Analysis of tutors’ responses to students’ queries in a second linear algebra course at a mathematics support center

Abstract

This paper analyses six years of tutor feedback produced after inquiries made by students in a second linear algebra course at a university mathematics support center (MSC). We utilized Mason’s (2002) pedagogical tactics to build a model to analyze MSC tutors' feedback responding to these students’ queries. The aim of this research was to investigate the nature of students’ difficulties with concepts in a second linear algebra course that emphasizes theories and proof, in addition to examining the tactics employed by tutors to resolve student difficulties. We analyzed 227 feedback comments from 44 tutors based on their interactions with 82 students over six years. Our findings indicated that the most common areas of difficulty were basis, vector space, subspace, span, and proof. Tutor tactics deployed included ‘being mathematical’, ‘simplifying and complexifying’, and ‘worked examples’. We also discuss some implications for linear algebra tutor training.