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Enhancing Math Support Services at Cardiff University

Learn about the Maths Support Service at Cardiff University offering friendly assistance, drop-in sessions, and varied resources. Visit www.cardiff.ac.uk/mathssupport for more information.

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Enhancing Math Support Services at Cardiff University

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  1. Do you feel that you: • Require refreshing in basicmathematical techniques • Suffer from maths anxiety • Worry about the maths element of your course • The Maths Support Service offers: • Friendly one-to-one assistance • Informal/relaxed drop-in sessions • Access to a range of learning resources. Maths Support Service Email: mathssupport@cardiff.ac.uk Website: www.cardiff.ac.uk/mathssupport

  2. Enhancing the Provision of Support Through Reflective Practice Robert Wilson & Jonathan Gillard Maths Support Service Cardiff University website: www.cardiff.ac.uk/mathssupport

  3. Background • University wide pilot set-up in 2006/7, jointly funded by university L&T and School of Mathematics. • Additional funding obtained for 2008/9. • Funding post 2009 . . . ? ? ? Maths Support Service Cardiff University website: www.cardiff.ac.uk/mathssupport

  4. The Cardiff Model • The service currently offers: • Online Resources via the Maths Support Website. • Drop-in sessions for two hours a day (Mon-Fri) at varying locations across the University. • Pre-arranged appointments • Feedback obtained via paper forms completed by students during visits to the drop-in sessions. Maths Support Service Cardiff University website: www.cardiff.ac.uk/mathssupport

  5. Student Comments • “Excellent service. Cardiff students lucky to have this. Tutors are relaxed, friendly and helpful. Nice atmosphere to learn in.” Prelim student – BIOSI • “Brilliant, really helpful, would probably have dropped out if it wasn’t for Maths Support.” Year 1 student – MUSIC • “Would fail without the help.” Year 2 student – MATHS • “Thank you very much for the online materials you have provided with the Maths Support Service. I have found them to be of immense help, especially the way you have personalised the essential maths for each subject, which makes it much easier to find what I need to know.” Year 4 student - PHARM • “VERY HELPFUL, excellent explanation, knew a lot more about statistics than my tutors did.” Year 5 student – MEDIC • “I would really appreciate this class more if there were more time slots. But it is extremely useful!” MSC student – CARBS Maths Support Service Cardiff University website: www.cardiff.ac.uk/mathssupport

  6. Considerations • Are we recording the correct information? If not, how can we efficiently collect such details. • How do we make the service more visible to a wider audience? • Are the numbers attending encouraging? Is the service we are providing actually developing student learning? Maths Support Service Cardiff University website: www.cardiff.ac.uk/mathssupport

  7. Cardiff’s Approach: Continuously reflect on our own practises to ensure, given the resources available, that we are providing an ‘effective’ service

  8. Student Profiles Student A - “I can’t do maths” Student B - “Here is my data, what statistical test do I use?” Student C - “How do I integrate – my exam is later this afternoon” Student D - “How do I do question 4?” Maths Support Service Cardiff University website: www.cardiff.ac.uk/mathssupport

  9. An interesting response for Student D • There is a fine balance between student satisfaction, and measured effectiveness of the service. If we don't give out answers to “Is my answer correct for question 4?”, then our feedback could potentially dip, but I think the student would be better off from learning some independency. Its the old "cruel to be kind" thing. We should encourage students to be more confident in their work, and also to enforce the message that getting things wrong is all part of the learning process anyway. • Attendance ↓, student satisfaction ↓, feedback ↓, marks ↓, service ↑?

  10. Student Profiles PLEASE VISIT www.cardiff.ac.uk/mathssupport and post your comments Maths Support Service Cardiff University website: www.cardiff.ac.uk/mathssupport

  11. The Problem • “Effectiveness” is a latent variable • Anecdotal evidence of effectiveness gathered by the minute • Attendance, marks, satisfaction etc are manifest variables • All relate to effectiveness… • Not necessarily a positive straight line relationship!

  12. Obtaining the most effective service (given the resources available) • Do we need to vary the parameters? • How do we deal with people in drop-ins? • Change the basic model? • Perhaps then we can find the best model out of all possible models.

  13. Questions & Comments? Maths Support Service Cardiff University website: www.cardiff.ac.uk/mathssupport

  14. Do you feel that you: • Require refreshing in basicmathematical techniques • Suffer from maths anxiety • Worry about the maths element of your course • The Maths Support Service offers: • Friendly one-to-one assistance • Informal/relaxed drop-in sessions • Access to a range of learning resources. Email: mathssupport@cardiff.ac.uk Website:www.cardiff.ac.uk/mathssupport

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