Improving students’ mastery in finding stationary points

Stationary points play a vital role in mathematical analysis, particularly in the study of optimization and understanding the behaviour of functions. A stationary point in mathematics is defined as a point on a curve where the derivative is equal to zero. This concept is crucial for identifying local maximum, minimum, and inflection points, and is widely applied in real-life problem solving. In the context of matriculation-level mathematics, understanding how to find and classify stationary points is a key learning outcome in the “Application of Differentiation” topic. Despite its importance, many students struggle with mastering this concept. Reflections from previous teaching experiences revealed that over 75% of students had difficulty identifying and analysing stationary points correctly. Among the factors contributing to this issue were ineffective teaching methods, the absence of clear, structured techniques, and a lack of student engagement in the learning process. This research aimed to identify the root causes of the problem and propose a practical solution to enhance student understanding. The study involved 169 randomly selected students from the Computer Science Department under the Two-Semester System. Data collection was conducted using observations, interviews, and a set of pre- and post-tests consisting of subjective questions. To overcome the identified challenges, a mnemonic-based innovation called DOXYJA was introduced. This method uses a simple acronym to guide students through the steps of solving stationary point problems systematically. The findings showed that DOXYJA significantly improved students’ understanding and performance. It also encouraged better organization of their working steps and boosted their confidence in solving differentiation-related problems.