Prototype of an intervention strategy with a focus on mathematics support for first year Civil Engineering students 'at risk'

Retention strategies are vital for universities to compete successfully in a deregulated market, as new cohorts of first year Engineering students not only struggle with the new environments, but also may be less prepared in prerequisite areas such as mathematics. In this environment, it is now each university's responsibility towards enrolled students to provide support structures to engage them and to give them a chance to successfully complete their degree. The Faculty of Engineering & Industrial Sciences at Swinburne University of Technology has experienced the second highest growth rate across all first year Engineering enrolments in Australia this year. To retain these students, an Engagement and Retention strategy is being developed with academic focus on mathematics support. This preliminary study includes an intake of Civil Engineering students enrolled in the first year first semester linear Algebra and Calculus Engineering mathematics subject. We report on preliminary outcomes of our investigation into how effective the current retention strategy is, to inform a new Intervention Strategy. We ask the questions: How do we identify students at risk? and Are students who should be, using the services we are offering? Data available is the number of student visits of the dedicated Mathematics Help centre (MASH), use of online MathsCasts videos created specifically for this cohort of students, and records of individual appointments to assist students to manage their study plan. This data is analysed and matched with the students' scores on major assessment items throughout the semester to find out how students have interacted with available academic support services and what impact this interaction has had on student performance and retention. As we expected, while the support services are used by many students successfully, others do not seek help when they should. Students who are failing are not engaging sufficiently with the available support. These students appear to be entering the university in the lower range of entry scores, they come from alternative pathways, or are repeating the subject. We suggest criteria to identify students at risk, and the prototype of the new Intervention Strategy. To be successful an Intervention Strategy needs to be implemented in the students first semester at critical points in the curriculum to ensure maximum benefit to the student. The proposed strategy is at conceptual stage and will be trialled and enhanced in a future semester.