A brief overview

Background  In Jan 05 HEFCE awarded Coventry and Loughborough Universities CETL status for their Centre for Excellence in the University-wide Provision of Mathematics and Statistics Support – sigma  Funded with a capital fund of £2.35M and a recurrent fund of £500,000 per annum for 5 years

Background sigma is building upon Loughborough and Coventry's extensive experience and reputations in the support of students (undergraduate and postgraduate) who require some knowledge of mathematical and/or statistical methods to engage fully with their programme of study.

Our vision  To create superb environments whereby all students expect to succeed through the provision of:  high quality workspace  professionally produced learning resources  dedicated and motivated teaching staff  innovative teaching  evidence-based development

Our strategic objectives 1.To reduce failure and referral rates on mathematics and statistics modules for non- specialists 2.To enhance statistics provision for post- graduates 3.To research and evaluate the delivery and support of mathematics and statistics taught throughout LU and CU 4.To disseminate findings effectively across the HE sector 5.To manage the CETL effectively

A brief overview of achievements to-date

Objective 1 - reduce failure and referral rates  Extensively refurbished facilities at LU and CU, ensuring our student have access to superb working spaces and resources  Social learning spaces provided for second/final year Mathematics students at both institutions

Objective 1 - reduce failure and referral rates  Extensively refurbished facilities at LU and CU, ensuring our student have access to superb working spaces and resources  Social learning spaces provided for second/final year Mathematics students at both institutions

Objective 1 - reduce failure and referral rates  Undertaken a number of proactive teaching interventions and worked with non-specialist departments to improve support for students  Extended existing specialist support for students with disabilities or specific learning difficulties

Objective 2 - enhance statistics provision  Developed and delivered short courses in statistical methods for postgraduate research students  Developed statistics advisory service for postgraduate and final year undergraduate projects  Providing workshops to LU & CU staff

Objective 3 – research and evaluation  Investigating the innovative use of technology to enhance teaching practice  Comprehensive Research Strategy and extensive programme of pedagogic research underpinning all activities  Ongoing Evaluation Strategy in place

Objective 4 - dissemination  Significantly raised the profile of mathematics support within LU and CU  Excellent profile amongst the mathematics support community  Close links with MSOR Subject Centre  Funded the establishment of a centre at Leeds and currently funding similar initiatives at Bath and Sheffield  Working on projects with colleagues from other institutions

Objective 5 - management  Regular operational management meetings  Quarterly Management Committee meetings  Weekly newsletter to help with internal dissemination  Seminar programme for all staff  Staff interviews as part of Evaluation Action Plan  Inter-institutional collaboration activities  Sound financial management

sigma’s Thematic Groups  Drop-in Centres  Special Needs  Statistics Support  Proactive Teaching Interventions  Pedagogic Research  Innovative Uses of Technology

Drop-in Centres Number of visits made to the sigma drop-in centres 2003/4 Baseline 2005/6 Year /7 Year 2 Loughborough Coventry Total

Special/Additional Needs  Established the Eureka Centre for Mathematical Confidence  Developing close ties with DANS(LU) and the Disabilities Office (CU)  Increased hours of one-to-one support, and also support for an increasing range of disabilities and learning difficulties  Supporting the work of the Dyscalculia and Dyslexia Interest Group

Statistics Support CU has developed the following:  two short courses (each comprised of twelve workshops) in statistical methodology and software  a Statistics Advisory Service offering ten hours per week of bookable one hour one-to-one sessions, with individuals allowed up to three consultations initially on design and data collection and then on analysis of collected data.  Statistics Teaching Forum established

Statistics Support LU has provided the following:  the equivalent of two modules of teaching throughout the year covering statistical methodology  six hours per week of bookable face-to-face statistics advice for individual postgraduates or small groups  drop-in sessions at the Mathematics Learning Support Centre

Statistics Support Number of students using the sigma SAS 2003/4 Baseline 2005/6 Year /7 Year 2 Loughborough Coventry06698 Total

Proactive Teaching Interventions  Working Group established  Small group teaching has taken place in at least three different modes  Developed diagnostic tests with staff from supported departments  Development of alternative approaches under way

Pedagogic Research  Comprehensive Research Strategy developed  Matrix of research activities mapped against the strategy being finalised  5 PhD students already supported by sigma, with 4 additional students starting  Sizeable publication record  Provided impetus for LU to appoint Chair of Mathematics Education

Innovative Uses of Technology  Working Group established  A number of technologies purchased for evaluation and ongoing use  Technologies investigated for use in enhancing teaching practice  Staff development workshops developed and supported

Innovative Uses of Technology  13 “How to…” user guides produced  Entire suite of mathtutor video materials is being re-formatted for use on portable devices  Working with non-specialist departments to develop contextualised teaching resources and assessments

Dissemination and Impact

Supporting other HEIs  Funded Leeds Mathematics Support Unit for first two years – now funded centrally by Leeds University  Now funding new initiatives at Bath and Sheffield  Establishing pilot hubs in South West and Scotland  Secondment opportunities  Supporting NTFS project at UCLan  Member of steering group Lancaster Postgraduate Statistics CETL

Internal dissemination and collaboration  Links with other CETLs at LU and CU  Presentations on induction days  Technology Evaluation Projects  Student ambassador schemes  Student representation on Management Committee and Steering Group  Internal “marketing” campaigns  Contributions to internal conferences, e.g. ELATE ‘06 at CU  Statistics Teaching Forum

External Impact  Close links with MSOR HEA Subject Centre  Regular articles in MSOR Connections  13 seminar/workshop presentations at CETL-MSOR Conference 2007

External Impact  Links with other CETLS e.g. through East Midlands CETL Network, National CETL Student Network  Support for outreach projects e.g. Further Mathematics Network, aimHigher, EU Leonardo Project, NAGTY  National and international links e.g. visiting fellows

sigma Steering Group Management Group MSOR Network CU CETL Board HE Academy Funded Leeds Funded Bath Funded Sheffield East Midlands CETL Network Other CETLs RSSSEFI IMA Research Councils Further Maths Network More Maths Grads Project HEFCE NAGTY Other Subject Centres Warwick University Lancaster University UK HEIs Reading University QUT, Australia Loughborough University LU School of Mathematics CU Dept of Mathematics EU Leonardo project Birmingham University Coventry University UCLan

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