Learning support in mathematics and statistics has arisen and developed in response to student needs in many universities. After discussing background to such support, this article gives a brief overview of learning support in mathematics and statistics in Australian universities as found in an Australian Learning and Teaching Council project and…

The article describes the performance of several individual students in a college algebra/precalculus course that focuses on the development of conceptual understanding and the use of mathematical modeling and discusses the likely differences in outcome if the students took a traditional algebra-skills focused course.

This research studied the role of mathematics as a roadblock to college completion for community college-bound students in California. Using longitudinal quantitative analysis, I observed the educational pipeline between high school and community college and analyzed how different high school mathematics histories predicted readiness, or…

Because statistical analysis requires the ability to use mathematics, students typically are required to take one or more prerequisite math courses prior to enrolling in the business statistics course. Despite these math prerequisites, however, many students find it difficult to learn business statistics. In this study, we use an ordered probit…

In recent years, significant numbers of academics from the science and health disciplines at our institution have found that their students lack the appropriate "mathematical" background to cope with first-year science subjects. Consequently, failure rates are on the increase in these subjects. The mathematical background of students…

This study compared the effectiveness, in terms of mathematical achievement and mathematics self-efficacy, of online homework to textbook homework over an entire semester for 145 students enrolled in multiple sections of college algebra at a large community college. A quasi-experimental, posttest design was used to analyze the effect on…

We discuss approaches to develop and improve habits of mind in our students. Several illustrations and strategies are offered and we demonstrate how popular culture and mystery can be used to motivate students. We offer an approach to assessing the work ethic efforts of our students based on an historical approach used at the United States…

When U.S. Secretary of Education Margaret Spelling announced in March the final report of the National Mathematics Advisory Panel, created by President Bush two years ago to address concerns that many students lack essential skills to become engineers and scientists, she highlighted the importance of algebra. "The panel's research showed that…

Many reasons have been documented about the need for more effective teaching of mathematics in universities. These include changes in the level of mathematical skills of new students; changes in society, particularly technological ones, which have led to a strong preference for visual presentation of information; and new students lacking the…

Each year, well over a million students take college algebra and related courses. Very few of these students take the courses to prepare for calculus, but rather because they are required by other disciplines or to fulfill Gen Ed requirements. The present article discusses what the current mathematical needs are in most of those disciplines,…

Mathematics and science are tightly interwoven, yet they are often treated as distinct disciplines in the educational context. This study details the development, implementation and outcomes of a teaching intervention that highlights the links between mathematics and science, in the form of a first-year interdisciplinary course. A mixed method…

Given the recent radical overhaul of secondary school qualifications in New Zealand, similar in style to those in the UK, there has been a distinct change in the tertiary entrant profile. In order to gain insight into this new situation that university institutions are faced with, we investigate some of the ways in which these recent changes have…

The purpose of this study was to assess algebra and geometric prerequisites skills as incorporated into the Applied Calculus Optimization Problem (ACOP) solution. The difficulties that students encounter in applying algebraic and geometric prerequisites at the early stages of the ACOP solution were identified. The study analyzes errors related to…

Beyond Crossroads addresses many of the challenges facing American higher education and offers members of AMATYC an ideal opportunity to respond energetically and constructively to these challenges. Notwithstanding the many efforts to improve secondary schooling, most students enter postsecondary education well behind where they should be in…

In this article, Steenken conveys some thoughts about when parents and our citizenry will believe that today's students know mathematics. It will be when students have significant Quantitative Literacy (QL) skills as set forth in AMATYC's new standards, Beyond Crossroads. He supports the strong call for QL to be embedded across all curricula and…