INCREASING ENGAGEMENT IN ONLINE LEARNING

Motivated by the need to improve students’ engagement and learning outcomes, in 2018/2019 we implemented two engagement interventions to 1650 students in twelve online courses across Science, Education, Engineering and Accounting at a regional university. Both “click” data and video analytics were used to measure engagement. The first initiative applied findings from behavioural research to ‘nudge’ students toward early engagement with key learning resources and to create ‘teaching presence’ (Garrison, 2007). The second initiative was to help move ‘knowledge’ to ‘know-how’ by nudging videos to offer a sense of real-life expertise, application, motivation and advanced connection. We aimed to improve student learning outcomes and their online engagement by providing explicit guidance about which course resources were critical for students’ success. We were interested in interrogating the data in both learning management systems (Moodle®) and Video analytics (Vimeo®) to answer questions about learner engagement and to explore evidence of impact. The nudges successfully engaged students in the key online resources showing an 18% average increase in access and confirmed via student feedback. The project developed a Nudge Guidelines document that has been presented institutionally and nationally to enable academics to utilise the strategies in their courses

Adults returning to study mathematics

This chapter focuses on adults learning mathematics in two distinct sections; adults learning mathematics in the workplace and community; and adults engaged in further studies (e.g. university or vocational studies) including bridging mathematics. In this review, research available on adults in basic numeracy education through to those gaining access to or supported at university study involving mathematics in a variety of forms is investigated. Consideration is also given to relevant definitions of adult, mathematics and numeracy, and to the relationship between research into learning and research into teaching practices or curriculum design. It is concluded that the area of adults learning mathematics is still under-theorised and under-researched at a time when 21st century needs demand a population with increasing numeracy-based skills and knowledge

Research into research on adults in Bridging Mathematics: the past, the present and the future

Bridging Mathematics has been an informal network of researchers and practitioners from Australian, New Zealand, Southern Africa and the Pacific since the late 1980s. The political and educational climate that saw the rise of the network in those early years is not the climate that exists today. However, although the change in climate has effected both the research and teaching practice of its members,fundamental issues related to adults learning mathematics in all its forms are still being discussed. In this paper we will trace the history of research into and about adults in bridging mathematics highlighting the major achievements along the way. The recurring questions about ‘What do we teach?’, ‘How do we teach it?’, ‘who will teach it?’ and ‘what do we do about the changing technologies?’ will be revisited, leading up to the final question – ‘Is bridging mathematics still necessary

Perceived mathematical proficiencies required for first year study at The University of Southern Queensland

In 1997 a survey of all academic staff teaching first year units was conducted to review the mathematical skills and concepts needed by students enrolling in first year units; to assess academics’ perceptions of the skill level possessed by students and to ascertain whether concerns about numeracy at USQ were widespread or isolated. It was clear from the results of the survey that there are some mismatches between expectation of mathematical skills present in commencing students and stated prerequisites. Further, academics were concerned about the mathematical abilities of entering students generally in the areas of critical thinking and problem solving and specifically in areas particular to their units. The authors make 2 recommendations that would address these issues

The use of tablet and related technologies in mathematics teaching

This paper details some of the ways Tablet PCs and related technologies have been used to foster good teaching and effective learning for students in the early years of university study independent of whether they are in large groups, small groups, in individual consultation situations, in classes or remote from a teacher in distance learning situations. It will focus on the teaching of one-to-many, one-to-few and one-to one, addressing 'stuck places' and online synchronous teaching drawing on investigations and research conducted by the authors since 2004

Research into academic numeracy

Academic numeracy is a critical awareness that allows students to become confident and competent in using mathematics and to be able to situate, interpret, critique, use, communicate and even create mathematics within their discipline’s setting. Academic numeracy is usually based on both the mathematics learnt at school and the mathematics needed in disciplines such as nursing or economics. Many students at both school and university are opting to study easier types of mathematics; universities are removing mathematical pre-requisites from award programs and not recognising the embedded mathematics within many of their courses. These trends ensure that initiatives which allow students to bridge the mathematical gaps to university are still necessary. Yet while research into mathematics at university does exist, it is still in it infancy. There are many questions not fully answered and as universities move into the culture of quality and performance matched funding, it is essential that we continue to address the following questions: • What academic numeracy is needed by students at university? • What are students’ academic numeracy skills on entering university? • What are the most effective ways to develop the academic numeracy skills of university students? This Showcase will highlight some of the research undertaken by the authors and the curricula and resources developed by them and the team at USQ

Overcoming beliefs, attitudes and past experiences: the use of video for adult tertiary students studying mathematics in isolation

Details the design, development and evaluation of a video resource to address the beliefs and attitudes of adult tertiary students towards mathematics. Numeracy related needs of pre-tertiary and tertiary students; Features of the video; Implications of the design of the video for the production of video clips