Preparing students for university mathematics through a maths readiness workshop

Abstract

First year science students often lack confidence at the start of their course regarding their mathematical skills. A maths readiness workshop has been designed at Monash University Gippsland campus to give students confidence in their mathematical ability prior to the beginning of semester. It also helps students to identify very early if they should opt in to the various maths support programs offered at the campus. The workshop has been designed in conjunction with first year co-ordinators to specifically target mathematical content relevant to first year biology and chemistry: rearranging formula; logarithms and exponentials; and physical quantities and their units. Students self-selected into the workshop based on a short presentation during O-week activities. Results of student evaluations and reflections of the facilitators will be presented.