The transition from secondary to tertiary education in mathematics

Project Description

In recent years there has been a growing interest in the transition from school to university. Reports identify problems in transition as a significant factor in learning mathematics, with international concerns about decreasing numbers of students opting to study mathematics at university and their decreasing levels of competence (Smith, 2004). In addition, serious concern has been expressed around a lack of essential technical facility, a marked decline in analytical powers, and a changed perception of what mathematics is, especially with regard to the place of precision and proof. Although there have been some studies on possible causes of transition problems, the amount of research in mathematics education at the tertiary level is still modest (Selden & Selden, 2001), and usually does not cover the secondary-tertiary transition well.

This 2-year study considered the evidence from New Zealand of the existence of a gap in the transition from school to tertiary study in mathematics and what factors might be promoting it. The aim was to identify the nature of any transition difficulties and analyse possible reasons for them. We found that there is a need for much better communication between teachers and tertiary lecturers and their institutions. Also while students are affected differently by the transition, their motivation for studying mathematics changed, and their confidence fell during the transition. It seems that improving study skills and assisting them to acquire a facility for independent learning would help.

Project Outputs