The development of an M.Sc. course in mathematical education

Abstract

Several British universities offer M.Sc. courses in mathematical education on a one‐year full‐time basis, and Loughborough University as a two‐year part‐time programme. Outside the university sector, degree courses in the United Kingdom are validated by the Council for National Academic Awards (CNAA). This paper describes the development of the first such M.Sc. course to be approved by the CNAA, and offered at the Polytechnic of the South Bank, London. The paper indicates something of the nature of the validation process and how an external criticism of a college's proposals can help to change the thinking in order to resolve the basic problems of a course. In particular, the need to have clear ideas of what mathematical education is and is not, are emphasized. The philosophy of the course and its component parts are described, and questions of staff and course development considered. The course was approved by the CNAA on 13 May 1977, and recruited its first intake of 20 students in October 1977 on a part‐time attendance basis for two years and one term.