Léirítear i dtuarascáil a foilsíodh le deireanas gur cuid riachtanach d'institiúidí tríú leibhéal iad Ionaid Tacaíochta Matamaitice, amhail Ionad Tacaíochta Matamaitice Mhá Nuad, chun mic léinn a mhisniú agus a choimeád ar chúrsaí STEM (An Eolaíocht, an Teicneolaíocht, an Innealtóireacht, an Mhatamaitic). Rinne an tIonad ceiliúradh ar an 100,000ú cuairteoir inniu, Aishling Dunphy, mac léinn réaltfhisice atá sa dara bhliain dá cúrsa.
Bhí an Dr Ciarán Mac an Bhaird as Ollscoil Mhá Nuad ar dhuine d'údair na tuarascála, ina ndearnadh suirbhé ar bhreis is 1,600 mac léinn chéad bhliana i naoi gcinn d'institiúidí ardoideachais. Dúirt sé go raibh dúshláin le sárú i gcónaí, ach gur léirigh an taighde rath nach beag: “Gné chriticiúil den bhonneagar aistrithe ón dara leibhéal go dtí an tríú leibhéal is ea Tacaíocht Foghlama Matamaitice agus ba mhaith linn é a fheiceáil neadaithe mar chuid den oideachas príomhshrutha i ngach institiúid. Insíonn na mic léinn dúinn go gcuireann Tacaíocht Foghlama Matamaitice ar a gcumas leanúint leis na cúrsaí atá roghnaithe acu, agus bíonn tionchar dearfach acu, leis, ar a bhfeidhmíocht agus ar an méid dul chun cinn a dhéanann siad, de bhrí go bhfeabhsaíonn sé agus go saibhríonn sé an t-eispéireas foghlama dóibh siúd a ghabhann le cláir ardchaighdeáin. Is é an taighde seo an chéad staidéar mórscála bunaithe ar fhianaise a rinneadh ar Thacaíocht Foghlama Matamaitice in Éirinn, agus taispeánann sé gur fiú go mór seirbhísí tacaíochta acadúla a chur ar fáil do mhic léinn."
Dúirt sé gur féidir le hOllscoil Mhá Nuad é sin a chruthú. Cuireadh tús leis an Ionad i nDeireadh Fómhair 2007 chun tacú le mic léinn a raibh deacrachtaí acu sna ranganna matamaitice. Inniu cuirtear 29 uair an chloig de Thacaíocht Foghlama Matamaitice tiomnaithe saor in aisce ar fáil ann. Cuireann Dr Mac an Bhaird agus a theagascóirí tacaíocht neamhfhoirmiúil chairdiúil breise ar fáil do mhic léinn Ollscoil Mhá Nuad. Lena chois sin, cuirtear seisiún buail isteach seachtainiúil ar fáil do mhic léinn dara leibhéal.
Agus é ag labhairt ag ócáid a reáchtáladh le ceiliúradh a dhéanamh ar an 100,000ú cuairteoir ar an Ionad Tacaíochta Matamaitice, mhol an tOllamh Philip Nolan, Uachtarán Ollscoil Mhá Nuad, an réimse seirbhísí a chuirtear ar fáil ann. Dúirt sé go bhfuil rath ar an ionad toisc go bhfuil na cleachtais atá i bhfeidhm ann bunaithe ar thaighde den scoth atá déanta ag an Dr Mac an Bhaird, ag an Dr Ann O’Shea agus eile. Léiríonn an taighde gur féidir seo gur féidir le rannpháirtíocht chuí sa mhatamaitic agus an Ionad Tacaíochta Matamaitice tionchar suntasach a bheith acu ar an mac léinn – mic léinn a choimeád ar chúrsaí agus dul chun cinn a dhéanamh. Chomh maith leis sin, bíonn tionchar aige ar dhearcadh na mac léinn i leith an ábhair agus ar an muinín atá ag mic léinn as a gcumas matamaitice.
Dúirt Rose Ryan, Stiúrthóir Rochtana Ollscoil Mhá Nuad, agus an Seanadóir Mary Moran, urlabhraí Pháirtí an Lucht Oibre le freagracht as Oideachas, Míchumas, Comhionannas agus Meabhairshláinte, gur sampla den oideachas uileghabhálach a chuireann Ollscoil Mhá Nuad ar fáil dá mic léinn é an tIonad Tacaíochta Matamaitice. Dúirt an tOllamh Tony Croft, Ollscoil Loughborough agus Stiúrthóir Sigma, leis an lucht freastail go bhfuil ard mheas sa Ríocht Aontaithe ar Ollscoil Mhá Nuad agus ar an Ionad Tacaíochta Matamaitice. Dúirt sé gcuireann breis agus 90 faoin gcéad d’institiúidí tríú leibhéal sa Ríocht Aontaithe tacaíocht matamaitice ar fáil dá mic léinn. Agus iad ag dul isteach in institiúid tríú leibhéal, bíonn mic léinn sa lá atá inniu ann ag súil go mbeadh Ionad Tacaíochta Matamaitice ann, tacaíocht uileghabhálach a bhaineann na mic léinn go léir úsáid as, is cuma faoin gcúlra nó leibhéal matamaitice atá acu.
