This seminar series has now been completed. Please watch out for announcements in the autumn about the next series.
Virtual seminars (2025/26)
Supporting Women’s Participation in Adult Mathematics Learning: Insights and Reflections from an Action Research study in England.
Speaker: Farhat Syyeda (UK)
Date: Monday May 11th 2026, at 7pm UK; 8pm CET.
Abstract
This presentation forms part of an Action Research project based in the Midlands region of England. The study explored the factors which impact women’s participation in mathematics learning, especially those from low income, disadvantaged and minority ethnic communities. It investigated the challenges they face in returning to formal education, and developed strategies to support and facilitate them to re-engage. Following an Action Research model, the study was conducted in three phases: Planning, intervention, and evaluation. In phase 1 we identified two areas in the city where enrolment on mathematics courses was very low. In phase 2, four workshops were organised in local primary schools inviting mothers, grandmothers and other family members, to take part in interactive mathematics activities and have a go at solving mathematical problems with their children. These workshops served multiple purposes such as providing information on adult education courses and promoting intergenerational and lifelong learning. Data was collected through two sets of focus group interviews (in phase 1 & 2) involving thirty-four participants. Phase 3 focused on data processing and the analysis of outcomes. In this presentation, I will share key findings from the study, and will also reflect on challenges that we faced as a research team during the project.
Biography
Dr Farhat Batool Syyeda is a lecturer and researcher in the School of Education, University of Leicester. She leads different modules on campus based and distance learning courses and supervises PhD students. Her research focuses on adult learning, identity construction, mathematics education, and teachers’ professional development. She has worked on various research projects as principal/co-investigator, including two recent studies funded by the British Academy/Leverhulme Small Research Grants scheme. She has a strong interest in innovative and creative research methodologies, including visual methods, action research, ethnography, and narrative inquiry. Her doctoral research (Syyeda, 2021) adopted an ethnographic narrative approach to explore the learning journeys and identity development of female adult learners.
Website: https://le.ac.uk/people/farhat-syyeda
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/farhat-syyeda-13708a56/
What happens when mathematics and craft teachers work collaboratively?
Speakers: Bettina Dahl Søndergaard and Lena Lindenskov (Denmark)
Date: Thursday March 19th 2026, at 7pm UK; 8pm CET.
Abstract
In a recent vocational education project (KLUMP) in Denmark, five collaborative teams at one of the largest Danish vocational schools, TRADIUM, were formed by pairing one craft teacher with one mathematics teacher. Each team developed and trialled teaching materials and lesson plans together. In this seminar Bettina and Lena will present results from the teachers’ experiences and reflections, highlighting key points about the collaborative process and outcomes. They will also share materials and lesson plans in English for discussion amongst seminar participants. Further information about the KLUMP project can be found, in Danish, in a project report at tradium-klump_c_samletrapport_ebog.pdf
Biographies
Bettina Dahl (Søndergaard/Soendergaard) is a Professor in the Department of Mathematics at the University of Bergen and an Associate Professor at Aalborg University’s Centre for PBL in Engineering Science and Sustainability under the auspices of UNESCO. She works with mathematics education at secondary and tertiary level as well as engineering education. In addition she works on learning in informal and out-of-school time settings.
Lena (Brasen) Lindenskov is associate professor emeritus at Danish School of Education, DPU, Aarhus University. She works with teaching and learning mathematics at primary and secondary level and in adult general and vocation training. Her vision is to turn learners’ difficulties and demotivation for mathematics into a sense of meaningfulness and participation in mathematics.
Mathematics in the news: What can weather forecasts and corona diagrams tell us about everyday mathematics?
Speaker: Anders Wiik (Norway)
Date: January 15th 2026 at 7pm (UK); 8pm (CET).
Biography: Anders is an Associate Professor in Mathematics Education at the University of Agder, Norway. He is an experienced mathematics teacher, having worked in adult education before joining the university, and has a PhD in Mathematics Education as a result of his doctoral research into the reading and use of data visualisations.
Abstract: Numbers and graphs in the news are a prominent form of everyday mathematics that is of great importance for participation in democratic processes and social issues. Nevertheless, many adults have challenges in taking part in this discourse. In this presentation, I present some of my doctoral research, where I look more closely at how mathematical representational forms in weather forecasts have changed between 1945 and 2020, and what opportunities and challenges arise in young adults’ encounters with numbers and graphs from the news related to the corona pandemic. I will also talk about reactions I have received from parents, teachers and individuals who have read about my research.
ALM Topic Groups – Discussion Forum
Led by: Catherine Byrne, Diane Dalby, Javier Díez-Palomar, David Kaye, and Trude Sundtjonn,
Date: December 10th 2025 at 6pm (UK); 7pm (CET)
Following from the success of Topic Group discussions at the ALM 32 conference, this forum will took the form of exploratory discussions in four different Topic Groups, including the well-established Maths in Prison group and three further groups: Teaching Numeracy to Adults; Theoretical Perspectives and Maths in and for the Workplace. After a short introduction, we groups engaged in focused discussions about the development of their topic group, building on foundations already established (at ALM32 or before) and identifying relevant ‘hot topics’ for future discussions. Participants were asked to commit to a single Topic Group, and select the most relevant to their work and interests. (A brief introduction to each Topic Group can be found by clicking on the relevant title).
ALM Virtual Seminar Organising Committee
- Charlotte Arkenback (Sweden)
- Catherine Byrne (Ireland)
- Diane Dalby (UK)
- Jenny Stacey (UK)