Mind the Gap!Dr Vivien Easson

Executive Officer (Teaching and Research)

School of Mathematical Sciences, Queen Mary

Bridging the gap…

• between A-level/equivalent maths and university maths

• between expectations of university and the reality

• between perception of the cost of university and reality

• between university and later employment or development

Dr Vivien Easson• Grew up in Dundee

• Studied maths at Cambridge then Oxford, worked as a postdoctoral researcher

• Joined the More Maths Grads project at Queen Mary

• Currently manage student administration and teaching/learning strategy

Pre-university maths and university maths

First year BSc Mathematics: eight compulsory 15-credit modules

• Calculus I, Calculus II, Differential Equations

• Geometry I, Introduction to Algebra

• Introduction to Probability, Introduction to Statistics

• Introduction to Mathematical Computing

Calculus I, Calculus II, Differential Equations(courtesy of http://www.wordle.net)

Geometry I, Introduction to Algebra(courtesy of http://www.wordle.net)

Introduction to Probability / Statistics(courtesy of http://www.wordle.net)

Quotient rule: “What’s u?”

Students need to be able to differentiate quotients even when not expressed in terms of “u” and “v” – and similarly for other situations.

Abstraction / interview questions

1. What is the final digit of 22010?

2. Sketch the curve sin(x) then, on the same axes, sketch (sin(x)) 2 .

3. If a, b and c are integers whose sum is zero and the sum of whose cubes is 252, what is the product of a, b and c?

Mathematics enrichment sites

• http://plus.maths.org– online mathematics magazine

• http://www.mathscareers.org.uk– lots of careers articles, for 11-14, 14-16, 16-19, …

• http://www.nrich.maths.org– thousands of free mathematics enrichment

materials (problems, articles and games) for teachers and learners from ages 5 to 19 years

Expectations of university

Students choose to do maths because they enjoy it and are good at it.

Students choose to go to university to improve their career prospects.

They expect to be taught in lectures – although large classes can be a shock!

They can find it hard to adapt to having more independence.

We can help encourage students to develop social support groups.

We can try to understand pre-university maths/environment better.

Higher fees of £9000 per year…• which is paid back at 9% of income over £21000 per annum

(e.g. on a salary of £25k, it’s 9% of £4000, £6.92/week)

• inflation is charged at between RPI and RPI+3%

Universities will spend typically 20%-30% of fee income over £6000 per year on bursaries/fee waivers/other support.

http://studentfinance-yourfuture.direct.gov.uk/

The Government White Paper on Higher Education:

“Students at the heart of the system”

• Cuts of £3bn annually to the university teaching grant

• Expected that overall sector funding should increase

• Stronger expectations on widening participation

• More information to be put into the public domain(e.g. results of module questionnaires, average starting salaries)

Beyond university

• 70 applicants/place for graduate jobs

• Graduates need good communication skills

• Graduates in numerate disciplines have an advantage

• Numbers taking A-level maths, further maths and mathematics degrees all rising

• Video and other resources: http://www.mathscareers.org.uk/viewItem.cfm?cit_id=382802