There is nothing scientific about my ranking system; I am featuring the equations that seem to have permeated the mainstream.
In terms of fame, there are three big equations, derived from Einstein, Pythagoras, and Newton. We are all exposed to these regularly through mainstream media and/or through secondary education. While Schrödinger’s Equation is not that well-known by the layperson, most of us have heard of the associated Schrödinger’s cat thought experiment which helps to explain the principles of quantum mechanics.
This equation has even made it onto T-shirts as some kind of nerdy fashion statement, so most people are aware of it, even if they don’t know what it means. Proposed by Albert Einstein, perhaps the most famous scientist in history, it’s no surprise this E = mc² is the most well-known, but one of the least understandable to the layman. The answer? In short, Einstein showed that a small amount of mass can create a heck of a lot of energy – as in the amount you find in in stars – and it paved the way to the nuclear age.
We all did this at school so it’s one’s pretty famous and is attributed to the ancient Greek mathematician Pythagoras. It states that for any triangle, the square of the length of the hypotenuse (the side opposite the right angle) is equal to the sum of the squares of the lengths of the other two sides. This theorem forms the basis of Euclidean geometry which is used in architecture and navigation.
Formulated by Sir Isaac Newton, and popularised by the scientist’s apple falling on head Eureka moment, this equation describes the relationship between force (F), mass (m), and acceleration (a). The first states that an object’s motion will not change unless acted upon by a force (Inertia). The second law states that the force exerted by an object is equal to its mass times its acceleration (Force). And the third is that when two moving objects they exert equal and opposite forces on each other (Action and Reaction).
Erwin Schrödinger’s Equation describes how the quantum state of a physical system evolves over time, incorporating the wave-particle duality of matter, which refers to the fact that matter at one moment acts like a wave and yet at another moment acts like matter. This equation has been popularised by the famously related Schrödinger’s Cat thought experiment which was designed to simplify quantum mechanics and which is now referenced in many science fiction works.
If you are interested in studying Maths as a subject, Oxford Open Learning offer you the chance to do so at a variety of levels, listed below. You can also Contact Us here.
To mark British Science Week, from the 8th to the 17th of March, let’s shine a light on some of the greatest contemporary British minds in Science, Technology, Engineering and Maths (or STEM, for short).
Sue Black is a Professor of Computer Science at Durham University. An outspoken and active social media campaigner, Sue led a campaign to save Bletchley Park and is one of the most influential women in tech. An advocate for equality, diversity, and inclusion, particularly for women in computing, she founded BSCWomen, an online network for women in tech, and #techmums, a social enterprise which empowers mothers and their families through technology. In the 2016 New Year Honours, Sue received an OBE for services to technology.
Timothy Berners-Lee is a computer scientist and software engineer who is most famous for inventing Hypertext Transfer Protocol, or HTTP, and the World Wide Web. He also created the first internet browser, the HTML language, and the URL system, and in 1991 was named one of the 100 Most Important People of the 20th Century by Time Magazine. In 2004, Timothy was knighted by Queen Elizabeth II for his pioneering work, and he now works as Professor of Computer Science at the University of Oxford. He is also a professor emeritus at the renowned Massachusetts Institute of Technology (Often referred to as MIT).
Maggie Aderin-Pocock is a space scientist, educator, and communicator. Throughout her career, she has worked on some of the most prestigious projects at some of the UK’s top universities and is currently an honorary research associate within the Department of Physics and Astronomy at University College London and Chancellor at the University of Leicester. She is also a presenter of the TV show The Sky at Night and does much outreach work to engage young people in science. Her academic work now focuses on building instruments and equipment to aid the fight against climate change. Maggie received an MBE for services to science education in 2009 – an honour that was upgraded to OBE in this year’s New Year Honours.
Donald Palmer is an Associate Professor of Immunology at the Royal Veterinary College where his current research interests focus on the ageing of the immune system. After completing his PhD at King’s College London, he took post-doctoral fellowship positions at Cancer Research UK and Imperial College where he carried out research on lymphocyte development. Donald is also a co-founder of the Reach Society – an initiative to inspire, encourage and motivate young people, particularly young Black men and boys, to achieve their full potential.
