Fostering Student Retention through Success in Mathematics

Universities worldwide face an urgent issue: too many students fail to complete their degrees. The reason for this is often a struggle with foundational math courses in the first year, which are frequently a mandatory gateway into the upper years of study.

While an immediate issue for the students dropping out, this also presents a significant challenge for universities. As dropout rates increase, institutions are left with diminished tuition revenue, which further exacerbates already stretched budgets. Universities are reacting by increasing supporting infrastructure through learning centers, office hours and personalized tutoring. While these efforts are well-meaning and can be effective, they suffer from a lack of uptake. Students just are not taking advantage of available resources to move the needle in significant ways. Now is the time to rethink our approach to math education and tackle these challenges with innovative solutions to reduce dropout rates and chart a path toward student success.

About the Author: Dr. Laurent Bernardin is President and CEO of Maplesoft, and a firm believer that mathematics matters.