Developing computing tools to engage classroom mathematics with 21st century global challenges

HEA STEM Annual Learning and Teaching Conference 2014

Morgan Liebling-Davis, Chris Guiver, Markus Mueller and Stuart Townley

Overview

• We are interested in getting school children more involved with mathematics, and STEM subjects more generally.

• By explaining how mathematics plays a crucial role in the solution of complex and yet contemporary global challenges, as highlighted by MPE 2013.

• And encouraging undergraduates and early career researchers to deliver material that is engaging and understandable.

What are the issues?

Wildlife disease

Data courtesy of GPDD

Population dynamics

What are the issues?

Energy systems

Climate changeFigure from Phil Jones (UEA)

What have we been doing?

• Developing teaching and learning materials.

• Visiting schools:

Playing interactive disease dynamic games with years 9-11.

Running computing workshop with year 10.

Completing worksheets in tutorials with years 12 and 13.

• Offering summer school placements through the Nuffield Foundation.

Disease dynamics games

• Introducing networks by playing disease transmission games.

• Requires coloured wristbands, playing cards and school children!

Computer lab sessions

• Motivated by the desire to understand and manipulate large networks. • More on these later.

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Sampling, estimating and probability

Group exercises

Nuffield Research Placements

• Offer year 12 (16-17 year olds) funded

five week summer placements in STEM

subjects.

How has it been received?

• Feedback is crucial. Get as much as you can.

• We like to use graffiti walls of post-it notes.

What are the challenges?

• Finding the time!

• Finding the people!

• The apparent knowledge gap.

• Requirement of computing software, facilities and experience.

Computing facilities

• Using Excel to show disease dynamics and describe networks.

• Disease is spread using matrix, for example A = , where 1 means they can pass the disease and 0 means they cannot.

• Students able to choose which nodes start with the disease, their susceptibility to the disease and whether a vaccine is added.

Basic Worksheet

Vaccine Workbook

• Each workbook is broken up into 3 spreadsheets, the Input (shown above), Code, Output.

• The code shows how the calculations of the spread of disease. • The output is a graph of number infected against time.

0 2 4 6 8 10 12 14 16 18 200123456789

10 t=20

-3 -2.5 -2 -1.5 -1 -0.5 0 0.5

-2

-1.5

-1

-0.5

0

0.5

1

One Step Further

From school to university• The University of Exeter’s new Mathematics and the Environment

(BSc/MSci) seeks to provide a university level mathematical training with applications of these skills to important contemporary challenges.

What are the rewards?

• Widens participation and is public engagement with mathematics.

• Importantly, demonstrates that mathematics really is useful.

• Can provide teaching ideas and resources for teachers.

• Is an opportunity to share your research more broadly and increase its impact.

• Opportunity to involve undergraduates and ECRs, and boost their employability.

• Is fun and enjoyable!

Thanks• Our work would not have been possible without the support of schools,

teachers and school children throughout Cornwall:

Falmouth School, Helston School, Humphry Davy School, Mullion School, Truro High School, Merchant’s Academy Bristol, Mounts Bay Academy, Bodmin College, Cornwall College, Penryn College, Penwith College, Truro College.

• The Nuffield Foundation.

• The Further Mathematics Support Programme.

• RCUK project Empowering Partnerships: Enabling Engagement.

• And thank you for your time.

For discussion• Mathematics plays a crucial role in describing, predicting and

mitigating against both present and future global challenges.

• We believe that there is value in teaching this well before university.

• Doing so is rewarding, enjoyable and is a fantastic opportunity to involve STEM undergraduates and ECRs.

• We are happy to share materials or ideas that we have used with schools.

• We are very happy to hear your ideas, suggestions and feedback.