Maria Dymova and Sylwia Frankowska-Takhari
Most Mathematics Foundation students at City are from BAME backgrounds; we have a few students with additional needs every year. Many of our students are first in their families to attend university and/or are in part-time work. The study aims to investigate the potential of active learning strategies in raising student attainment.
Three active learning approaches were introduced in Mathematical Economics module on-campus lessons over three teaching weeks with 4 contact hours per week. The approaches tested include small group work with reporting results back to class, students selected randomly to contribute to in-class problem-solving, using mobile phones for online polling with instant feedback.
All mathematics foundation students took part in the active learning classes and were invited to give feedback. Three rounds of 2:1 interviews and a focus group were held. Students participated eagerly which allowed excellent coverage of the cohort and inclusion of diverse opinions. Participation was voluntary. Students received small incentives.
Student feedback from earlier weeks informed the active learning interventions used in later weeks, thus involving students as co-designers of their learning. E.g., students reported that peer instruction enhanced their learning. Hence, peer instruction was included in subsequent sessions.
Student learning was measured via before and after quizzes, student satisfaction – via interviews which took place immediately after teaching sessions.
Student feedback analysis revealed that active learning approaches often consisted of several elements – their effectiveness in facilitating student learning and popularity among students varied significantly. Peer instruction, competition, backward chaining of tasks, working in small groups formed by the instructor were deemed effective and well-liked by students. Students also perceived active learning sessions as being taught at a slower pace than usual tutorials, thus, resulting is less work done in class. This indicates a cost-benefit trade-off of active learning approaches in foundation mathematics teaching.
20 Minute presentation; 10 minutes questions and discussion. Attendees will be invited to
- ask further questions about the rationale, methodology and outcomes of the study;
- share their experiences of the use of active learning strategies in class;
- compare and contrast how active learning works in different disciplines;
- discuss how active learning strategies are to be adjusted to a particular student group and/or desired learning outcomes;
- reflect on barriers preventing students from fully engaging in active learning and how to overcome these.
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Hulme, J.A. and De Wilde, J. (2014). Tackling transition in STEM disciplines: Supporting the Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics (STEM) student journey into higher education in England and Wales. York: Higher Education Academy.
Wendy McMillan (2014) ‘They have different information about what is going on’: emotion in the transition to university, Higher Education Research & Development, 33:6, 1123-1135.
Freeman, S., Eddy, S. L., McDonough, M., Smith, M. K., Okoroafor, N., Jordt, H., & Wenderoth, M. P. (2014). Active learning increases student performance in science, engineering, and mathematics. Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences, 111(23), 8410–8415.
Theobald, E. J., Hill, M. J., Tran, E., Agrawal, S., Arroyo, E. N., Behling, S., Chambwe, N., Cintrón, D. L., Cooper, J. D., Dunster, G., Grummer, J. A., Hennessey, K., Hsiao, J., Iranon, N., Jones, L., Jordt, H., Keller, M., Lacey, M. E., Littlefield, C. E., … Freeman, S. (2020). Active learning narrows achievement gaps for underrepresented students in undergraduate science, technology, engineering, and math. Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences, 117(12), 6476–6483.
Session 4A – Active learning Maths
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