Coding theory is a major component of Applied Algebra. It has many applications in the mathematics of communications and has many links with other scientific disciplines, such as electrical engineering and computer science. Coding theory arises in almost every imaginable digital communications and storage system. In UCD, it is taught at the undergraduate level in the module MATH30180 An Introduction to Coding Theory.
Initiative
To the School of Mathematics and Statistics and Beyond! Scaling the Undergraduate Learning Assistant Model
About this initiative
In the academic year 2026/27 we aim to:
- Expand LA-facilitated, active-learning tutorials (the “LA model”) to a further eight to ten modules in the School of Mathematics and Statistics.
- Assess and establish the sustainability of the model as a curricular practice in the school and promote the model at the college level.
Key deliverables and expected outcomes from the project are primarily aimed at undergraduate students working as LAs. These include:
- The opportunity to develop transferable capabilities, especially in leadership and communication.
- The opportunity to belong to a community of practice consisting of a module teaching team including module-coordinator/lecturer, graduate tutor(s), and fellow LAs. This will foster a sense of belonging to the school and contribute to identity formation as a mathematical science undergraduate.
- A practice-informed job-description outlining the roles and responsibilities of an undergraduate LA.
- A fair and transparent payment model for the work of an undergraduate LA.
Of course, there are positive outcomes expected for the first-/second-year students who participate in the LA- facilitated, active-learning tutorials. In this respect, this project is research-informed – its purpose is not to identify or measure these outcomes, rather it is to accept that active-learning leads to positive outcomes for student learning in Mathematics (e.g. Bressoud et al., 2015) and STEM (Freeman et al., 2014) more generally.
In 2024-2025, the School of Mathematics and Statistics had over 16,000 registrations, consisting of students from across all six colleges in UCD. Therefore, adopting active learning practices in tutorials should have a positive impact on students from across UCD.
Finally, examining how the LA Model could inform a College of Science framework, or ultimately an institutional framework, for embedding the LA Model more widely (as done in other institutions internationally), has the potential to positively impact future undergraduate LAs and students.
| Project Lead | Professor Maria Meehan |
|---|---|
| College | UCD College of Science |
| School | UCD School of Mathematics and Statistics |
Lead organisations
Affiliated organisations
Linked open educational resources
Contributors
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