In this captivating episode, we invite Alex Bellos, renowned author, mathematician, and puzzle-maker, to join the discussion on why we ‘Dig for the Why’.
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Alex is an expert on the narrative approach to making maths engaging.
We explore the similarities in teaching methods between maths and computer science. As well as the significance of generating curiosity and the role teachers play in encouraging an open and safe environment that prompts students to question ‘Why?’.
Meet our Guest
Alex Bellos studied Mathematics and Philosophy at Cambridge before going into Journalism.
For over five years, he lived in Brazil, working for The Guardian as their South American correspondent. In 2010, when he returned to the UK, Alex published ‘Alex’s Adventures in Numberland’, followed shortly by ‘Alex Through the Looking Glass’ in 2014.
Alex is also an experienced public speaker and gives talks to a wide range of students, professionals, and the general public.
00:00 Introduction and Host Greetings
00:38 Introducing Special Guest: Alex Bellos
01:00 Alex Bellos’ Background and Contributions
01:30 The Baguette Experiment and Teaching Statistics
04:05 Engaging Students with Stories and Math
08:59 Writing Math Books for Diverse Audiences
17:06 The Joy of Understanding Math
20:03 Inspiring Students with Math Talks
25:47 Engaging Students with Prime Numbers
26:28 Using Puzzles to Captivate Large Audiences
28:45 Interactive Math Activities for Smaller Groups
30:46 The Importance of Problem Solving in Math
33:41 Fostering Curiosity and the ‘Aha’ Moment
37:28 The Role of Computer Science in Modern Education
41:11 The Value of Asking Questions
45:18 Conclusion and Final Thoughts
A transcript of this episode is available here
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Andy Lumley
Alison Hopper
A talented young creative iingledew produced our intro/outro – check out his Soundcloud.