“Tá méadú ag teacht, gach bliain, ar líon na mac léinn a roghnaíonn cúrsa a bhfuil baint aige leis an mhatamaitic, a bhuí ar an mbéim mhéadaithe ar ábhair STEM, a bheag nó a mhór, mar sin is den riachtanas é go dtugaimid deis dóibh dul chun cinn ann agus an léargas is gá a bhaint amach. Ní mór do mhic léinn a fheiceáil gur gnáthchuid den mhatamaitic é botúin a dhéanamh; is é dearcadh an mhic léinn i leith an bhotúin an rud is cinniúnaí, agus seo ceann de na réimsí ina ndéanann Tacaíocht Foghlama Matamaitice difríocht. An buntáiste is mó a ghabhann le matamaitic a roghnú ná go gcabhraíonn sé linn scileanna fadhbréitigh a fhorbairt, scileanna is féidir a chur i bhfeidhm i ngach cuid den saol. Ach infheistíocht a dhéanamh i dTacaíocht Foghlama Matamaitice cuidímid le geilleagar eolais na hÉireann agus cuirimid leis an acmhainn taighde agus forbartha. Tá freagra an-dearfach ar an taighde faighte againn ó institiúidí ar fud an domhain, ó na Stáit Aontaithe go dtí an Astráil, cuid acu a thug le fios go bhfuil siad ag smaoineamh ar chóras den chineál céanna a chur i bhfeidhm."
Tá seirbhísí Tacaíocht Foghlama Matamaitice saor in aisce ar fáil do mhic léinn i bhformhór institiúidí tríú leibhéal na hÉireann. Áirítear ar na seirbhísí sin ionaid buail isteach, ceardlanna, ranganna teagaisc agus acmhainní ar líne. Bhain breis agus aon trian (36%) de na mic léinn a ndearnadh suirbhé orthu leas as Tacaíocht Foghlama Matamaitice, agus dúirt leath díobh sin nár bhain leas as nach raibh cabhair de dhíth orthu, rud a fhágann go bhfuil cabhair de dhíth ar dhuine amháin as gach triúr a d'fhreagair an suirbhé ach nach mbaineann an trian sin leas as Tacaíocht Foghlama Matamaitice. De réir an taighde, dúirt formhór (65%) na mac léinn sin a bhain leas as Tacaíocht Foghlama Matamaitice go raibh tionchar dearfach aige ar a gcumas dul i ngleic le héilimh mhatamaiticiúla an chúrsa. Mná is mó (45%) a bhain leas as i gcomórtas le fir (30%) agus ba mhó mac léinn lánaibí (62%) ná mac léinn traidisiúnta a bhain leas as Tacaíocht Foghlama Matamaitice.
“Ar an meán, as na mic léinn sna naoi gcinn d'institiúidí a dteastaíonn cabhair uathu, tá aon trian nach mbaineann leas as an gcóras. Mar sin tá dúshláin faoi na hinstitiúidí ó thaobh an tseirbhís a chur chun cinn agus teagmháil a dhéanamh leis an gcohórt sin. Léirigh an taighde a rinneamar le mic léinn lánaibí gur baoi tarrthála é an Tacaíocht Foghlama Matamaitice, de bhrí gur fada ó rinne siad staidéar ar an ábhar. Níl ansin ach sampla amháin den tábhacht a ghabhann le Tacaíocht Foghlama Matamaitice, nuair a smaoinítear ar an mbéim a cuireadh le deireanas ar dhaoine fásta a mhealladh chun filleadh ar an bhfoghlaim, agus ar shuirbhé an Mheasúnaithe Idirnáisiúnta ar Inniúlachtaí Aosach (PIAAC) ó 2013 inar ghnóthaigh Éire an 19ú háit as measc 24 thír rannpháirteacha ó thaobh scileanna uimhearthachta," a dúirt an Dr Mac an Bháird, a dhírigh aird, leis, ar an mhatamaitic a bheith anois ina comhpháirt de níos mó clár tríú leibhéal ná riamh.
Ba iad an Dr Ciarán Mac an Bhaird (Ollscoil Mhá Nuad), Ciarán O'Sullivan (IT Thamhlachta), an Dr Olivia Fitzmaurice (Ollscoil Luimnigh) agus an Dr Eabhnat Ní Fhloinn (Ollscoil Chathair Bhaile Átha Cliath) comhúdair na tuarascála. Gheofar an tuarascáil anseo.
