Mathematics Support Centres: Who uses them & who doesn’t?

Why and why not?

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Overview

Background Some quantitative data Some qualitative data from non-

users Some qualitative data from users Summary

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Acknowledgement

Most of the data reported here was gathered by Ria Symonds during the course of her PhD

Ria became sigma’s first successful PhD student earlier this month.

Background

Maths support centres started from a desire to help failing students

The theory was that if you offer them extra support they will take it and get better

Then pass, retention and progression rates will all improve.

Quantitative Data

From Loughborough Maths Learning Support Centre

Academic Year 2006/7 STEM first year students 744 in total

Who came?

Fail(<40%)

Pass (40-69%)

Excellent Pass (>69%)

0 visits 67 338 122

1 visit 6 52 23

>1 visit 5 83 48

Who came more than once?

1 in 4 students who achieved a 1st class mark (>69%)

1 in 8 students who achieved a standard pass (40-69%)

1 in 16 students who failed (<40%)

Chicken and Egg?

Do students fail because they don’t come?

OR

Do failing students not come?

Qualitative Data

Focus groups / in –depth interviews with non-users

On the spot – quick interviews with non-users around campus

77 non-users in total

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Reasons for non-use

Reason Failed (17)

Passed (60)

Total

Lack of awareness of location 6 21 27

Lack of awareness of facilities 4 17 21

Lack of awareness of need of support 8 10 18

Too many problems 2 0 2

Fear of embarrassment 10 10 20

Reason 1

“I’ve not really known where it was … I knew it was in the Schofield building somewhere but wasn’t sure.”

Lack of awareness of the location of the support centre

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If you had a broken arm would you find the hospital?

Lack of awareness of the facilities of the centre

Reason 2

“I completely forgot about it after the first time I’d heard about it.”

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But there are posters everywhere

Lack of awareness of the need of the mathematics support

Reason 3

“I would say I didn’t really go to the centre because I didn’t really do the problem sheets, so I didn’t know I had problems.”

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A bit of honesty

Too many problems that need addressing

Reason 4

“I think it was more just I’d come and have so many questions because it was more than one thing I had a problem with. So I didn’t really fancy camping out in the centre.”

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Only 2 students

Fear of embarrassment or intimidation

Reason 5

“I think probably just the embarrassment, because I feel like I’m that bad at maths.”

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But you are just who the centre was originally for!

Qualitative Data from users

From interviews with regular users of the support centre

29 students interviewed What did these students think

about themselves?

Self-concept

Do you view yourself as a MATHEMATICICAN?

YES

25% 29% 46%

NO Same/Middle

25% 64% 11%

89% 4% 7%

36% 0% 64%

50% 11% 39%

Do you feel you are BETTER at maths than your friends?

Do you feel ABLE in maths?

Do you feel TALENTED in maths?

Have you ever felt unprepared for maths at university?

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Why did they come?

Motivation to make the initial visit

Previously aware of

difficulties

Encountered a problem in

first week

Cwk/Exam problem (no prior

problems )

HELM workbook

CuriositySomewhere to work

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Results - why?

Motivation to make the initial visit

Previously aware of

difficulties

Encountered a problem in

first week

Cwk/Exam problem (no prior

problems )

HELM workbook

CuriositySomewhere to work

Engaged with maths from the outset

Why be a regular user?

“This year I’ve really been trying by coming here…I got my semester 1 results and they weren’t as high as I thought they would be so that kind of knocked the wind out of my sails.”

motivated by failure

Becoming a regular user Satisfied with the help received

motivated to come with further problems

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Why be a regular user?

“I want to get a good grade so I really needed to go [to the MLSC]…So I’ll come here [the MLSC] and get it all cleared up really.”

motivated by failure

Becoming a regular user Satisfied with the help received

motivated to come with further problems

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motivated to succeed

How do you use the centre?

How do students engage with the support?

“I use it as a working environment. It’s quiet and quite closed off. And in the library sometimes you just get people come to socialise half the time.”

“It’s a great place to work. It’s helped me make time and space in my day to get work done.”

25 students indicated they regularly used the MLSC as a place to work

Learning Space conducive working environment motivation

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How do students engage with the support?

“It’s kind of helped me keep on top of things. Just get everything done, like if you’re struggling or something I’ll get it sorted rather than leave it until I really have to, like just before a test.”

“I go away from here knowing more from my lectures to be honest. Maybe because they can take the time to explain it, and if I get stuck I can ask them to stop at any point. Because it’s more personal isn’t it.”

Monitor and direct their own learning

Emotional security

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How do you use the centre?

“Most of the time I come away realising I knew how to do it, it’s just made me feel a bit more sure about what I’m doing, so that I know what I’m doing is right. It leaves me feeling more confident to go away and tackle other problems.”

How do students engage with the support?

Monitor and direct their own learning

Emotional security

Confidence

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How do you use the centre?

How do students engage with the support?

“I think in most things you’re able to use it [the help] in another context. You gain more of an understanding of it when you ask. You understand it more than just

guessing yourself.”

“I go for a general understanding really. Just trying to get that sorted out and then you can apply that to all the other questions because no two questions are really the same.”

Deep learners - intention to understand

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How do you use the centre?

How do students engage with the support?

“It’s [the MLSC] helped with motivation. If you understand something then it propels you to keep working, especially maths...it makes you work and makes you want to keep doing it. Then you’ll practice that because you get the satisfaction of

being able to do the problem then.”

Positive attitude to mathematics

Enhances motivation

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How do you use the centre?

Regular User

Engaged with maths with their course

Motivated generally motivated individuals to succeed/ avoid failure

Seeking excellence orAvoiding Failure

Obtain Support

Learning Space ‘working environment’

Active participant in own learning

Builds Confidence

Engage further

Able Generally feel they can ‘do’ maths

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More able students using support seeking excellence

Use support to reinforce belief in ability, as a motivator and an aid to success

Are weaker students alienated by ‘working environment’?

Summary

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