Keynote Speaker: David Pritchard

Department of Mathematics and Statistics,

University of Strathclyde

Construction, transition, demolition?

Abstract: The transition to university often exposes flaws in students' mathematical understanding, ranging from minor gaps in knowledge to fundamental misunderstandings. In this talk I will suggest a way of looking at transition-related difficulties which treats them as reflecting not deficiencies in students' earlier education, but something more fundamental about how we learn maths. In particular, I will draw on the metaphor of learning as construction to argue that we should focus less on helping our students to build their understanding and more on helping them to unbuild it. I will discuss some of the obstacles to doing so, and some possible ways forward.

Maths Support at Aberdeen; the last 6 years

Morgiane Richard : Academic Skills Adviser (Maths), Student Learning Service, Aberdeen University

Abstract: Last October, I rolled out a Maths Support survey to a selection of Engineering Maths, Maths, Chemistry and Medical Sciences courses at the University of Aberdeen. This came 6 years after Maths Support was first offered at the University, and aimed to assess, in particular, the reasons why some students did not use the service.

After a brief overview on how Maths Support has developed over the last 6 years, and how the survey was designed and implemented, I will present & discuss the results we gathered.

Mathematics Enhancement at Liverpool

Ewan Russell: Department of Mathematical Sciences, University of Liverpool

Abstract: The Department of Mathematical Sciences at the University of Liverpool has recently established a Centre for Enhancement in Education. This exciting new centre will support a range of teaching and learning enhancement activities. Specifically, the centre will support and encourage enhancement in mathematics teaching delivery, learning support and assessment. The centre will implement and evaluate new teaching and learning strategies and will support members of the department who wish to trial new techniques for teaching and learning.

This session will introduce the centre and the context at Liverpool. An overview of activities to date will also be discussed.

Support for mathematics and numeracy at Abertay. Shared delivery between Academic and Support Services

David Blackwood, Liz MacDougall and James Nicholson: Division of Engineering and Food Sciences & Student Support Services, Abertay University

Abstract: This presentation shares the experience of academic and support services staff at Abertay in the co-production and delivery of a range of support measures for mathematics and numeracy. This includes teaching and learning in access programmes and the design and operation of drop-in support sessions to students with a wide range of mathematical abilities. These aspects will be discussed in the context of University wide support activities.

Graduate Numeracy Project

Shazia Ahmed and Ruth Douglas: LEADS, University of Glasgow

Abstract: Final year students applying for graduate jobs in industry are often required to sit numeracy tests as part of the recruitment process. Students can find this challenging and daunting as, often, the last time they will have come across this kind of mathematics will have been at school.

This project was a collaboration between the Mathematics & Statistics Support within the Learning Enhancement and Academic Development Service (LEADS) and the Careers Service to create a repository of online resources designed to help students refresh their basic mathematical skills and give them the confidence to tackle employers’ numeracy tests successfully.

Although originally targeted at students from the College of Arts, this resource is available to students from a range of backgrounds at the University. It has been of particular interest to the Business School, who run a ‘graduate award’ program for undergraduates and PGTs into which they would like to incorporate our online resource, alongside tailored workshops. We also plan to run numeracy workshops open to all students during peak recruitment periods.

In this talk we will discuss the content of the Moodle course which includes:

• A video featuring representatives in industry, giving students an insight into the application process and the place of numeracy testing within it;

• Resources and tailored learning materials to enable students to improve their confidence and ability in relevant mathematical and statistical skills;

• Khan Academy style videos giving a step-by-step demonstration of a variety of questions;

• Sample tests to give students an idea of what to expect in a real assessment, including both timed and untimed quizzes.

We will also reflect on the findings from focus groups and discuss further our ongoing plans to support graduate numeracy across the University.

A Convergent Approach to Delivering Maths Support to Life Sciences Students

Melissa D’Ascenzio, Graham Christie and David Martin: School of Life Sciences, D’Arcy Thompson Unit, University of Dundee

“Little by little it [physiology] draws nearer to our conception of a true science, with each branch of physical science which it brings into relation with itself: with every physical law and every mathematical theorem which it learns to take into its employ.” D’Arcy Thompson, 1917

Abstract: It is important undergraduate Life Sciences students acquire and learn to apply quantitative skills in the early stages of their studies. This grounding is of fundamental importance for their subsequent academic and professional development. Careers for bioscience graduates in industry and academia are an increased cross-talk between fields such as biology, physiology, pharmacology, statistics, and computer science. As a consequence, Higher Education is facing the challenge of producing graduates that possess strong numeracy, informatics and data analysis skills.

Level 1 and 2 Life Sciences students at the University of Dundee spend two days a week developing confidence in laboratory-based skills by working on small group projects and protocol-based practical classes. These exercises require the students to generate, analyse and present data, processes that are clearly underpinned by competency in working with numbers and simple equations. However, based on our experience a significant proportion of our new entrants experience difficulty handling simple math operations with over one third of entrants not having a mathematical qualification beyond National 5/GCSE.

This presentation will showcase a convergent approach that has allowed academic staff to embed maths support, in addition to a comprehensive training in statistics using R, within core practical and theoretical modules. Staff have developed and delivered different learning resources which include the introduction of a series of self-directed study units in lab numeracy delivered via a virtual learning environment and the creation and delivery of formative questions in the laboratory and online using NUMBAS. Regardless of the approach used, the connection between an assigned mathematical task and its application to a practical laboratory setting or core knowledge topic is always made clear, in order to avoid alienating our students with tasks that they could perceive as too abstract or irrelevant to their discipline.