GROWTH AND MENTORING INTO MATHEMATICS ACADEMICS Afrikaans: Gaan Altyd Met Maths Aan!

Introduction

It is an undisputable fact that quite a number of our colleagues, especially among those who make very valuable contributions to the Department’s teaching activities, will retire within the next few years. Furthermore, our Department is not well positioned in terms of its employment equity status.
We recognise that both these challenges ask for actions but that neither has a quick or easy solution.

The GAMMA initiative

The initiative aims to contribute to both the challenges that are mentioned above by developing skills required for following a successful academic career in students who have the potential of employment as mathematicians in the tertiary educational environment.

Structure

The broad structure of the initiative is an informal seminar format in which active participation is nurtured through appropriate activities. Details include:

• Approximately 14 fortnightly sessions to be presented, spread over the academic year, each of one hour duration.
• The organisers to lead sessions on topics in which they have expertise; in other topics expertise, internal or external, will be co-opted.
• Participation to be on an invitational basis only. Yet, commitment will be required up front from invitees and a tab will be kept on attendance.
• Presenters to be briefed on encouraging discourse and presenting workshop-like activities.

Target market

The target group consists mainly of honours students who are enrolled in the one of the Mathematics, Applied Mathematics or Mathematics of Finance programmes.  Group members should be chosen with the above aims in mind.

Scope

The following possible session topics have been identified:

1.    Being a professional

a.    Professional conduct in the work environment - principles to adhere to
b.    Reading and writing skills – cultivating these vital life skills
c.    Presentation skills – projecting yourself as well as the content
Activity: Present a topic, critique a presentation

2.    Being a successful teacher

a.    Successful teaching and learning – principles and practices
b.    Assessment practices: Behind the scene – designing assessment, administration
Activity: Attend, critique and present a lecture(s)

3.    Building an academic career

a.    Following an academic career path – expectations and prospects
b.    Performance evaluation – measuring criteria of success
c.    Financial prospects and planning – thinking ahead in your career
Activity: Talk to an active mathematics academic on his/her career path

4.    Being a successful researcher

a.    Internationalisation – conference attendance and collaboration
b.    Research evaluation – rating criteria
Activity: Simulate paper writing and publishing

5.    Knowing your workplace

a.    The South African tertiary education scene – understanding where UP fits in
b.    Institutional structure – the hierarchy and functioning of a university
c.    Functioning of a large mathematics department – structure, duties
Activity (for c): Join us for a tea time in the tea room!

6.    Knowing your subject

a.    Historical perspective of mathematics – the culture of mathematics
b.    Mathematics now – research trends, Fields medallists
Activity (for a): Read a paper on an aspect of the history of mathematics and offer an introduction to a discussion of  it
Activity (for b): In consultation with supervisors of students

Timeline

The detail planning of the GAMMA initiative will be done in the second semester of 2015 and it will be launched in February 2016. The year 2016 will be considered as a pilot for the initiative. During the year and at the end thereof the initiative will be evaluated along student and presenter experiences and improvements will be suggested for 2017.

Izak Broere and Ansie Harding

Pretoria, 29 July 2015