How are we progressing with academic numeracy at regional universities? Perspectives from first-year undergraduate studies

Title
How are we progressing with academic numeracy at regional universities? Perspectives from first-year undergraduate studies
Publication Date
2021-09
Author(s)
Woolcott, Geoff
Galligan, Linda
Whannell, Robert
( author )
OrcID: https://orcid.org/0000-0003-2128-8229
Email: rwhannel@une.edu.au
UNE Id une-id:rwhannel
Marshman, Margaret
Axelsen, Taryn
Schmalz, Jelena
( author )
OrcID: https://orcid.org/0000-0001-5486-7679
Email: jschmalz@une.edu.au
UNE Id une-id:jschmalz
Sultanova, Nargiz
Type of document
Journal Article
Language
en
Entity Type
Publication
Publisher
Springer Netherlands
Place of publication
Netherlands
DOI
10.1007/s13394-020-00312-3
UNE publication id
une:1959.11/28046
Abstract
This study provides an overview of the support provided for academic numeracy for first-year students across six Australian regional universities. Survey analysis of university academics provided an overview of the approaches used in academic numeracy in diverse cohorts. Further investigations via semi-structured interviews and secondary data were performed, providing details of the level of academic numeracy required in the subjects offered, identification of at-risk students and strategies for student support, and student responses to service provision. A case study at one university provided a more detailed view of the factors influencing attrition in first-year academic numeracy subjects. This case study highlighted issues related to a one-size-fits-all approach and findings argue for a more nuanced cohort-based approach that combines conventional statistical analysis with analysis that provides a more detailed view of complex scenarios. The study suggests that while support services are not responding well to the issue of attrition, better targeting individual student support may lead to improvements.
Link
Citation
Mathematics Education Research Journal, 33(3), p. 451-468
ISSN
2211-050X
1033-2170
Start page
451
End page
468

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