The 13th International Congress on Mathematical Education in Hamburg recently saw a scientific poster presentation that focused on the Maths Eyes poster competition, as part of an investigation into the concept of maths in today’s educational and societal environment.

The need for the provision of teaching and learning numeracy is more prominent than ever before, driven largely by the Organisation of Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD) and its emphasis on the competencies of numeracy and mathematical literacy. The Maths Eyes poster competition is a component of an Irish initiative that has been positively received by the education community.

The poster presentation aimed to provide further evidence to support the value and impact of Maths Eyes, which currently has only anecdotal evidence to back up its success. The competition encourages individuals to recognize the maths in their daily lives and to capture these instances through photography, which are then submitted for judging.

The Maths Eyes initiative aims to promote the usefulness and beauty of mathematics by encouraging people to open their “maths eyes” and find mathematical concepts in their environment. The Maths Eyes poster competition is just one part of this initiative and serves as an example of how the education community can work to promote mathematical literacy.

Overall, the poster presentation served as a reminder of the importance of promoting mathematical literacy and the potential impact of initiatives such as Maths Eyes. With more research and data, the educational community can continue to improve and develop programs to teach and inspire mathematical thinking.