A Comparison of the Mathematical Performance of Mature Students and Traditional Students over a 10-Year Period

Autor/inn/en	Faulkner, Fiona; Fitzmaurice, Olivia; Hannigan, Ailish
Titel	A Comparison of the Mathematical Performance of Mature Students and Traditional Students over a 10-Year Period
Quelle	In: Irish Educational Studies, 35 (2016) 4, S.337-359 (23 Seiten)Infoseite zur Zeitschrift PDF als Volltext Verfügbarkeit
Sprache	englisch
Dokumenttyp	gedruckt; online; Zeitschriftenaufsatz
ISSN	0332 3315
DOI	10.1080/03323315.2016.1229208
Schlagwörter	Foreign Countries; Comparative Analysis; Mathematics Achievement; Adult Students; Nontraditional Students; Diagnostic Tests; Mathematics Tests; College Students; Statistical Analysis; Ireland + Suchen Sie Ihr Suchwort? Ausland; Mathmatics sikills; Mathmatics achievement; Mathematical ability; Mathematische Kompetenz; Adult; Adults; Student; Students; Erwachsenenalter; Studentin; Schüler; Schülerin; Diagnostic test; Diagnostischer Test; Collegestudent; Statistische Analyse; Irland
Abstract	Every student who enrols in a degree programme involving service mathematics in the University of Limerick in Ireland is given a mathematics diagnostic test. The diagnostic test was developed due to mathematics lecturers' anxiety regarding students' mathematical competency levels. Students receive the 40 question paper-based test in their first service mathematics lecture without prior notification. Initial analysis of students' work revealed that many students were having difficulties with basic algebra and arithmetic in particular [Gill, O. 2006. "What Counts as Service Mathematics? An Investigation into the 'Mathematics Problem' in Ireland." PhD diss., University of Limerick]. Further research highlighted the significant decline in diagnostic test performance and the changing profile of service mathematics students between 1998 and 2008 [Faulkner, Fiona, Ailish Hannigan, and Olivia Gill. 2010. "Trends in the Mathematical Competency of University Entrants in Ireland by Leaving Certificate Mathematics Grade." "Teaching Mathematics and Its Applications" 29 (2): 76-93]. One of the most notable changes to the student profile over time was the increase in mature students (non-standard students) entering service mathematics programmes. Although non-standard students had a lower mean performance in the diagnostic test, they were found to have a higher mean performance in some cases in service mathematics compared to standard students. This paper explores some of the possible reasons for such findings. (As Provided).
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Erfasst von	ERIC (Education Resources Information Center), Washington, DC
Update	2020/1/01