In response to the well-documented challenges associated with the ‘mathematics problem’ in UK higher education, many institutions have implemented a programme of mathematics support. Previous surveys within the UK, undertaken in 2001, 2004 and, most recently, 2012, have shown growth in the number of institutions offering such support and indicate that the dominant form of provision is through a drop-in model. Here we report on a 2018 survey of higher education providers in England and Wales undertaken to establish not only the extent of current provision but also understand the scale of its delivery. We find that overall the proportion of higher education institutions offering mathematics support remains broadly the same, but there is considerable variation in how this support is delivered within institutions. While the drop-in model remains most common, we see evidence that the methods used to provide mathematics support are expanding and that the range of levels and subjects studied of targeted student cohorts is widening. For the first time we are able to report on the volume of use of mathematics support by students across England and Wales, and although dependent upon the institutional context, we see clear evidence of the extensive use being made of it by learners.
{"title":"The extent and uptake of mathematics support in higher education: results from the 2018 survey","authors":"Michael Grove;Tony Croft;Duncan Lawson","doi":"10.1093/teamat/hrz009","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1093/teamat/hrz009","url":null,"abstract":"In response to the well-documented challenges associated with the ‘mathematics problem’ in UK higher education, many institutions have implemented a programme of mathematics support. Previous surveys within the UK, undertaken in 2001, 2004 and, most recently, 2012, have shown growth in the number of institutions offering such support and indicate that the dominant form of provision is through a drop-in model. Here we report on a 2018 survey of higher education providers in England and Wales undertaken to establish not only the extent of current provision but also understand the scale of its delivery. We find that overall the proportion of higher education institutions offering mathematics support remains broadly the same, but there is considerable variation in how this support is delivered within institutions. While the drop-in model remains most common, we see evidence that the methods used to provide mathematics support are expanding and that the range of levels and subjects studied of targeted student cohorts is widening. For the first time we are able to report on the volume of use of mathematics support by students across England and Wales, and although dependent upon the institutional context, we see clear evidence of the extensive use being made of it by learners.","PeriodicalId":44578,"journal":{"name":"Teaching Mathematics and Its Applications","volume":"39 1","pages":"86-104"},"PeriodicalIF":0.8,"publicationDate":"2020-03-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://sci-hub-pdf.com/10.1093/teamat/hrz009","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"50407943","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Using technology to get a graphical representation of functions requires the choice of a suitable viewing window. The literature suggests teachers’ knowledge as being central in this process, but does not tell us much about how the teachers should manage this. This study aims to improve understanding about the teachers’ choices related to the viewing window on the study of functions. It also intends to illustrate how this analysis can be a useful way to access aspects of teachers’ knowledge based on the framework of Knowledge for Teaching Mathematics with Technology (KTMT). The study adopts a qualitative methodological approach, undertaking case studies of two teachers. The findings recognize the importance of carefully sequencing the students’ contact with this kind of situation and the impact of the viewing window over the teachers’ choices of tasks, pointing to the relevance of considering situations where the students actually face the difficulties. This highlights the relation of teachers’ choices of viewing window to their knowledge of different KTMT’s domains, and specifically the relevance of knowledge of different ways to change the window; of the difficulties faced by the students; of the most suitable tasks (and required viewing window) at each moment; of the impact of the viewing window on the appearance of a graph and of the different situations associated, from the mathematical point of view.
