Incoming engineering students ’ self-assessment of their mathematical background

The aim of this study was to develop a tool to measure levels of mathematical knowledge gained in high school, as perceived by incoming engineering students. The study included 657 engineering students in the 2011–2012 academic year. Factor analysis was used to obtain a scale consisting of 47 items (Cronbach Alpha coefficient, 0.975). The mathematical knowledge scale consisted of five sub-dimensions (Integration, Differentiation, General subjects, Graphing and Limit) related to subjects in the high school mathematics curriculum. Engineering students were asked to evaluate their own levels of knowledge. There was a significant difference between average scale scores of students successfully completing the calculus I course during the first semester of university and those failing this course. This difference was in favour of the students completing the lesson successfully