MathsInScience.uk is an independent organisation that aims to support the use of mathematics in the secondary science curriculum. It grew out of the work done in producing the guidance booklet The Language of Mathematics in Science: A Guide for Teachers of 11-16 Science. The intention is to promote approaches that are both intellectually coherent and accessible to learners. A key theme of the guidance is that, while there are important mathematical techniques to be learned, the way that mathematics is used in science is a matter of judgement and not of applying hard-and-fast rules.
To support the publication, MathsInScience.uk has produced a series of eight teacher discussion activities, which are available for anyone to download and use. The activities focus on some of the key ideas of mathematics in science, and link to specific sections in the guidance.
In addition, there are a group of registered users who form the ‘teacher review panel’. Two working groups have been set up consisting of members of this panel – one is looking at how the guidance can be used in professional development, and the other is reviewing the way that mathematics is used in the sample examination papers for the new science GCSEs.
