Observatory for Mathematical Education

This is part 2️⃣ of Katie Severn's series on the insights from the Observatory's survey of incoming maths undergraduates. 📚 Which resources do students value for mathematical success? 💯 Do exam marks define your mathematical ability? 💥 Can Katie settle the past papers debate? Read to find out...

As part of its review of curriculum and assessment in the UK, the Department for Education (DfE) sent out a call for evidence. The Observatory for Mathematical Education has submitted a response which can be read in full here: https://lnkd.in/dNmtRzB2 The response covered a broad range of areas pertaining to mathematics education. The OME recommended that the main focus for reform in mathematics should be at Key Stage 3 and beyond. The OME supports the The Royal Society’s (2024) Mathematical Futures Report https://lnkd.in/dt9V9_yM recommendations for a revised curriculum that integrates data, statistics, and computational tools coherently with mathematics, the development of a single mathematical and data education (MDE) qualifications framework which enables all students to continue to study MDE to 18. and for the introduction of a low stakes competency assessment to be taken at the end of Key Stage 3. The OME is currently conducting a very extensive longitudinal programme of research into mathematics education. It is expected that this research will produce evidence to inform the Review’s work and policy concerning mathematics education more generally. #curriculumandassessmentreview #mathseducation

The Observatory for Mathematical Education has today published its introductory report: https://lnkd.in/d-QPFft8. The report sets out the Observatory’s design concepts together with preliminary plans for the coming years, including details of our progress on setting up the largest ever cohort studies of mathematical education in England. The Observatory team would like to thank all those who have supported us through this foundational year.  

I had the privilege of visiting the National Academies in DC today to talk about The Royal Society report - A new approach to mathematical and data education (https://lnkd.in/ebHuqkJb). It was a great conversation! It was also good to make new connections and see people again. Thanks to Michelle Schwalbe for hosting.

The Observatory's Director Andy Noyes is currently across the pond visiting Dave Kung and colleagues🛫 Watch this space for an extended update when Andy returns form his trip...

At the Observatory, one of the transitions we're interested in is the move from A-level to undergraduate study. Katie Severn shares some early insights from the Observatory's survey of over 1,000 students starting mathematical sciences degrees in the UK this autumn. While most results may be as you expected, 'the coding disconnect', as Katie explains, may come as a surprise. #maths #undergraduate #coding

Last Saturday (2 Nov), the Observatory’s Gabriel Lee attended the British Society for Research into Learning Mathematics (BSRLM) conference at University of Southampton. The conference was attended by 80 participants with 32 sessions of presentations, workshops and working groups, ranging from early years development to higher education, from algebra to geometry, from classroom to online learning environments. It’s always fascinating to hear people share their research projects and this enables participants to bounce ideas off each other. Amongst all the presentations, a project that looked at how young children use different notation to record amounts and ordinals particularly caught Gabriel’s attention as it has connections to our own Counting Collections project, led by the Observatory’s Catherine Gripton, which aims to develop children’s understanding of number and quantity. The evaluation of Counting Collections will be published in Summer 2025.    Congratulations to our Observatory’s very own Jennifer Norris who won the annual Janet Duffin Award 2023 for her outstanding article published in the Research in Mathematics Education journal. (https://lnkd.in/drbAfUQY); Jenny will give a panel presentation at BSRLM conference in March 2025. The year 2025 will also mark the 40th anniversary of BSRLM, with the celebrations including a joint event with the Freudenthal Institute (Netherlands).  

Today a group of students will be (re-)taking paper 1 of GCSE Mathematics in the November sitting. In this article, Stephen Lee and David Sirl break down the data from a recent Ofqual FOI release of GCSE Mathematics awards in summer 2023 and provide some key insights. #GCSEmaths #GCSEresits

This spooky season, Deputy Director Chris Brignell shares the scary stats that will be keeping him awake tonight. Read to the end for a Halloween treat!🎃

🥳 Today marks the first 'birthday' of the Observatory! One year ago today, Director Andy Noyes and colleagues established the Observatory with a founding grant from XTX Markets. So much has been achieved in our first year, which we looking forward to sharing in our introductory report at the end of 2024. We're so excited about what's to come! #OneYearAnniversary #FirstBirthday #WorkAnniversary