The Department of Mathematical Sciences at the University of Liverpool hosted a workshop as part of the Institute of Mathematics and its Applications’ (IMA) HE Teaching and Learning Series on Wednesday 15th May 2019. The theme of the workshop was “Developing an undergraduate mathematics curriculum which is fit for purpose – challenges and opportunities”. The workshop attracted considerable interest, with over fifty participants gathering from twenty-one different institutions across the UK and Ireland.
External speakers included Dr Peter Rowlett (Sheffield Hallam University), Dr Pamela Docherty (University of Edinburgh), Dr David Bedford (Keele University) and Dr Amir Asghari (Liverpool John Moores University). The speakers discussed a range of interesting ideas and successfully-trialled initiatives. The workshop was opened by Professor Rachel Bearon, the departmental Head of Teaching at Liverpool and also an IMA Council member. Professor Bearon highlighted the range of curricular developments locally at Liverpool, including the recent Syllabus Review. Dr Rowlett delivered an interesting talk which covered ideas for activities in an undergraduate curriculum which places the development of mathematical thinking and problem solving skills at the centre of the design process.
The morning talks continued with an introduction to the recently-established Mathematics Centre for Enhancement in Education (MathsCEE) in the Department of Mathematical Sciences at Liverpool. Members of MathsCEE are departmental academic staff currently working on a range of exciting enhancement projects including internationalisation activities, technology enhanced learning, transition interventions, employability initiatives and distance learning/CPD provision. The findings from these projects will be disseminated locally at Liverpool and also in the wider mathematics community. Dr Docherty delivered the final morning talk. This focused on the techniques which have been successfully employed at Edinburgh to develop a successful community of learners in mathematics, comprising both staff and students.
Following a lunch break which saw lively discussions, Dr Bedford delivered a talk on the design of a successful skills strand of modules in the undergraduate degree programme at Keele. The structure of the various modules in this strand were discussed. Modules in the strand involve open investigations, group work and opportunities for the development of communication skills. Dr Asghari delivered a session on ideas for incorporating Wolfram Alpha in a mathematics course. The session highlighted module assessment via openly-relational problems. As Wolfram Alpha is now capable of performing many sophisticated calculations, the approach to its incorporation in mathematics modules must now acknowledge this fact. Dr Asghari argued that Wolfram Alpha can still play a significant role in carefully-designed assessments.
The workshop sessions generated many interesting questions and discussions continued into the various refreshment breaks. Delegates were keen to stay informed and all delegates were provided with copies of the presentation slides to develop or adapt ideas from the workshop in their own practice.
