Project Overview

1. MathGeAr Project Overview
Sergey Sosnovsky
Saarland University

2. Project Profile
• Funded under Tempus IV program (6th call)
• Overall budget: 1,078,292.50 €
• 14 partners:
- 4 from EU (FI, FR, DE)
- 6 from Georgia
- 4 from Armenia
• Start: 01/12/2013
• Finish: 30/11/2016
- 9 Universities
- 2 Research Institutes
- 2 Government Agencies
- 1 NGO

3. Project Motivation and Approach
• High-quality Science, Technology, Engineering and Math (STEM)
education is crucial for economic development of Georgia and
Armenia
• Deterioration of STEM education in the 90s
• Increasing demand for a new generation of engineers now
• Mathematics an Statistics are the fundamental cornerstones of
STEM education
• EU and US are heavily investing in ICT-enhanced Math educational
solutions and have promising results
• The project approach is two-fold
1. Structural improvements of Math curricula in line with the Bologna
principles and best EU practices
2. Introduction of new educational technologies for new pedagogical
scenarios

4. Project Objectives
• Implement a comparative analysis of the national math
curricula for STEM disciplines
• Modernize math and statistics curricula for a selected set
of engineering and sciences studies
• Localize the European TEL tools for partner universities
• Build a capacity in local universities to effectively
implement, maintain and develop TEL for math education.
• Conduct pilot a evaluation of the impact of the new
curricula on the quality of studies in math and statistics, as
well as on quality of engineering and sciences education in
general.
• Disseminate the results of the project.

5. Project Structure
Phase1: Best
practice exchange
and pedagogical
preparations
Phase2: Curricula
reforms and
capacity building
Phase3: Pilot
implementation
and evaluation

6. Phase 1: Best practice exchange and
pedagogical preparations
• Define a methodology for Math curricula
comparison
• Conduct a series of case studies between EU and
partner Universities on the compatibility of their
STEP curricula
• Define recommendations for structural curricula
improvements in line with the Bologna principles
• Identify the areas most suitable for the
introduction of TEL tools.

7. Phase 2: Curricula reforms and
capacity building
• Each partner University will select 2 STEM
curricula and develop updated versions
• Special attention will be paid to the
introduction of TEL methods and tools
• eLearning math content and appropriate
assessment material will be selected
• Math-Bridge platform will be localized and
teachers will be trained to use it

8. Phase 3: Pilot implementation and
evaluation
• Updated courses will be implemented within
Math-Bridge
• Large-scale evaluation studies will be designed
and conducted in order to verify the impact of
the updated, Math-Bridge-enhanced curricula
• The results will be analyzed and disseminated

9. WP1: Math Curricula Comparative
Case Study
• Activity 1.1 Case Studies methodology development
• Activity 1.2 Learning European experience
• Activity 1.3 National math curricula workshops
• Activity 1.4 Case Studies writing and evaluation
• Lead partner: USAAR
• Duration: M1-M12
• Deliverables:
– D1.1 Comparative Case Studies Methodology
– D1.2 Series of study visits
– D1.3 Comparative case studies

10. WP2: Math Curricula Modernization
• Activity 2.1 Curricula modernization
• Activity 2.2 Math teaching materials selection
• Activity 2.3 European expert evaluation
• Activity 2.4 National expert evaluation
• Lead partner: TUT
• Duration: M6 – M18
• Deliverables:
– D2.1 Revised Math teaching plans within STEM curricula
– D2.2 Math teaching materials selected
– D2.3 National curricula workshops

11. WP3: Tools and capacity building
• Activity 3.1 Technical capacity building
• Activity 3.2 Content localization
• Activity 3.3 Math-Bridge localization, installation and
testing
• Activity 3.4 University teachers training
• Lead partner: GTU
• Duration: M15 – M24
• Deliverables:
– D3.1 Localized Math Content
– D3.2 Localized e-Learning tools for mathematics
– D3.3 Training programme for University teachers

12. WP4: Math Curricula Pilot
Implementation and Evaluation
• Activity 4.1 Evaluation methodology
• Activity 4.2 Two semester pilot implementation
• Activity 4.3 Processing and presentation of the evaluation
results
• Activity 4.4 Post-evaluation update for the curricula and
accreditation preparation
• Lead partner: SEUA
• Duration: M25 – M33
• Deliverable:
– D4.1 Evaluation methodology
– D4.2 Evaluation Report
– D4.3 Documents for curricula accreditation

