October 30, 2017
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Comments Off on When in doubt, change your answer?
Have you ever taken a test and put one answer down but the more you think about it, the more you think you should change your answer? Should I stick with what I originally thought or should I change it? What if I change it and my first answer is the right one, that would […] Continue reading
October 30, 2017
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Comments Off on The System
Following a workshop on the idea of counter-intuitive mathematics, I was intrigued to find out more about how we can look past our intuition or gut feelings to understand mathematical concepts such as probability. I am someone who struggles to grasp this mathematical concept, as I cannot see past the black and white picture: that […] Continue reading
October 28, 2017
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Comments Off on Mathematics- A Subject of Worry or Comfort?
Mathematics. One word with so much importance and relevance. One word which can either bring extreme fear or excitement. One word which is needed in society everyday yet so many people are overwhelmed when they hear it. What feeling fills you when you hear someone say “mathematics”? Does your mind fill with random equations you […] Continue reading
October 25, 2017
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Comments Off on Maths anxiety in children
Maths anxiety Heart beats faster and faster. Sweaty palms. Puzzled and confused. Everyone has some type of fear or anxiety. Imagine how you would feel when being faced with a maths question that leaves you in this state, the cause? Maths anxiety. What is maths anxiety? Maths anxiety is defined by Mark H. Ashcraft (2002) as […] Continue reading
October 24, 2017
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Comments Off on Probability in Mathematics – to gamble or not to gamble…
Personal opinion Having never been a gambler myself I felt this was an interesting topic to cover in the Maths elective as I have always thought that the bandit/casino/dealer always wins. I have always said that I would only gamble if I had money to throw away and up to this time in my […] Continue reading
October 24, 2017
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Comments Off on Maths is Fun?
For me, even the word “maths” has connotations of dread, boredom and simply just not enjoyable. Traditionally, maths is taught on a blackboard, followed by textbook work to consolidate the learning. What if, however, you simply don’t understand the explanation, switch off halfway through because you aren’t engaged and then have no idea how to […] Continue reading
October 23, 2017
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Comments Off on Maths Anxiety
What is maths anxiety? According to Mark H Ashcraft, chair of the department of psychology at the University of Nevada, maths anxiety is “a feeling of tension, apprehension, or fear that interferes with math performance” (Guardian, 2015). These feelings of fear are something that I can relate to, as I have experienced them myself. This was one of […] Continue reading
October 23, 2017
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Comments Off on Is Maths a Language?
“Is maths a language?” There are thousands of languages across the world – English, Spanish, German, French… all taught across schools and reinforced as being important to succeed in later life with jobs. So why is this attitude not portrayed with maths? Math is a language that has been used thousands of years. It is […] Continue reading
October 22, 2017
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Comments Off on Maths, Play and Stories
“Play allows children to use their creativity while developing their imagination, dexterity, and physical, cognitive, and emotional strength” (Ginsburg, 2007). Friedrich Froebel explains that a child does their best thinking and learning whilst they are playing. Play within education is fundamental to a child’s holistic development. It helps to make connections in their learning in […] Continue reading
October 19, 2017
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Comments Off on Maths, Play and Stories
Following our recent input with Eddie on the links between maths, play and stories, I decided that this was an area I would like to research further into as I never quite realised just how much of the mathematical knowledge that our young children first acquire is through play based learning. Maths and Play One […] Continue reading
October 18, 2017
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Comments Off on Maths Anxiety
Looking back to seven years ago, I was in primary seven getting ready to start secondary school. Maths was something I loved and a subject I felt confident in. Six years ago I remember sitting through a maths class in S1 looking at the teacher who was desperately trying to teach me how to do […] Continue reading
October 17, 2017
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Comments Off on Win with maths?
Chance and probability link to the basic ideas or concepts of mathematics (Ma, 2010, p. 104). The basic understanding of probability is that it is the “[L]ikelihood or chance that something will happen.” (Tuner, no date, p.5). The “Probability of an event happening = Number of ways it can happen over the total number of […] Continue reading
October 16, 2017
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Comments Off on Do Humans Really Understand Randomness?
After our input on chance and probability, I was intrigued to investigate the true meaning of randomness and how this relates to our everyday lives. Randomness in our lives Randomness is a concept I found very interesting when researching as I never realised how difficult an idea it is for humans to grasp. As humans, […] Continue reading
October 10, 2017
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Comments Off on Abacus- Important or Not?
An Abacus is one of the first counting devices invented and I was intrigued why it was used? It is a simple wooden/ plastic framed tools with beads used to show a visual representative of place value and assist addition, subtraction, multiplication and division. It can be used as a calculator by sliding the beads […] Continue reading
October 9, 2017
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Comments Off on Conquering Maths Anxiety
Many of us will be familiar with the shear panic, the sweaty palms, the headaches and the confusion that comes alongside attempting mathematical problems but not many will be aware that this is a diagnosable condition and is extremely prevalent among the population. Maths anxiety has been defined as “a feeling of tension, apprehension, or […] Continue reading
October 7, 2017
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Comments Off on Can animals count?
Can animals count? This question I posed to my friend. She responded with, “Yes! No! Wait… maybe?” I had the same reaction to this question. In this blog post I will share my thoughts and findings with you and maybe you too might wonder, can animals actually count? Horses? In the 1900’s, there was supposedly […] Continue reading
October 7, 2017
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Comments Off on Can you be-leave it?
This week in discovering mathematics we looked at number systems and place value. When I was in primary school I found it very difficult wrapping my head around place value I just kind of accepted that when you move up the number system you just add a zero instead of actually thinking about how you’re actually […] Continue reading
October 6, 2017
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Comments Off on “Maths is hard”
Why is Maths Hard? What is it that makes maths appear to be a hard subject? Is it all the rules you must follow or all the formulas you need to remember? Is it the focus on accuracy or all the strange unfamiliar symbols? Most people you ask will tell you they found maths difficult […] Continue reading
October 6, 2017
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Comments Off on Can animals count?
I must admit, I have never properly thought about whether animals can count or not. I always knew animals like chimpanzees and apes were particularly clever, but I never focused on the mathematical aspect of their intelligence. This is mostly likely because when I think of maths I always think of equations and algebra. I […] Continue reading
October 6, 2017
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Comments Off on Place Value, Number Systems and Their Complexities
Following a workshop this week on the concept of place value, I was inspired to write a blog post on the difficulties and complexities found in these seemingly simple, basic concepts of maths. As someone who learned mathematics in a procedural fashion, it is very difficult for me to wrap my head around the concepts […] Continue reading
