Biomaths
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Recent papers in Biomaths
For university biology students transferring ‘mathematics’ to a life science discipline is as uncomfortable for them as being in a mathematics class. I say ‘uncomfortable’ as about 50% of our life science students tend to adopt a rigid... more
For university biology students transferring ‘mathematics’ to a life science discipline is as uncomfortable for them as being in a mathematics class. I say ‘uncomfortable’ as about 50% of our life science students tend to adopt a rigid stance when required to take their raw data and generate data suitable for their assignments. It is unlikely that my students are innumerate, rather this statement of not being able to “do maths” represents a reluctance on the part of these students to participate in activities that, to them, look like maths.
The maths problem refers to the perceived shortfall in numeracy skills required in the workforce that are provided by the education system. In Biology the maths problem manifests as a rigid stance of students claiming that they can’t do... more
The maths problem refers to the perceived shortfall in numeracy skills required in the workforce that are provided by the education system. In Biology the maths problem manifests as a rigid stance of students claiming that they can’t do maths and a reluctance to participate in biology when the focus shifts to data-handling and calculations. We hypothesis that this ‘rigidity’ masks a high degree of attitudinal complexity that is effecting student engagement with learning; the link between attitude . Studies from the past decade or more have demonstrated that approximately half of life science students lack confidence in in their mathematical abilities (Tariq, 2002; McMullan, et al., 2012; Quinnell & Wong, 2007), and this has implications for students actively engaging in biology when it looks to them like maths. We surveyed students enrolled in an introductory biology course (n=254) as to their attitudes to mathematics (Doepken, et al., 2003). Our results show that; approximately 50% of students self-reported that they were not mathematically confident, consistent with (Tariq, 2002; Quinnell & Wong, 2007; McMullan, et al., 2012), female students were less mathematically confident than male students, consistent with (Durrani & Tariq, 2009; Matthews & Hodgson, 2012; Tariq, et al., 2013) and mathematical confidence did not differ between students in the advanced course (ATAR: 90) and standard students (minimum ATAR: 70.5). Our preliminary findings suggest that HSC appears not likely to be an adequate predictor of biology students’ numeric confidence, however we intend to conduct follow-up studies to determine how students’ background (performance in high school mathematics) shapes their confidence, and in turn may influence their performance at university, overall and within mathematics and biology.
Background Studies over the past decade have shown that approx. 50% of life science students lack confidence in their mathematical abilities (Tariq, 2002; Quinnell & Wong, 2007; McMullan et al., 2012; Markovina et al., 2015), and as a... more
Background
Studies over the past decade have shown that approx. 50% of life science students lack confidence in their mathematical abilities (Tariq, 2002; Quinnell & Wong, 2007; McMullan et al., 2012; Markovina et al., 2015), and as a result, often adopt a rigid attitude to learning mathematics. Students who adopt this ‘rigid attitude’ are likely to stumble in their biology studies, when emphasis is placed upon statistical and chemical calculations. It was hypothesised that this ‘rigidity’ (low confidence) would relate to lower academic performance in biology and mathematics.
Aims
This study was framed using the self-efficacy theory (Bandura, 1977) and aimed to determine whether low mathematical confidence amongst undergraduate biology students would relate to low academic performance in biology mathematics.
Design and methods
Students enrolled in an introductory biology course (n=254) at a major research focused university were surveyed as to their attitudes to mathematics, using a modified version of the Fennema-Sherman Attitude Scale (5-point Likert items). Based on their responses to the confidence sub-scale, students were categorised as either possessing ‘low’ (mean Likert score <3.5) or ‘high’ (>3.5) confidence, they were then matched to their mean final grades in mathematics and biology, and compared using a student’s independent samples t-test.
Results
No differences were found between students who possessed ‘low’ or ‘high’ mathematical confidence, in terms of mean final grades in biology. Interestingly, for mathematics, students who were categorised a possessing ‘high’ mathematical confidence, achieved significantly lower grades compared to those students who possessed ‘low’ mathematical confidence. In other words students who were less mathematically confident, achieved significantly higher grades relative to their more mathematically confident peers.
Conclusions
These results provide evidence in the country to the old adage ‘confidence is key’, at least for this population of students. It appears that students who possess lower mathematical confidence recognise this, and as such apply themselves more diligently to their studies, compared to those students who possess high mathematical confidence. It is clear that students possess a high degree of additional complexity, with regards to the learning of mathematics and biology.
