Mathematics Support – Essential at the Best of Times, Crucial at the Worst of Times

Abstract

Mathematics and statistics support is essential in today’s higher education system. It gives students the guidance, expertise, skills and nurturing they need to be successful in their studies and beyond. It offers them opportunities to explore past their limits, self-motivate, self-assess, seek relevance, and ask questions. The Maths Hub at La Trobe University, Australia, recently changed, as we all did, with our face-to-face support in a physical space transitioned to face-to-face support via Zoom, almost overnight due to the COVID-19 pandemic. This is our tale – how we transitioned from the vibrant, busy, demanding physical space to a wholly online world. The advantages, the surprises, the incidents, the attendances, and the feedback, will be highlighted. Not only was the interaction and intimacy of one-to-one sessions successful, but also the increased engagement in the tailored cross-disciplinary online modules that we offer. It is the worst of times, but it is also the best of times for creating innovative online opportunities, and it is changing times. But the thirst for mathematics and statistics support remains strong.