Author Information
Hansong Xue, Singapore University of Technology and Design, SingaporeStephen Tay, National University of Singapore, Singapore
Abstract
Teaching ordinary differential equations (ODEs), while essential, is often challenging due to the abstract nature of the topic and students' difficulty in relating it to real-world applications. To address this, the Contextualized Learning via Enquiring, Answering, and Reflecting (CLEAR) approach was implemented to help students connect ODEs with authentic, real-life contexts. CLEAR was introduced during the Spring Semester of AY2025 in the graduate-level course “Applied Mathematics for Engineering” at the Singapore University of Technology and Design. As part of the assignment, students successfully developed nine unique real-world contexts, each leading to the formulation of questions and corresponding solutions involving the application of ODEs. The impact of CLEAR was explored through two guiding questions: (1) Does the CLEAR approach help students relate ODEs to observed phenomena beyond the classroom?; (2) How do students perceive the CLEAR approach? Overall, students demonstrated an enhanced ability to contextualize ODEs and reported a positive learning experience with the CLEAR assignment. Many expressed appreciations for how the approach extended their understanding beyond classroom theory and found the process engaging and enjoyable. These findings offer valuable anecdotal evidence that may inform and enhance future approaches to teaching ODEs. Furthermore, given that the CLEAR approach requires no additional hardware or software, it presents a scalable and cost-effective strategy that can potentially be adopted across a wide range of courses and disciplines.
Paper Information
Conference: ACE2025Stream: Learning Experiences
This paper is part of the ACE2025 Conference Proceedings (View)
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To cite this article:
Xue H., & Tay S. (2026) A Not-So-Ordinary Approach to Ordinary Differential Equations: Evaluating the Effectiveness of “CLEAR” in Enhancing Learning ISSN: 2186-5892 – The Asian Conference on Education 2025: Official Conference Proceedings (pp. 1-8) https://doi.org/10.22492/issn.2186-5892.2026.1
To link to this article: https://doi.org/10.22492/issn.2186-5892.2026.1
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