{"title":"Graphical representation of functions using technology: a window to teacher knowledge","authors":"Helena Rocha","doi":"10.1093/teamat/hrz011","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1093/teamat/hrz011","url":null,"abstract":"Using technology to get a graphical representation of functions requires the choice of a suitable viewing window. The literature suggests teachers’ knowledge as being central in this process, but does not tell us much about how the teachers should manage this. This study aims to improve understanding about the teachers’ choices related to the viewing window on the study of functions. It also intends to illustrate how this analysis can be a useful way to access aspects of teachers’ knowledge based on the framework of Knowledge for Teaching Mathematics with Technology (KTMT). The study adopts a qualitative methodological approach, undertaking case studies of two teachers. The findings recognize the importance of carefully sequencing the students’ contact with this kind of situation and the impact of the viewing window over the teachers’ choices of tasks, pointing to the relevance of considering situations where the students actually face the difficulties. This highlights the relation of teachers’ choices of viewing window to their knowledge of different KTMT’s domains, and specifically the relevance of knowledge of different ways to change the window; of the difficulties faced by the students; of the most suitable tasks (and required viewing window) at each moment; of the impact of the viewing window on the appearance of a graph and of the different situations associated, from the mathematical point of view.","PeriodicalId":44578,"journal":{"name":"Teaching Mathematics and Its Applications","volume":"39 1","pages":"105-126"},"PeriodicalIF":0.8,"publicationDate":"2020-03-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://sci-hub-pdf.com/10.1093/teamat/hrz011","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"50301874","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
The Mathematics and Statistics Support Centre (MSSC) at Central Queensland University (CQU), which is part of the Academic Learning Centre (ALC), has been in operation since 1984 as the first MSSC in Australia. The Mathematics Learning Support (MLS) centres have spread to almost every university in Australia currently. The MSSC at CQU offers free support services for students who need mathematics and statistics help or advice for their courses. In this study we analyse the differences of the impact of mathematics and statistics support services on mature age students and secondary school-leaver (traditional) students study habits, confidence and opinion towards mathematics and statistics, using data collected from students who used the ALC at CQU in the second half of 2016. The results suggest a positive impact of mathematics and statistics support on mature age students’ study habits, confidence and opinion towards mathematics and statistics. Chi-squared tests have shown that there are differences in the proportion of mature students and traditional students who have changed their study habits, increased their confidence levels and changed their opinion on mathematics with p values of 0.001, 0.009 and 0.023, respectively. The study also shows that the majority of students are satisfied with the services provided at the MSSC and believe that the services provided helped them to solve or minimize difficulties in working through mathematics- and/or statistics-related learning activities at CQU. Based on the findings of the current study we conclude that the use of learning support centres is an effective way to solve or minimize difficulties associated with mathematics and statistics learning at a tertiary institution.
{"title":"The impact of Mathematics and Statistics Support at the Academic Learning Centre, Central Queensland University","authors":"Michael Dzator;Janet Dzator","doi":"10.1093/teamat/hry016","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1093/teamat/hry016","url":null,"abstract":"The Mathematics and Statistics Support Centre (MSSC) at Central Queensland University (CQU), which is part of the Academic Learning Centre (ALC), has been in operation since 1984 as the first MSSC in Australia. The Mathematics Learning Support (MLS) centres have spread to almost every university in Australia currently. The MSSC at CQU offers free support services for students who need mathematics and statistics help or advice for their courses. In this study we analyse the differences of the impact of mathematics and statistics support services on mature age students and secondary school-leaver (traditional) students study habits, confidence and opinion towards mathematics and statistics, using data collected from students who used the ALC at CQU in the second half of 2016. The results suggest a positive impact of mathematics and statistics support on mature age students’ study habits, confidence and opinion towards mathematics and statistics. Chi-squared tests have shown that there are differences in the proportion of mature students and traditional students who have changed their study habits, increased their confidence levels and changed their opinion on mathematics with p values of 0.001, 0.009 and 0.023, respectively. The study also shows that the majority of students are satisfied with the services provided at the MSSC and believe that the services provided helped them to solve or minimize difficulties in working through mathematics- and/or statistics-related learning activities at CQU. Based on the findings of the current study we conclude that the use of learning support centres is an effective way to solve or minimize difficulties associated with mathematics and statistics learning at a tertiary institution.","PeriodicalId":44578,"journal":{"name":"Teaching Mathematics and Its Applications","volume":"39 1","pages":"13-28"},"PeriodicalIF":0.8,"publicationDate":"2020-03-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://sci-hub-pdf.com/10.1093/teamat/hry016","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"50301901","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
The paper presents results of two case studies with undergraduate students majoring in applied mathematics and engineering. The first case study deals with students’ preferences for and difficulties with application problems and pure mathematics questions in their courses. The students were majoring in applied mathematics and taking a second-year course on ordinary differential equations. The second case study deals with students’ preferences for application problems and pure mathematics questions. The students were majoring in engineering and taking first- and second-year engineering mathematics courses. Students’ responses are presented and discussed in the paper.
