Colin Wright - The Unexpected Maths of Juggling workshop
Dr Colin Wright, mathmatician, delivered a live-streamed interactive maths workshop at The Grammar School at Leeds for 35 primary schools across Yorkshire.
Aims
To share an engaging and educational maths workshop with partner primary schools for their pupils in years 4,5 and 6. We had already delivered workshops for literacy and science and maths had been requested by our partners.
To reach this number of pupils (>3000) in 35 primary schools via live-stream we needed to:
1. have an engaging workshop facilitator who can relate to his live audience in person and his remote audience joining us from their classroom.
2. classrooms needed to have a whitescreen and access to Zoom.
3. GSAL needed the right venue (library) and technical expertise (Actual Pixels) to deliver a seamless broadcast.
3000 pupils and 50+ class teachers benefited from the live workshop. Additional pupils and teachers have access to the recording to access at a convenient time via the GSAL Presents website.
Background
This workshop was part of the GSAL Presents series (https://gsal.org.uk/news/gsal-presents/)
Started to run live-streamed workshops in lockdown and realised this was a convenient way to reach more pupils with engaging and educational content relevant to their curriculum.
GSAL has been running workshops for priamry schools for more than 8 years and running live-streamed workshops since 2020.
Resources
Whiteboards and internet access in schools.
Videographer with multiple cameras (close and wide to maintain interest).
Zoom webinar to field questions and responses from the live virtual audience.
A live audience in person adds to the atmosphere and presenters performance.
Non-teaching staff at GSAL and classroom teacher per class in remote audience.
Workshops are offered free.
Impact
Quantitative - workshop attendance; no. of questions asked.
Qualitative - feedback via email and Twitter after the event.
Pupil Involvement
Pupils watch the workshop, take part by drawing their own juggling pattern, answering and asking questions via Zoom webinar.
Pupils are years 4, 5 and 6.
Frequency
GSAL offer these workshops approximately once per term.
