Joining the Math Circus: exploring advanced mathematics through collaborative hands-on activities and performative storytelling

This paper details a qualitative study examining the experience and motivation of participants, facilitators, and organizers of the Math Circus, an event hosted by the University of Arkansas Honors College in Fayetteville, Arkansas, as part of the university’s 150th anniversary celebrations. The aim of the Math Circus was to entice participants to explore advanced mathematical concepts through collective mathematical art creations and dramatic storytelling of comic tales around the history behind mathematics. The study was carried out in two phases; an autoethnographic case study during the event; and a series of deep, semi-structured interviews with participants, facilitators, and organizers. The study examined pedagogical motivations behind the event’s activities and their mathematical content, as well as the experiences of the interviewees. Findings indicate that an interactive and festive event like the Math Circus is likely to encourage confidence to explore mathematical concepts further.