Roma Agrawal is a structural engineer who is most known for her work on The Shard in London. Born in Mumbai, she completed her undergraduate degree in physics at the University of Oxford and gained an MSc in structural engineering from Imperial College London. She has gained several awards for her work, including the Institute of Structural Engineers’ Structural Engineer of the Year’ award in 2011 and, more recently, the Royal Academy of Engineering’s ‘Rooke Award for Public Promotion of Engineering’. She is an active public speaker and advocate for diversity and inclusion within STEM.
Saiful Islam is Professor of Materials Modelling at the University of Oxford. He gained a chemistry degree and PhD from University College London and his research interests focus on gaining a deeper understanding of the processes that exist within energy materials, particularly batteries. As well as numerous academic awards and honours, Saiful holds a Guinness World Record for the highest voltage lemon battery (usually a low powered, simple battery used for the purposes of education).
To learn about more successful British scientists, visit the Inspiring Scientists website.
If you are interested in studying a Science or Maths, Oxford Open Learning offers the opportunity to do so at a variety of levels, listed below. You can also find advice via our Contact Us page here.
Fast Track Human Biology IGCSE
Perfectionism is not, in and of itself, a negative trait. Perfectionists are often conscientious high achievers; our greatest weakness is also our greatest strength. But those trying to be constantly perfect can find that every task feels like an unconquerable burden and every essay a path to failure, however unlikely our friends and family might find our doom-laden predictions. Here are three thoughts to use to beat the unrealistic idealism that may currently be beating you.
What is perfect, anyway? Maybe you could decide. Perhaps perfection could simply mean sitting down at your messy desk, ignoring the clothes on the floor, and spending 10 minutes planning the first half of your essay. In this deeply imperfect and challenging world, if you were to be reasonable with yourself, your definition of perfect should, and could, be different. Redefine perfection: make it doable and make it your own.
A to-do list is a depressing sight, if, at every item, we are telling ourselves that we ‘have to’ or ‘must’ do this or that. But turn ‘have to’ into ‘get to’ and suddenly life seems more joyful. Perhaps it is an irritating piece of advice, an unwelcome call to simply have more gratitude, but studying is essentially an overwhelmingly positive thing. You are learning and growing, and you have access to great materials and educated teachers; you are lucky. And so, even if it feels at first like you are lying to yourself, tell yourself, next time you inspect your to-do list: “I get to plan my essay today”.
We will do it, but we are waiting for the perfect time when we are in the mood. Because we know we can do it well, and not just well but REALLY well. And so that is the aim. This isn’t laziness, for the fear is real: we cannot bear to submit anything less than our best; we cannot tolerate failure; and we want to be proud of what we have achieved. We have visualised (or we think we have) the perfect essay or assignment. But the truth is that you have a deadline. Perhaps you could achieve perfection if you had eternity to complete it. But you don’t. Most tasks have a timeline, whether it is 6 years to complete a part-time PhD, or one night to finish an essay. And the test is not what you can achieve, but what you can achieve in the time you have to complete it. The definition of perfect might simply be this: finished.
Whatever subject you are studying or qualification you are studying for, contact with your teacher or tutor – even when remote – is an invaluable part of that process. They are usually the subject experts, have a full understanding of the assessment process and have, more often than not, supported many other students who felt exactly the same as you do now about their learning. Whether you are confident in your subject knowledge and looking for ways to stretch yourself in order to achieve the very best results or are still a little uncertain and unsure how you might secure the grade you need, your tutors can provide you with the support you require. Here are a few simple strategies every student should try in order to boost the benefits of the contact they have.
Put simply, meet their expectations! If they provide a task, complete it. If they set a deadline, meet it. If you have a meeting, be there. Programmes of study and assessment schedules are in place to meet the needs of everyone; ensuring that there is adequate time for covering all of the content, assessing progress and providing feedback. A tutor works with many students and if you don’t adhere to the plan then you are unlikely to get the time you deserve. If there is a problem with the schedule set out for you, talk to your tutor in advance so that they can make any amendment they possibly can in order to make sure that everyone’s needs are met. If a tutor sees you are committed to your learning and doing what is required they are likely to go above and beyond in the ways in which they support you.
