Interventions to improve teaching and learning in first year mathematics courses

Abstract

In keeping with the national mandate of increasing graduates in the sciences in South Africa, a concerted effort in improving the first year experience becomes imperative. First year mathematics courses commonly provide the base knowledge necessary for progression in different degree programmes at university. Success in mathematics courses influences throughputs, retention and graduation rates of various degree programmes. Due to the highly complex and integrated nature of issues pertaining to improving teaching and learning in these courses, a multi-dimensional approach was conceptualized and implemented at the University of Pretoria. This paper reports on the development of a coherent framework, and the process and strategy for improving student success through a number of teaching and learning interventions in the first year mathematics courses, addressing the different dimensions of the framework. The process embarked upon resulted in a coherent, resource-focused approach with a replicable model for similar contexts.

Keywords:

• first year students
• mathematics courses
• student success

Acknowledgement

We acknowledge support from the University of Pretoria's SoTL fund for this research.

Disclosure statement

No potential conflict of interest was reported by the authors.