An Analysis of Maths Learning Support for Mature Students in Engineering: Engagement and Effect

The Maths Learning Support Centre (MLSC) in the Technological University Dublin (DIT) provides free mathematical support to all DIT students. This support is primarily delivered through a drop-in service, where students can receive one to one tuition in any area of mathematics. In the first semester of the 2013/14 academic year, a significant proportion of students enrolled in engineering programmes that availed of this drop-in service were mature students (approximately 42%) This is despite the fact that mature students constitute a relatively small proportion of the total student body (approximately 15%). This motivated the authors to examine the support offered to these students by the MLSC and also consider their attitudes towards this support. To this end focus groups were conducted in order to ascertain the attitudes of mature students in Engineering towards the MLSC. In addition some quantitative analysis was carried to determine what effect the MLSC had on student’s academic performance.