Geoffrey Matthews

A rare combination of mathematical talent, humour, strategic vision and energy enabled Geoffrey Matthews, who has died aged 85, to pioneer much-needed changes in the teaching of maths in the 1960s and 70s.As the first British professor of mathematics education, at London University's Chelsea College (1968-77), Matthews established a research and development tradition much copied in Britain and abroad.His ideas were influenced by his London University PhD work on infinite matrices, completed part-time while teaching; and by attendance at international seminars. The distinctive feature of his curriculum was the introduction of topics such as matrices, sets and logic, computing and statistics.Matthews was subversive, creative, strategic and tactical. He had ambitious plans to benefit children and teachers, especially those in deprived areas and developing countries, but was never ambitious for himself.