Mathematics and dumping lectures?: another perspective on the shift towards learner pragmatism

Abstract

A provocative report by Dolnicar [1] proposes that a shift towards learner pragmatism “defines the reality” of\nthe current tertiary learning environment. It identified a group of so-called “pragmatics” (17% of the students\ninvestigated, and mainly Commerce and IT students) who claimed that they attended lectures almost solely to\ngain essential course information, as against enjoyment or to learn. This group is reported to have claimed the\nlowest levels of lecture attendance, yet delivered “the highest grade point average of the students in the\nstudy”. Are Mathematics students pragmatic in the sense that they only come to lectures to obtain essential\ncourse information, not to learn or enjoy? Are Mathematics lectures valuable in that they have an effect on\nperformance? I present data from 85 Mathematics and Engineering students in an Algebra & Calculus course\nin Australia, in which all resources were readily accessible outside of lectures. Students attending class two\nthirds of the way through the course achieved statistically higher levels of performance on all but one of the\ncourse assessment items (significant at the .05 level) than those not in class at that point. “Strategic” learning\nstyles, which may characterise the “pragmatics” described in [1], yielded only small non-significant\ncorrelations with performance. Lecture attendance has diminished very little in this Mathematics course,\ndespite full and easy access to all course information and materials, online and in hardcopy. Hence there was\nlittle evidence of the pragmatism reported in [1] for Commerce and IT students. A follow-up study indicated\nthat mathematics attendees regarded lectures as an efficient and companionable way to meet new material and\nbuild understanding and confidence. Lectures were motivating, enjoyable, kept students on track, provided a\nsense of community and common purpose, and clearly suited those who prefer learning by hearing, seeing and\nasking, rather than reading. The strong relationship between attendance and mathematics performance\nindicates the value of explicit teaching. Clearly ICT alternatives need quality resourcing and careful support.