Mathematics is different: student and tutor perspectives from Ireland and Australia on online support during COVID-19

Abstract

From March 2020, the Mathematics Support Centre at University College Dublin, Ireland, and the Mathematics Education Support Hub at Western Sydney University, Australia, moved wholly online and have largely remained so to the point of writing (August 2021). The dramatic and swift changes brought on by COVID-19, in particular to fully online modes of teaching and learning including mathematics and statistics support (MSS), have presented students and tutors with a host of new opportunities for thinking and working. This study aims to gain insight both from students and tutors about their experience of wholly online learning and tutoring in the COVID-19 era. In this sense, it represents a ‘perspectives’ study, the idea being that before we examine specific aspects of this experience, it would be best to know what the issues are. Employing a qualitative analysis framework of 23 one-on-one interview transcripts with tutors and students from both institutions in Australia and Ireland, we identified five key themes as central to the shared experiences and perspectives of tutors and students. In this study, we discuss three of these themes in relation to the new normal with the intention of supporting MSS practitioners, researchers and students going forward. The themes describe the usage of online support, how mathematics is different and the future of online MSS.

A Survey of Research on the Impact of the COVID-19 Closures on the Teaching and Learning of Mathematics at University Level in Ireland

“…It was notable that in both universities involved in the Mullen et al study that the numbers of students availing of MLS decreased significantly during the COVID-19 closures ( [22], [23]). A similar drop in attendance was seen in the Mathematics Support Centre in Maynooth University [20].…”

“…Thus the COVID-19 closures necessitated a drastic change in the provision of mathematics support. Many of the Mathematics Learning Support centres aimed to replicate their in-person drop-in services using web conferencing platforms such as Zoom, Teams, or their VLE [1], [20], [23]. This was the case in UCD where Mullen and Cronin ([22], [23]) conducted a study with colleagues Pettigrew, Rylands, and Shearman from Western Sydney University (WSU).…”

“…Many of the Mathematics Learning Support centres aimed to replicate their in-person drop-in services using web conferencing platforms such as Zoom, Teams, or their VLE [1], [20], [23]. This was the case in UCD where Mullen and Cronin ([22], [23]) conducted a study with colleagues Pettigrew, Rylands, and Shearman from Western Sydney University (WSU). In this project they investigated student and tutor views on online MLS in Ireland and Australia.…”

“…The students who prefered in-person support said that they found it easier to ask questions in-person and that they missed working in the atmosphere of the Mathematics Support Centre. Mullen et al [23] noted that the future of MLS is likely to include in-person and online elements. The tutors in their study were keen to return to campus but felt that the online resources developed during the pandemic should be re-used.…”

“…The tutors in their study were keen to return to campus but felt that the online resources developed during the pandemic should be re-used. Students missed face-to-face interactions, however some wanted to keep elements of online MLS as it is useful for when they cannot make it to campus [23].…”