Low levels of student engagement in maths is undermining any effort being made to create a knowledge economy. But where is the problem starting?

IF IRELAND has any hope of actually achieving the much-vaunted goal of a "smart" economy, then it will have to turn around the low level of student engagement with maths and the physical sciences. Knowledge economies are driven by creativity and innovation arising from these disciplines, but if we haven't got the players we can't field a team.

And it seems that acquiring the players is becoming more and more difficult, as evidenced by a now familiar ritual. The August release of Leaving Cert statistics immediately triggers a plethora of statements decrying the low level of interest in maths and the physical sciences. The numbers showed that just 16 per cent of students took higher maths, 10 per cent higher chemistry and 8 per cent higher physics. The numbers don't immediately indicate it, but many of those who take these subjects actually take all three, meaning there are still fewer to sign on for these subjects at third level.

The maths figure is down on 2008 and the chemistry and physics numbers have languished for years, but what is going wrong? The director general of Engineers Ireland, John Power, puts it down to the fact that those teaching maths in schools too often don't have degrees in mathematics. "The current situation where many teachers are teaching maths and the physical sciences without a specific qualification or significant training in these areas is unacceptable," he said when the statistics were released. "There needs to be a total overhaul of how maths and science is taught in secondary school."
The question is whether the problem lies with the teaching, the curriculum or with the students themselves, many of whom will tell you, "I just can't do maths." The statistics don't seem to be readily available to tell us how many science and maths teachers actually took these subjects at third level, but certainly that is the complaint, says Dr Ann O'Shea of the Department of Mathematics at NUI Maynooth.

For this reason Maynooth created a two-year Masters in Mathematics for Education programme. "We thought this would be a great opportunity to put something on for teachers without formal science or maths," says O'Shea, who is director of the programme. Maynooth linked up with the Faculty of Education at the University of Cambridge which has a substantial programme of in-service training for teachers. The teachers who sign on remain in full-time teaching, coming into Maynooth for evening lectures two nights a week. "It is a real commitment for these people but they are still willing to do it," says O'Shea. This is not just about adding letters after a teacher's name, it is about supporting a knowledge economy. "For the country as a whole it is important that people engage with science and maths. There are areas we can excel in if enough students take up these subjects."

The smart economy can only be delivered if more students come to grips with maths, according to Waterford Institute of Technology's Eoin Gill. "It is the key subject that will underpin the smart economy which we are putting all our hopes on," says Gill, who with Dr Sheila Donegan founded Calmast, Waterford IT's Centre for the Advancement of Learning of Maths, Science and Technology. Calmast organises events for students but also helps teachers improve their skills. "We have to look at the training of existing maths teachers and that will cost money," he says. "If you want to turn it around you have to put in the resources."

There are moves on the curriculum side, with the launch last October by Minister for Education Batt O'Keeffe of Project Maths. This new "user friendly" maths programme was rolled out on a pilot basis to 24 schools last year and these schools will continue with the programme into the coming year. It is designed to overcome the "crisis in maths" that sees a decline in results and nearly 5,000 students a year failing ordinary and foundation maths. The Minister claimed last year it would "encourage greater take-up at higher level and provide a solid foundation for careers in science, technology, engineering, business and the humanities as we seek to build the knowledge economy".

While commentators agree it is too early to know whether Project Maths will deliver, there is already some disquiet that it will do little to help the situation. "This Project Maths must be made to work," says Richard Timoney, an associate professor in Trinity's School of Mathematics. "It represents an essential component of the smart economy and increasingly so. "Mathematics underlies science subjects, engineering and economics. I think that this is becoming more the case," he adds. It is central to computational biology, genetics,climate modelling and in environmental studies.

As an alternative to changing teaching methods or the curriculum, more might be gained by going after the student side of the equation. Too many people dismiss mathematics by claiming they are "hopeless" at maths, says Timoney. "I think that societal attitudes are largely responsible." Gill also stresses a change in attitude must be achieved if more students are to be attracted by these subjects. It involves breaking down preconceived notions about maths. When maths is presented in an interesting and engaging way students are immediately receptive, says Dr Fiacre Ó Cairbre. He gives student talks and is deeply involved in Maths Week Ireland, a week-long promotion of mathematics held each October to coincide with the anniversary of a mathematical discovery by Ireland's most famous mathematician, William Rowan Hamilton. "I really enjoy the presentations I do and really enjoy the feedback I get from them," says Ó Cairbre. "It can change the perspective on mathematics."

MATHS WEEK HOW IT STARTED

FINDING ENOUGH students willing to take up the maths, science and engineering needed to support the knowledge economy will depend on changing entrenched attitudes.

“You can change the curriculum, you can change the teachers and pour money into it, but if you don’t change people’s attitude towards maths you can’t progress,” says Eoin Gill, co-ordinator of Calmast, the Centre for the Advancement of Learning of Maths, Science and Technology at Waterford IT.

Many people claim they are rubbish at maths. “It is an attitude picked up at a very young age,” says Gill.

It was to overcome this entrenched thinking that Gill and WIT colleague, Dr Shiela Donegan, first floated the idea of a national maths week.

“Our view on this was rather than promote maths for science and engineering, we would promote maths for maths’ sake,” says Gill.

With this in mind they brought maths entertainer/teacher Rob Eastaway over from the UK and he went down a treat with the 500 junior cert students involved in a pilot run. “We were convinced a maths week would work after that.”

He got in touch with mathematician Dr Fiacre Ó Cairbre at NUI Maynooth and Prof Siddhartha Sen at Trinity’s Hamilton Mathematics Institute asking if they would become involved, with a first Maths Week event planned for October 2006.

When word got around the maths community at second- and third-level, people started coming forward looking to participate.

The 2009 event runs from October 10th to 17th, with hundreds of events for primary and secondary school students, parents and teachers. Events with a mathematical twist are held in places like the Chester Beatty Library and the National Museum. One of the biggest single events is the mathematical show staged on Grafton Street. “We were there for a full Saturday last year and had thousands of people there,” says Gill.

More details on Maths Week Ireland are available at mathsweek.ie