13. WP5: Dissemination and Sustainability
• Activity 5.1 Regional website "Mathematics and Statistics for
Technical and Engineering Education in South Caucasian countries”
• Activity 5.2 Annual project workshops
• Activity 5.3 Traditional dissemination
• Activity 5.4 Final Project Conference
• Activity 5.5 Revision of national standards and accreditation
• Lead partner: USAAR
• Duration M1 – M36
• Deliverables:
– D5.1 Website "Mathematics and Statistics for STEM"
– D5.2 Dissemination events report
– D5.3 Promotional materials
– D5.4 Inter-University Memorandum
– D5.5 National accreditation applications

14. WP6: Quality control, Management
and Coordination
• Activity 6.1 Quality Control Framework
• Activity 6.2 Project Management Framework
• Lead Partner: USAAR
• Duration M1 – M36
• Deliverables:
– D6.1 Quality Control Framework and Report
– D6.2 Project Management Framework and
Reports

15. Universität des Saarlandes (USAAR)
• Overall Project Coordinator
• E-Learning capacity building programme in
partner Universities
• Leading the case studies
• Developing the methodology for impact
evaluation
• Assisting 4 Caucasian students to get enrolled for
1 semester at USAAR
• Steering the overall project dissemination

16. German Research center for Artificial
Intelligence (DFKI)
• Represents technological expertise covering broad
range of ICT-enabled learning methods for Math
education
• Maintains the largest repository of online learning
resources for mathematics covering the University
curricula in the majority of the EU countries (Math-
Bridge)
• Leading localization of Math-Bridge and its content
• Technical support of the activities in WP4 and WP5,
troubleshooting

17. Université Claude Bernard Lyon 1
(UCBL)
• Represents a classical example of European Math
education with specific focus on school education
• WP1: Contributes to the Case Studies methodology
development and evaluation; Provides its case
description
• WP2: advising and consulting; quality control
• WP3: contribution to the teachers training
• WP4: consulting; assisting 4 students to get enrolled in
Lyon for 1 semester
• WP5: participation in dissemination
• WP6: contribution to management and quality control

18. Tampere University of Technology
(TUT)
• Represents a case of a European math curricula and
application of TEL in math education in STEM
disciplines
• WP1: Contributes to the Case Studies methodology
development and evaluation; Provides its case
description
• WP2: Leading WP2
• WP3: contribution to the teachers training
• WP4: consulting; assisting 4 students to get enrolled in
TUT for 1 semester
• WP5: participation in dissemination
• WP6: contribution to management and quality control

19. Georgian Technical University (GTU)
• A central national University in the field of STEM studies
• Will play a role of a local coordinator in Georgia
• WP1: participates in Case studies, leads one national case
development, integration and translation of the resulting book into
Georgian;
• WP2: select 2 STEM curricula and revise them using best European
and national experiences, participate in the content selection for
TEL introduction;
• WP3: leads the WP; builds e-Learning capacity (purchase and
installation of equipment, training of personnel); leads Math-Bridge
localization in Georgia
• WP4: preparation and implementation of the evaluation; selects 2
students for studying in Europe;
• WP5: leads dissemination in Georgia
• WP6: contribution to the management and quality control activities

20. University of Georgia (UoG)
• The largest Georgian non-governmental University with strong STEM studies,
its case will be important to other non-governmental HEI in the region
• WP1: participates in Case studies, leads one national case development,
integration and translation of the resulting book into Georgian;
• WP2: selects 2 STEM curricula and revise them using best European and
national experiences, participate in the content selection for TEL
introduction;
• WP3: builds eLearning capacity (purchase and installation of equipment,
training of personnel); contribute to Math-Bridge localization in Georgia
• WP4: contributes to preparation and implementation of the evaluation;
selecting 2 students for studying in Europe
• WP5: leads dissemination in Georgia
• WP6: contribution to the management and quality control activities

21. Akaki Tsereteli State University (ASTU)
• Represents is a particular case of non-central University with region-
oriented mission
• WP1: participates in Case studies, leads one national case
development, integration and translation of the resulting book into
Georgian;
• WP2: selects 2 STEM curricula and revise them using best European
and national experiences, participate in the content selection for TEL
introduction;
• WP3: builds eLearning capacity (purchase and installation of
equipment, training of personnel); contribute to Math-Bridge
localization in Georgia
• WP4: contributes to preparation and implementation of the
evaluation; selecting 2 students for studying in Europe
• WP5: leads dissemination in Georgia
• WP6: contribution to the management and quality control activities

