Project Investigator(s): Matthew Coles, Science Education Specialist, Department of Mathematics & The Science Centre for Learning and Teaching (Skylight), Costanza Piccolo, Instructor, Department of Mathematics
Project Description
In honours mathematics at UBC the success rate (percent of students who enter the program who go on to graduate with honours mathematics) for women is about 30% while for men this number is about 70% [UBC Mathematics Department data over the past four years]. We would like more information about the student experience in our honours math courses. Specifically, we ask for support to develop a survey tool, develop focus group questions, and to analyze the resulting data. This data will inform decisions about future interventions – the eventual goal being a more inclusive honours program.
Research Questions
Our two main questions are: 1. Why do students, in particular women, in honours mathematics at UBC leave the program? 2. What role do belonging and perception of mathematics play in students’ decision to leave honours mathematics at UBC. We also have the follow-up question: What kinds of interventions would increase students’ likelihood to persist in honours mathematics at UBC.
Impact on teaching and learning at UBC
The present project will contribute to the current knowledge regarding attrition in mathematics as well as larger conversations about inclusivity in university programs. Our context is of particular interest because it deals with a specialized program which is meant to train future mathematics graduate students. Preparing undergraduate students for a career as a professional mathematician has not received as much attention as preparing undergraduate students for STEM careers in industry. Insight gained here may contribute to conversations surrounding the well known problem of hiring women faculty and postdocs in mathematics departments.