University Economics Students' Attitudes Towards MathematicalModelling: A Case Study
by
Sergiy Klymchuk
University of Waikato

Mathematical modelling skills are very important for students not majoring in mathematics. Many academics and practitioners consider them as the most useful skills which economics students should develop while studying mathematical courses. The aim of this paper is to find out what university economics students themselves think about the role of mathematical modelling process and application problems in their studies. For this purpose a questionnaire was given to them. There were questioned 160 first and second year students from 4 tertiary institutions doing bachelor degree in economics or business studies and studying mathematical courses. The results of the questionnaire are analysed in the paper with an attempt to explain the reasons for some differences in attitudes towards mathematical modelling among the students.

Date received: June 14, 1998