University of Wolverhampton
Designing, developing and evaluating mathematics supports for students at the transition to higher education
Abstract
dc:description.abstractThis thesis investigates the design, delivery, and evaluation of mathematics support interventions for students at the transition to Higher Education (HE). The research comprises two interrelated components. The first focuses on the development and implementation of a self-paced, online mathematics support course aimed at improving incoming students’ mathematical confidence and competence before the start of their university studies. Drawing on principles of diagnostic assessment and formative feedback, this intervention was designed to provide accessible, flexible support tailored to diverse learner needs. The second component details the design and development of an innovative, first of its kind in the world, team based learning (TBL) model for mathematics at the transition to HE. Emerging from a pilot study involving pre-university students and now scaled to support large cohorts of approximately 300 students each year, this model emphasises collaborative problem-solving, structured peer interaction, and formative team-based assessments and has produced improvements to student satisfaction, mathematics confidence and competence as well as improvements to retention and progression rates.
Degree
thesis:*- Name dc:type.qualificationname
- PhD
- Grantor dc:publisher.institution
- University of Wolverhampton
- Year dc:date.issued
- 2025
Author and committee
dc:creator, dc:contributor.*- Author dc:creator
-
- Parkes, Abigail
- Advisor dc:contributor.advisor
-
- Naughton, Liam