A support learning programme for first-year mathematics^*

* This paper is an expanded version of a conference paper presented at the 2018 STARS (Students Transitions, Achievement, Retention & Success) Conference, Auckland (https://unistars.org/papers/STARS2018/06E.pdf).

ABSTRACT

This article is a follow-up to an earlier paper on the mathematics support learning tutorial programme (SLT), an intervention programme at The University of Queensland that targets students considered to be at risk of failing Calculus and Linear Algebra I, the first tertiary level mathematics subject at The University of Queensland. The first paper (Hillock, P., Jennings, M., Roberts, A., & Scharaschkin, V. (2013). Amathematics support programme for first-year engineering students. International Journal of Mathematical Education in Science and Technology, 44(7), 1030–1044) reported on the inaugural programme implemented in 2012. This article provides an update of the progress of the SLT since 2012. We provide statistics for the subsequent 12 semesters to Semester 2, 2018 and describe the evolution of the SLT since its implementation. Statistical analysis of the additional data and student feedback indicate that the SLT continues to have a positive impact on student learning, with weak students making significant gains from attending the programme.

KEYWORDS:

• First-year mathematics
• prerequisite skills
• calculus
• support learning programme

Acknowledgements

I thank Sam Kault (The University of Queensland) for conducting the basic skills workshops in 2017/1 and 2018/1. Thank you also to the anonymous reviewers whose comments have helped to greatly improve this paper.

Disclosure statement

No potential conflict of interest was reported by the authors.

ORCID

R. Nazim Khan http://orcid.org/0000-0003-3349-5006

Notes

* This paper is an expanded version of a conference paper presented at the 2018 STARS (Students Transitions, Achievement, Retention & Success) Conference, Auckland (https://unistars.org/papers/STARS2018/06E.pdf).