Promoting mathsPromoting maths

Dr Vivien EassonDr Vivien Easson

more maths gradsmore maths grads

East LondonEast London

Aims of the projectAims of the project

• Improving students’ perception of mathsImproving students’ perception of maths• Changing the ways that schools, Changing the ways that schools,

colleges and universities interact colleges and universities interact • Helping students find out about optionsHelping students find out about options• Raising awareness of the importance of Raising awareness of the importance of

maths, its role in careers, and its links to maths, its role in careers, and its links to other subjectsother subjects

• Encouraging under-represented groupsEncouraging under-represented groups• Increasing the number applying to take Increasing the number applying to take

maths further (to A-level or degree)maths further (to A-level or degree)

London East regionLondon East region

• Based at Queen Mary Based at Queen Mary University of LondonUniversity of London

• Working in four London Working in four London boroughsboroughs

Barking and DagenhamBarking and Dagenham HackneyHackney NewhamNewham Tower HamletsTower Hamlets

Maths at Queen Mary: 1Maths at Queen Mary: 1

• Situated in East London, Situated in East London, one mile east of the Cityone mile east of the City

• Had an increase in numbers Had an increase in numbers of undergraduates by 60-of undergraduates by 60-70% from 2003-200770% from 2003-2007

• Current goal is to improve Current goal is to improve quality while maintaining quality while maintaining numbers (operating at or numbers (operating at or just above capacity)just above capacity)

Maths at Queen Mary: 2Maths at Queen Mary: 2

• In 2006/07 the School had In 2006/07 the School had 666 undergraduates, with666 undergraduates, with– 18% Indian18% Indian– 17% White (combined)17% White (combined)– 14% Chinese 14% Chinese – 14% Pakistani14% Pakistani– 12% Bangladeshi12% Bangladeshi– 11% Asian (other)11% Asian (other)– 6% Black African6% Black African– 8% other / refused to say8% other / refused to say

Full time undergraduates, Full time undergraduates, UKUK

0

2000

4000

6000

8000

10000

12000

14000

16000

18000

20000

2002-03 2003-04 2004-05 2005-06 2006-07

Mathematics

Operational Research

Statistics

Figures from HESA

Steady increase in maths

Steady decline in statistics

The perception challenge The perception challenge

• ““mathematics is perceived mathematics is perceived by many students as being by many students as being hard, boring, not relevant to hard, boring, not relevant to their future and not leading their future and not leading to employment”to employment”

– Smith Report (2004)Smith Report (2004)– QCA (2006)QCA (2006)

Our team at Queen MaryOur team at Queen Mary

• Vivien Easson (maths subject)Vivien Easson (maths subject)• Zia Rahman (maths careers)Zia Rahman (maths careers)• Jenny Allam (admin)Jenny Allam (admin)

• Supported by staff, postgrads Supported by staff, postgrads and undergrads in the School and undergrads in the School of Mathematical Sciences of Mathematical Sciences

(low time-commitment!)(low time-commitment!)

Five different types of Five different types of obstaclesobstacles

1.1. Many school pupils in East London speak a Many school pupils in East London speak a language other than English at homelanguage other than English at home

2.2. Parents may not be confident in mathsParents may not be confident in maths

3.3. Pupils may have little idea how technology, Pupils may have little idea how technology, culture or other subjects depend on maths culture or other subjects depend on maths

4.4. Careers advice is often weakCareers advice is often weak

5.5. Mathematics department facilities at some Mathematics department facilities at some universities may lag behind other departments universities may lag behind other departments and business premisesand business premises

Possible approachesPossible approaches

1.1. Language barriers / parental skills: work with Language barriers / parental skills: work with Ocean Maths Project who specialise in getting Ocean Maths Project who specialise in getting parents involved parents involved

2.2. Provide alternative role models through use of Provide alternative role models through use of SEAs and student ambassadorsSEAs and student ambassadors

3.3. Find ways of connecting maths to a wide variety Find ways of connecting maths to a wide variety of applications and of getting this message into of applications and of getting this message into the classrooms the classrooms

4.4. Help departments campaign for better facilitiesHelp departments campaign for better facilities

32 events delivered so far…32 events delivered so far…

• Putting together careers Putting together careers info and supplementing info and supplementing the work done by the the work done by the maths/physics outreach maths/physics outreach officer at Queen Maryofficer at Queen Mary

• Finding ways to enrich Finding ways to enrich the maths curriculum the maths curriculum which engage more than which engage more than just the top 5%just the top 5%

Sample activity: Air MilesSample activity: Air Miles

• Curriculum: travelling Curriculum: travelling salesman problemsalesman problem

• Found in AQA and Found in AQA and Edexcel Decision Maths Edexcel Decision Maths modules in AS/A-level but modules in AS/A-level but also accessible at GCSEalso accessible at GCSE

• Takes 25-30 minutesTakes 25-30 minutes

What’s the Point of…?What’s the Point of…?

• In the London region In the London region we’re starting to produce we’re starting to produce this series of leaflets this series of leaflets

• Aiming to cover many Aiming to cover many topics in KS4/KS5topics in KS4/KS5

• Will be available to Will be available to download and print out download and print out for free from the webfor free from the web

The technology gapThe technology gap

• Interactive whiteboards are standard in Interactive whiteboards are standard in schools, though some are not fully usedschools, though some are not fully used

• The two main sixth form colleges in The two main sixth form colleges in Hackney and Tower Hamlets have plasma Hackney and Tower Hamlets have plasma screens displaying the day’s main eventsscreens displaying the day’s main events

• http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JX3VmDgiFnYhttp://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JX3VmDgiFnY

Keeping up with the Keeping up with the engineersengineers

• Professional engineering bodies like the Professional engineering bodies like the Institute of Mechanical Engineers have Institute of Mechanical Engineers have been involved in outreach for yearsbeen involved in outreach for years

• Maths has had a lot of outreach work, but Maths has had a lot of outreach work, but generally by individual volunteersgenerally by individual volunteers

• This project is a positive step because it This project is a positive step because it provides funding for full-time workers in provides funding for full-time workers in addition to universities’ own officersaddition to universities’ own officers