AIMS
Alternatives for Innovative Math Study
Comenius-eTwinning project 2013-2015
What about?
The project aims at increasing students’ motivation and interest for the study of Math, with special focus on low-achievers. The participating teachers will use the multiple intelligences (MI) theory to discover and develop each student’s particular skills, needs and interests, differentiate and adapt the teaching methods to them. Students will actively create their own learning materials for each type of MI and use motivating ICT tools. They will use collaborative work, very uncommon in traditional Math classes.
Another goal is to stimulate pupils’ curiosity and investigative spirit by showing our students the connection between Math and real life. We want to answer their permanent question: ”Why do we have to study this?” by showing them that Math can be interesting, useful and can be found anywhere.
WHO?
Why?
- to adapt teaching methods to different types of intelligence by using student-centered approaches,
- to use cooperative learning methods to develop students' collaborative skills,
- to use ICT for modelling real-life situations and making mathematical content relevant for students
- to develop students' ability to use mathematics for understanding and solving real-world problems
- to empower students' autonomy and their independent learning skills,
- to promote mutual respect, tolerance and understanding for students with different abilities,
- to facilitate dialogue and equal opportunities, even for students with poor results,
- to increase pupils' self-esteem,
- to understand the cultural and historical role of mathematics,
- to encourage different ways of thinking as well as critical thinking.
How?
There will be two types of project activities: local and transnational.
At the local level, all partner schools will develop and share online activities for the same type of intelligence over a period of about two months, the activities taking place in one school, all/ part of the participating schools. Examples of activities: crosswords, mindmaps, crossword puzzles, math stories (verbal intelligence), WebQuests, puzzles, message encoding (logic), video / songs inspired by mathematical concepts (musical / artistic), treasure hunts, mathematical constructions, study of the influence of mathematics in sport (kinesthetic), GeoGebra geometric representations, origami, tesselations, geometry recognition in art / architecture (visual / spatial), mathematical games, group activities, statistics regarding teenagers' life, debating math-connected prejudices (interpersonal), study of symmetry in nature, mathematical aspects in biology or geography (naturalistic). The tools will range from concrete objects to software applications. Teachers will make observations will compare the activities, they will evaluate methods and will extract the ones that can be applied to other partner schools.
At the transnational level, there will be meetings of all partner schools thus: 2013-2014 school year in France, Italy and Poland, and in the 2014-2015 school year in Spain, Greece, the Netherlands and Romania. During each project meeting, all participants in the meeting will work on activities planned by the host school, for one type of intelligence. Activities will be evaluated in a written report after each meeting.
And finally...
More final products:
- Common multilinguistic dictionary of Mathematical terms created in the wiki.
- Project geometrical logo
- Board game
- Leaflets, posters, exhibitions, photoalbums, songs, videos
- Improved interest and involvement in Maths classes
- Development of new teaching strategies
- Increased competences for teachers and students