Presentation by Dr Stephen Hibberd School of Mathematical Sciences, University of Nottingham

1. Presentation by Dr Stephen Hibberd School of Mathematical Sciences, University of Nottingham MELEES – an environment to support dyslexic students? Project Team: Dr Stephen Hibberd, Dr Cliff Litton Claire Chambers, Matthew Heath, Peter Rowlett University of Nottingham E-learning Development Funded project DDIG Meeting – 16 March 2004

2. Overview • Background perspective • University of Nottingham • School of Mathematical Sciences • MELEES – Implementation 2002-2004 • Examples of MELEES environment • Case studies – monitoring and feedback • MELEES – Dealing with learning disabilities DDIG Meeting – 16 March 2004

3. Background “ The University of Nottingham welcomes applications from all students. Our aim is to provide a high level of support and guidance from the moment you first enquire to the moment you graduate.” part of disability statement (2002) • University Web Site– Significant investment in a new CMS system to roll-out at least AA conformance on Main and School web sites • Study Support Centre- offer specific assistance to students with disabilities that affect their academic studies • Office of Disability Issues– making the physical environment • accessible • Staff and Educational Development Unit (SEDU) • Project – Models, Methods and Materials: Departmental Strategies for • supporting Disabled Students (case studies in selected Schools) • Sessions on disability issues to new staff (PGCHE) and staff • development • Disability Liaison Officer (DLO) – coordinate liaison in each School DDIG Meeting – 16 March 2004

4. Background Statistics I University wide - students declaring a disability: 2001/2 – 6.3%, 2001/2 – 8.2%, 2002/3 – 4.7% Disability statistics by School (undergraduate) 2002/3 School Total % declared Mathematical Sciences 441 6% Chem. & Env. Eng 285 8% Civil Eng 318 8% Elec & Elec 429 8% Mech, Mats, Man Eng 734 10% Built Eviron. 634 8% Chemistry 430 10% Physics & Astron. 413 8% University 15491 7% DDIG Meeting – 16 March 2004

5. Background Statistics II Disability type by School (undergraduate) 2002/3 School Total % dyslexic % visually % unseen impaired disability Mathematical Sciences 33 17 3 64 Chem. & Env. Eng 26 31 4 58 Civil Eng 30 50 0 40 Elec & Elec 36 33 11 42 Mech, Mats, Man Eng 85 50 0 38 Built Environ. 57 40 4 46 Chemistry 50 24 1 63 Physics & Astron. 35 26 4 41 University 1304 26 3 51 DDIG Meeting – 16 March 2004

6. MELEES is a web-based environment to support non-specialist mathematics students taking University level mathematics Service Mathematics provision at Nottingham Foundation 3 modules 50 students (per Semester) Engineering First Year 12 modules 800 students (per Semester) Engin. Built Env. Physics, Chemistry Second Year 6 modules 400 students (per Semester) Engineering Third/Fourth Year 5 modules 300 students (per Session) Engineering UNiM 5 modules 100 students (per Semester) Engineering Lectures remain a well-tested and successful approach to Mathematics teaching. MELEES is to help provide a comprehensive programme of support to enable high quality learning. DDIG Meeting – 16 March 2004

7. Rationale • information about the mathematics provision and individual modules; • supports the transition to University level mathematics; • learning materials and motivation to support lectures; • comprehensive and coordinated access to module specific materials; • provide access to external learning and self-assessment materials; • motivation through links to their subject curriculum; • helping students refine their own learning strategies; • provision of a framework for feedback, information and dissemination to students, their lecturers, teaching support and client schools. DDIG Meeting – 16 March 2004

8. Implementation Phase 1:Pilot implementations for Session 2002-3 Autumn Semester: 1 module Spring Semester: 4 modules Feedback from web-logs and email student questionnaire • Phase 2:For the Session 2003-4 the provision extended to 18 modules (all first and second year modules – approx. 2000 students, ~20 teaching staff); enabled by: • ‘generic’ module template • guidance on ‘good practice’ • informing and involving module teaching staff • minimum core requirements for each module • exemplar materials available to module staff • project support to module conveners DDIG Meeting – 16 March 2004

9. Examples of MELEES environment WebCT underpins the Environment as the Content Management System (CMS) – individual student configuration Access to MELEES is through internet access on or off campus Trial version URL: www.maths.nottingham.ac.uk/melees Username: melees 2003, password: melees 2003 DDIG Meeting – 16 March 2004

10. Examples of MELEES environment DDIG Meeting – 16 March 2004

11. Examples of MELEES environment DDIG Meeting – 16 March 2004

12. Examples of MELEES environment DDIG Meeting – 16 March 2004

13. Examples of MELEES environment DDIG Meeting – 16 March 2004

14. Dissemination - Phase 2 • 1910 new students, over 72,000 hits • Approx 1,380 students logged in after the end of formal teaching • Over 170 hours spent viewing general support workbooks • Over 100 responses to email survey prior to exam • 97% perceived it to be helpful • Extremely positive feedback from lecturers and students. Usage of MELEES DDIG Meeting – 16 March 2004

15. Student Feedback - Phase 2 • The best module website I have available to me. • All inclusive, well organised web site, a perfect example on excellent teaching resources, which other modules could follow • A brilliant, useful website, that has helped a lot. It is the most organised, professional module I have been lectured. • Very useful, as I have access in my room, and it’s easy to look up if I am stuck with anything. • Good job! Thanks a lot for creating the MELEES website! I feel much more convenient for collecting useful information if there’s no lecturer at hand! Do wish you go on making the site better! DDIG Meeting – 16 March 2004

16. Disability Case Study I • Partially sighted student having difficulty reading some documents • Best format identified • Key documents converted • Separate area created and populated with different format • Individual access to area • High contrast for ease of use • Continued liaison with student for future modules DDIG Meeting – 16 March 2004

17. Disability Case Study I DDIG Meeting – 16 March 2004

18. Disability Case Study II – Student usage DDIG Meeting – 16 March 2004

19. Student Tracking Facility Student strategies can be deduced from usage information DDIG Meeting – 16 March 2004

20. Disability Support in MELEES Extend MELEES by focussing on implementation of an e-learning environment and evaluation of ‘good practice’ for the support of students who have dyslexia or are partially sighted, with a focus on mathematical formulae, algebraic manipulation and graphical display. {extension to MELEES project – to December 2004} 1. Dedicated URL to access the CMS system - user-friendly to disability students and detailing relevant local information. (eg replacement of FLASH animations, larger icons, info. to teaching staff) 2. Local and other briefing documents available to teaching staff on ‘disability issues’ (eg Disability issues in mathematics – Heath & Rowlett 2004) 3. Simple mechanism for disabled students to enable access to individually configured mathematical resources DDIG Meeting – 16 March 2004

21. Disability Support in MELEES 4 Module templates on MELEES to be configured to ‘good practice’ guidelines. 5. Best practice guidelines, suggestions and examples (made readily available in ‘teaching resources’ to teaching staff on MELEES as a resource) 6. Enable special provisions made for individual students to be reusable to others. 7. Enable monitoring of learning preferences of disability students to be monitored to provide evidence-base for further developments. 8. To enable effective evaluation of the teaching provision to students with disabilities (inclusiveness) DDIG Meeting – 16 March 2004