As already mentioned, the tutor is the subject expert. They have the knowledge of the subject but also the ways it is assessed and how to ensure you can demonstrate it when required to do so. Listen to their advice. Take notes where required. Follow their suggestions. However, if there is something you are unsure about, don’t be afraid to ask! Questioning is key to developing a deeper understanding and mastery of a subject but is also a great tool in ensuring there have been no miscommunications or misunderstandings. Your tutor will respect your ability to really engage with the content you are covering together and look for ways to address your questions in more detail.
Receiving feedback is one of the most important parts of the learning journey. However, many of us find getting feedback something that is really, really hard! Instead of thinking about what is said by your tutor as being ‘good’ or ‘bad’, try to consider what you can learn from it instead. If you are given praise for a certain aspect of your work, think about what you did that made this so effective. If there are comments relating to something that hasn’t worked out so well then think about what you might do differently next time. Reflection is key to making progress. Also, apply the same thought process when it comes to your attitude to learning. If a tutor comments on this, avoid taking it personally and think of how you might use what they have said to become a more effective learner.
Don’t forget that any contact that you have with your tutor is designed to benefit YOU. If you are in need of something specific from that contact then, again, do not be afraid to ask! In reality, this involves planning and preparing for any contact you have before you have it. Make a note of any questions you have when studying independently. If you need to revisit any material with them, ask in advance. If you have found a subject area particularly easy or hard, let them know. Remember, your tutor will be looking to support you in a way that is personalised to meet your needs too, so the more effectively you’re able to communicate these, the better they will be able to do this.
Think of Pythagoras and you’ll probably recall studying his theorem at school, where a right-angled triangle the sum of the squares on the other two shorter sides equals the hypotenuse squared. The theorem is believed to have been known to the Babylonians 1000 years earlier, but the Greek Philosopher and mathematician may have been the first to prove it.
In the field of Mathematics, Pythagoras’ work led to great leaps forward in our understanding of numbers and geometry, and of importance in many other branches of mathematics, including trigonometry.
Pythagoras was taught mathematics by ancient Greek Philosopher Thales, who brought the subject to the Greeks from Ancient Egypt, and by Anaximander, who was an earlier student of Thales. He was founder of the Pythagorean brotherhood, a group devoted to the study of mathematics.
Pythagoras was certainly not an ordinary mathematician, by any means. He believed that science and religion were connected. It is thought that he believed that he had already lived four lives, all of which he could remember. Others claimed that he was able to travel through space and time and could talk to plants and animals.
His work linked his subject with the universe at large. Pythagoreans believed that everything could be reduced to numbers, that the whole universe had been built using mathematics. They said the truth behind the everyday reality we experience lies in numbers.
Modern-day physicists who seek the ‘theory of everything’ or the ‘grand unification’ are Pythagoreans. They subscribe to the thought that the universe can be completely understood through mathematical equations, and they are committed to a quest to find these equations. To Pythagoreans 10 was the supreme number, as it can be made by adding the first four numbers, 1,2,3 and 4. These numbers form a tetractys – the perfect, equilateral triangle.
Pythagoreans also used science in the areas of mystery and spiritualism. Their beliefs were based on the power of numbers. The monad (a unit), spoke of the birthplace of all things, and the number two, the dyad, referred to matter. The number seven was considered sacred because it was the number of strings on a lyre, the number of planets, and the seventh day of the Greek calendar was sacred to Apollo, all the feasts were celebrated on the seventh of the month.
Pythagoras also recognised the healing powers of music. He thought it was possible to align the souls to their perfect nature, and through music he performed what he called ‘soul adjustments’. He was the first person to prescribe music as medicine.
Widely considered as the ‘father of philosophy’, Pythagoras’ teachings, theories, philosophies and life’s work show that he was truly an outstanding polymath, and his learnings and teachings made him one of the greatest thinkers of his time.
The current lockdown has highlighted the huge value of YouTube and social media as a topic-rich, online educational platform. There already existed a wide range of online learning resources, but since lockdown the number of online home learning resources has grown exponentially. As a home-based learner, you can now learn virtually anything you want, when you want, often for free. Here’s some of the most relevant resources for young home-based learners.
This resource has been around a long time, but since Monday 21st April, the team from BBC Bitesize have incorporated ‘Daily Lessons’ into their offering, which aim to provide structured learning to kids at home during lock-down. They offer 3 new lessons every week day for each year group from Year 1 to Year 10, making it an almost one-stop shop for lockdown home learning.
