The effect of Kahoot on undergraduate student anxiety and confidence when studying statistics

Many undergraduate students are required to study statistics, but often struggle understanding concepts, lack engagement, lack confidence, or feel anxious about statistics. Kahoot is a game-based learning platform that can be used to increase student engagement and learning through real-time quizzes. This study aimed to evaluate the use of Kahoot on improving students’ experience of studying statistics in an undergraduate (year 2) course. Pre and post Likert scale questionnaires (including Statistical Anxiety Measure - SAM) were used to collect student responses about their statistics study experience. Questions related to anxiety, confidence, and for the post quiz, additional questions on the impact of Kahoot on behavioural engagement. Post survey results indicate positive changes in students’ perceptions towards studying statistics in terms of anxiety and confidence. Kahoot was shown to have a significant and positive effect on student confidence and was also linked to lowered anxiety. Despite limited data, help-seeking anxiety explained over 50% of variation in final exam performance. Further research is recommended on the effect of Kahoot on student anxiety when studying statistics, particularly as it relates to confidence and performance.

Measuring the Success of Mathematics and Statistics Support Sessions at UWS

Following a review of the provision of mathematics and statistics support across Scottish Higher Education Institutions, academics at the University of the West of Scotland initiated weekly mathematics and statistics support sessions. These sessions were open to all students and staff across the institution, but primarily aimed at the science and engineering students with a high degree of numerate work in their study programmes. After two years of operation, previous attendees and students within key demographics were canvassed on their knowledge of, and opinion of, these support sessions. Four key points were uncovered: advertising of the existence of the sessions should be increased; the use of PhD students overseeing the sessions should be investigated; the centralisation of the sessions should be investigated; and more formal tutorial engagement should be encouraged.

Welcoming students to the mathematics community: obstacles to “belonging”

This paper reflects on some of the obstacles which lead some students, particularly those from non-traditional academic backgrounds, to question whether they “belong” to the mathematics community.

Students being set up to make mistakes in class through an error-eliciting task

In order for students to develop a better understanding and the skills to question future work, a session is introduced into a teaching workshop which sets students up to make common mistakes within a topic are more often made by blindly following procedural methods. The students’ views on these mistakes and how they found the error-eliciting task were gained through focus groups on the day of the activity. Factors such as knowing whether they had the right answer and the amount of staff involvement were discussed. In a follow-on focus group two weeks after the session, there were indications that the session had an impact on how they worked generally as there was more discussion within class and a shift in views about making mistakes.

Front Matter

Front Matter

Topics of interest to the MSOR community: evidence from the first 20 years of MSOR Connections

Topic modelling, an automated literature review technique, is used to generate a list of topics from the text of all articles published in previous issues of MSOR Connections. There are many topics of consistent popularity, including assessment, employability, school-university transition and the teaching of specific subjects and skills with the mathematics, statistics and operational research disciplines. We identify some topics that have waned in popularity, especially following the demise of the MSOR Network, including organised book and software reviews, conference and workshop announcements and reports, and articles focused on staff development. In its present form as a fully peer-reviewed practitioner journal, there appears to be a shift in focus from personal reflection to evidence-based research. There is a high focus on innovative practice using technology in the publication, though with less focus on specific software over time. Similarly, more nuance appears to be entering the discourse over maths support and e-assessment as these topics mature. We note a rise over time in student-centred approaches and a sudden rise in the previous issue of digital and remote learning due to the COVID-19 pandemic. We speculate about future trends that may emerge, including an increased focus on digital and remote learning and an increase in content on equity, equality, diversity and inclusion.

Editorial

Editorial

Students’ Perceptions of Enhanced e-Assessment Feedback Addressing Common Student Errors in Mathematics

The Common Student Errors Project (CSE Project) has been running at the University of the West of England (UWE, Bristol) since 2017. The main aim of this project is to introduce a method to detect CSEs and to provide tailored feedback in Engineering Mathematics e-Assessment questions. In this case study we briefly describe the process of collecting CSEs related to Engineering Mathematics and delivering personalised enhanced feedback to students who made CSEs on Dewis eAssessment questions. We then present how we carried out a questionnaire to gather student perceptions on the enhanced feedback they received. Finally, we present the outcomes of the questionnaire data, the conclusions on students’ perceptions of the current enhanced feedback and ascertain possible future directions for further development of the enhanced feedback.

A history of the development of the mathematics and statistics support community in the United Kingdom. Part 1: From alpha to sigma

In terms of the history of mathematics higher education, mathematics and statistics support (MSS) is a very recent development, existing as a formal feature for less than 50 years. However, in this short time, MSS has displayed its own characteristics. A particularly notable feature of MSS in the United Kingdom (and in other countries) has been the way in which practitioners have collaborated with each other, almost from the outset. This collaboration has led to the creation of a community (the sigma network) with a written constitution and formal membership. This two-part article traces the history of the development of the MSS community in the UK from its earliest incarnations to the present day. The first part of the article reviews the period from the early 1990s to 2005 during which time the key events were the rise and demise of the Mathematics Support Association and the creation of sigma, Centre of Excellence in University-wide Mathematics and Statistics Support.

Introduction of a video assignment: advantages and disadvantages from the students’ perspective

We present a case study on the introduction of video assignments into Level 4 (year 1) and 6 (year 3) modules within a BSc Mathematics degree. The students were required to provide verbal explanations within a video about some written steps in their argument. We present the details of the assignments and assessment criteria. The introduction of the video assignments was evaluated through focus groups. We present a number of advantages and disadvantages from the students’ perspective when they compared the methods of providing answers through videos, presentations and written work. In particular, we present information on confidence levels, the ability to spot mistakes, skills development and the usefulness for job applications. We provide some practical suggestions for anyone thinking about introducing their own video assignment.