Video-based supplemental instruction : creating opportunities for at-risk students undertaking engineering mathematics

Video Based Supplemental Instruction (VSI) provides students with an intensive learning experience that aims to help them succeed in a subject which they have previously failed. The program, which has proved successful in similar contexts, was piloted at the University of Western Sydney in an engineering mathematics subject with a high failure rate. Students face difficulty with this subject for a number of reasons, including lack of preparedness and lack of confidence or positive attitude towards mathematics. Consequently students tend to fall behind as the subject progresses and are therefore unable to complete assessments and the exam. This paper provides a case study of the VSI pilot and outlines the methodology of utilising pre-recorded lectures which are the primary VSI learning tool. It describes the outcomes for the attendees who had previously failed this demanding first year subject as well as the insights gained by the staff involved in this collaborative learning program.