Mathematics Support Centres: Who uses them & who doesn’t? Why and why not?

1. 1 Mathematics Support Centres: Who uses them & who doesn’t?Why and why not?

2. 2 Overview • Background • Some quantitative data • Some qualitative data from non-users • Some qualitative data from users • Summary

3. Acknowledgement • Most of the data reported here was gathered by Ria Symonds during the course of her PhD • Ria became sigma’s first successful PhD student earlier this month.

4. Background • Maths support centres started from a desire to help failing students • The theory was that if you offer them extra support they will take it and get better • Then pass, retention and progression rates will all improve.

5. Quantitative Data • From Loughborough Maths Learning Support Centre • Academic Year 2006/7 • STEM first year students • 744 in total

6. Who came?

7. Who came more than once? • 1 in 4 students who achieved a 1st class mark (>69%) • 1 in 8 students who achieved a standard pass (40-69%) • 1 in 16 students who failed (<40%)

8. Chicken and Egg? • Do students fail because they don’t come? • OR • Do failing students not come?

9. 4 Qualitative Data • Focus groups / in –depth interviews with non-users • On the spot – quick interviews with non-users around campus • 77 non-users in total

10. Reasons for non-use

11. 10 Reason 1 • Lack of awareness of the location of the support centre “I’ve not really known where it was … I knew it was in the Schofield building somewhere but wasn’t sure.” • If you had a broken arm would you find the hospital?

12. 10 Reason 2 • Lack of awareness of the facilities of the centre “I completely forgot about it after the first time I’d heard about it.” • But there are posters everywhere

13. 10 Reason 3 • Lack of awareness of the need of the mathematics support “I would say I didn’t really go to the centre because I didn’t really do the problem sheets, so I didn’t know I had problems.” • A bit of honesty

14. 10 Reason 4 • Too many problems that need addressing “I think it was more just I’d come and have so many questions because it was more than one thing I had a problem with. So I didn’t really fancy camping out in the centre.” • Only 2 students

15. 10 Reason 5 • Fear of embarrassment or intimidation “I think probably just the embarrassment, because I feel like I’m that bad at maths.” • But you are just who the centre was originally for!

16. Qualitative Data from users • From interviews with regular users of the support centre • 29 students interviewed • What did these students think about themselves?

17. 8 Self-concept YES Same/Middle NO 25% 29% 46% Do you view yourself as a MATHEMATICICAN? Do you feel you are BETTER at maths than your friends? 25% 64% 11% Do you feel ABLE in maths? 89% 4% 7% Do you feel TALENTED in maths? 36% 0% 64% Have you ever felt unprepared for maths at university? 50% 11% 39%

18. 9 Why did they come? Cwk/Exam problem (no prior problems ) Previously aware of difficulties Motivation to make the initial visit Encountered a problem in first week HELM workbook Curiosity Somewhere to work

19. 9 Results - why? Cwk/Exam problem (no prior problems ) Previously aware of difficulties Engaged with maths from the outset Motivation to make the initial visit Encountered a problem in first week HELM workbook Curiosity Somewhere to work

20. 10 Why be a regular user? • Becoming a regular user • Satisfied with the help received  motivated to come with further problems  motivated by failure “This year I’ve really been trying by coming here…I got my semester 1 results and they weren’t as high as I thought they would be so that kind of knocked the wind out of my sails.”

21. 12 Why be a regular user? • Becoming a regular user • Satisfied with the help received  motivated to come with further problems  motivated by failure  motivated to succeed “I want to get a good grade so I really needed to go [to the MLSC]…So I’ll come here [the MLSC] and get it all cleared up really.”

22. 13 How do you use the centre? • How do students engage with the support? • 25 students indicated they regularly used the MLSC as a place to work • Learning Space  conducive working environment  motivation “It’s a great place to work. It’s helped me make time and space in my day to get work done.” • “I use it as a working environment. It’s quiet and quite closed off. And in the library sometimes you just get people come to socialise half the time.”

23. 14 How do you use the centre? • How do students engage with the support? • Monitor and direct their own learning • Emotional security • “I go away from here knowing more from my lectures to be honest. Maybe because they can take the time to explain it, and if I get stuck I can ask them to stop at any point. Because it’s more personal isn’t it.” “It’s kind of helped me keep on top of things. Just get everything done, like if you’re struggling or something I’ll get it sorted rather than leave it until I really have to, like just before a test.”

24. 15 How do you use the centre? • How do students engage with the support? • Monitor and direct their own learning • Emotional security • Confidence “Most of the time I come away realising I knew how to do it, it’s just made me feel a bit more sure about what I’m doing, so that I know what I’m doing is right. It leaves me feeling more confident to go away and tackle other problems.”

25. 16 How do you use the centre? • How do students engage with the support? • Deep learners - intention to understand “I think in most things you’re able to use it [the help] in another context. You gain more of an understanding of it when you ask. You understand it more than just guessing yourself.” “I go for a general understanding really. Just trying to get that sorted out and then you can apply that to all the other questions because no two questions are really the same.”

26. 17 How do you use the centre? • How do students engage with the support? • Positive attitude to mathematics  Enhances motivation “It’s [the MLSC] helped with motivation. If you understand something then it propels you to keep working, especially maths...it makes you work and makes you want to keep doing it. Then you’ll practice that because you get the satisfaction of being able to do the problem then.”

27. 18 Regular User Seeking excellence or Avoiding Failure Able  Generally feel they can ‘do’ maths Obtain Support Learning Space ‘working environment’ Motivated  generally motivated individuals  to succeed/ avoid failure Active participant in own learning Builds Confidence Engaged  with maths  with their course Engage further

28. 19 Summary • More able students using support seeking excellence • Use support to reinforce belief in ability, as a motivator and an aid to success • Are weaker students alienated by ‘working environment’?