Dr Sarah Carpenter

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• Dr Sarah Carpenter
• Assistant Director

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Overview

• Background to why we need maths support
• Available resources

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Historical Background

• Since early 90s rapid decline in students
  ability in maths on entering HE
• Noted in all disciplines
• Noted across the entire university sector
  irrespective of entry qualifications

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The level of the problem

• An example from Coventry University
• A 50 question multiple choice test
• Taken during induction week, essentially without
  warning
• Covers 7 topics arithmetic, basic algebra, lines
  curves, triangles, further algebra,
  trigonometry, basic calculus
• All questions should be within ability of good A
  level students
• Duncan Lawson

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A Quick Competition

• The next slide shows the results in the
  diagnostic test of those students who entered in
  1991 with A level Maths grade N
• It also shows the results of a grade cohort who
  entered in 1999. Use your skill and judgement to
  decide which grade.

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Some Results
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N91 vs B99

• N91 average score 68.8
• B99 average score 68.4
• In 24 question N91 did better
• In 2 questions performance was same
• In 24 questions B99 did better

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Possible Causes

• Syllabus Changes
• Modular A levels
• Changes in exam questions
• Changes in balance between pure applied and
  pure stats
• Increased emphasis on key skills

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University Developments

• Large proportion of Universities now
  diagnostically test on entry
• However some feel this gets students off on the
  wrong foot
• Over 50 of Universities now have some form of
  Mathematics Learning Support Centre
• These can vary enormously

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sigma Centre for Excellence in Mathematics
Statistics Support

• Funded at 500,000 per annum, with a further
  capital fund of 2.35M
• sigma is built upon
• Coventry Universitys Mathematics Support Centre
• Supporting students since 1991
• Loughborough Universitys Mathematics Education
  Centre
• Supporting students since 1996
• www.sigma-cetl.ac.uk

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UK Support Structure

• UK Mathematics Learning Support Centre
• Website
• www.mathcentre.ac.uk
• Pilot launched October 2003
• Funded by the Learning and Teaching Support
  Network (LTSN)
• Sister project to mathtutor funded by the HEFCE
  (Higher Education Funding Council for England)

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Topics Covered
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Whats Available?

• Free resources for staff and students
• Quick reference leaflets
• provide easily accessible support on key topics
• Teach-yourself booklets
• give a more in-depth treatment of important
  topics and include theory, worked examples and
  exercises
• Practice and revision booklets
• contain hundreds of practice exercises and answers

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Whats Available?

• On-line exercises
• allow students to test themselves or practice
  basic techniques
• Video tutorials
• offer a face to students to guide them
  step-by-step through the key topics

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Resources for staff

• Many of the student resources are packaged into
  convenient blocks for single download
• Booklets to help staff
• Good Practice in the Provision of Mathematics
  Support Centres
• Diagnostic Testing for Mathematics
• Maths Support for Students
• Maths for Engineering and Science
• Facts and Formulae Leaflets

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Further resources

• www.mathtutor.ac.uk
• Videos
• Animations
• Extension
• Tests Exercises
• iPod Downloads

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Contact

• Dr Sarah Carpenter
• Assistant Director
• sigma Centre for Excellence in Mathematics
  Statistics
• sarah_at_sigma-cetl.ac.uk
• www.sigma-cetl.ac.uk