Presentation at Solent Learning and Teaching Community Conference

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Peer Mentoring for maths learning at level 4:
engaging and collaborative learning
This work is a collaboration between the School of Maritime Science and
Engineering and Employability and Enterprise
Janet Bonar, Simon Saggers
Desislava Andonova and Liz George

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Introduction
 How we teach maths, and to whom
 What we monitor and how we assess
 How are the student doing?
 How and why mentoring?
 Has it worked?
What are we going to do next?
Overview

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• Engineering is important for UK economy
• Mathematics underlies engineering
• Educating engineers requires education in
maths
• Maths not popular subject!
• Fundamentals of mathematics unchanged
since Euclid’s time…
• Is our way of teaching maths at Solent current
best practice?
www.solent.ac.ukBonar and Saggers

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Who and how we teach maths:
• Maths unit taught at level 4, embedded at levels
5 and 6.
• One hour lecture
• Two hour tutorial (quiz, problem set, HW)
• Maths Peer Mentor programme (new in 2015-16)
www.solent.ac.ukBonar and Saggers
Unit Degree students Accreditation?
EMS400 BEng 41 Accredited by IET
EMS401 BSc, HNC 17 BSc not accredited
(new course)

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Monitoring and assessment:
• Engagement data: Attendance, attempts at HW,
weekly quiz score
• Phase Tests covering single topic (pre-calculus,
complex numbers, linear algebra, calculus and
applications of calculus)
• Best 4 phase tests contribute 40% to unit result
• Exam covering all topics at year end, contributes 60%
to unit result
• Minimum of 30% in each assessment (required by IET
accreditation)
www.solent.ac.ukBonar and Saggers
Overview

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• Assessment results for phase tests and exam
www.solent.ac.ukBonar and Saggers
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phase tests and exam
avg 2013-14
avg 2014-15
pass
14-15 exam
13-14 exam
Results

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• Unit pass rates
• What happened in 2014-15?
• Cohort issue!
• What else can we do?
www.solent.ac.ukBonar and Saggers
2012-13 2013-14 2014-15
BEng 49% 70% 54%
BSc /HNC 61% 75%
2014-15 BEEF BMEENF
unit pass 54% 71% 33%
unit avg 47% 53% 39%
unit sd 24% 24% 23%
Results

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Peer mentoring!
• Guided by PAL at Leeds (Pugh*)
• Collaboration with Employability and Enterprise
• Aim is for level 5 students to work with level 4
students to
Share experiences
Act as a role model
Build confidence in mentees
Help with specific topics in maths
*Dr Samantha Pugh, Faculty of Mathematics and Physical
Sciences, University of Leeds,
www.solent.ac.ukBonar andSaggers

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How we did it…
• Recruited 3 volunteers in May 2015
• Training sessions for mentors by maths tutor
and by E&E
• Mentoring sessions timetabled every two
weeks, starting in week 3
• Mentors ran sessions with students
• Mentors met tutor and Student Employability
Advisor every two weeks
www.solent.ac.ukBonar and Saggers

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How did it go?
• Initial sessions had very high attendance (65%),
and peaks ahead of phase tests
www.solent.ac.ukBonar and Saggers
30
20
15
11
15
12
12
9
0
NUMBER IN SESSION

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As a result of the mentoring
• Students reported their confidence, enjoyment
and ability in the topic increased
• From the questionnaire:
“I attended almost all the sessions because I
found it very useful”
“Having someone who I can ask for help who isn't
in authority”
“They gave their experience and could advise on
a more personal advice”
www.solent.ac.ukBonar and Saggers

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The mentoring sessions benefitted the mentors
as well!
• Mentors reported increases in their confidence,
leadership skills and presentation skills
• Mentors also reported their understanding of
the topics increased!
• Despite being busy students, the mentors were
happy to volunteer their time every week
www.solent.ac.ukBonar and

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• How about student achievement?
www.solent.ac.ukBonar and
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phase tests and exam
PT 13-14
PT 14-15
pass
exam 14-15
exam 13-14
PT 15-16
exam 15-16

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• Overall results:
• Cohorts more equal
www.solent.ac.ukBonar and
2012-13 2013-14 2014-15 2015-16
BEng 49% 70% 54% 83%
BSc/HNC 61% 75% 67%
2015-16 BEEF BMEEN
unit pass 83% 89% 81%
unit avg 56% 55% 56%
unit sd 21% 15% 23%

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What next?
• Enthusiastic group of 5 students volunteered
for 2016-17
• Have confirmed biweekly good interval
• Suggested “peer mentoring” rather than “peer
mentoring for maths”
• Link to Engineering Society activities
• Mentors will present prizes during Induction
Week competition
www.solent.ac.ukBonar and

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Was the pilot successful?
• Significantly improved results this year, but low
correlation with attendance at mentoring
sessions
www.solent.ac.ukBonar and
R² = 0.106
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0 0.2 0.4 0.6 0.8 1 1.2
mentoringsessions
unit mark
unit mark and mpm

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Was the pilot successful?
• Significantly improved results this year, but low
correlation with attendance at mentoring
sessions
• Broadening remit to engineering mentoring
extremely valuable for engagement
• What about the other maths unit?
www.solent.ac.ukBonar and

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What about the other maths unit?
• Full time BSc (Hons) Engineering Design and
Manufacture and part time HNC students
• P/T students are working full time and attend
Solent one day/week
• P/T students well engaged!
www.solent.ac.ukBonar and
2012-13 2013-14 2014-15 2015-16
BEng 49% 70% 54% 83%
BSc/HNC 61% 75% 67%

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Cohort details
• unit results track with cohort split
www.solent.ac.ukBonar and
p/t % pass rate avg std dev f/t % pass rate avg std dev
2013-14 55% 82% 63% 26% 45% 31% 32% 25%
2014-15 65% 92% 73% 18% 35% 43% 42% 28%
2015-16 33% 100% 61% 17% 67% 50% 43% 26%
2013-14 2014-15 2015-16
BSc/HNC 61% 75% 67%

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Based on cohort analysis,
• Need to improve the experience for F/T BSc
students
• Engagement
• Is this the right maths?
• Get involved in mentoring!
www.solent.ac.ukBonar and

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Any questions?
http://www.geckoandfly.com/810/maths-will-make-you-mad/