{"title":"University students’ preferences for application problems and pure mathematics questions","authors":"Sergiy Klymchuk;Kerri Spooner","doi":"10.1093/teamat/hry014","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1093/teamat/hry014","url":null,"abstract":"The paper presents results of two case studies with undergraduate students majoring in applied mathematics and engineering. The first case study deals with students’ preferences for and difficulties with application problems and pure mathematics questions in their courses. The students were majoring in applied mathematics and taking a second-year course on ordinary differential equations. The second case study deals with students’ preferences for application problems and pure mathematics questions. The students were majoring in engineering and taking first- and second-year engineering mathematics courses. Students’ responses are presented and discussed in the paper.","PeriodicalId":44578,"journal":{"name":"Teaching Mathematics and Its Applications","volume":"39 1","pages":"29-37"},"PeriodicalIF":0.8,"publicationDate":"2020-03-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"50301902","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Common student errors and misconceptions can be addressed through the method of classroom voting, in which the instructor presents a multiple-choice question to the class, and after a few minutes for consideration and small-group discussion, each student votes on the correct answer, using a clicker or a phone. If a large number of students have voted for one particular incorrect answer, the instructor can recognize and address the issue. In order to identify multiple-choice questions that are especially effective at provoking common errors and misconceptions, we recorded the percentages of students voting for each option on each question used in 25 sections of integral calculus, taught by 7 instructors, at 4 institutions, over the course of 12 years, on a collection of 172 questions. We restricted our analysis to the 115 questions which were voted on by at least 5 different classes. We present the six questions that caused the largest percentages of students to vote for a particular incorrect answer, discuss how we used these questions in the classroom, and examine the common features of these questions. Further, we look for correlations between question characteristics and the mean percentage of students voting for common errors on these questions, and we find that questions based on general cases have higher percentages of students voting for common errors.
{"title":"Addressing common errors and misconceptions in integral calculus with clickers and classroom voting","authors":"Kelly Cline;Holly Zullo;David A Huckaby","doi":"10.1093/teamat/hrz002","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1093/teamat/hrz002","url":null,"abstract":"Common student errors and misconceptions can be addressed through the method of classroom voting, in which the instructor presents a multiple-choice question to the class, and after a few minutes for consideration and small-group discussion, each student votes on the correct answer, using a clicker or a phone. If a large number of students have voted for one particular incorrect answer, the instructor can recognize and address the issue. In order to identify multiple-choice questions that are especially effective at provoking common errors and misconceptions, we recorded the percentages of students voting for each option on each question used in 25 sections of integral calculus, taught by 7 instructors, at 4 institutions, over the course of 12 years, on a collection of 172 questions. We restricted our analysis to the 115 questions which were voted on by at least 5 different classes. We present the six questions that caused the largest percentages of students to vote for a particular incorrect answer, discuss how we used these questions in the classroom, and examine the common features of these questions. Further, we look for correlations between question characteristics and the mean percentage of students voting for common errors on these questions, and we find that questions based on general cases have higher percentages of students voting for common errors.","PeriodicalId":44578,"journal":{"name":"Teaching Mathematics and Its Applications","volume":"39 1","pages":"71-85"},"PeriodicalIF":0.8,"publicationDate":"2020-03-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://sci-hub-pdf.com/10.1093/teamat/hrz002","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"50301875","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
The process of pairing a name with representations or peculiar properties permeates many mathematics classroom situations. In school, many practices go under the label ‘definition’, even though they can be very different from what mathematicians conceive as a formal definition, and in fact there are substantial differences between these different kinds of practices. This can create difficulties for pupils, since they may encounter non-coherent definitions of the same thing. Features of these schemes are exemplified through the analysis of some algebra high school textbooks, looking at the proposed ‘definitions’ of monomials and polynomials. We show how all these definition schemes are used in textbooks. Starting from the observed differences, we highlight some educational research problems.
