The impact of a classroom intervention on university students' learning in a mathematics and statistics-related subject

Abstract

English: A growing number of underprepared students are entering higher education institutions and students' underachievement in mathematics is indeed of great concern. Numerous research studies have pointed out that the academic domain of underpreparedness among such students entails a lack of mathematical ability and effective study skills. Research studies also point out that education should focus on "learning how to learn" and that educators in South Africa should turn back to their primary responsibility, which is to teach learners necessary thinking skills. Tertiary institutions, therefore, have the obligation to train future professional students, and the responsibility lies with lecturers to help students become aware of study skills and learning strategies with regard to mathematics-related subjects. A comprehensive look into learning theories and the learning of mathematics and statistics provided the researcher with insight with regard to these aspects. The researcher therefore deemed it necessary to conduct a research study with the aim to meet the need for improving students' academic performance in such subjects. The study reports on the introduction of a classroom learning strategy that was designed to improve students' academic performance in a mathematics and statisticsrelated subject at the Central University of Technology, Free State. The study is located within a quantitative paradigm, with some enhancement by means of qualitative information. The study followed a non-equivalent pre-test post-test design involving an experimental group and control group of students. A quasi-experimental approach was used to determine whether the post-test performance of students who were exposed to the classroom learning strategy (experimental group) was higher than that of students who received no classroom learning strategy (control group) in the module Business Statistics/Statistics II. With regard to the qualitative mode of study, the researcher conducted a nominal group setting to determine the developmental experiences students found most useful after the implementation of the classroom learning strategy intervention. The quantitative analysis of students' post-test performance showed increases in students' academic performance in the module Business Statistics/Statistics II. The results that emerged from the nominal group technique setting also support the effectiveness of the researcher's proposed classroom learning strategy intervention, as it had a positive effect on students' attitudes regarding a mathematics and statistics-related subject.

Afrikaans: 'n Steeds groeiende getal onder-voorbereide studente betree die hoër onderwyslandskap en studente se onder-prestasie in wiskunde is inderdaad 'n bron van kommer. Talle navorsingstudies dui daarop dat onder-voorbereiheid onder sodanige studente 'n gebrek aan wiskundige vermoëns en effektiewe studievaardighede insluit. Navorsingstudies wys voorts daarop dat onderrig op "leer hoe om te leer" moet fokus en dat opvoedkundiges in Suid-Afrika na hul primêre verantwoordelikheid moet terugkeer, naamlik om leerders met die nodige denkvaardighede toe te rus. Hoër onderwysinstellings is dus genoodsaak om professionele studente vir die toekoms op te lei, en die verantwoordelik berus by dosente om hierdie studente te help om bewus te raak van studievaardighede en leerstrategieë met betrekking tot wiskunde-verwante vakke. 'n Volledige studie oor leerteorieë en die leer van wiskunde en statistiek het die navorser van die nodige insig in dié spesifieke vakgebiede voorsien. Die navorser het dit nodig geag om 'n navorsingstudie uit te voer ten einde die behoefte vir die verbetering van studente se akademiese prestasie in sulke vakke aan te spreek. Die studie gee die bevindinge weer van 'n klaskamer leerstrategie wat ontwerp is om studente se akademiese prestasie in 'n wiskunde en statistiek-verwante onderwerp aan die Sentrale Universiteit vir Tegnologie, Vrystaat, te verbeter. Die studie is kwantitatiefvan aard, maar word deur 'n kwalitatiewe komponent ondersteun. 'n Nie-ekwivalente groep voortoets-natoetsontwerp met 'n eksperimentele- en kontrolegroep van studente is gebruik. 'n Quasi-eksperimentele benadering is gebruik om te bepaal of die natoets prestasie van studente in die module Business Statistics/Statistics JJ wat aan die klaskamer leerstrategie blootgestel is (eksperimentele groep), hoër was as die studente wat nie aan die klaskamer leerstrategie blootgestel is nie (kontrole groep). Die navorser het, met betrekking tot die kwalitatiewe been van die studie, van 'n nominale groep tegniek sitting gebruik gemaak om die ontwikkelende ervarings wat studente die nuttigste gevind het ná die implementering van die klaskamer leerstrategie intervensies, te bepaal. Die kwantitatiewe analise van studente se natoets prestasie het toenames in die studente se akademiese prestasie in die module Business Statistics/Statistics JJ getoon. Die resultate wat voortvloei uit die nominale groep tegniek sitting ondersteun die effektiwiteit van die navorser se voorgestelde klaskamer leerstrategie intervensie, aangesien dit 'n positiewe effek op studente se houdings ten opsigte van 'n wiskunde en statistiek-gebaseerde vak gehad het.