This document provides an overview of the MathGeAr project, which aims to modernize mathematics curricula for engineering and science studies in South Caucasian universities. The project involves 14 partners across Europe, Georgia and Armenia. It will implement a comparative analysis of math syllabi, modernize selected curricula, introduce the Math-Bridge e-learning platform, and conduct a pilot evaluation of the new curricula. The 3 year project started in December 2013 and is funded by the European Commission's Tempus program with a budget of over 1 million euros. It involves 3 phases: best practices exchange, curricular reforms and capacity building, and implementation and evaluation.

1. Sergey Sosnovsky, Saarland University / DFKI
MathGeAr Project

2. Project Profile
• Full
Title:
Modernisation
of
mathematics
curricula
for
Engineering
and
Natural
Sciences
studies
in
South
Caucasian
universities
by
introducing
modern
educational
technologies
• Funded
under
Tempus
IV
program
(6th
call)
• Overall
budget:
1,078,292.50
€
• Start:
01/12/2013
• Finish:
30/11/2016
• 9
UniversiRes
• 2
Research
InsRtutes
• 2
Government
Agencies
• 1
NGO
14
partners:
• 4
from
EU
(FI,
FR,
DE)
• 6
from
Georgia
• 4
from
Armenia

3. Technical students often develop
little professional identity in the
beginning of their studies
Project Motivation: Key Challenges in STEM Education
Responding
to
the
changes
in
global
context
Improving
perception
of
STEM
subjects
Retention
of
STEM
students
Technical knowledge and
competencies evolve with
increasing speed
Nature of technical problems
is changing, as technology
penetrates more of society
The global
environment
requires
changes in
technical
education
STEM professions are not
regarded as money making
or societally important
STEM disciplines are
often often perceived as
difficult and boring
Drop out rates in
STEM programs
are very high
Deterioration
of
STEM
education
in
post-­‐soviet
independent
states
Lack of funding
during the crisis
of 1990s
Inherited
fragmented
education systems

4. Project Motivation: Problems of Math Education in STEM
❖ Math is the key subject for all technical disciplines
❖ Basic math competencies are prerequisites for many technical skills
❖ Lack of STEM students and demand for more STEM graduates forces
universities to lower entrance math standards
❖ Students tend to underestimate the volume of mathematics in technical studies
❖ There is a considerable difference between school and university requirements
to math
❖ Study after study show that the level of math knowledge is the primary
factor for success/failure in university-level technical education

5. Solution: Intelligent educational technology?
❖ Intelligent Tutoring Systems are known to increase:
❖ speed of learning
❖ test scores and knowledge retention
❖ knowledge transfer
❖ Adaptive Hypermedia Systems are known to improve:
❖ student motivation
❖ self-regulated learning
❖ navigation within learning material

6. Math-Bridge: Main View

7. Personalised Course Generation
1 2
3
4

8. Adaptive Link Annotation

9. Micro-course generation

10. Project Objectives
❖ Implement a comparative analysis of national math syllabi and best
teaching practices for STEM disciplines
❖ Modernise math syllabi for a selected set of engineering and sciences
curricula
❖ Localise the European e-Learning platform Math-Bridge and
introduce it as a part of partner university courses
❖ Build a capacity in local universities to effectively maintain and use
Math-Bridge.
❖ Conduct a pilot evaluation of the new curricula enhanced with
Math-Bridge
❖ Disseminate the results of the project.

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

12. Phase 1: Best Practice Exchange and Preparations
❖ Define a methodology for Math curricula comparison
❖ Conduct a series of Study visits to EU universities
❖ 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 e-
Learning tools (using Math-Bridge)
❖ Write a book “Modernisation of mathematical curricula for
STEM studies in Caucasian countries”

13. Methodology for Comparative Analysis of Math Courses
❖ University and Discipline settings
❖ university and discipline/major profile
❖ Course settings
❖ BSc/MSc, prerequisites/outcomes, ECTS, course structure (activities), competencies
(SEFI)
❖ Teaching factors
❖ content, pedagogy, assessment
❖ Use of ICT/TEL
❖ tools, supported activities, mandatory/optional, e-Learning/…
❖ Course statistics
❖ demographics, in/out, grade distribution
❖ Available Resources
❖ teaching hours, teaching assistants, computer labs, …

14. Selected Courses
❖ List of courses in Georgia:
❖ GTU: Calculus 1, Calculus 2, Statistics and Probability;
❖ UG: Bridging course (Calculus0), Calculus 1;
❖ BSU: Linear Algebra and Analytic Geometry, Discrete Mathematics;
❖ ATSU: Mathematics for Engineers (MSc)
❖ List of courses in Armenia:
❖ SEUA: Calculus 1, Statistics and Probability;
❖ ASPU: Calculus 1, Linear Algebra and Analytic Geometry.
❖ IIAP: Mathematical Modelling (MSc)

15. The Book: Table of Contents
1. Introduction
2. Case Study Methodology
3. Overview of Math Education for STEM in GE
4. Overview of Math Education for STEM in AM
5. Overview of Math Education for STEM in EU
6. Case Studies of Math Education for STEM in GE
❖ The case of Georgian Technical University
❖ The case of University of Georgia
❖ The case of Akaki Tsereteli State University
❖ The case of Shota Rustaveli State University
7. Case Studies of Math Education for STEM in AM
❖ The case of State Engineering University of Armenia
❖ The case of Armenian State Pedagogical University named
after Kh. Abovian
❖ The case of Institute for Informatics and Automation
Problems
8. Overview of the results
9. Recommendations
Modern
mathematical
Education for
STEM curricula
in Georgia and
Armenia

16. Phase 2: Curricular Reform and Capacity Building
❖ For a selected set of STEM curricula develop several
updated math teaching programs
❖ Pay special attention to the introduction of e-Learning
methods and tools (with the help of Math-Bridge)
❖ Select eLearning math content and appropriate
assessment material
❖ Localise Math-Bridge platform into Armenian and
Georgian and train teachers to use it

17. Phase 3: Implementation and Evaluation
❖ Implement updated courses within Math-Bridge
❖ Design and conduct large-scale pilot evaluation
studies
❖ Analyse the results and verify the impact of the
updated curricula (enhanced with Math-Bridge)
❖ Disseminate the outcomes

18. Consortium Structure
Consortium
Management
ANQA NCEQE
Quality
Control
and
Accreditation
GEAM
TUT
UCBL
SEUA GTU
ASPU UG
ATSU
BSU
Pedagogical
Expertise
EU
AM GE
DFKI
IIAP GRENA
Technical
Expertise
EU
AM GE
USAAR
Coordinator
Project(Coordina.on(Board(

19. Website,
Twitter
• www.mathgear.eu
• https://twitter.com/MathGeAr