Biomaths - Numeracy and Mathematical Literacy

The level of mathematical skills present in Bioscience entrants is becoming of increasing concern. Below are some numeracy-related materials.

• Recent Developments
• Articles/Presentations
• Resources
• Books

Recent Developments

Developing a Shared Biomaths Resource

Most teachers in bioscience find that students have increasingly limited skills in basic numeracy and limited understanding of numerical analyses and interpretation. In addition, their problem-solving skills are often weak. In the Biomathtutor pilot maths and problem-solving skills are developed in a biological context. However, such resources are both time-consuming and expensive to produce or extend. Collaboration would substantially reduce the burden. Ideally, the scenarios could be reused in a range of learning and assessment situations (e.g. supporting formative and/or summative assessments) to meet local requirements, either electronically or on paper. Many may already have such scenarios that you use in multi-part problem-solving questions, and which may have some visual elements associated with them, e.g. diagrams, tables/graphs summarising data, photographs or micrographs, etc.

At this stage we are simply asking for expressions of interest, including subject areas/topics for development. Please get in touch with either Vivien Sieber or Vicki Tariq

There is also a brief questionnaire about your experience with quantitative problems. We would be most grateful if you would spare just 5 mins of your time to complete it.

Vivien Sieber and Vicki Tariq

Every Student Counts: Promoting Numeracy and Enhancing Employability

The decline in numerical competency amongst undergraduates is of major concern.  This NTFS-funded 3-year project will investigate the curricula requirements and support necessary for enhancing students’ numerical skills within undergraduate programmes, and devise strategies to help students develop and practise the numerical skills required by employers. Project website: http://www.uclan.ac.uk/ldu/resources/NTFS/every_student_counts.htm

Impact of blending a multimedia e-learning resource with traditional teaching methods to support mathematics learning within the life sciences

Vicki Tariq (University of Central Lancashire) has been awarded one of the HE Academy’s e-Learning Research Grants for 2006. The project, which will run for one year, extends recent collaborative work with the Educational Broadcasting Services Trust to develop a pilot biomaths multimedia e-learning resource.
The aims of Vicki’s project are to:

• Investigate the impact of the biomathtutor pilot e-learning resources on the mathematics skills competencies of bioscience undergraduates and on their ability to transfer and apply these skills to different biological contexts
• Identify and evaluate strategies aimed at embedding such e-learning resources into current teaching and learning practices to develop a blended learning experience.

Presentation given by Vicki to colleagues at the Higher Education Academy in York

Articles/Presentations

Fundamental Problems

2 July 2009 Times Higher Education article written by Harriet Jones presents her experiences at University of East Anglia on the numeracy and literacy skills of first year bioscience students.

Sum-things Don't Add Up: Tackling the Numerical Skills Deficit

This is a presentation given by Vicki Tariq (University of Central Lancashire) at the Centre for Bioscience event The Bioscience First Year: putting research into practice. The talk covered the dichotomy between the ever-increasing GCSE and A-Level grades attained by students and concerns over the reduction in content and level of a pass mark in these examinations. These concerns are supported by data that Vicki has collected over the last 10 years. Also mentioned are some of the strategies that institutions have adopted to cope with the reduced and more diverse levels of numeracy in bioscience students.

Numeracy, Mathematical Literacy and the Life Sciences

This article by Vicki Tariq (University of Central Lancashire) was published in MSOR Connections May 2004 Vol 4 No 2, a quarterly newsletter from the Maths, Stats & OR Network. The article is an excellent introduction to the area of numeracy and mathematical literacy. It covers government policy, the loss of confidence in the public exam system, definitions of numeracy, mathematical literacy and what is expected in undergraduate biomaths. Also covered are the different strategies that institutions have adopted to support students in developing their mathematical competency.

Maths for Biosciences - Towards Developing an Innovative E-learning Resource for Post-GCSE Students

A second article from Vicki Tariq, Jim Stevenson and Tom Roper, published in the Maths, Stats & OR Subject Centre's newsletter. Following a conference in January, this article provides an update on levels of numeracy and the numerical skills gap of many life science students and the authors planned approach to developing a resource that could be useful to those seeking to provide mathematical support to their students. Download article.

Resources

Understanding the UK Mathematics Curriculum Pre-Higher Education

This guide was commissioned by the STEM Subject Centres for Bioscience, Engineering, Information and Computer Sciences, Matherials and Physical Sciences in order to assist academic members of staff to better understand a student's level of knowledge and ability in mathematics from various pre-higher mathematics qualifications. This guide is hoped to better align the lecturer's expectations with the possible ability of students enrolled in a STEM subject area in higher education. Download the pdf guide.

Mathtutor and biomathtutor

Mathtutor is a resource produced by the Mathcentre to help students to study important areas of pre-university mathematics. Mathtutor is generic in nature, however, there are plans, led by Vicki Tariq (University of Central Lancashire) to adapt Mathtutor for the biosciences - biomathtutor (see below and Recent Developments)

The Centre for Bioscience, in association with the Academy's National Teaching Fellowship Scheme, funded this two-day workshop and discussion forum, which was hosted by the Centre for Engineering at Loughborough University. Fourteen colleagues from ten UK higher education institutions, the Centre for Bioscience, as well as the Director of the Educational Broadcasting Services (EBS) Trust came together to discuss (i) issues surrounding the mathematical competencies of bioscience undergraduates, and (ii) a proposal to develop an e-learning resource to support students in their acquisition and practise of core mathematical skills.

The main aims of the event were to:

• facilitate discussion of key issues surrounding the perceived problems regarding mathematics in undergraduate life science curricula;
• introduce participants to 'mathtutor' and mathcentre;
• provide an opportunity for participants to gain hands-on experience of using 'mathtutor';
• facilitate discussion of a proposal for the design and production of a similar (in terms of the technology used) learning resource for the life sciences, which may apply the paradigm of problem-based learning in providing mathematics support for undergraduate students;
• provide an opportunity for participants to influence the subject-specific and maths content of this new and exciting learning resource and get actively involved in its production.

A full report on the outcomes of this workshop and discussion forum is available for download. If you would like to get involved in this initiative then contact Vicki Tariq

Also view Vicki Tariq's presentation on 'Adapting mathtutor for the biosciences' or read her full paper on 'Adapting mathtutor for the biosciences', from the Helping Everyone Learn Mathematics (HELM) Conference, which was held at Loughborough University between the 14-15 September 2005.

Web-based resource centre to support the teaching and learning of numerical techniques

This project is funded by the Centre for Bioscience's Departmental Teaching Enhancement Scheme. The project aims to strengthen the integration of statistical and other numerical methodologies into the biosciences curriculum at Anglia Ruskin University. It will build on a highly successful module called 'Biomeasurement', by supplementing and extending its reach into other modules using an online resource centre containing technique specific 'toolkits'. Each toolkit will provide a consistent and familiar environment for students using an approach based on examples relevant to specific areas of study. Staff will have the benefit of knowing that tested numerical exercises are available for their students, without needing to prepare special materials.

Books

Essential Mathematics and Statistics for Science, Currell and Dowman

Catchup Maths and Stats for the Life and Medical Sciences, Harris, Taylor and Taylor