Session Information
24 SES 08, Multiethnic Environment & Comparative Studies
Paper Session
Contribution
In this paper an analysis of the likelihood to fail service mathematics in the University of Limerick (UL) in Ireland is carried out. A dataset containing information of 1918 students between the years 2006 and 2008 is used in the analysis. This dataset contains information on students such as gender, degree course of choice, performance in end of semester mathematics examinations, performance in a diagnostic test etc. The aim of the investigation is to determine the most common characteristics possessed by students who have failed semester 1 service mathematics examinations between the years 2006 and 2008. The following characteristics are examined: the year in which the student studied service mathematics in UL, their gender, pre-university mathematics background, whether a student is standard i.e. coming straight from school in Ireland to university, or non-standard i.e. a mature student or a non-national student, degree program being pursued, performance in a diagnostic test carried out in the first mathematics lecture to test basic mathematics skills and finally whether or not students were present in the first mathematics lecture to take the diagnostic test. The analysis highlights whether there are strong correlations between students who fail semester one service mathematics examinations and the previously mentioned characteristics which a student may possess. A further examination is also carried out into the failure rate amongst those students who were not present in the first mathematics lecture of the semester to sit the diagnostic test. The author will present a profile of this group of students. The results of this analysis will be used to develop appropriate mathematics support provision in UL.
The results of this paper can be used by all international institution as a means to improve mathematical provision.
Method
Expected Outcomes
References
BARRY, S.I. & CHAPMAN, J. (2007) Predicting university performance. ANZIAM J, 49, 36-50.
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