IT Applied in Teaching Methodologies to New University Students (MATE+)

Abstract

Historically, new university students present high failure rates in mathematics such as Algebra or Calculus. This fact motivates the MATE+ program, which was applied to the initial courses of Calculus and Algebra. The goal of MATE+ program was to reduce the failure rate in these courses through the strengthening of the basic skills of students. This program considered Information and Communications Technologies (ICT) applied to teach. We applied this program to over 600 students in different carriers of our university. In order to apply our proposal, we recorded short video lectures (Capsules) where a teacher solves examples of Algebra or Calculus that students can review and, after the video, they can answer an online Quiz. Students used the Blackboard platform where many contents were available to be downloaded. The failure rate of new university students, obtained with MATE+ in 2019, was compared to the failure rates obtained in the same courses in 2017 and 2018. In 2017 the failure rate was 47.8% and in 2018 MATE+ achieved 39.8%; in 2019 was 30.6%. In all considered careers, the failure rate was reduced except in two of them. A new version of this project should be applied with an emphasis on those careers that present an increment in the failure rate of new students, simultaneously with an early alert system.