This fascinating, free online resource includes lots of educational activities and games that you can do in the house or garden. If you are interested in biology and natural history then you can access great resources such as their Dinosaur directory which has facts, figures and images for over 300 dinosaurs, or their Open Air Laboratories learning resources. The content is relevant for Key stages 1-4 and post-16.
This is a great online learning resources, enabling children from key stage 1, right through to key stage 4 to develop their mathematics skills in a fun and engaging game-based learning environment. It comes with a 48-hour free trial
National History Museum
BBC Bitesize
https://www.bbc.co.uk/bitesize
Mathletics
One of the biggest challenges of exam season is scheduling revision according to your exams timetable. Especially since it is entirely possible that you will have multiple subject exams in one day.
Start by having your exam timetable in front of you. This will be the base of your revision timetable. The timetable will allow you to visualise the space you have in between exams.
Now that you can see this, schedule your revision in those spaces and divide your time accordingly between subjects for upcoming exams. I have purposely not advised you to divide your time equally. This is because for you, some subjects might need more time than others.
The art of prioritising is the key to success when revising in between exams, or even trying to manage the revision of multiple subjects at the same time.
Here is the definition of ‘revision’ from the Collins Dictionary – “read things again and make notes”.
Note, it does not state that it involves learning new things.
So, when you are revising, focus on reinforcing topics that you already know. You may touch on new bits of information which you learn, which is fine. But you shouldn’t be aiming to learn entirely new topics.
This is where prioritising comes into play. You should be prioritising the hardest topic, or the one you feel the least confident on. It is tempting to avoid this because it doesn’t feel good to struggle. But to get the most out of your revision, this is the way to make something you find hard a little bit easier.
This goes hand-in-hand with prioritising. Look at your timetable and make a realistic judgement of how much you will be able to cover during the space in between.
If you overload your plan, and do not take relaxation into account, your revision won’t be effective. It will also affect your state of mind and lead to stress which in turn, will affect the quality of your revision and exam performance.
Hopefully, these tips will help you think strategically and make the task less overwhelming. Good luck!
There are many acronyms, such as PPE (Point, Evidence and Explanation), that can help you craft the perfect essay. And whilst it is not always suitable to take a strict formulaic approach, they are certainly useful to help ensure you meet all of your assessment objectives.
However, acronyms are useless if you do not understand the exam question in the first place!
Here is a quick guide to some of the common types of essay questions.
A strategy I suggest all of my students is to underline the key words in a question.
This not only helps you understand the question, but also ensures you stay focused on answering it. It is especially useful when you have two questions disguised as one.
Here is an example:
Starting with this speech, explain how far you think Shakespeare presents Lady Macbeth as a powerful woman.
What are the key words here? I would identify them as:
This helps you break down the question. You need to:
Essays typically have a few key words that they stick to. Let’s look at them and what they mean.
Compare
Many find this the hardest. It requires you to discuss the similarities and differences between the two sources that the essay question refers to.
A good strategy is to formulate paragraphs that start talking about one source, followed by the other. Your concluding sentences can be used to tie them together. Or, you can start with words like ‘both’ to explain a similarity’, followed by ‘having said that’ to describe a difference.
When planning a ‘compare’ essay, it is helpful to create a similarity and difference table.
Discuss
These questions can feel quite open ended. To ensure that you don’t digress away from the main focus of the question, use my strategy to underline keywords.
‘Discuss’ questions require you to explore and analyse with a focus.
Usually they want you to explore different theories, interpretations and opinions such as, “I think that…because…”; “…however, some may interpret this as…”.
Explain
This is usually followed by words like ‘how’ or ‘the ways in which’. So, although they are quite open-ended like ‘discuss’ questions, you will find that the wording of the question will guide you.
‘Explain’ questions require an in-depth exploration of a topic or theme. Although you may demonstrate your understanding and analytical skills by including other topics or themes, the focus of your essay should be threaded throughout it.
How
These questions are not much different to the other types of questions. This is because the other types still require you to describe the ‘how’ – for instance, writer’s methods, language choices etc. They also require you to provide evidence from the text and apply your understanding to answer the question.
