Widening participation in subjects requiring data handling skills: the MathsAid Project

• Published in: Journal of further and higher education Vol. 29; no. 4; pp. 353 - 365
• Main Authors: Atkins, Nigel, May, Steve, Marks-Maran, Di
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Basingstoke Routledge 01.11.2005; Taylor & Francis Group Journals; Taylor & Francis
• Subjects: College Mathematics; Curriculum subjects: programmes and methods; Educational sciences; Educational Technology; Foreign Countries; Higher Education; Information Technology; Management Systems; Mathematics Skills; Peer Teaching; Program Effectiveness; Teaching methods; Tutoring; United Kingdom; United Kingdom; Learning Strategy; Teaching method; Mathematics; University; Peer Teaching; Statistics
• ISSN: 0309-877X; 1469-9486
• DOI: 10.1080/03098770500353607

MathsAid was established in 2001 as a university-wide resource for students enrolled on programmes at Kingston University that contain a mathematics or statistics component. Its broad aims are to provide a set of non-threatening remedial and motivational opportunities in maths and statistics through one-to-one tutorial support, peer-assisted learning (PAL) and ICT products managed through the BlackBoard learning management system. An evaluation of the MathsAid program has found it to aid some students in both their short- and long-term learning objectives but has raised questions of whether it could be adjusted to reach more of the most vulnerable students. This article outlines the MathsAid programme and the evaluation results.