Maths Support Centres play pivotal role in retention and progression of third level students
A recent report indicates that services like Maynooth University’s Maths Support Centre (MSC) are a key element in third level institutions’ retention of students in STEM courses. The MSC this week celebrated its 100,000th visitor, Aishling Dunphy, a 2nd year Physics with Astrophysics student.
Dr Ciarán Mac an Bhaird, Department of Mathematics and Statistics at Maynooth, co-authored the Irish Mathematics Learning Support Network report which surveyed over 1,600 first year students across nine higher education institutions. He said that while challenges remain, the research highlights significant success: “Mathematics Learning Support (MLS) is a critical part of the transition infrastructure from second level to third level and we want to see it embedded as part of mainstream education across all institutions. Students are telling us that MLS has a positive effect in them succeeding in their chosen course; it is having a major impact in their performance and progress as it enhances and enriches their learning experience. Our research is the first large-scale, evidence-based study of MLS in Ireland demonstrating that academic support services for students are bringing a significant return on investment.”
He said Maynooth University can attest to this. The MSC, which began in October 2007 to support students with mathematics, today provides 29 hours of dedicated MLS per week free of charge. Dr Mac an Bhaird and his MSC Tutors provide informal, friendly additional support to Maynooth University students. The MSC also provides a weekly drop in session for second level students.
Professor Philip Nolan, President of Maynooth University, speaking at an event to mark the 100,000th visitor to the Maths Support Centre, praised the range of services offered, adding that a key to the success of the Centre lay in its practice being embedded in the excellent research of Dr Ciarán Mac an Bhaird, Dr Ann O’Shea and others. Their research shows that appropriate engagement with mathematics and the MSC can have a significant impact on retention and progression, and also on students’ attitudes towards the subject and confidence in their mathematical ability.
Rose Ryan, Director of Access at Maynooth University, and Senator Mary Moran, Labour Party Spokesperson on Education, Disability, Equality & Mental Health, both highlighted the MSC as an example of the inclusive education that Maynooth University provides for its students. Professor Tony Croft, Loughborough University and Director of Sigma, told attendees that Maynooth University and its MSC are very highly regarded in the UK. He added that over 90% of third level institutions in the UK now provide maths support for their students. Students entering higher education now expect that their institution has an MSC, an inclusive support that is used by all students regardless of their mathematical background or level.
Large numbers of students study mathematics at third level through STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering, Mathematics) courses, and many students entering third level find that their course (e.g. business, social science or arts) may require further mathematics.
“More students in Ireland each year are taking courses involving mathematics, driven somewhat by an increase in emphasis on STEM subjects, so it’s critical that we give them the opportunity to succeed and progress in mathematics. Students should be aware that it is normal in mathematics to get things wrong, but it is how you react to this that makes all the difference, and this is one of the areas where MLS is making a difference. The key advantage of taking mathematics is that it develops our thinking and problem-solving skills, which are applicable in all walks of life. Investment in MLS ultimately contributes to Ireland’s knowledge economy and drives our research and development capabilities. We have also had very positive reaction to the research from institutions worldwide, from the United States to Australia, with some indicating they may implement similar systems” Dr Mac an Bhaird explained.
Most third level institutions in Ireland have free MLS services for students including drop-in centres, workshops, tutorials or online resources. The recent study carried out by the Irish Mathematics Learning Support Network found that MLS was used by over one-third (36%) of the student population surveyed, while half of non-users said they did not require help, indicating that approximately one in three surveyed need assistance but are not utilising MLS. The research shows that the majority (65%) of student users said MLS had a positive effect on their ability to respond the mathematical demands of the course. Females were more likely to use it (45%) compared to males (30%) and a statistically higher proportion of mature students (62%) than traditional students availed of MLS.
“There are, on average, one in three students across the nine institutions who require assistance but aren’t using the system, so there are certain challenges that institutions face in promoting the service and reaching that cohort. Our research with mature students demonstrated that MLS is a lifeline, given the timeframe since they last studied the subject. This is just one example of the importance of MLS, given the recent emphasis on adults returning to learning and the International Assessment of Adult Competencies (PIAAC) survey from 2013, which places Ireland 19th out of 24 participating countries for numeracy skills,” according to Dr Mac an Bhaird, who also highlights that mathematics is an integral component of an increasing number of third level programmes.
The IMLSN report was co-authored by Dr Ciarán Mac an Bhaird (Maynooth University), Ciarán O'Sullivan (IT Tallaght), Dr Olivia Fitzmaurice (University of Limerick) and Dr Eabhnat Ní Fhloinn (Dublin City University). The report is available here.