Lecturer: Helena Verril

Term(s): Term 1

Status for Mathematics students: List A

Commitment: 10 lectures (2 hours each), 10 Seminars (1 hour)

Assessment: Written public engagement in mathematics (20%), Video, podcast, animation or social media engagement piece (20%), In person public engagement event (40%), Reflective piece on the public engagement activity (20%)

Content: This module will give students training in public engagement in mathematics, and opportunities to put this into practice. Students will gain communication skills and confidence in engaging with a variety of different audiences. Students will use various forms of multimedia and social media, and in person events, working in groups and on solo projects. A core component of the module is a group project, where students develop and deliver a two hour in person public engagement event.

Outline Syllabus:

Indicative topics to be covered:

1: Introduction to public engagement in mathematics. The public perception of mathematics. The potential impact of public engagement. Different kinds of public engagement. The work of the Warwick Institute of Engagement.
2: Introduction to assessment one: Written public engagement. Discussion of popular maths books.
3: Writing maths articles, posters, blogs, and other written pieces for a variety of audiences.
4: Introduction to assessment two: Creation of videos or podcasts. Mathematics in social media. Digital story telling.
5: Practical skills of video creation and podcasting.
6: Introduction to assessment three: Developing a public engagement mathematics event. Engaging with schools, museums, community groups.
7: Introduction to the Royal Institute Masterclasses for year 9 students.
8: Skills of hands on participatory maths activities for audiences of all ages, e.g., escape rooms, maths trails, etc.
9: Skills of public speaking and engaging a large audience.
10: How do we assess public engagement? Feedback and assessment.

Aims: 

This module will equip students with various methods of communicating mathematics. Students will develop practical skills in a diverse range of engagement methods. Students will have the opportunity to reflect on and articulate the relevance of mathematics to society. We will learn how to evaluate what makes good mathematical engagement. They will develop an understanding of modern mathematical culture, and an awareness of mathematical history and folklore.
This module helps students develop transferable communication skills, including public speaking, event planning, and multimedia use.

Learning Outcomes:

By the end of the module, students should be able to:

• Communicate mathematical knowledge and ideas effectively in a variety of contexts.
• Create public engagement in mathematics in online spaces.
• Evaluate the effectiveness of various engagement methods.
• Create interactive activities for younger audiences.
• Plan engagement for varied audiences.
• Deliver face to face public engagement in mathematics
• Develop transferable skills in critical thinking, problem solving, communication, information literacy, professionalism, teamwork, and time management
• Have an understanding of the importance of Public Engagement in Mathematics and what good public engagement is

Indicative reading list:

"Alex's adventures in number land", Alex Bellos
"The Colossal book of Mathematics", Martin Gardener
"Maths on the back of an envelope", Rob Eastaway
"Humble Pi", Matt Parker
"Things to Make and do in the fourth dimension", Matt Parker
"Maths made difficult", Carl Linderholm
"17 equations that changed the world", Ian Stewart
"The mathematical tourist", Ivars Peterson
"Once upon a prime", Sarah Hart
"Around the world in 80 games", Marcus du Sautoy
"Surreal numbers", Donald Knuth

Additional Resources