Maths Xplained

Main idea

Maths Xplained is a support for Leaving Certificate students from areas of disadvantage with their Maths ability and encourage them to complete the exam at their current level i.e. Higher or Ordinary level Maths (and not drop down a level).

Outline

UCD Maths Support Tutors support Leaving Certificate students from DEIS schools.

Tutors support secondary pupils to complete maths exam papers and homework for 2 hours per week over 10 weeks. Higher and ordinary level maths classes are split into two rooms with UCD students working as tutors to assist secondary school pupils with maths questions.

DEIS stands for Delivering Equality of Opportunity in Schools. DEIS schools are designated by the Irish Government for funded initiatives that target support at disadvantaged communities, particularly those located in urban areas.

Goals

• Students from DEIS schools can visit UCD for academic support for a set number of weeks. (Student Experience)
• Increase in the number of students continuing with higher or ordinary level maths in Senior School cycle (not dropping from higher to ordinary closer to the exam)
• Academic support for students who wouldn’t otherwise be able to afford private maths grinds.

Obstacles targetted:

• Economic obstacles
• Educational difficulties

Students involvement

UCD students who study maths related subjects (Engineering, Maths, etc.) are invited to be tutors with the Maths Support Centre. Most are undergraduate students supported by postgraduate students. All UCD tutors receive training.

Success criteria

• Support and funding from UCD Library.
• Having tutors who are UCD students worked well.

Points of attention

• More funding and administrative support.
• It could benefit from more postgraduate tutors (need more funding).
• Students were travelling straight from school in some cases and funding for transport and food was a necessary and an important element.
• It could benefit from private transport for a quicker travel time to and from UCD for students (this would require more funding).
• It could benefit from more collaboration with other UCD Colleges (e.g. Engineering, Science, School of Education, etc.) to share the opportunity with students and elements of training.
• It would benefit from more administrative support (Access & Lifelong learning provided some admin support but there is no admin support for the Maths Support Centre – we hope to build it in to an intern’s workplan for 2023/24)

Effectiveness

Feedback forms. Ran for the first time in 2023. Hope to build it into large structured outreach/mentoring programme to track progress beyond second level education.

February – May 2023 was the first time it was run. Feedback indicated that students felt more confident in their maths ability.

Do you feel you can effectively provide the support that students require?

We do agree.

Would you recommend this to other institutions?

strongly agree

Evaluation

Yes, feedback forms on experience & content. Hope to build this into a large mentoring programme so that we can track progress.

Communication

It was promoted through the Guidance Counsellor network.

Timing

Trimester 2 (February – May)

Resources

• Staff from the Maths Support Centre, Access & Lifelong Learning and the Library
• Students as tutores
• Time
• Communication with schools, UCD students, parents/guardians
• Funding for food and transport

Transferability

We think it is easily transferable to other contexts or groups.

Yes, very inclusive.

• May also work very well in community settings but students would be missing out on time on campus/student experience.
• Worksheets rather than exam papers could be used for mature or community groups who are not focused on their Leaving Certificate exams.