Mathematician turned educator
There are two versions of mathematics. The first is the mathematics of schooling, a collection of closed problems and hard truths to be learned for exams. We’ve all experienced it, few of us have enjoyed or excelled at it. The second version is a more open, beautiful and empowering representation of the subject, often the... Continue Reading →
I had the pleasure of presenting at the Telegraph Festival of Education on June 22, 2017. The transcript and slides follow. Thank you, it’s a pleasure to be here and thank you to the organisers for the invitation. I love this event, it’s my second time here, first time speaking. It’s a great place to... Continue Reading →
I don’t usually mix maths with morality, but two events collided recently to force the issue. On Tuesday, I awoke to the horrific news of events in Manchester. Early indications were a terror attack; 22 dead, scores injured, all innocent. On the train ride into the office, I found myself probing the deeper meaning to... Continue Reading →
What does mathematics look like to you? Do you see a wondrous landscape filled with connected ideas, or a sprawling mess of symbols? The distinction matters a great deal, because your mathematical worldview is inextricablytied to your success in the subject. We are all familiar with the multiplication grid, a centrepiece of classrooms and home... Continue Reading →
We have our clearest indication yet that the cyborgs are coming. Elon Musk has formally accepted his invitation to the AI party the only way he knows how: by founding a company. Neuralink will create brain-enhancing digital implants; the first step on the road to merging humans with software. Musk has taken on the mantel... Continue Reading →
As the quest for strong AI unfolds, are we losing our grip on human intelligence? You are in a closed room. A passer by slips a sheet under the door containing a list of questions written in Chinese. The bad news is that you do not understand a word of Chinese (only you know this).... Continue Reading →
π through the ages I devoted some of my vacation to perusing the Rhind papyrus. It makes for fascinating reading. Dated 1650 BC (and now housed in the British Museum), this five-metre long scroll captures the rich mathematical legacy of Egypt. The pyramids of Giza stand tall as testimony to the Egyptians’ amazing skill and temperament... Continue Reading →
Education technology has a public relations problem. In a space where words carry wide currency, our choice of language matters. That’s why I’m troubled by Artificial Intelligence (AI). At a time when educators need assurances that digital innovations will work for them, the fundamental premise of this technology may imply just the opposite. The term... Continue Reading →
Some of my earliest memories reside in Ward 4 of the Derby Children’s Hospital. At the age of eight, I was diagnosed with a chronic stomach condition that resulted in two surgeries and frequent hospital stays. These visits lasted for months at a time, through to the end of my primary years. This is not... Continue Reading →
