The impact of maths support tutorials on mathematics confidence and academic performance in a cohort of HE Animal Science students

PeerJ. 2014 Jun 26:2:e463. doi: 10.7717/peerj.463. eCollection 2014.

Abstract

Students embarking on a bioscience degree course, such as Animal Science, often do not have sufficient experience in mathematics. However, mathematics forms an essential and integral part of any bioscience degree and is essential to enhance employability. This paper presents the findings of a project looking at the effect of mathematics tutorials on a cohort of first year animal science and management students. The results of a questionnaire, focus group discussions and academic performance analysis indicate that small group tutorials enhance students' confidence in maths and improve students' academic performance. Furthermore, student feedback on the tutorial programme provides a deeper insight into student experiences and the value students assign to the tutorials.

Keywords: Animal science; Bioscience; Mathematics; Numeracy; Support.

Grants and funding

This project was funded by a grant from the 2012 Writtle College Learning and Teaching Fund. The funders had no role in study design, data collection and analysis, decision to publish, or preparation of the manuscript.