| Unit name | Mathematical and Data Modelling 2 |
|---|---|
| Unit code | EMAT22220 |
| Credit points | 20 |
| Level of study | I/5 |
| Teaching block(s) |
Teaching Block 4 (weeks 1-24) |
| Unit director | Dr. Benjamin |
| Open unit status | Not open |
| Units you must take before you take this one (pre-requisite units) | |
| Units you must take alongside this one (co-requisite units) |
None |
| Units you may not take alongside this one |
None |
| School/department | School of Engineering Mathematics and Technology |
| Faculty | Faculty of Engineering |
Why is this unit important?
Mathematical and Data Modelling 2 (MDM2) is part of the core stream of units within the Engineering Mathematics degree where you take the technical skills that you have been developing in other units and learn how to apply them to real problems. As with all of the MDM units and the final year technical project, MDM2 is important because it equips you with the skills to translate a problem into mathematical and/or statistical language, analyse the problem, and present the results as they relate to the original problem. A key element of MDM2 will be learning how to obtain and interpret information, especially from academic sources. This will strengthen your ability to learn new material as needed and help you to become a flexible problem solver. Additionally, you will continue to learn more about project management, reflective practice, and about different ways of communicating results. These elements will help you to function more effectively in teams, and will help shape you as a lifelong learner able to reflect on past experiences to make improvements for the future.
How does this unit fit into your programme of study?
While MDM1 in first year focused more on the fundamentals of mathematical modelling and of working in a group, MDM2 will develop your skills with obtaining and interpreting information from academic sources, with project management and teamwork, and with reflecting on your own experiences. The group projects in MDM2 are developed by academic members of staff to imitate the sorts of real problems that students could encounter in industry and academia. The knowledge and skills you gain from these projects will prepare you for the real world problems you will work on in MDM3 and in the final year technical project.
An overview of content
MDM2 is structured in four quarters. In the first quarter, you will focus on developing the general skills that will be useful to you in the group projects that form the bulk of the unit. You will look at how to find, read, and interpret information from academic sources, and you will practice your writing skills. You will also reflect on teamwork, project management, and on your experiences in the industrial mentoring scheme. In each of the remaining three quarters, you will learn through undertaking a supervised group project. These group projects are designed to imitate real problems, and the focus will be on developing your ability to work in a group to research a problem, to determine appropriate tools for addressing the problem, to perform accurate and effective mathematical modelling and data analysis, to interpret your results in the context of the original problem, and to present your results through reports and presentations.
How will students, personally, be different as a result of the unit
Students will be better equipped to tackle complex unseen projects as part of a team. They will be better able to identify what a project requires, obtain information necessary for solving the project, perform the technical analysis, present the results, and reflect on their experiences.
Intended learning outcomes (ILOs)
At the end of the unit, a successful student will be able to:
Teaching will be delivered mostly through project-based learning associated with the three Group Project assessments. For these group projects, the direct teaching will take the form of supervised group meetings. These meetings will support all ILOs, but with a principal focus on ILO2, ILO3, and ILO4.
Teaching will also be delivered through interactive workshops on academic reading, academic writing, and other skills that are valuable for the group projects. Different workshops will focus on different ILOs, especially ILO1, ILO2, and ILO3. Some workshops will be directly associated with the individual writing project.
Additionally, students will learn through meetings with their industrial mentors as part of the industrial mentoring scheme. The reflective practice developed through these meetings will support ILO5, and these meetings will contribute to the personal reflection assessment.
Tasks which help you learn and prepare you for summative tasks (formative)
Peer feedback session associated with the individual writing task (start of Week 5); Reviews of project plans for the group projects (Weeks 8, 14, 20); Discussion of drafts of group project submissions (Weeks 10, 16, 22). In each case, the formative activity is linked to a specific summative assessment (the individual writing task or the group projects). Feedback will be in designated sessions, either from peers (for the individual writing task) or from a tutor (for the group project plans and drafts). There will be no formal hand-in point for the formative tasks.
Tasks which count towards your unit mark (summative)
Individual writing project (10%) – assessing ILO1, ILO4
Personal reflection on industrial mentoring experience (10%) – assessing ILO5
Group Project 1 (25%) – assessing all ILOs
Group Project 2 (25%) – assessing all ILOs
Group Project 3 (30%) – assessing all ILOS
When assessment does not go to plan
If a student does not pass the unit overall and has failed any individual piece of coursework assessment, then re-assessment of this component will take the same form as the original summative assessment.
If a student does not pass the unit overall and has failed at least one of the group projects but not all of the group projects, then re-assessment of this component will take the form of an individual modelling project that includes a reflective component on group work.
If a student does not pass the unit overall and has failed all of the group projects, then re-assessment is only possible as part of a supplementary year.
If this unit has a Resource List, you will normally find a link to it in the Blackboard area for the unit. Sometimes there will be a separate link for each weekly topic.
If you are unable to access a list through Blackboard, you can also find it via the Resource Lists homepage. Search for the list by the unit name or code (e.g. EMAT22220).
How much time the unit requires
Each credit equates to 10 hours of total student input. For example a 20 credit unit will take you 200 hours
of study to complete. Your total learning time is made up of contact time, directed learning tasks,
independent learning and assessment activity.
See the University Workload statement relating to this unit for more information.
Assessment
The Board of Examiners will consider all cases where students have failed or not completed the assessments required for credit.
The Board considers each student's outcomes across all the units which contribute to each year's programme of study. For appropriate assessments, if you have self-certificated your absence, you will normally be required to complete it the next time it runs (for assessments at the end of TB1 and TB2 this is usually in the next re-assessment period).
The Board of Examiners will take into account any exceptional circumstances and operates
within the Regulations and Code of Practice for Taught Programmes.
