TY - JOUR

T1 - Mathematics learning support centres in Germany - An overview

AU - Schürmann, Mirko

AU - Gildehaus, Lara

AU - Liebendörfer, Michael

AU - Schaper, Niclas

AU - Biehler, Rolf

AU - Hochmuth, Reinhard

AU - Kuklinski, Christiane

AU - Lankeit, Elisa

N1 - Funding information: WiGeMath stands for 'Wirkung und Gelingensbedingungen von Unterstützungsmaßnahmen für mathematikbezogenes Lernen in der Studieneingangsphase'; 'Effects and success conditions of mathematics learning support in the introductory study phase'. It is a joint research project from the Universities of Hannover and Paderborn that operated from 2015 through 2018 and is followed byWiGeMath-Transfer operating until 2020. The WiGeMath project was funded by the German Federal Ministry of Education and Research from 2016 through 2018, grant identifiers 01PB14015A and 01PB14015B and from 2018 through 2020, grant identifiers 01PB18015A and 01PB18015B.

PY - 2021/6/1

Y1 - 2021/6/1

N2 - Mathematics learning support centres (MLSC) are widely established and evaluated in English-speaking countries (such as the UK, Ireland and Australia). In most of these countries, several national surveys on MLSCs exist. They give an overview of the number of MLSCs as well as their characteristics in these countries. In Germany, there is a lack of studies on MLSCs and the landscape of MLSCs has not been described yet. This article presents basic information concerning counts of MLSCs and their characteristics at universities. Based on a three-step approach of analysing university homepages and additional personal contact via email or phone calls, we gathered typical MLSC features (e.g. staff quantities and qualification, opening and support hours, supported study programmes). We analysed 190 universities from a web-based register on study programmes. In total, we found 61 MLSCs located at 51 German universities. Another 16 support centres were specialized on mathematics didactics, which means they focussed on didactical and methodological support for preservice teacher students and often provided different teaching materials. Thirty-eight centres were located at universities (62.3%) and 23 MLSCs at universities of applied sciences and comparable universities (37.7%). The MLSCs were different in their sizes of staff and opening hours, and both the numbers of staff and the service hours differed greatly. The student groups MLSCs at German universities focus on differ concerning characteristics like study programme or semester. We will provide the main categories describing these groups. We seek to answer research questions concerning the characteristics of MLSCs in Germany and discuss the results compared to international findings. This information is useful for further international collaborative research, for example a standardized international survey. From a national perspective, these findings support networking and collaborations between the MLSCs as well. As some German MLSCs are facing financial cuts, these results might help in gaining additional funding.

AB - Mathematics learning support centres (MLSC) are widely established and evaluated in English-speaking countries (such as the UK, Ireland and Australia). In most of these countries, several national surveys on MLSCs exist. They give an overview of the number of MLSCs as well as their characteristics in these countries. In Germany, there is a lack of studies on MLSCs and the landscape of MLSCs has not been described yet. This article presents basic information concerning counts of MLSCs and their characteristics at universities. Based on a three-step approach of analysing university homepages and additional personal contact via email or phone calls, we gathered typical MLSC features (e.g. staff quantities and qualification, opening and support hours, supported study programmes). We analysed 190 universities from a web-based register on study programmes. In total, we found 61 MLSCs located at 51 German universities. Another 16 support centres were specialized on mathematics didactics, which means they focussed on didactical and methodological support for preservice teacher students and often provided different teaching materials. Thirty-eight centres were located at universities (62.3%) and 23 MLSCs at universities of applied sciences and comparable universities (37.7%). The MLSCs were different in their sizes of staff and opening hours, and both the numbers of staff and the service hours differed greatly. The student groups MLSCs at German universities focus on differ concerning characteristics like study programme or semester. We will provide the main categories describing these groups. We seek to answer research questions concerning the characteristics of MLSCs in Germany and discuss the results compared to international findings. This information is useful for further international collaborative research, for example a standardized international survey. From a national perspective, these findings support networking and collaborations between the MLSCs as well. As some German MLSCs are facing financial cuts, these results might help in gaining additional funding.

UR - http://www.scopus.com/inward/record.url?scp=85108234311&partnerID=8YFLogxK

U2 - 10.1093/teamat/hraa007

DO - 10.1093/teamat/hraa007

M3 - Review article

AN - SCOPUS:85108234311

VL - 40

SP - 99

EP - 113

JO - Teaching Mathematics and its Applications

JF - Teaching Mathematics and its Applications

SN - 0268-3679

IS - 2

ER -