22. Shota Rustaveli State University (SRSU)
• Batumi and its area are considered a focal point of Georgian
economic reforms and the place where the Georgian Institute of
Technology will be built, therefore SRSU represents an important
fundamental of the Georgian STEM education of the future.
• WP1: participates in Case studies, leads one national case
development, integration and translation of the resulting book into
Georgian;
• WP2: selects 2 STEM curricula and revise them using best European
and national experiences, participate in the content selection for
TEL introduction;
• WP3: builds eLearning capacity (purchase and installation of
equipment, training of personnel); contribute to Math-Bridge
localization in Georgia
• WP4: contributes to preparation and implementation of the
evaluation; selecting 2 students for studying in Europe
• WP5: leads dissemination in Georgia
• WP6: contribution to the management and quality control activities

23. Georgian Research and Educational
Networking Association (GRENA)
• Responsible for the introduction of ICT into Education and Science
systems of Georgia and providing expertise in this field to the
Government of Georgia
• Promotes the project results, particularly the application of TEL for
curricula modernization, on the policy level
• WP1: overseeing technical aspects of TEL application in the selected
Case Studies
• WP3: coordinating the efforts of the Georgian team on Math-Bridge
localization
• WP4: ensuring effective communication between all Georgian
partners for the evaluation experiment
• WP5: leading the dissemination activities in Georgia, especially the
website.
• WP6: contributing to management and quality control.

24. National Center for Educational
Quality Enhancement (NCEQE)
• NCEQE is the central national body responsible for the quality of education
in Georgia, with a special mission to push forward the reforms along the
Bologna process directions. NCEQE will ensure that all curricula reforms
will be in line with the Bologna principles, national educational standards,
other regulatory frameworks in Georgia. It will also ensure that the revised
curricula will be accredited for the further uptake on the national level.
• WP1: contribution to the Case Studies overseeing quality aspects
• WP2: overseeing quality assurance issues in all curricula modernization
efforts
• WP4: contribution to the evaluation methodology, mainly to assessment
aspects
• WP5: facilitating accreditation of the modernized curricula and nation-
wide dissemination
• WP6: contribution to management

25. State Engineering University of
Armenia
• The central national University in the field of STEM studies in
Armenia
• Local coordinator in Armenia
• WP1: participates in Case studies, leads one national case
development, integration and translation of the resulting book into
Armenian
• WP2: selects 2 STEM curricula and revise them using best European
and national experiences, participate in the content selection for
TEL introduction;
• WP3: builds eLearning capacity (purchase and installation of
equipment, training of personnel); contribute to Math-Bridge
localization in Armenia
• WP4: contributes to preparation and implementation of the
evaluation; selecting 2 students for studying in Europe
• WP5: contributes to dissemination in Armenia
• WP6: contribution to the management and quality control activities

26. Armenian State Pedagogical University
named after Kh. Abovian
• Expert organization in the field of school education, including
mathematics
• Oversee all issues related to baseline math competencies of
students, gaps in math competencies and remedial mathematics.
• WP1: contribution to the Case Studies
• WP2: selects 2 STEM curricula and revise them using best European
and national experiences, participate in the content selection for
TEL introduction;
• WP3: builds eLearning capacity (purchase and installation of
equipment, training of personnel); contribute to Math-Bridge
localization in Armenia
• WP4: contributes to preparation and implementation of the
evaluation; selecting 2 students for studying in Europe
• WP5: contributes to dissemination in Armenia
• WP6: contribution to the management and quality control activities

27. Institute for Informatics and
Automation Problems of NAS
• Responsible for the introduction of ICT into Education and Science systems
of Armenia and providing expertise in this field to the Government of
Armenia
• Promotes the project results, particularly the application of TEL for
curricula modernization, on the policy level
• WP1: overseeing technical aspects of TEL application in the selected Case
Studies
• WP3: coordinating the efforts of the Armenian team on Math-Bridge
localization
• WP4: ensuring effective communication between all Armenian partners
for the evaluation experiment
• WP5: leading the dissemination activities in Armenia, especially the
website.
• WP6: contributing to management and quality control.

28. Armenian National Quality Assurance
• Central national body responsible for the quality of education in Armenia,
with a special mission to push forward the reforms along the Bologna
process directions.
• Will ensure that all curricula reforms will be in line with the Bologna
principles, and national educational standards and regulations.
• Will ensure that the revised curricula will be accredited for the further
uptake on the national level.
• WP1: contribution to the Case Studies overseeing quality aspects
• WP2: overseeing quality assurance issues in all curricula modernization
efforts
• WP4: contribution to the evaluation methodology, mainly to assessment
aspects
• WP5: facilitating accreditation of the modernized curricula and nation-
wide dissemination
• WP6: contribution to management