A facilitator’s perspective on Quantitative Literacies in an ODL context

Presenters

Abstract

In Higher Education the lack of strong foundational understandings of key mathematical topics, especially in numeracy-based subject areas (i.e. Calculus) can obstruct the success and throughput rates of students across a wider range of mathematically related disciplines (Wolmarans et al., 2010; Nel & Kistner, 2009; Govender & Moodley, 2012 and Badat, 2010). From a practitioner’s point of view, it is imperative that students should be able to understand, apply, draw connections and model their understanding to course syllabi as topics progress - to enhance their abilities to apply and integrate mathematical thinking in their discipline (Loch & McLoughlin, 2012). 

In the Western Cape region of the University of South Africa, the section of Facilitation of Learning has trialled various support initiatives to immerse students into space of quantitative literacies, including face-to-face tutorial support, videoconferencing, multimodal interventions and the introduction and inclusion of online quantitative literacies portals to facilitate learning. 

This presentation focuses on classroom interventions and evaluations of both academic coordinators and literacies facilitators. The purpose of this presentation is to highlight key aspects and to equally draw on successes and limitations when offering tuition support interventions in foundational mathematics and statistics modules.

From observations it is evident that concentrated learner support should account for aspects such as learner variation, risk-taking and technology-enhanced learning considerations when working with the foundational needs of students. This presentation will comment on best practices as ways to find suitable instructional designs – and to explore how methodologies and strategies should address the knowledge, skills and attitudes of learners in particular spaces of technology-based support. 

Presentation