The Origins, Development and Evaluation of Mathematics Support Services

This article is an introductory overview of the recent expansion in the development and provision of mathe- matics support services at third level. In the last ten years the establishment of Mathematics Support and Learning Centres has increased significantly in Ireland and the UK. Most third level institutes in Ireland now supply some level of math- ematics support. We will discuss the development of these supports as well as the reasons why third level institutes have decided to introduce them. We also give an overview of how these services are evaluated and the impact that they appear to have on student retention and performance

The Origins, Development and Evaluation of Mathematics Support Services

This article is an introductory overview of the recent expansion in the development and provision of mathe- matics support services at third level. In the last ten years the establishment of Mathematics Support and Learning Centres has increased significantly in Ireland and the UK. Most third level institutes in Ireland now supply some level of math- ematics support. We will discuss the development of these supports as well as the reasons why third level institutes have decided to introduce them. We also give an overview of how these services are evaluated and the impact that they appear to have on student retention and performance

Adult learners and mathematics learning support

The provision of some level of Mathematics Learning Support (MLS) is now standard in the majority of Higher Education Institutions in Ireland, the UK, and in many other countries. This provision is, in part, a response to the large numbers of students entering Higher Education who do not have the mathematical skills required and this cohort includes a significant number of adult learners. Research indicates that these students have different motivations and approaches to learning than traditional age learners. This paper considers the analysis of a large scale student evaluation of Mathematics Learning Support in Ireland. In particular, it presents the responses and engagement levels of adult learners and compares these to those of traditional students. The findings are key to ensuring best practice in the provision of MLS for the wide variety of students who engage with it

An Irish mathematics learning support network (IMLSN) report on student evaluation of mathematics learning support: Insights from a large scale multi-institutional survey

In this section we provide a summary of the main outcomes of this survey on Mathematics Learning Support (MLS), for full and further information we refer the reader to the relevant part of the report

An Irish Mathematics Learning Support Network (IMLSN) Report on Student Evaluation of Mathematics Learning Support: Insights from a large scale multi‐institutional survey

In this section we provide a summary of the main outcomes of this survey on Mathematics Learning Support (MLS), for full and further information we refer the reader to the relevant part of the report

The Irish mathematics support network: its origins and progression

In this report we will present an overview of the establishment and subsequent development of the Irish Mathematics Support Network. We will briefly mention the reasons behind the foundation of the network and we will expand upon the aims and outcomes of our activities and projects in detail. We will discuss our activities in terms of our main goals; meeting the challenge of providing support for the wide range of students studying mathematics at third level and providing suitable and shared resources to help the consolidation and expansion of mathematics support services on a wide basis nationally

Comparison of Readability Scores for Written Health Information Across Formulas Using Automated vs Manual Measures

Assessing the readability of written health information is a common way to evaluate whether patients are likely to understand it.1 Readability is an objective measure that estimates a text’s equivalent school-grade reading level and is increasingly recommended globally in health policies.2,3 Several formulas for calculating readability exist, and scores can vary substantially depending on the formula applied.4 There has also been a proliferation of automated online calculators that provide readability estimates within seconds. However, the accuracy and consistency of automated calculators have not been evaluated. The aims of this study were to assess (1) the variability of readability scores across automated calculators, (2) the association of text preparation with score variability, and (3) the level of agreement of automated readability scores with the reference standard (manually calculated scores) using the Simple Measure of Gobbledygook (SMOG) Index, the Flesch Kincaid Grade Level (FKGL), and the Automated Readability Index (ARI)

Addressing Health Literacy in Patient Decision Aids:An Update from the International Patient Decision Aid Standards

