Hundreds of young people participate in the ‘Street Mathematics’ conference for the dissemination of science in Alameda de Hercules

Hundreds of young people participated this Sunday in the “Street Mathematics” conference, an initiative promoted by the Seville City Council, through the delegation of youth, science, universities and development cooperation, and with the participation of the Andalusian Association for Mathematics Education. Thales and the University of Seville through its Secretariat for Scientific and Cultural Publishing. The mayor of the city, Antonio Muñoz, accompanied by delegate Juan Antonio Barrónuevo and President of the University of Seville, Miguel Ángel Castro, visited the various pavilions coordinated by high school students and aimed at school children “with the aim of promoting” the interest, knowledge and family leisure of mathematics. Seville is a city of science as evidenced by the number of professionals and the number of research centers it houses. An interest in mathematics is evidenced by the huge increase in the number of students interested in pursuing higher education due to the high degree of applications of this subject, so the promotion of recreational activities that encourage this interest in city neighborhoods is always positive. city”.

This interest maintains two directions because those responsible for providing suggestions and games geared to school children are carried out by high school students who are responsible for facilities, oversee operations, and achieve goals. The activities consist of workshops with manipulative material in which various mathematical concepts related to geometry, arithmetic and logic are dealt with, especially the search for patterns and the development of strategies for solving problems that arise. The ultimate goal is to disseminate and promote abstract thinking while at the same time improving the social attitude towards mathematics.

In this sense, various puzzles and board games will be worked out with the attendees that allow these skills to be approached from a perspective based on purposeful learning through play. Therefore, the workshops have a double aspect: to show that dealing with mathematical concepts can be fun and not something to be biased about, and on the other hand, to teach how to face problems that are looking for solving strategies.

This mechanism of action was designed during the first release of 2020 and has been maintained to date despite the interruption caused by the health context. Its development in a family enclave also encourages families to visit.