This document summarizes a peer mentoring program for mathematics learning at a university. It discusses how mathematics is currently taught, student performance outcomes, and the implementation of a peer mentoring program between level 4 and level 5 students. The program was found to increase student and mentor confidence and understanding. While student results improved, there was low correlation with mentoring attendance. The program will be expanded to broader engineering mentoring and involve more full-time students.

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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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1 2 3 4 5 6
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
0
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9
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/