All seminars are held in Wolfson Lecture Theatre 4W 1.7 on Wednesdays 13:15-14:05.
The seminar schedule will be updated throughout the year and can be accessed on this page.
Upcoming Seminars
25/03/2026 Distinguished Seminar Series Oral Assessment of Mathematics at University and its Role in a Transitions to Proof Course
Speaker: Paola Iannone is Professor of Mathematics Education in the School of Mathematics at the University of Edinburgh and the Head of the The Technology Enhanced Mathematical Sciences Education Theme. She is also visiting fellow in the School of Education and Lifelong Learning at the University of East Anglia. Paola completed a first degree in mathematics at the University degli study di Roma La Sapienza (Rome - Italy) and PhD in Pure Mathematics the University of East Anglia (UEA). Her research focuses on the teaching and learning of mathematics at university level and has three strands:
- Summative assessment of mathematics at university with focus on the impact of the discipline of study and student epistemological beliefs on their perceptions of assessment and the use of oral assessment in university mathematics,
- Mathematical reasoning and technology in university mathematics (use of automated theorem provers such as Lean - CAA assessment),
- The transition from school to university mathematics.
Previous Seminars
08/10/2025 MathTASK: Challenging Students’ Discourses About Mathematics and its Pedagogy
Speaker: Irene Biza
Some mathematics undergraduate programs include in their syllabi also courses on mathematics education. The motivation for such courses is to introduce mathematics students to the field of mathematics education research or/and to prepare them for mathematics teaching. Research in mathematics education, however, is a very different enterprise from research in mathematics. For example, in mathematics education, much research focuses on human interactions and the social, cultural and educational contexts in which these interactions take place. While there is some attention to mathematical errors students make, there is also more focus on the reasons behind the error. Approaches are more relativist on what constitutes knowledge and evidence is not in the form of ‘proof’ as we know in mathematics. Balancing attention to the practices of mathematics (what I will call mathematical discourses) with attention to the practices for the teaching and learning of mathematics (what I will call pedagogical discourses) is an exciting challenge. In this session, I will discuss how I address this challenge in a course that introduces mathematics education to undergraduate mathematics students. Specifically, I will share examples of course activities that draw on the principles of the MathTASK, a research and development programme that I co-lead at UEA. In MathTASK, we engage teachers or students with fictional but realistic classroom situations and ask them to reflect on these situations (we call these activities “mathtasks”). We will discuss one or more mathtasks inspired by current debates on the impact of genAI on students’ development of mathematical problem-solving skills.
19/11/2025 Flipping the Foundations
Speaker: Robert Wilson
This presentation will discuss a re-imagining of a large, core, undergraduate mathematics module by implementing a flipped learning approach. Specific focus for the session will include:
- the rationale behind the change;
- highlighting examples of the activities and resources developed;
- the impact on learners (and facilitators);
- potential future enhancements and challenges.
There will also be significant opportunity to discuss and debate the ideas raised in further detail.
11/02/2026 Developing a Repository of Maths Teaching Resources Embedding EDI
Speaker: Ilaria Bussoli
In this talk, I will talk about the on-going teaching resources repository project developed by members of the History for Inclusion & Diversity in Mathematics (HIDIM) network (History For Inclusion & Diversity in Mathematics Network), and my contribution to it. This is a repository of mathematical and statistical teaching resources that embed Equity, Diversity and Inclusion (EDI) content to diversify sub honours modules in maths curricula. I will discuss the principles behind it, how you can engage with it, and how this fits within the scope of the HIDIM network.
04/03/2026 Re-engagement Tutorials: Piloting A Dual Tutorial Model
Speakers: Thomas Cottrell, Tamsin Smith, Ruth Wye & Ameen Hassan
Recording: Link
Over recent semesters, the Department of Mathematical Sciences has observed a consistent decline in tutorial attendance beyond the mid-semester point, suggesting that many students disengage after falling behind with course material. To address this challenge, we piloted for an alternative model for year 1 algebra tutorials that ran alongside the standard model. This opportunity provided focused, slower-paced delivery with personalised revision, and confidence-building support.
In this talk we will discuss the rationale and implementation of this pilot and reflect on the successes and challenges.
This pilot project was funded by the Teaching Development Fund.
