This project commenced in 2008 to review and address the issue of students at risk due to inadequate mathematics proficiency. Its main objective was to equip students with foundation mathematics skills in order to improve retention rates and student learning outcomes.
A number of recommendations were made:
- Introduce diagnostic testing of all students involved in the remediation program to assess their mathematics proficiency.
- Students deemed to be at risk, based on their mathematics proficiency, to be placed in smaller classes and given more intensive mathematics tuition.
- A drop-in centre (DIC) to be set up with rostered staff and student mentors available to assist students with specific mathematics problems, suitably timetabled.
The decision was made to pilot a number of these recommendations in 2009:
- An online diagnostic placement test was developed and piloted with the School of Aerospace, Mechanical and Manufacturing Engineering (SAMME), the School of Electrical and Computer Engineering (SECE) and Environmental Science students in the School of Applied Science (SAS). Additional online mathematics materials were provided enabling students to learn the topics in which they had performed poorly in the diagnostic test.
- Students deemed to be “at risk”, due to inadequate mathematical competence, were placed in small mathematics classes (ranging from 25 to 45 students), with most receiving an additional hour of mathematics class work per week.
- Study and Learning Centre (SLC) staff, employed centrally by Student Services, assisted by attending scheduled practice tutorial classes for these small classes.
In general the pilot activities were very successful based on:
- Positive comments from students in surveys of the students who attended the smaller classes.
- Positive comments from staff in the surveys of the teaching staff of these small classes.
- Positive comments from SLC staff in a review of SLC involvement in the pilot.
- Comparison of examination results compared with 2008 results and the entire 2009 cohort.
- Comparison of the Good Teaching Scale (GTS) and Overall Satisfaction Index (OSI) scores compared with 2008 and those of the larger classes.
A few pilot activities are still underway (semester 2, 2009):
- Assess existing bridging courses offered and address any gaps or duplication. (Report expected early in 2010.)
- Introduce a smaller second semester math2118 class for Manufacturing and Engineering Management students. (Report expected early in 2010.)
Given the success of the pilot activities it has been recommended that a similar and expanded approach be followed in 2010. This will incorporate more of the recommendations outlined in the 2008 Recommendations paper and be applied to an increased number of courses pending the approval of the relevant schools.