Background
Putting the I back into
MEI
Richard Browne
MEI
• Early MEI work leant on Bertie Bellis’
investigation into the mathematics used in
industry during a schoolmaster fellowship
at Balliol College, Oxford, in 1962
• Members concluded that incorporating
what he had learnt into everyday teaching
could only happen effectively if associated
with new syllabuses
Background
• Since then MEI has developed
significantly as an organisation
• In 2006, the Trustees decided to appoint
someone to build up a new programme of
work that would be called the Industry
Strand and would try to establish a new
relationship between MEI and the
mathematics in industry
Current programme of work
• City and Guilds – support for vocational
qualifications
• IET conference and its implications
• Functional Mathematics
• Building relationships with industry
• MEI Industry Committee
Background
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Roberts report – SET for Success
Making Mathematics Count
14-19 Education and Skills
CBI survey findings
Leitch report
Sainsbury review – The Race to the Top
Support for vocational qualifications
• MEI has been in discussion with C&G
since 2006
• Substantial mathematical content in
– ECUK L3 examinations which attract
candidates from across the world
– HE Access course C&G is planning
– Existing C&G courses. We decided to
consider L3 Aeronautical Engineering
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Support for vocational qualifications
Support for vocational qualifications
• However we don’t know a great deal about
aeronautical engineering
• Liaison with experts at Central Sussex
College
• Safe, and topical, context selected
• Further development led to
• City and Guilds publishing team
considering whether to offer MEI an
assignment
IET conference and its implications
IET conference and its implications
• Title was Attracting the best students of
mathematics into engineering
• Held 21 May 2007 at IET HQ, Savoy Place
• 80 delegates, including 20 engineers from
industry and 15 academic engineers
• Purpose to initiate collaboration between MEI
and a range of engineering stakeholders to
promote engineering and mathematics
• Report published to delegates and on MEI
and IET websites
• The report sets out the strategy MEI
intends to pursue following the
conference, including:
– Work with Thales to develop a mathematics
course for engineers in employment
IET conference and its implications
Engineering Diploma
– Work with Qinetiq to develop collaboration
involving the FM Network using some of
Qinetiq’s extensive network of sites
• Pilot from 2008
• MEI involved in EPC Maths Task Group, with
leading role in developing ASL unit
• Possible role for MEI in supporting the course by
presenting exemplars of industrial use of the
ASL mathematics
• Online learning resources could be provided
• Possible role for FMN in supporting teachers
– Liaison with Royal Academy of Engineering to
support the Engineering Diploma
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Functional Mathematics
• Will not be available as part of GCSE
Mathematics; only as a stand alone qualification
• Based on QCA Standards
• Process skills are key: representing, analysing,
interpreting
• Critical that assessments match the QCA
Standards’ expectations
• All KS4 students expected to study functional
mathematics from 2010
Building relationships with industry
• Takes time and patience
• We have good links with SEMTA,
STEMNET and CBI
• FM Network Maths at Work Days
• Rolls-Royce supports the FM Network
poster project
Functional Mathematics
• Example pilot assessment materials
– City and Guilds
– AQA
MEI Industry Committee
• Shirley Coleman and the Diagnostic Tool
• Garrod Musto’s Showing You’re Working
project
• Janice Richards’ idea about a website to
support adult learners
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