All in all, whatever the type of essay question, you will need to apply the same skills. They all involve an exploration of a topic or theme and need you to analyse different interpretations. The only difference between them is the wording and structure you choose for your essay.
There is a lot of discussion around teaching and learning strategies for different generations. This is because in the workplace, for the first time in history, we have the potential of up to four generations working side-by-side. But how about when it comes to the classroom?
Nowadays we are empowered with undertaking training and education at any age. So understanding the traits of these generational cohorts is essential for any educator.
Different websites vary in their definitions of generation names. For the purposes of this article, this is what we will go with:
Generation Z – born between 1997-2012
Millennials – born between 1981-1996
Generation X – both between 1965-1980
Baby Boomers – born between 1946-1964
Our youngest cohort, who are currently in education, do not yet have a name! The generational name tags given may also appear to be purporting unfair stereotyping, but we are not assuming that people have age-specific differences. Instead, we are considering the life and social experiences that inevitably influence different generations in different ways.
Baby Boomers
This cohort have grown up in the ‘chalk and talk’ era. Although many of them are tech-savvy and respond to different teaching methods, they respond well to traditional styles. They are typically motivated by a sense of achievement and like their contributions to be acknowledged.
Generation X
This generation grew up around new opportunities and learnt the rewards of hard work. They tend to respond well to interactive lessons where they have an opportunity to participate in their learning. Although they are adept to learning new technologies and using it for learning purposes, they are not of a generation who are reliant on it. They therefore see it as a means to an end.
Millennials
Millennials have grown up in an environment filled with rapid technological developments. They are therefore accustomed to adapting to new ways of working and learning. This generation tend to also prefer independence and value the opportunity to apply what they have learnt.
Generation Z
This generation has grown up around technology and are experienced in using it in most aspects of their lives. Their experience of technology has influenced their preference for immediate feedback. They are also interested in nurturing their careers and are attracted to training that impacts more than their current job.
This leaves us with our youngest cohort. Not only are they constantly around technology, but they are growing up in an educational culture that embraces the use of technology in learning. They are also accustomed to participating in their learning and like Generation Z, respond well to collaborative approaches.
If you are a classroom teacher, you will have experienced the direct relationship between an interesting and dynamic lesson, and student engagement and behaviour. It is not unusual for pupils to lose interest if they are not finding the work engaging. And they only find work engaging if it is thought-provoking and interactive. However, if you teach privately or in a different type of establishment, you could be teaching any generation.
Having an awareness of generational learning preferences and motivators should underpin your approach. Fortunately, there are many overlaps. For instance, most people respond well to immediate feedback and interactive tasks. Most also respond well to having an input into their learning. But, while some generations may prefer to utilise technology, others prefer more traditional methods.
Are you getting that learning itch? Perhaps you’re thinking of improving your skills for better job prospects. Or maybe you just want some academic qualifications under your belt for your own sense of personal achievement.
Regardless of why you are thinking of going back into education, if you are a mature student, it can be terrifying. It shouldn’t be, though. Mature students are the best! Here are some reasons why…
You are more likely to succeed than your younger self or peers. Successful studying is down to a variety of things. But one of the biggest things you need is motivation – and as a mature student, you will have oodles of it.
That may sound like a confident claim. But since you are making a choice to return to education, and are likely to be driven by a personal goal, your motivation levels are very likely to be more consistent and higher than your younger peers.
As a mature student your life experience will help you in so many ways. To start with, it allows you to contextualise a lot of your learning. You will have a clearer idea of how to apply experience to real life situations by now. Additionally, life experience makes you resilient, which is a very important trait to have when learning.
Mature students don’t need their teachers to instil discipline. They need their teachers to support them. Since you are both adults, mature students tend to built excellent relationships with teachers. In fact, teachers love mature students, as they are keen to learn. Teachers can therefore better share their passion for their subject with their students.
Mature students are usually much better at organising themselves than their younger cohorts. The older the student, the better they are. After all, chances are, as a mature student you will have commitments outside of your personal life, and will be accustomed to multitasking.
Mature students will of course vary in age. But regardless of how old or young you are, you won’t be alone. Most academic establishments have a sizeable group of mature students. And as one of them, you are likely to be well equipped to get the most out of your learning.