13/11/2024 Statistical Models For Improving Maths Tests
Speaker: Adam Coates
In virtually all teaching contexts where instructors design their own classroom assessments, a combination of common-sense, intuition, and heuristics are used to decide whether the test was fit for purpose. There are, however, methods from the field of psychometrics which can be used to more objectively judge whether a test is working well and indicate areas for potential improvement. This seminar will first outline common practices in university assessment, then introduce item-response theory and diagnostic classification modelling as tools which can be used to improve these practices.
20/11/2024 HEA Fellowships in Maths
Speaker: Waleed Ali
This session will be open to everyone; staff, postgraduate students and anyone involved in teaching or teaching-based leadership roles. I will be giving an overview about applying for HEA Fellowships, especially after the release of the new specifications that will take effect in January 2025. The session will cover all the requirements for applying for the different HEA accreditations that the university provides (Associate Fellow, Fellow and Senior Fellow); following, there will be a Q&A session where I’ll answer any questions you might have about the accreditation process. Resources can be found here.
26/02/2025 Filling the Gap: Finding Your Niche
Speaker: Kat Phillips
As academics we are continually taught to push the boundaries on current knowledge with our research, through either seeing where improvements can be made with current methods or scoping out underserved areas of the field. This attitude, combined with the ethos of ‘keeping things fun’, has served me well not only in my research, but in the rest of my life as well. Alongside my PhD I began developing my career as a maths communicator and academic advocate under the name ‘KatDoesMaths’. In this talk I want to share with you some of the projects I’ve created and been involved with, and the things I learnt along the way (including the good, the bad, and the ugly!) I will also highlight some useful tips and tricks that have been invaluable to me in all styles of communication practice.
01/11/2023 Interactive Mathematics with VisualPDE
Speaker: Ben Walker
Ben introduces us to VisualPDE, an online resource he has developed for exploring, teaching, and broadly communicating partial differential equations. This resource is already being used in universities in the UK and worldwide and hopes to bring rich interactivity to a subject where there are often high barriers to entry. Unlike most seminars, Ben encouraged participants to bring along a smartphone, tablet or laptop to the session, so that they could interact with the site and play with PDEs, live on their device.
15/11/2023 Generative AI in Mathematics Teaching & Learning
Speaker: Ben Adams
Ben will present a summary of some recent articles that explore the performance of generative AI on school and university mathematical problems. This may be a first step towards understanding the role of generative AI in our own teaching and assessment practice.
28/02/2024 Making Mathematics Lectures More Engaging
Speaker: Lara Alcock
This talk will cover 18 simple practices that can be used to make ordinary mathematics lectures more engaging. It will start with general principles and organisational matters, then provide illustrations of short, snappy in-lecture activities that can be adapted for any topic. These activities require minimal planning, they work individually or together, and they can be incorporated into lectures in standard ways. They are also aligned with research on effective learning, and the talk will include light-touch comments on related research evidence.
13/03/2024 How to Start in the World of Mathematics Education Research
Speaker: Evi Papadaki
Navigating the world of Mathematics Education Research as a novice can feel both exciting and confusing at the same time. The aim of the talk is to map out the field of Mathematics Education Research through a collection of examples and personal experiences. First, I will highlight what sets Mathematics Education Research apart from Educational Research. I will aim to answer questions I had as a newcomer with practical examples. Then, we will work together on finding ways to embed practice-based research in our teaching practice. We will consider personal interests in conjunction with practical limitations such as time and resources. Finally, I will conclude with tips and resources that could help you find your own path.
27/03/2024 How to Think Like a Mathematician
Speaker: Kevin Houston
In this talk, Kevin will speak about the transition from school to university-level mathematics and highlight the reasons why it can be a daunting journey for many students. This talk aims to provide insights into what Kevin has done to ease this transition for his students. He will explore the key differences between school and university mathematics and describe practical strategies for teaching logical thinking, dealing with proof, and presenting mathematics in oral and written forms.
10/04/2024 Students as Agents of Change: Partners & Researchers
Speaker: Martyn Parker
In this talk, I will explore how we developed and deployed our department’s new Student Engagement and Community strategy. The strategy aims to create a culture of opportunities to ensure our students are fully active participants in various decision-making, initiatives, and projects, including developing and enhancing their experience and community. The work has supported individual, curriculum, community, and departmental developments that connect our students with, for example, research, other departments, and university decision-makers.
This strategy has proved fruitful in engaging students in research projects driven by external and regulatory priorities. Discipline-specific pedagogy can be overlooked in these cases, but these projects provide a solid evidence base for informed judgements. I will highlight a few successes delivered by our student researchers and the benefits this approach has brought to the department and institution.
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