Proceedings of the Australian Conference on Science and Mathematics Education, The University of Queensland, Sept 28th to 30th, 2016, page 1, ISBN Number 978-0-9871834-4-6.
References
Bandura, A. (1977). Self-efficacy: toward a unifying theory of behavioral change. Psychological review, 84(2), 191.
Markovina, N. S., Poladian, L., LeBard, R., & Quinnell, R. (2015). Characterising the mathematical confidence of undergraduate biology students. Paper presented at the Creating the Future: Biosciences Education Australia Network, Canberra, ACT, Australia.
McMullan, M., Jones, R., & Lea, S. (2012). Math anxiety, self‐efficacy, and ability in British undergraduate nursing students. Research in nursing & health, 35(2), 178-186.
Quinnell, R., & Wong, E. (2007). Can intervention strategies engage biology students in their numeric skills development? Paper presented at the ISSoTL, Sydney.
Tariq, V. (2002). A decline in numeracy skills among bioscience undergraduates. Journal of Biological Education, 36(2), 76 - 83.
NOTE: The analysis offered here was carried out as an Honours project (student: N. Markovina, supervisors: R.Quinnell, L.Poladian, R.LeBard). These data were collected as part of a larger project (CI: Quinnell) and this project is ongoing.
Studies over the past decade have shown that approx. 50% of life science students lack confidence in their mathematical abilities (Tariq, 2002; Quinnell & Wong, 2007; McMullan et al., 2012; Markovina et al., 2015), and as a result, often adopt a rigid attitude to learning mathematics. Students who adopt this ‘rigid attitude’ are likely to stumble in their biology studies, when emphasis is placed upon statistical and chemical calculations. It was hypothesised that this ‘rigidity’ (low confidence) would relate to lower academic performance in biology and mathematics.
Aims
This study was framed using the self-efficacy theory (Bandura, 1977) and aimed to determine whether low mathematical confidence amongst undergraduate biology students would relate to low academic performance in biology mathematics.
Design and methods
Students enrolled in an introductory biology course (n=254) at a major research focused university were surveyed as to their attitudes to mathematics, using a modified version of the Fennema-Sherman Attitude Scale (5-point Likert items). Based on their responses to the confidence sub-scale, students were categorised as either possessing ‘low’ (mean Likert score <3.5) or ‘high’ (>3.5) confidence, they were then matched to their mean final grades in mathematics and biology, and compared using a student’s independent samples t-test.
Results
No differences were found between students who possessed ‘low’ or ‘high’ mathematical confidence, in terms of mean final grades in biology. Interestingly, for mathematics, students who were categorised a possessing ‘high’ mathematical confidence, achieved significantly lower grades compared to those students who possessed ‘low’ mathematical confidence. In other words students who were less mathematically confident, achieved significantly higher grades relative to their more mathematically confident peers.
Conclusions
These results provide evidence in the country to the old adage ‘confidence is key’, at least for this population of students. It appears that students who possess lower mathematical confidence recognise this, and as such apply themselves more diligently to their studies, compared to those students who possess high mathematical confidence. It is clear that students possess a high degree of additional complexity, with regards to the learning of mathematics and biology.
Proceedings of the Australian Conference on Science and Mathematics Education, The University of Queensland, Sept 28th to 30th, 2016, page 1, ISBN Number 978-0-9871834-4-6.
References
Bandura, A. (1977). Self-efficacy: toward a unifying theory of behavioral change. Psychological review, 84(2), 191.
Markovina, N. S., Poladian, L., LeBard, R., & Quinnell, R. (2015). Characterising the mathematical confidence of undergraduate biology students. Paper presented at the Creating the Future: Biosciences Education Australia Network, Canberra, ACT, Australia.
McMullan, M., Jones, R., & Lea, S. (2012). Math anxiety, self‐efficacy, and ability in British undergraduate nursing students. Research in nursing & health, 35(2), 178-186.
Quinnell, R., & Wong, E. (2007). Can intervention strategies engage biology students in their numeric skills development? Paper presented at the ISSoTL, Sydney.
Tariq, V. (2002). A decline in numeracy skills among bioscience undergraduates. Journal of Biological Education, 36(2), 76 - 83.
