Piloting an online mathematics and statistics tutoring service

Abstract

In early 2013 the Mathematics Education Support Hub at the University of Western Sydney launched a tutoring service to support students' mathematical and statistical learning in an online environment. Until the end of its pilot implementation in mid 2013, the service operated at all times as a moderated question and answer forum located within the University's Learning Management System (a version of Blackboard Learn known as vUWS). It also featured a 'virtual classroom', which allowed students to interact with mathematics and statistics support staff in a web conferencing space equipped with a wide range of digital communication tools. This paper refers to the service as it was offered in discussing a range of general issues and questions associated with its pilot implementation. Particular attention is given to the issues of pedagogy in a purely online teaching and learning context and communicating asynchronously and synchronously using mathematical language and notation.