Title: The transition from school to university mathematics: a crisis in context 

Speaker: Dr Paola Iannone, University of Edinburgh

Date: Tuesday, 19th of November 2024

Time:  12:00 – 13:00

Location: 32/2097 and via Zoom

Abstract: When reporting on the transition from school to university mathematics, seldom the educational context is considered as a factor that shapes students’ experiences. This talk reports findings of a study that involved first year students from Italy, the UK and Switzerland. The theoretical approach is that of Clark and Lovric (2008), who equate transition to university mathematics to a rite of passage. The research tool – an open-ended questionnaire – was written in Italian, translated into English and French, and administered to first year mathematics students during the first year of their mathematics degree. The data was analysed by thematic analysis and by statistical analysis of the codes’ distributions. This allowed us to compare the experiences of the students in the three countries as they transition to university mathematics. The seminar will discuss the differences and similarities found and the impact they may have on retention of students in degree courses.

About the speaker: I am a Reader in the School of Mathematics at the University of Edinburgh, and I am head of the Technology Enhanced Mathematical Sciences Education Theme. I studied mathematics at la Sapienza, in Rome (Italy) and obtained a PhD in pure mathematics from the University of East Anglia (UEA). I became involved in educational research when I was a tutor in mathematics at UEA. My research interest has 3 strands: mathematical reasoning and the use of technology to teach/learn university mathematics (e.g., interactive theorem provers), the summative assessment of mathematics at university and the transition into university mathematics.

Join Zoom Meeting:

https://us02web.zoom.us/j/83694867545?pwd=bDEjljSJhqsFz07Eo3QuzlGt5CMdo5.1

Meeting ID: 836 9486 7545

Passcode: 550569