History of mathematics and history of science

This essay argues that the diversity of the history of mathematics community in the United Kingdom has influenced the development of the subject and is a significant factor behind the different concerns often evident in work on the history of mathematics when compared with that of historians of science. The heterogeneous nature of the community, which includes many who are not specialist historians, and the limited opportunities for academic careers open to practitioners have had a profound effect on the discipline, leading to a focus on elite mathematics and great mathematicians. More recently, reflecting earlier developments in the history of science, an increased interest in the context and culture of the practice of mathematics has become evident

Mathematical motivators: using the history of mathematics to enrich the curriculum

This article provides a summary of the MSOR funded mini project Mathematical Motivators. Mathematics is usually, and of course correctly, presented ‘ready-made’ to students, with techniques and applications presented systematically and in a logical order. However, like any other academic subject, mathematics has a history which is rich in astonishing breakthroughs, false starts, misattributions, confusions and dead-ends. This history gives a narrative and human context which adds colour and context to the discipline

Editorial

Editorial for MSOR Connections Vol 19 No

Editorial

Editorial, issue 20-0

Editorial

The editorial for Issue 22.

Extracurricular activities to enhance the employment outcomes of Mathematics graduates

The employability skills of Mathematics graduates have been an area of concern for the mathematics community, employers and stake holders nationwide. Higher education institutions are addressing these skills in many ways, embarking on different strategies, to enhance the employment outcomes of their graduates. Although this topic has received a good deal of attention lately, it is useful to explore different ways to enhance students’ employability skills as they can impact positively on their employment outcomes. This may take the form of specific employability initiatives at department level, appropriate for the programme portfolio, to complement traditional careers advice services provided centrally by the university. This paper describes how the employability skills of Mathematics students can be enhanced by providing relevant extracurricular activities throughout their degree programmes, and discusses the implementation at our institution. Student feedback on the activities has been very positive and the implementation appears to have enhanced our graduates’ employability outcomes

Using history in mathematics teaching - some open education resources for the future

A recent collaborative project produced both audio- and text-based resources on the history of mathematics to support the teaching of mathematics. The benefits of using the history of mathematics as a motivational pedagogic tool in the undergraduate curriculum are discussed, with specific reference to the use of MP3 formats as a technique to support different learning styles and future modes of learning. The deliverables produced by the project are discussed

Editorial

Editorial for MSOR Connections issue 17-3

Mathematical Results - Do Names Matter?

An invited editorial for "Mathematics Today" reflecting on how the names given to mathematical results may affect inclusivity