The extent and uptake of mathematics support in higher education: results from the 2018 survey

Abstract

In response to the well-documented challenges associated with the ‘mathematics problem’ in UK higher education, many institutions have implemented a programme of mathematics support. Previous surveys within the UK, undertaken in 2001, 2004 and, most recently, 2012, have shown growth in the number of institutions offering such support and indicate that the dominant form of provision is through a drop-in model. Here we report on a 2018 survey of higher education providers in England and Wales undertaken to establish not only the extent of current provision but also understand the scale of its delivery. We find that overall the proportion of higher education institutions offering mathematics support remains broadly the same, but there is considerable variation in how this support is delivered within institutions. While the drop-in model remains most common, we see evidence that the methods used to provide mathematics support are expanding and that the range of levels and subjects studied of targeted student cohorts is widening. For the first time we are able to report on the volume of use of mathematics support by students across England and Wales, and although dependent upon the institutional context, we see clear evidence of the extensive use being made of it by learners.

The evolution of mathematics support: a literature review

“…They have adapted the method of providing mathematics support by introducing 'embedded support', i.e. moving from an opt-in model to an opt-out one (for example, [44,62]). Such an approach typically 'attaches' to a module a small number of tutorial or workshop sessions which all students are expected to attend.…”

Professional development opportunities for tutors of mathematics learning support

“…Another key feature of the feedback was that delegates welcomed the opportunity 'to network' and 'share ideas'. This is a clear indication of the importance of providing such training provision through a network particularly as within a number of institutions providing mathematics support is known to be a solitary endeavour (Grove, Croft and Lawson, 2019). Typical feedback includes: 'opportunity for group discussion on individual problems in own maths/stats support centre'; 'sharing experiences with other peopleknowing about what other universities are offering and the methods of support available'; 'interaction with other would be tutorsadvice from lecturers on how to aid others'; and, 'the brainstorming part of the event was important in terms of knowing each other's approach in dealing with different scenarios that may occur.…”

“…In more recent times the important role of postgraduate students working within a MLS environment has become increasingly apparent and this is coupled with the widespread growth of mathematics support observed across the UK and Ireland (Perkin, Croft and Lawson, 2013;Cronin et al, 2016). For example, in their analysis of recent surveys of MLS undertaken across the UK and Ireland, Grove, Croft and Lawson (2019) identified that out of 116 institutions, 53 were using postgraduate students as tutors within MLS. Further, amongst the 78 institutions they surveyed in 2018 within England and Wales as part of this work, there were seven institutions where mathematics support was provided solely by postgraduate students.…”

“…MLS tutors have diverse mathematical backgrounds Grove, Croft and Lawson, 2019), mainly encompassing postgraduate and undergraduate students, full-time and part-time staff, and staff who are external to the institution. While some of these tutors may have experience gained from traditional teaching roles within the institution such as lecturing or tutoring within a department, MLS tutoring requires an additional and enhanced set of skills.…”

Supporting nursing students’ mathematical understanding

“…To try to help these students, many universities in the UK now have a form of mathematics support provision. Initially, these provisions were set up to help improve the declining mathematical skills of undergraduate students on courses with high mathematical content, such as engineering (Lawson, Croft, and Halpin, 2003), but more recently these provisions have expanded to offer more support to non-mathematicians (Grove, Croft, and Lawson, 2019). Non-mathematicians are more susceptible to maths anxiety however and, therefore, just seeking out the support and stepping through the door can be a daunting task.…”