NOTE: The analysis offered here was carried out as an Honours project (student: N. Markovina, supervisors: R.Quinnell, L.Poladian, R.LeBard). These data were collected as part of a larger project (CI: Quinnell) and this project is ongoing.
- by Rosanne Quinnell and +1
- •
- Confidence, Biomaths
Quinnell, R. 2015. Botany, Mathematics and the Scholarship of Teaching and Learning in the BSc. Presented at the Faculty of Technology & Environment. Prince of Songkla University, Phuket Campus, Thailand. December 16, 2015.
In this article, we present a mathematical six-dimensional dynamical system involving a three-tiered microbial food web without maintenance. We give a qualitative analysis of the model, and an analysis of the local stability of... more
In this article, we present a mathematical six-dimensional dynamical system involving a three-tiered microbial food web without maintenance. We give a qualitative analysis of the model, and an analysis of the local stability of equilibrium points. Under general assumptions of monotonicity, we prove the uniqueness and the local stability of the positive equilibrium point corresponding to the persistence of the three bacteria. Possibilities of periodic orbits are not excluded and asymptotic coexistence is satisfied.
Quinnell R.**, Thompson R., Markovina N., LeBard R*. Curtin University, Sept 30th to Oct 1st, 2015, page X, ISBN Number 978-0-9871834-4-6. *presenting author **author for correspondence. BACKGROUND: WHAT THE PAPERS SAY. In recent years... more
Quinnell R.**, Thompson R., Markovina N., LeBard R*. Curtin University, Sept 30th to Oct 1st, 2015, page X, ISBN Number 978-0-9871834-4-6. *presenting author **author for correspondence.
BACKGROUND: WHAT THE PAPERS SAY.
In recent years there have been concerning headlines in the media that speak to the pervasiveness of the maths problem through Australian science, technology and mathematics (STEM) education from primary to tertiary. The Australian Financial Review referred to ‘Australia’s maths crisis’ (Mather, 2015) in reference to the 15-year trend of Australian school students' continuing poor performance in international testing. This 15-year trend aligns with the ‘20-year decline in science and maths education’ (Phillips, 2015). The Conversation tells us ‘Aspiring teachers [are] abandoning HSC maths’ (Smith, 2015) so that those intending to teach at school are not gaining the basics during their own school education and so are likely to struggle with gaining adequate maths expertise to be able to teach it and there appears to be no incentive to study maths when ‘HSC maths: students studying advanced maths [are] stung with lower marks in ATAR’ (Bagshaw, 2015). This headline ‘Science graduates are not that hot at maths – but why?’ (Matthews, 2014) refers to the lack of sound numeracy skills our science graduates demonstrate. If nothing else, these headlines tell us that the maths problem as it manifests in tertiary life science teaching and learning is both complex and of concern to the public at large.
MATHS IN CONTEXT: WHERE BIOLOGY MEETS MATHS
So where does that leave teachers in the higher education sector who rely on schools to provide the mathematics foundations for non-maths STEM disciplines, particularly in the Life Sciences, were the synergies between Mathematics and Biology seem less obvious students than the between, say, Mathematics and Physics? In Biology we require students to confidently transfer their numeracy skills, rather than their maths anxiety, to our discipline area and we require students to develop the discipline-specific numeric sensitivities.
Given the complexity of both the Maths Problem and numeracy skills transfer, solutions to address these will need be complexity and to be as pervasive as the problem itself. Our work to date (e.g. Quinnell, Thompson & LeBard, 2013) has been largely theoretical and focussed on characterising learning and teaching thresholds and discipline sensitivities in academic numeracy for biology students. Sensitivities are interesting and in the context of numeracy include: 1) the use of engineering notation rather strict scientific notation in some Life Science disciplines such as physiology; and 2) the use of unit of measure prefixes in molecular biology and biochemistry so students in general biology must be, or become, proficient in switching between engineering notation and unit of measure prefixes. We need to not only provide numeracy support that has been contextualised for the discipline with the aim to develop sensitivities but the support materials ought to address issues such as maths anxiety and/or poor numeric confidence.
FUTURE DIRECTIONS: SHARABLE AND ADAPTABLE SOLUTIONS
We have now begun to storyboard an online diagnostic and learning analytics feedback system that can be repurposed, or "reinvented", by others. Learning analytics in systems such as SmartSparrow [https://www.smartsparrow.com/] or Numbas [http://www.numbas.org.uk/] will allow easy identification of threshold learning areas, or learning obstacles which are where most students stuck. Critical to this initiative will be allow for students to access a level of learning analytics to track their progress with development of numeracy skills, discipline sensitivities and confidence.