BACKGROUND: There is increasing recognition of the importance of addressing health literacy in patient decision aid (PtDA) development. PURPOSE: An updated review as part of IPDAS 2.0 examined the extent to which PtDAs are designed to meet the needs of low health literacy/disadvantaged populations. DATA SOURCES: Reference list of Cochrane review of randomised controlled trials (RCTs) of PtDAs (2014, 2017 and upcoming 2021 versions). STUDY SELECTION: RCTs that assessed the impact of PtDAs on low health literacy or other disadvantaged groups (i.e. ≥50% participants from disadvantaged groups and/or subgroup analysis in disadvantaged group/s). DATA EXTRACTION: Two researchers independently extracted data into a standardized form including PtDA development and evaluation details. We searched online repositories and emailed authors to access PtDAs to verify reading level, understandability and actionability. DATA SYNTHESIS: Twenty-five out of 213 RCTs met inclusion criteria illustrating that only 12% of studies addressed the needs of low health literacy or other disadvantaged groups. Reading age was calculated in 8/25 studies (33%), which is recommended in previous IPDAS guidelines. We accessed and independently assessed 11 PtDAs. None were written at 6(th) grade level or below. Ten PtDAs met the recommended threshold for understandability, but only 5 met the recommended threshold for actionability. We also conducted a post-hoc subgroup meta-analysis and found that knowledge improvements after receiving a PtDA were greater in studies that reported using strategies to reduce cognitive demand in PtDA development compared to studies that did not (Chi(2)=14.11, p=0.0002, I(2)=92.9%). LIMITATIONS: We were unable to access 13 out of 24 PtDAs. CONCLUSIONS: Greater attention to health literacy and disadvantaged populations is needed in the field of PtDAs to ensure equity in decision support

The self-concept as a bounding on occupational choice in young with problematic substance abuse and law offense history. Systematic review

This article aims to delve into the social stigma associated with being young with problematic substance abuse and law offense, and its direct implications in the process of building self-concept and occupational choice. To approach this issue, we developed a systematic literature review, in order to clarify whether self-concept acts as a limitation on occupational choice on this population. To develop this research we included thirty five articles, in which relationships between keywords were established. Although it was not possible to find literature to directly answer our initial research proposal, through the articulation of the results, we were able to confirm the supossed raised

A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis of Patient Decision Aids for Socially Disadvantaged Populations:Update from the International Patient Decision Aid Standards (IDPAS)

International audienceBackground. The effectiveness of patient decision aids (PtDAs) and other shared decision-making (SDM) interventions for socially disadvantaged populations has not been well studied. Purpose. To assess whether PtDAs and other SDM interventions improve outcomes or decrease health inequalities among socially disadvantaged populations and determine the critical features of successful interventions. Data Sources. MEDLINE, CINAHL, Cochrane, Psy-cINFO, and Web of Science from inception to October 2019. Cochrane systematic reviews on PtDAs. Study Selection. Randomized controlled trials of PtDAs and SDM interventions that included socially disadvantaged populations. Data Extraction. Independent double data extraction using a standardized form and the Template for Intervention Description and Replication checklist. Data Synthesis. Twenty-five PtDA and 13 other SDM intervention trials met our inclusion criteria. Compared with usual care, PtDAs improved knowledge (mean difference = 13.91, 95% confidence interval [CI] 9.01, 18.82 [I 2 = 96%]) and patient-clinician communication (relative risk = 1.62, 95% CI 1.42, 1.84 [I 2 = 0%]). PtDAs reduced decisional conflict (mean difference = 29.59; 95% CI 218.94, 20.24 [I 2 = 84%]) and the proportion undecided (relative risk = 0.39; 95% CI 0.28, 0.53 [I 2 = 75%]). PtDAs did not affect anxiety (standardized mean difference = 0.02, 95% CI 20.22, 0.26 [I 2 = 70%]). Only 1 trial looked at clinical outcomes (hemoglobin A1C). Five of the 12 PtDA studies that compared outcomes by disadvantaged standing found that outcomes improved more for socially disadvantaged participants. No evidence indicated which intervention characteristics were most effective. Results were similar for SDM intervention trials. Limitations. Sixteen PtDA studies had an overall unclear risk of bias. Heterogeneity was high for most outcomes. Most studies only had short-term follow-up. Conclusions. PtDAs led to better outcomes among socially disadvantaged populations but did not reduce health inequalities. We could not determine which intervention features were most effective