Examining undergraduate student retention in mathematics using network analysis and relative risk

Higher education faces challenges in retaining students who require a command of numeracy in their chosen field of study. This study applies an innovative combination of relative risk and social network analysis to enrolment data of a single cohort of commencing students from an Australian regional university. Relative risk, often used in epidemiology studies, is used to strategically investigate whether first year mathematics subjects at the university demonstrated a higher risk of attrition when compared to other subjects offered in the first year of study. The network analysis is used to illustrate the connections of those mathematics subjects, identifying service subjects through their multiple connections. The analysis revealed that attrition rates for eight of the nine subjects were within acceptable limits, and this included identified service subjects. The exception highlighted the issue of mathematics competencies in this cohort. This combined analytical technique is proposed as appropriate for use when investigating attrition and retention at faculty and institutional levels, including the determination of levels of intervention and support for any subject

High school dropouts returning to study: The influence of the teacher and family during secondary school

This study investigated the influence of the teacher and family relationships during secondary school for 18 to 22 year old students who had dropped out of secondary school and were attempting to gain access to tertiary study through a tertiary bridging program at a regional university. 144 students from two student cohorts completed a questionnaire intended to facilitate an understanding of how social context influenced secondary school attrition. It was identified that students who had not completed secondary school reported significantly lower levels of emotional engagement with school and poorer relationships with teachers. The study concluded that the residential situation and the quality of student-teacher relationships influenced the quality of the academic outcomes achieved in secondary school, with the student-teacher relationship being the dominant factor. It was also concluded that, while secondary school completion was significantly lower for students who did not reside with both parents, the family situation was not predictive of school completion. Rather, it is hypothesised that the wider contextual problems associated with family dysfunction which manifest in a poor school experience were the cause of the failure to complete secondary school. The implications for secondary school and tertiary bridging educators are discussed

The motivation and identity challenges for PhD holders in the transition to science and mathematics teaching in secondary education: A pilot study

Australian secondary education has endured a chronic shortage of qualified mathematics and science teachers for a number of years, particularly in rural and remote areas. A longitudinal research project examining the capacity for the holders of PhD level qualifications in mathematics and science to be utilised as one means of addressing this shortage has been commenced at two regional Australian universities. This paper reports on the pilot study which utilised semi-structured interviews involving five participants at various stages of the transition into secondary school teaching. The interviews examined the motivations of the participants to enter secondary teaching and the challenges associated with the transition. The principle findings were that all but one of the participants had considered secondary teaching as a career option for an extended period that, for some, had predated their PhD study. Those participants who had engaged in postdoctoral study reported substantial professional identity challenges associated with the change in career. Financial security considerations figured strongly in the decisions to initiate the transition to secondary teaching. The opportunities for further research identified by the pilot study are discussed

The Motivation And Identity Challenges For Phd Holders In The Transition To Science And Mathematics Teaching In Secondary Education: A Pilot Study

Australian secondary education has endured a chronic shortage of qualified mathematics and science teachers for a number of years, particularly in rural and remote areas. A longitudinal research project examining the capacity for the holders of PhD level qualifications in mathematics and science to be utilised as one means of addressing this shortage has been commenced at two regional Australian universities. This paper reports on the pilot study which utilised semi-structured interviews involving five participants at various stages of the transition into secondary school teaching. The interviews examined the motivations of the participants to enter secondary teaching and the challenges associated with the transition. The principle findings were that all but one of the participants had considered secondary teaching as a career option for an extended period that, for some, had predated their PhD study. Those participants who had engaged in postdoctoral study reported substantial professional identity challenges associated with the change in career. Financial security considerations figured strongly in the decisions to initiate the transition to secondary teaching. The opportunities for further research identified by the pilot study are discussed

Early departure from a tertiary bridging program: What can the institution do?

