Peter Samuels

Diagnosys —a knowledge-based diagnostic test of basic mathematical skills

Abstract Diagnosys is a knowledge-based computer diagnostic test of basic mathematical skills. It was initially developed for university entry level students in engineering but is widely applicable to other student groups and educational institutions. The need for diagnostic testing, the advantages of a computer-based test and the opportunity to produce one provided by the TLTP programme are described. The major development strands of the Test are identified and outlined. The actual use of the Test and the way this affected development is described. Diagnosys can also be used as a shell for producing tests in other subjects. A test of basic mechanics based on the Diagnosys shell is described. The issues involved of developing tests in other areas of cognitive skill and other extensions to the Test are discussed.

Limits and potentials of social networking in academia: case study of the evolution of a mathematics Facebook community

The use of social networking services has rapidly increased in recent years, especially by university students. Some authors assert that they have educational potential in terms of promoting collaborative learning practices among undergraduate students which enhance engagement and understanding. This possibility is particularly relevant to mathematics learning, because university communities are frequently experienced as isolating and performance-oriented. This case study reports on the use of Facebook to support mathematical communication and more participative learning identities within a UK university mathematics department. It describes how the reactive formation of a student-led Facebook community became a source of conflict within the wider academic social community and how this conflict was eventually resolved. While it raises questions about the extent to which Facebook can encourage open collaborative learning within the wider context of student aspirations in a competitive climate, it notes its potential for fostering cross-cohort student support in a subject which frequently induces anxiety in its students.

Real and virtual robotics in mathematics education at the school–university transition

LOGO and turtle graphics were an influential movement in primary school mathematics education in the 1980s and 1990s. Since then, technology has moved forward, both in terms of its sophistication and pedagogical potential; and learner experiences, preferences and ways of thinking have changed dramatically. Based on the authors’ previous work and a literature review, this article revisits the subject of enhancing mathematics education through educational robotics kits and virtual robotic animations by proposing their simultaneous deployment at the school–university transition. The rationale for such an application is argued and an evaluation framework for these technologies is proposed. Two educational robotic kits and a virtual environment supporting robotic animations are evaluated both in terms of their feasibility of deployment and their educational effectiveness. Finally, the evaluation of learning experiences when deploying the proposed pedagogical approach is discussed.

Developing Extended Real and Virtual Robotics Enhancement Classes with Years 10–13

There is growing evidence of the potential of educational robotics to enhance science, technology, engineering and mathematics education provided that they are deployed carefully. This paper describes a developmental research project between a university and a secondary school in the UK to develop extended robotics enhancement classes, mainly using LEGO MINDSTORMS robotic kits, and GeoGebra, which was used to animate virtual robots. Two styles of class were deployed: student-led project creations and facilitator-led challenges. The pedagogical principles underpinning these classes and their design are discussed. Feedback generally indicated that the classes were successful and appreciated by the students but they experienced difficulties in incorporating the virtual robotic element. Lessons learnt from the project, including the development of employability skills, the potential impact on students with autism, and the effective use of peer students, are discussed. The possibility of combining the two styles of class together is proposed.

Design of a Mobile Mathematics Creativity Laboratory for Contemporary Learners

This paper provides the specification for the design of an innovative mobile mathematics creativity laboratory for contemporary adolescent and adult learners. The design is based on a broad collection of philosophical principles taken from educational research. Each principle is described in turn. The practical implementation of these principles with hardware and software within a laboratory is described. Finally, the proposed laboratory activity design is discussed and compared with the design of serious games.

Reappraising Learning Technologies from the Viewpoint of the Learning of Mathematics

Within the context of secondary and tertiary mathematics education, most so-called learning technologies, such as virtual learning environments, bear little relation to the kinds of technologies contemporary learners use in their free time. Thus they appear alien to them and unlikely to stimulate them toward informal learning. By considering learning technologies from the perspective of the learner, through the analysis of case studies and a literature review, this article asserts that the expectation of these media might have been over-romanticised. This leads to the recommendation of five attributes for mathematical learning technologies to be more relevant to contemporary learners’ needs: promoting heuristic activities derived from human history; facilitating the shift from instrumentation to instrumentalisation; facilitating learners’ construction of conceptual knowledge that promotes procedural knowledge; providing appropriate scaffolding and assessment; and reappraising the curriculum.

Appreciating and Encouraging Excellence in Mathematics Support through Collaborative Research

17 sigma is planning to carry out a collaborative educational research project in mathematics support leadership using a method called Appreciative Inquiry (AI) [1]. The co-researchers will include leaders of mathematics support centres, leading developers of mathematics support resources and authors of published articles on mathematics support in UK Higher Education (HE). The aim of the research will be to learn from each other and to encourage further development by analysing and building on individual strengths and successes. It hopes to extend “MathTEAM’s” previous case study research [2] and its associated good practice guide [3] by inquiring into critical issues across the sector in a more focussed manner.