Why Chalk Talks in Mathematics Education

There is still one thing that distinguishes a lecture theatre designed by mathematicians from one designed by just about anyone else; a chalkboard. It is a rather peculiar preserve of university mathematics that the vast majority of teaching and learning is still done via so called ‘chalk and talk’ lectures - which appears to be a rather out-dated system. Directors of Teaching are under constant pressure from outside our Higher Education institutions to be seen to be modern and up to date with high-tech facilities and `all singing all dancing learning experiences’ whilst from inside the planners question why mathematics requires such large quantities of lecture time and space compared to say arts or humanities.