{"title":"Monomials and polynomials: the long march towards a definition","authors":"Giorgio Bolondi;Federica Ferretti;Andrea Maffia","doi":"10.1093/teamat/hry015","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1093/teamat/hry015","url":null,"abstract":"The process of pairing a name with representations or peculiar properties permeates many mathematics classroom situations. In school, many practices go under the label ‘definition’, even though they can be very different from what mathematicians conceive as a formal definition, and in fact there are substantial differences between these different kinds of practices. This can create difficulties for pupils, since they may encounter non-coherent definitions of the same thing. Features of these schemes are exemplified through the analysis of some algebra high school textbooks, looking at the proposed ‘definitions’ of monomials and polynomials. We show how all these definition schemes are used in textbooks. Starting from the observed differences, we highlight some educational research problems.","PeriodicalId":44578,"journal":{"name":"Teaching Mathematics and Its Applications","volume":"39 1","pages":"1-12"},"PeriodicalIF":0.8,"publicationDate":"2020-03-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://sci-hub-pdf.com/10.1093/teamat/hry015","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"50301903","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Difficulties in learning (and thus teaching) statistical inference are well reported in the literature. We argue the problem emanates not only from the way in which statistical inference is taught but also from what exactly is taught as statistical inference. What makes statistical inference difficult to understand is that it contains two logics that operate in opposite directions. There is a certain logic in the construction of the inference framework, and there is another in its application. The logic of construction commences from the population, reaches the sample through some steps and then comes back to the population by building and using the sampling distribution. The logic of application, on the other hand, starts from the sample and reaches the population by making use of the sampling distribution. The main problem in teaching statistical inference in our view is that students are taught the logic of application while the fundamental steps in the direction of construction are often overlooked. In this study, we examine and compare these two logics and argue that introductory statistical courses would benefit from using the direction of construction, which ensures that students internalize the way in which inference framework makes sense, rather than that of application.
{"title":"Why is it difficult to understand statistical inference? Reflections on the opposing directions of construction and application of inference framework","authors":"Fulya Kula, R. G. Koçer","doi":"10.1093/teamat/hrz014","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1093/teamat/hrz014","url":null,"abstract":"\u0000 Difficulties in learning (and thus teaching) statistical inference are well reported in the literature. We argue the problem emanates not only from the way in which statistical inference is taught but also from what exactly is taught as statistical inference. What makes statistical inference difficult to understand is that it contains two logics that operate in opposite directions. There is a certain logic in the construction of the inference framework, and there is another in its application. The logic of construction commences from the population, reaches the sample through some steps and then comes back to the population by building and using the sampling distribution. The logic of application, on the other hand, starts from the sample and reaches the population by making use of the sampling distribution. The main problem in teaching statistical inference in our view is that students are taught the logic of application while the fundamental steps in the direction of construction are often overlooked. In this study, we examine and compare these two logics and argue that introductory statistical courses would benefit from using the direction of construction, which ensures that students internalize the way in which inference framework makes sense, rather than that of application.","PeriodicalId":44578,"journal":{"name":"Teaching Mathematics and Its Applications","volume":"1 1","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":0.8,"publicationDate":"2020-01-20","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://sci-hub-pdf.com/10.1093/teamat/hrz014","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"61090281","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
The objective of this article is to study undergraduate student satisfaction with the educational programme in Applied Mathematics in terms of identification of areas for teaching process improvement. Currently, there are no instruments for student evaluation of teaching accepted by the teaching community in Russia, and student feedback implementation is carried out only at certain universities. A questionnaire was developed for the purposes of course evaluation. It includes 10 parameters characterizing the format of the course, the adequacy of educational materials provided for students, the quality of teaching, specific features of course content and learning outcomes. Sixty-six final-year undergraduates evaluated 34 courses that comprise the Applied Mathematics programme based on their memories of past events with the help of a 100-point scale familiar to them. The results were studied using the following statistical methods: correlation, factor, regression and cluster analysis. As a result of the research, three factors were singled out. They are as follows: shortcomings in course arrangement and gaps in teaching skills, moral environment in the classroom and the intrinsic difficulty of the subject. They explain 90% of the variance of the student dissatisfaction parameter Need for a change and 59% of the variance of the teaching quality parameter Students’ level of knowledge. Cluster analysis allowed to single out items requiring corrective actions (‘severe problem’, ‘problem’ and ‘difficult’ courses) and to suggest strategies for their improvement.
