International Day of Mathematics
As we approach International Day of Mathematics (March 14), it is timely to rethink our perspectives on students’ mathematical capabilities. Students are not incapable of doing “hard” mathematics; rather they are far more capable than we give them credit for. Frequently, students who have a lot of mathematical potential are overlooked when they are “measured” on standardized tests. Consequently, they are denied the rich learning that capitalises on their hidden talents. All students deserve to experience success—and they can, provided they are exposed to a range of appealing activities that are challenging but manageable, that encourage diverse thinking skills, and that draw on their mathematical knowledge.
Achieving success in mathematics is not confined to the classroom. There are many mathematical instances in students’ daily lives that provide opportunities for mathematical growth. For example, newspaper articles and other media outlets contain a range of data that need to be interpreted meaningfully and critically. In other words, students need to develop statistical literacy—this involves the “ability to construct, interpret, reason, and communicate with data and data representations, make statistically sound decisions, and critically evaluate claims made in various contexts” (English & Watson, 2017, p. 103). As an example, during COVID a health department released a graph where dates on the horizontal axis were not in chronological order, which made it appear that cases were consistently declining. Students could critically discuss such a graph, noting its discrepancies, and suggesting how it should be corrected.
Another real-world strand of mathematics that lends itself to appealing activities is combinatorics. In basic terms, combinatorics is the branch of mathematics concerned with selecting, arranging, constructing, classifying, counting and listing things. Combinatorial activities can be as simple as determining the number of different ways one can dress 5 toy bears using a selection of differently coloured tops and differently coloured pants, so that each bear has a different outfit. Other examples include selecting pizza toppings from a given selection, calculating restaurant menus, and creating timetables.
Mathematics is all around us—we need to capitalise on the myriad opportunities it provides to entice students. Making use of upcoming sporting events is a favourite among students. I have implemented several problems in which students locate data about sports people, such as their personal best times, their achievements across time, and success in different levels of a sporting contest. They can use these data to select the teams the think would be successful in a major event such as the Olympic Games.
Planning a day’s outing at a theme fun park is another example, where students have a budgeted amount and need to determine the best way to spend their money. There are many variables that need to be taken into account, such as timetables for rides and their costs, how maximising the number of attractions that can be visited within a given time slot, and contemplating food selections for a family.
If greater use can be made of the everyday world in creating challenging, but meaningful mathematical problems, then we might see the subject become more appealing to a greater number of students.
Reference
- English, L. D., & Watson, J. M. (2018). Modelling with authentic data in sixth grade. ZDMMathematics Education, 50(1-2), 103-115. https://doi.org/10.1007/s11858-017-0896-y
I am an Emeritus Professor of mathematics education and STEM education at the School of Education, Queensland University of Technology, Australia. I have researched and published over several decades in mathematics education and in STEM education more broadly, spanning preschool through year 9. My specific areas of research include ways of thinking in STEM-based problem solving, mathematical modelling, mathematical problem solving and posing, and statistics education. My research has been supported for 30 years by grants from the Australian Research Council.