REFERENCES
Bagshaw, E. (2015, May 19). HSC maths: students studying advanced maths stung with lower marks in ATAR. The Sydney Morning Herald. Retrieved June 10, 2015, from http://www.smh.com.au/national/education/hsc-maths-students-studying-advanced-maths-stung-with-lower-marks-in-atar-20150519-gh45ox.html
Mather, J., & Tadros, E. (2014, June 7). Australia’s maths crisis. The Australian Financial Review. Retrieved June 10, 2015, from http://www.afr.com/news/policy/education/australias-maths-crWoSs-20140606-iwfn1
Matthews, K. (2014, September 29). Science graduates are not that hot at maths – but why? The Conversation. Retrieved June 10, 2015, from http://theconversation.com/science-graduates-are-not-that-hot-at-maths-but-why-32021
Phillips, N. (2014, October 6). 20-year decline in year 12 science and maths participation. The Sydney Morning Herald. Retrieved June 10, 2015, from http://www.smh.com.au/technology/sci-tech/20year-decline-in-year-12-science-and-maths-participation-study-finds-20141006-10qvq2.html
Quinnell, R., Thompson, R., & LeBard, R. (2013). It's not maths; it's science: exploring thinking dispositions, learning thresholds and mindfulness in science learning. International Journal of Mathematical Education in Science and Technology, 44(6), 808-816. doi: http://dx.doi.org/10.1080/0020739X.2013.800598
Smith, A. (2015). Aspiring teachers abandoning HSC maths. The Sydney Morning Herald. Retrieved June 10, 2015, from http://www.smh.com.au/nsw/aspiring-teachers-abandoning-hsc-maths-20150213-13drr7.html
BACKGROUND: WHAT THE PAPERS SAY.
In recent years there have been concerning headlines in the media that speak to the pervasiveness of the maths problem through Australian science, technology and mathematics (STEM) education from primary to tertiary. The Australian Financial Review referred to ‘Australia’s maths crisis’ (Mather, 2015) in reference to the 15-year trend of Australian school students' continuing poor performance in international testing. This 15-year trend aligns with the ‘20-year decline in science and maths education’ (Phillips, 2015). The Conversation tells us ‘Aspiring teachers [are] abandoning HSC maths’ (Smith, 2015) so that those intending to teach at school are not gaining the basics during their own school education and so are likely to struggle with gaining adequate maths expertise to be able to teach it and there appears to be no incentive to study maths when ‘HSC maths: students studying advanced maths [are] stung with lower marks in ATAR’ (Bagshaw, 2015). This headline ‘Science graduates are not that hot at maths – but why?’ (Matthews, 2014) refers to the lack of sound numeracy skills our science graduates demonstrate. If nothing else, these headlines tell us that the maths problem as it manifests in tertiary life science teaching and learning is both complex and of concern to the public at large.
MATHS IN CONTEXT: WHERE BIOLOGY MEETS MATHS
So where does that leave teachers in the higher education sector who rely on schools to provide the mathematics foundations for non-maths STEM disciplines, particularly in the Life Sciences, were the synergies between Mathematics and Biology seem less obvious students than the between, say, Mathematics and Physics? In Biology we require students to confidently transfer their numeracy skills, rather than their maths anxiety, to our discipline area and we require students to develop the discipline-specific numeric sensitivities.
Given the complexity of both the Maths Problem and numeracy skills transfer, solutions to address these will need be complexity and to be as pervasive as the problem itself. Our work to date (e.g. Quinnell, Thompson & LeBard, 2013) has been largely theoretical and focussed on characterising learning and teaching thresholds and discipline sensitivities in academic numeracy for biology students. Sensitivities are interesting and in the context of numeracy include: 1) the use of engineering notation rather strict scientific notation in some Life Science disciplines such as physiology; and 2) the use of unit of measure prefixes in molecular biology and biochemistry so students in general biology must be, or become, proficient in switching between engineering notation and unit of measure prefixes. We need to not only provide numeracy support that has been contextualised for the discipline with the aim to develop sensitivities but the support materials ought to address issues such as maths anxiety and/or poor numeric confidence.
