathematics, offered for the Biological Sciences, Mathematics and Biotechnology courses in the second half of 2019. When seeking an understanding of the student-discipline relationship, it was found that most students do not frequently participate in monitoring sessions or seek help from the professor outside the classroom. Furthermore, even though establishing good relations with the monitors and professors, there is no appropriation of the mathematical content, which becomes an obstacle in the transition phase between High School and Higher Education. Therefore, there is a need to raise students' awareness to encourage more active participation in monitoring, communicating their demands to the university. Simultaneously, there is a need for awareness among professors and university administration regarding the significance of monitoring, aiming to not only increase availability but also provide more flexible schedules. In another aspect, it is observed that the contact with the monitoring allows the monitor and the teacher to carry out a diagnosis of the difficulties, seeking new teaching strategies and methodologies. We hope that the present study favors the understanding of the theme of academic tutoring focused on Mathematics disciplines.