Encouraging  Students  to  Read!   Noel-­‐Ann  Bradshaw   Principal  Lecturer  in   Mathema1cs  and  OR   University  Teaching   Fellow  

Karen  Richardson   Academic  Services   Librarian  (for  CMS)  

Book  Review  Assignment  -­‐  PDP   •  Promote  popular  maths  books  –  subject   knowledge   •  Encourage  reading  necessary  for  later   research   •  1st  year  maths  students   •  Enhance  communica1on  skills   •  Increase  use  of  library  

Employability   •  Ability  to  deliver  ideas  clearly,  effec1vely  and   with  confidence  either  orally  or  in  wri1ng.   •  Using  appropriate  communica1on  style  for   target  audience.  

Employability   •  Ability  to  expand  and  improve  thinking  skills   such  as  explana1on,  analysis  and  jus1fiable   evalua1on.  

Making  the  Books  IdenDfiable   •  •  •  • 

S1ckers?     Where  to  put  them   Colour?   Wording  

Making  the  Books  IdenDfiable  2  

AdverDsing  the  Stock  

The  Display  

Reminding  Them  What   We  Have  -­‐  A  Poster   Here  comes  the  Science  bit…  read   about  the  beauty/health  ad  cons  in:   Ben  Goldacre’s  -­‐Bad  Science   “I  want  a  fast  paced  

Why  Do  Buses  Come  in  Threes?     and   How  Long  is    Piece  of  String?   Answers  below  in  books  of  the   same  1tle  by  Robert  Eastaway  

novel  about  a  treasure   hunt,  romance,  animal   rights,  mathemaBcal   puzzles,  code-­‐breaking   and  the  ethics  of   globalizaBon”   No  problem…  PopCo   by  Scarle[  Thomas  

Week  5  -­‐  Library  Visit   •  Stuart  (Karen’s   colleague)  shows   students  where  to   find  the  books  and   how  to  use  the  self   service  machines.   •  Students  also  have  a   session  on  accessing   electronic   resources.  

PDP  Assignment   •  PDP  session  combined  with  library  tour   •  Choose  a  popular  maths  book  from  the  library   that  has  inspired  or  helped  you.  Some  suitable   books  have  green  labels  with  'Maths  good   read'  on  their  spines.  If  you  want  to  choose  a   book  which  doesn’t  have  a  green  s1cker,   email  [email protected]  or   [email protected]  to  make  sure  that  we   think  it  is  suitable.  

PDP  Assignment   •  Write  550  words  max  on  why  you  would   recommend  this  book  to  one  of  your  fellow   students.     •  Make  sure  your  review  comments  on  the   following  areas:     –  What  you  enjoyed  about  the  book     –  Who  the  book  is  aimed  at     –  The  style  in  which  the  book  is  wri[en     –  A  brief  synopsis  of  the  book   –  Any  cri1cisms  you  may  have    

Student  Feedback   Le[ers  To  a  young  Mathema1cian  –   Ian  Stewart     ‘To  be  honest,  I  wasn’t  really  excited   to  read  a  book,  especially  a  maths   book.  I  cannot  remember  the  last   1me  I  read  one.  However,  this  book   was  surely  going  to  change  my   aPtude.’    

Student  Feedback    ‘Acer  reading  this  book,  I  know  that   maths  is  such  a  beauDful  subject  which   is  sadly  hidden  away  in  the  class  rooms   but  all  is  revealed  in  this  book,  well   nearly  everything.  I  eagerly  advise  each   and  every  student  who  is  studying   maths  or  a  maths  based  subject,  to   read  this  book  as  this  book  is  aimed  at   that  specific  group.  It  will  make  you  see   maths  in  a  different  way.’    

Student  Feedback   Surely  You’re  Joking,  Mr  Feynman!     ‘I'm  shocked  that  I  have  never  been  so   hooked  on  by  a  book  in  all  my  life!   In  the  twenty  one  years  up  un1l  I  started   university  I  managed  to  avoid  reading  a   book.  When  I  was  asked  as  part  if  my   university  course  to  review  a  book  the  idea   was  very  daunDng  and  a  task  which  I  knew  I   would  not  be  confident  about.  Thankfully  it   was  one  of  the  best  things  I  have  done   whilst  I  have  been  there.’  

Student  Feedback   ‘I  would  say  it  has  changed  my   general  reading  pa[erns  as  I  am   now  delving  into  more  and  more   into  non-­‐ficDon  material,   something  I  would  never  have   been  thoroughly  comfortable  with   prior  to  wri1ng  the  book  review.’    

Staff  feedback   •  Shown  students  other  branches  of  maths   •  Met  goals  for  enhancing  employability  skills   •  Some  book  reviews  published  in  MathSoc   newsle[er   •  Some  student  book  reviews  published  in   MSOR  Connec1ons  (HEA)   •  One  student  book  review  published  in  Times   Higher  (THE)  

EvaluaDon  -­‐  library   •  Qualita1ve   –  More  maths  re-­‐shelving   –  Always  “Good  Read”  books  on  re-­‐shelving    

EvaluaDon  -­‐  library   •  Quan1ta1ve   Harder  to  do  as  it  is  not  possible  to  collect  data  by   group   Two  approaches   1.  Look  at  usage  of  “Good  Reads”    –  there  was  an  increase  in  usage  post  labelling.  

2.  Look  at  borrower  history    –  those  that  borrowed  “Good  Reads”  borrowed  books   throughout  the  year  

Conclusion   •  Has  made  an  impact  on  the  reading  skills  of   maths  students   •  Has  contributed  to  their  employability   •  No1ceable  improvement  in  use  of  reference   material  in  final  year  work   •  Hard  to  quan1fy  as  many  of  the  books  are  not   borrowed  from  our  library