This study examined the early departure of students between the ages of 18 and 25 years from an on-campus tertiary bridging program at a regional university. Participants comprised 20 students who had dropped out of the program within the first four weeks of study. Data were collected by semi-structured interviews, which examined the student experience and the reasons for departure. It was concluded that participants comprised two general groups: those who have no clearly defined long-term career goal prompting their attendance at university with an associated low level of commitment to university study, and those who were committed to completing a university degree, but for whom a change in circumstances prevented them from continuing. Participants indicated that attendance in the bridging program was a generally positive experience and that there was little that could have been done to prevent their departure. It was concluded that a certain level of early departure was inevitable in the tertiary bridging program. Where intervention was attempted, it should be addressed towards the development of long-term employment and career goals for which university study was an essential prerequisite

Casualties of Schooling? 18 to 22 Year Old Students in a Tertiary Bridging Programs

A sample of 81 students between the ages of 18 and 22 years in a tertiary bridging program at a regional university completed a questionnaire examining how demographics, social context, academic engagement and the ability to cope with the curriculum complexity influenced academic success in high school and adversely affected their preparedness for tertiary study. The demographics of the study participants, including socio-economic status, private/public school attendance and first in family to attend university were such that the study participants could not be considered to be members of a disadvantaged group. The study supports the hypothesis that a number of the study participants are casualties of their schooling and their poor long term academic performance at high school occurred due to poor student-teacher relationships with associated poor academic engagement. The implications for educational pedagogy for educators in tertiary bridging programs are discussed

Reflecting on Emotions During Teaching: Developing Affective-Reflective Skills in Novice Teachers Using a Novel Critical Moment Protocol

Affective-reflective skills are an integral component of classroom pedagogy, providing teachers with emotional understandings and confidence that can improve overall classroom performance. This article presents a case study of early career primary school teachers, showing how such affective-reflective skills can be developed through iterations of a purpose-designed collaborative protocol. Use of this novel protocol allowed teachers to examine their classroom practices via critical moment analysis of affective responses observed from lesson videos. Findings demonstrate how teachers’ use of this non-judgmental and self-evaluative protocol contributed to an emerging understanding of the relationship between their affective-reflective skills and teaching confidence. Findings support an argument for reframing teacher professional learning, from a focus largely on curriculum content and pedagogy, to a focus that includes the teacher’s emotional experience and its subsequent analysis, as part of the learned content that supports the growth of teacher confidence

An Evaluation of the use of an Online Demonstration School

In 2016, a change was made to the approach taken for delivery of the first practicum placement experience for initial teacher education students at [the university]. Rather than the traditional 20-day in-school observation placement, an alternative 10-day online experience, called the Online Demonstration School (ODS), was developed. The ODS provided students with a fully online practicum experience involving viewing videos of a variety of classroom situations developed in conjunction with local schools. Subsequent reflection and collaboration with peers and academics allowed targeted aspects in the classroom situations to be examined in depth. This article summarises the literature supporting this change and presents a comparison of the effectiveness of these two alternative approaches based upon an analysis of mentor teacher grading of the second practicum placement completed. The analysis indicates that there are few significant differences in grading of the second in-school practicum placement by mentor teachers based upon whether students complete the in-school placement or the ODS. The benefits of the use and possible future development of the ODS are discussed

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

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. © 2020, Mathematics Education Research Group of Australasia, Inc. **Please note that there are multiple authors for this article therefore only the name of the first 5 including Federation University Australia affiliate “Nargiz Sultanova ” is provided in this record** Sultanova, Nargi

Marketing an Alternate Model for Science and Mathematics Initial Teacher Education

An innovative initial teacher education undergraduate degree has been offered for the first time in 2016 at an Australian University. The degree provides for qualification as a secondary science and mathematics teacher through the completion of a four-year integrated science, mathematics and education program of study where the synergies available through concurrent, integrated study of content and teacher pedagogy are available. The paper describes the results of the analysis of data from science and mathematics school teachers and career advisors in relation to the potential market for the program and perceived advantages and barriers to students selecting the degree