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 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
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.
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.
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