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

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Abstract

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.

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Funding

Research for this article was funded by the Australian Government through the Higher Education Participation and Partnerships Program, National Priorities Pool–2015 as part of the project Bite size maths: Building mathematics capability of low SES students in regional/remote Australia.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. School of Education, Southern Cross University, Lismore, NSW, 2480, Australia

    Geoff Woolcott

  2. School of Agricultural, Computational and Environmental Sciences, University of Southern Queensland, Toowoomba, QLD, 4350, Australia

    Linda Galligan & Taryn Axelsen

  3. School of Education, University of New England, Armidale, NSW, 2351, Australia

    Robert Whannell

  4. School of Education, University of the Sunshine Coast, Sippy Downs, QLD, 4556, Australia

    Margaret Marshman

  5. School of Science and Technology, University of New England, Armidale, NSW, 2351, Australia

    Jelena Schmalz

  6. School of Science, Engineering and Information Technology, Federation University Australia, Mt Helen, Victoria, 3350, Australia

    Nargiz Sultanova

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  1. Geoff Woolcott
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  2. Linda Galligan
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Correspondence to Geoff Woolcott.

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Appendix

Appendix

Table 3 Survey questions for partner members on identifying and supporting students at risk
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Woolcott, G., Galligan, L., Whannell, R. et al. How are we progressing with academic numeracy at regional universities? Perspectives from first-year undergraduate studies. Math Ed Res J 33, 451–468 (2021). https://doi.org/10.1007/s13394-020-00312-3

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s13394-020-00312-3

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