FUTURE DIRECTIONS: SHARABLE AND ADAPTABLE SOLUTIONS
We have now begun to storyboard an online diagnostic and learning analytics feedback system that can be repurposed, or "reinvented", by others. Learning analytics in systems such as SmartSparrow [https://www.smartsparrow.com/] or Numbas [http://www.numbas.org.uk/] will allow easy identification of threshold learning areas, or learning obstacles which are where most students stuck. Critical to this initiative will be allow for students to access a level of learning analytics to track their progress with development of numeracy skills, discipline sensitivities and confidence.
REFERENCES
Bagshaw, E. (2015, May 19). HSC maths: students studying advanced maths stung with lower marks in ATAR. The Sydney Morning Herald. Retrieved June 10, 2015, from http://www.smh.com.au/national/education/hsc-maths-students-studying-advanced-maths-stung-with-lower-marks-in-atar-20150519-gh45ox.html
Mather, J., & Tadros, E. (2014, June 7). Australia’s maths crisis. The Australian Financial Review. Retrieved June 10, 2015, from http://www.afr.com/news/policy/education/australias-maths-crWoSs-20140606-iwfn1
Matthews, K. (2014, September 29). Science graduates are not that hot at maths – but why? The Conversation. Retrieved June 10, 2015, from http://theconversation.com/science-graduates-are-not-that-hot-at-maths-but-why-32021
Phillips, N. (2014, October 6). 20-year decline in year 12 science and maths participation. The Sydney Morning Herald. Retrieved June 10, 2015, from http://www.smh.com.au/technology/sci-tech/20year-decline-in-year-12-science-and-maths-participation-study-finds-20141006-10qvq2.html
Quinnell, R., Thompson, R., & LeBard, R. (2013). It's not maths; it's science: exploring thinking dispositions, learning thresholds and mindfulness in science learning. International Journal of Mathematical Education in Science and Technology, 44(6), 808-816. doi: http://dx.doi.org/10.1080/0020739X.2013.800598
Smith, A. (2015). Aspiring teachers abandoning HSC maths. The Sydney Morning Herald. Retrieved June 10, 2015, from http://www.smh.com.au/nsw/aspiring-teachers-abandoning-hsc-maths-20150213-13drr7.html
- by Rachel Thompson and +3
- •
- Academic numeracy, Biomaths
BACKGROUND: WHAT THE PAPERS SAY The maths problem refers to the broadening gap between increasing demand for numeracy skills in the workforce and the decreasing numeracy skills supply provided by the education system. In recent years... more
BACKGROUND: WHAT THE PAPERS SAY The maths problem refers to the broadening gap between increasing demand for numeracy skills in the workforce and the decreasing numeracy skills supply provided by the education system. In recent years there have been concerning headlines in the media that speak to the pervasiveness of the maths problem through Australian science, technology and mathematics (STEM) education from primary to tertiary. The Australian Financial Review referred to ‘Australia’s maths crisis’ (Mather, 2015) in reference to the 15-year trend of Australian school students' continuing poor performance in international testing. This trend aligns with the ‘20-year decline in science and maths education’ (Phillips, 2015). Smith (2015) tells us in The Conversation that ‘Aspiring teachers [are] abandoning HSC maths’ (Smith, 2015) so that those intending to teach at school are not gaining the basics during their own school education and so are likely to struggle with gaining adeq...
Eyes averted |
They hide.
Stopped by |
learnt fear. |
Coaxing |
Enticing |
with biological patterns |
piquing |
curiosity |
And love of number.
They hide.
Stopped by |
learnt fear. |
Coaxing |
Enticing |
with biological patterns |
piquing |
curiosity |
And love of number.
With respect to my education research, I am interested in how students learn science, including how to best use ICT in science curricula. Part of my research has been identifying where science students get stuck as we introduce them to... more
With respect to my education research, I am interested in how students learn science, including how to best use ICT in science curricula. Part of my research has been identifying where science students get stuck as we introduce them to our science discipline practices. The low level of confidence that science students appear to have when applying their numeracy skills to their science studies is alarming and with my colleagues at UNSW I am using the Thresholds Concepts Framework, Mindfulness in Learning, and Thinking Dispositions to better understand how students develop their quantitative skills. In addition to presenting my most recent research in biology teaching and learning that focuses on numeracy in biology teaching and learning, I will offer a short 'show and tell' of the eLearning resources in Botany developed in the School of Biological Sciences, The University of Sydney.
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