Conference 2001 - A Spatial Odyssey - Report

The ATM was half a century old in 2001. This year’s Easter Conference gave us the opportunity to look back, to rediscover old ideas, to see what has changed, and to see what has not.

Main Speakers

Opening Session: David Fielker - “Shape, Space and Pace&rdsquo;

Closing Session: Heinrich Bauersfeld - “A Visiting Martian’s Report on Terrestrial Troubles with Mathematics Education&rdsquo;

Conference Report - 1

Two separate reflections on the 2001 ATM Conference. The first from Tandi Clausen-May, current Conference team leader; the other from Peter Lacey, Chair of ATM General Council.

Around 350 delegates attended the 2001 Conference. Mathematics was discovered, created and shared in a wonderful variety of ways between people from many different backgrounds. Our 2001 Conference marked our fiftieth year as an Association, so on the first evening every delegate worked on a selection of problems and puzzles related to the number 50.

As conference progressed delegates got stuck into their selected workshops, and other delegates, young and old were busy with a wide range of mathematical activities in the workshop, an area where delegates are free to chat, do some maths and make use of the resources provided.

Chester itself, where the conference took place offered a rich source of mathematical materials - one of the sessions involved a group of delegates walking around the ancient city and found symmetry and structure galore.

Tandi Clausen-May

Conference Report - 2

The Conference was a chance to celebrate the ATM’s 50th birthday. More than 350 delegates spent three days and evenings working on the learning and teaching of maths. The theme ‘2001 - A Spatial Odyssey’, attracted delegates from around the world: teachers from all the school phases; initial teacher trainers; researchers, curriculum developers, advisers, inspectors and consultants. We also welcomed guests from other associations such as the Mathematical Association and the Association for Science Education.

There were more than 90 sessions, with opportunities to find out about curriculum developments in this country and in other parts of the world, to catch up with new technological projects, to engage with those involved in research, to observe and reflect on a live maths lesson, and to participate in workshops.

Over the ATM’s lifetime the educational landscape has been transformed. Change brings with it the risk of premature polarisation. Some might be cynical of anything educational that is determined by politicians. Others might wholeheartedly adopt the change without question. Of course, the rate of change may be faster than our ability to manage it, and sometimes we may challenge whether or not the effect of a particular change has been properly evaluated before it is universally implemented. Sometimes change is resented as an answer to a question that is itself unclear, and this can lead to the change being judged both effective and non-effective at the same time. Different constituencies within the maths community may view certain changes differently. For example, a teacher may see the numeracy strategy as an initiative they are required to implement while a researcher may see it as an initiative to question, challenge and evaluate.

For 50 years ATM’s success has been to create synergies across the different constituencies of it membership. Its open-mindedness has allowed teachers, curriculum developers and researchers to learn from each other. It is truly an inclusive organisation.

Peter Lacey

Conference 2008

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