Improving Post-Secondary Students Algebraic Skills in the Learning of Complex Numbers

Complex numbers is one of the mathematics topics newly introduced at the post-secondary level within the vocational and technical education context. With the implementation of the new national education reform to vocational and technical education in June 2012 in Brunei Darussalam, a few of the topics for Diploma of Computer Engineering and Diploma in Electrical and Communications Engineering, such as complex numbers and waveforms, that were usually taught in Year 2 have now been introduced into the Year 1 syllabus. The teachers involved in this study aspired in using an action research approach to improve the students algebraic skills on complex numbers. A set of pre- and post-tests were given to two groups of students in one of the vocational and technical institutions in the country to determine whether they have shown improvement in their understanding before and after the intervention stage. The marks obtained were compared and the students have shown improvement overall. The teachers were also interviewed to investigate their opinions regarding the usefulness of this research approach in order to improve their teaching and the students learning. Their involvement in this study has made them realized the importance of having deep content knowledge in complex numbers and simultaneously being aware of their students difficulties not only in understanding complex numbers but also other related mathematics topics as well.