* The Gender and Mathematics Association is holding a conference on the theme Visions of Mathematics, on June 13 at the Open University Offices, Grays Inn Road, London WC1. The key speaker is Professor Margaret Brown of King’s College, London. Workshops and discussion groups will include shape and its properties; Alcuin, Charlemagne and a medieval view of maths; developing mathematical ideas in the early years; humour and maths; and art and maths.

Fee: pound;26. Details: Christine Atkinson, GAMMA, co Association of Teachers of Mathematics, 7 Shaftesbury Street, Derby DE23 8YB. Tel: 01332 346599 or e-mail: chris@atiger.demon.co.uk

* “Mathematics cannot tell us how to marry, vote or choose, but it can cast an interesting light on these problems,” says Dr Tom Korner, who is giving a London Mathematical Society lecture on the subject at Liverpool University on June 10, 2.30-5pm. Admission is free. Details: Dr I R Porteous, tel: 0151 794 40664043; e-mail: porteous@liverpool.ac.uk A second lecture on biological fluid dynamics, exploring why a giraffe’s heart is so huge and why do swimming bacteria form patterns, will be given by Professor Tim Pedley at the London Institute of Education, 20 Bedford Way, WC1, on June 23, 7-9.30pm. Admission is by free ticket bookable in advance. Send an SAE to: Miss S M Oakes, LMS, 57-58 Russell Square, London WC1B 4HP; e-mail: lms@.ac.uk

* Parental involvement in numeracy and literacy is the theme of a conference at the University of North London on July 3. It is beingorganised by UNL Impact Maths (and Shared Writing) and the Community Education Development Centre’s Share Project. Ruth Merttens, professor of maths education at UNL, is among the speakers. Participants will be able to join two from a choice of eight practical workshops demonstrating approaches to home-school work. Fee: pound;70, pound;10 parents. Details: Diane Hardiman, CEDC, Woodway Park School, Wigston Road, Coventry CV2 2RH, tel: 01203 655700.

* The Mathematical Association and Association of Teachers of Mathematics are celebrating the centenary of the Liverpool Mathematical Society and looking forward to the millennium with a joint conference on the theme Hundred and Thousands.

It will be hosted by the LMS on April6-9, 1999, at Liverpool Hope University College. Details: ATM, tel: 01332 346599; e-mail atm_maths@compuserve.com or MA, tel 0116 270 3877.

COMPETITION

* Three family holidays to the Epcot Centre in Disney World, Florida, are on offer to the winners of the Helix Young Innovators Award 1998. Entrants aged 11 to 14 are challenged to imagine they have pound;500,000 to spend on a project to benefit their school or community. Categories are maths, design and technology and science.

Closing date: July 31. The successful young innovator in each category will win a holiday and pound;1,000-worth of Helix school equipment. Other prizes include family weekend breaks to London and up to pound;500 in Helix school equipment. For details, freephone 0800 783 7446.

FREE FOR ALL

* Sharp publishes primary and secondary quarterly newsletters entitled ‘On the Button’. Each edition features articles demonstrating practical classroom applications written by practising teachers and Sharp’s own maths advisers. Details from Helena Mann or Hazel Phillips on 0161 204 2626 or freephone 0800 262958.

PUBLICATIONS * High-quality reports of teachers’ research into maths teaching and papers by professional researchers working alongside teachers are being published by the Centre for Mathematics Education Research at Oxford University’s department for educational studies. First in the series is a paper on inter-pupil discussion prompted by a variety of lesson structures.

It was written by Clare Lee, a maths teacher at Stoke Park Community College, Coventry, with the help of a Teacher Training Agency grant. Copies cost pound;6 each from: Ella Nash, CMER, 15 Norham Gardens, Oxford OX2 6PY. Tel: 01865 274052. Information about the submission of and proposals for papers is available from Anne Watson at the CMER; e-mail: anne.watson@edstud.ox.ac.uk WEBSITES

* GCSE Answers at http:www.gcse. com has introduced a section on Easy Start Algebra 2 at http:www.gcse. commathscarryesal2.htm * The Centre for Teaching Mathematics at Plymouth University has a site at http:www.tech.plym.ac.ukmathsctmhomectm.html covering the Mathematics Enrichment Programme (for able and talented children), Mathematics Enhancement Project (enhancing general maths teaching), Technology User Group, inservice, maths teaching and learning research projects and publications.

* The intriguing Symbolic Sculpture and Mathematics, which explores the interrelation of art and maths, and Mathematics and Knots, an Internet version of a travelling exhibition, have been created by the Centre for the Popularisation of Mathematics, University of Wales. The site, which aims to challenge the image of maths as “dull, or outlandish and impractical”, is lavishly illustrated with photographs, diagrams and animated pages and can be found at http:www.bangor.ac.ukmaCPMwelcome.htm

* A head of maths in Norfolk hasprepared a collection of online resources for teaching maths, information technology and theInternet, covering topics such as spreadsheets and graphs. MathsNet can be found at http:www.anglia.co.ukeducationmathsnetintro.html