Abstract
This study examines the academic performance of students in a first year undergraduate mathematics course at a regional university. A custom designed questionnaire which assessed study behaviours, staff support and peer and family relationships and the levels of mathematics efficacy and anxiety was completed by 162 students. The study established a wide range of mathematical efficacy based upon the number and type of mathematics courses completed at the secondary level of education and identifies this as the primary factor in student failure in the course. The need for institutions to acknowledge the diversity of student preparedness in mathematics at the first year undergraduate level and respond through the use of academic staff with appropriate educational training and a caring and supportive teaching pedagogy is described. The capacity of a single one-size-fits-all mathematics course in the first semester of undergraduate study to meet the needs of all students is discussed.
Highlights
The challenges experienced by students as they transition into the first year of study in Australian universities has been extensively researched and received particular attention in the Bradley Report into higher education (Bradley, Noonan, Nugent, & Scales, 2008)
The particular challenges associated with the study of first year undergraduate mathematics has been described both in Australia and internationally (e.g. Hourigan & O’Donoghue, 2007; Kajander & Lovric, 2005; Keeves, 1973)
Failure to pass the course imposes a substantial penalty on students who must wait until the year before the course is able to be attempted again and who must be able to continue their study in the face of a course failure, which for many has occurred in the first semester of their tertiary education
Summary
The challenges experienced by students as they transition into the first year of study in Australian universities has been extensively researched and received particular attention in the Bradley Report into higher education (Bradley, Noonan, Nugent, & Scales, 2008). The particular challenges associated with the study of first year undergraduate mathematics has been described both in Australia and internationally The regional university where this study was completed offers one first year undergraduate course in mathematics. Failure to pass the course imposes a substantial penalty on students who must wait until the year before the course is able to be attempted again and who must be able to continue their study in the face of a course failure, which for many has occurred in the first semester of their tertiary education. Some students with a low level of preparedness who encounter such a failure have previously been demonstrated to completely disengage with mathematics at the tertiary level (Varsavsky, 2010)
Sign-in/Register to view highlights & summary Sign-in/Register to access full text options 
Talk to us
Join us for a 30 min session where you can share your feedback and ask us any queries you have
Schedule a callMore From: The International Journal of the First Year in Higher Education
Disclaimer: All third-party content on this website/platform is and will remain the property of their respective owners and is provided on "as is" basis without any warranties, express or implied. Use of third-party content does not indicate any affiliation, sponsorship with or endorsement by them. Any references to third-party content is to identify the corresponding services and shall be considered fair use under The CopyrightLaw.