{"title":"Evaluation and interpretation of student satisfaction with the quality of the university educational program in applied mathematics","authors":"Elena Kuznetsova","doi":"10.1093/teamat/hry005","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1093/teamat/hry005","url":null,"abstract":"The objective of this article is to study undergraduate student satisfaction with the educational programme in Applied Mathematics in terms of identification of areas for teaching process improvement. Currently, there are no instruments for student evaluation of teaching accepted by the teaching community in Russia, and student feedback implementation is carried out only at certain universities. A questionnaire was developed for the purposes of course evaluation. It includes 10 parameters characterizing the format of the course, the adequacy of educational materials provided for students, the quality of teaching, specific features of course content and learning outcomes. Sixty-six final-year undergraduates evaluated 34 courses that comprise the Applied Mathematics programme based on their memories of past events with the help of a 100-point scale familiar to them. The results were studied using the following statistical methods: correlation, factor, regression and cluster analysis. As a result of the research, three factors were singled out. They are as follows: shortcomings in course arrangement and gaps in teaching skills, moral environment in the classroom and the intrinsic difficulty of the subject. They explain 90% of the variance of the student dissatisfaction parameter Need for a change and 59% of the variance of the teaching quality parameter Students’ level of knowledge. Cluster analysis allowed to single out items requiring corrective actions (‘severe problem’, ‘problem’ and ‘difficult’ courses) and to suggest strategies for their improvement.","PeriodicalId":44578,"journal":{"name":"Teaching Mathematics and Its Applications","volume":"38 2","pages":"107-119"},"PeriodicalIF":0.8,"publicationDate":"2019-06-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://sci-hub-pdf.com/10.1093/teamat/hry005","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"50259653","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Previous studies have explored students’ understanding of the relationship between definite integrals and areas under curves, but not their metacognitive experiences and skills while solving such problems. This paper explores students’ mathematical performance, metacognitive experiences and metacognitive skills when solving integral-area tasks by interviewing nine university and eight Year 13 students using a think-aloud protocol. The findings show that the students could have benefitted from their teachers and lecturers placing greater emphasis on both their conceptual understanding of integral-area relationships and their metacognitive experiences and skills.
{"title":"Students’ mathematical performance, metacognitive experiences and metacognitive skills in relation to integral-area relationships","authors":"Farzad Radmehr;Michael Drake","doi":"10.1093/teamat/hry006","DOIUrl":"10.1093/teamat/hry006","url":null,"abstract":"Previous studies have explored students’ understanding of the relationship between definite integrals and areas under curves, but not their metacognitive experiences and skills while solving such problems. This paper explores students’ mathematical performance, metacognitive experiences and metacognitive skills when solving integral-area tasks by interviewing nine university and eight Year 13 students using a think-aloud protocol. The findings show that the students could have benefitted from their teachers and lecturers placing greater emphasis on both their conceptual understanding of integral-area relationships and their metacognitive experiences and skills.","PeriodicalId":44578,"journal":{"name":"Teaching Mathematics and Its Applications","volume":"38 2","pages":"85-106"},"PeriodicalIF":0.8,"publicationDate":"2019-06-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://sci-hub-pdf.com/10.1093/teamat/hry006","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"43623939","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Mathematics education is highly valued in advanced economies due to its role in developing skilled workforces, economic resilience and social wellbeing. However, university academics across disciplines regularly bemoan undergraduate students’ under-preparedness for the mathematical and quantitative demands of undergraduate degree programmes. In this paper we consider this issue. We begin with a research synthesis of relevant literatures on mathematics within university study in the natural sciences (physics, chemistry and biology) and social sciences (economics, geography, psychology) that highlights the international nature of this problem. We then develop an historical national case study of how mathematics for pre-university study in England has evolved, culminating in a recent policy move which mandates the assessment of mathematics within disciplines. Finally, by integrating these two distinct perspectives we discuss wider issues relating to mathematics for the transition to higher education.
{"title":"Mathematics in the disciplines at the transition to university","authors":"Mary McAlinden;Andrew Noyes","doi":"10.1093/teamat/hry004","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1093/teamat/hry004","url":null,"abstract":"Mathematics education is highly valued in advanced economies due to its role in developing skilled workforces, economic resilience and social wellbeing. However, university academics across disciplines regularly bemoan undergraduate students’ under-preparedness for the mathematical and quantitative demands of undergraduate degree programmes. In this paper we consider this issue. We begin with a research synthesis of relevant literatures on mathematics within university study in the natural sciences (physics, chemistry and biology) and social sciences (economics, geography, psychology) that highlights the international nature of this problem. We then develop an historical national case study of how mathematics for pre-university study in England has evolved, culminating in a recent policy move which mandates the assessment of mathematics within disciplines. Finally, by integrating these two distinct perspectives we discuss wider issues relating to mathematics for the transition to higher education.","PeriodicalId":44578,"journal":{"name":"Teaching Mathematics and Its Applications","volume":"38 2","pages":"61-73"},"PeriodicalIF":0.8,"publicationDate":"2019-06-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://sci-hub-pdf.com/10.1093/teamat/hry004","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"50259615","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
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