Implementation of a Conceptual and Procedural Approach in University-Level Mathematics Education Using the Moodle LMS

The paper discusses ways to enhance students’ mathematical training, focusing on their ability to apply mathematics in practical, academic, or scientific contexts. We reviewed different scientific approaches, which either emphasise the development of conceptual understanding of mathematics or procedural knowledge. We concluded that university-level mathematics education should be based on the conceptual and procedural triad, which comprises conceptual understanding, procedural fluency, and problem-solving ability. We proposed teaching practices based on the educational strategy of Inquiry-based learning (IBL). These practices include (i) determining learning objectives to focus students’ attention and motivate them to achieve them; (ii) solving problems with high cognitive demands that encourage students to search, research, solve problems, and make connections; (iii) engaging students in productive work on knowledge construction and fostering meaningful mathematical discourse; (iv) procedural fluency training based on conceptual understanding. The effectiveness of this approach has been tested experimentally. Special emphasis was placed on implementing an integrated conceptual and procedural approach using the Moodle LMS. This digital platform provided a flexible and convenient blend of various educational activities, which is especially beneficial for blended learning models. Moodle facilitated the organisation of ongoing interaction between lecturers and students, supported autonomous learning, and enabled feedback, all of which contributed to the overall effectiveness of mathematics education.