WP 2: Modernization of Math Courses for STEM Education in GE/AM Universities

1. WP2: Modernization of Math Courses
for STEM Education in GE/AM
Universities
Ishkhan Hovhannisyan
National Polytechnic University of Armenia
14 March 2016, Yerevan, Armenia, Yerevan State University

2. Outline
• Overview
• Activities
• Outcomes
14 March 2016, YSU

3. Role of Math and Statistic
in STEM Education
❖ Math is the key subject for STEM disciplines
❖ Basic math competencies are prerequisites for many
technical skills
❖ lower entrance math standards
❖ Students tend to underestimate the role of math in
technical studies
❖ Investigations show that the level of math
knowledge is the primary factor for success or failure in
technical education
14 March 2016, YSU

4. MathGeAr Project
• Modernization of Mathematics curricula for Engineering and
Natural Sciences studies in South Caucasian Universities by
introducing modern educational technologies
• WP2: Modernization of Math Courses for STEM Education in
GE/AM Universities
Math Courses in GE/AM Universities:
Deterioration of STEM education in the 90s
Current trend on reducing the amount of math hours

5. Math courses in EU and
GE/AM Universities
❖ No significant differences, when it comes to:
❖ Learning content (courses and topics)
❖ Number of credits (ECTS)
❖ Course compositions
(lecture/practice/independent work)
❖ Course size and teacher availability
• EU and US are heavily investing in ICT-
enhanced Math educational solutions and
have promising results
14 March 2016, YSU

6. Differences
❖ In EU, the system is more elastic:
• universities have more freedom in terms of modifying their
courses if necessary;
• there is a standard practice of student-based course evaluation,
which provides consistent and timely feedback.
❖ In EU, the universities also phase the problem of low math
competencies of new students, but
• there is common solution - Bridging Courses
❖ In EU, usage of e-Learning technologies and tools is much broader
❖ In EU, math for engineers is taught in a much more applied way:
• focus is made on learning how to use math as a tool when solving
practical engineering problems, not on theorem proving
14 March 2016, YSU

7. Outline
• Overview
• Activities
• Outcomes
14 March 2016, YSU

8. Approach
The 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 approaches
14 March 2016, YSU

9. Activities
❖ Participation in study visits and
investigation EU best practices in math
education
❖ Comparative analyses between the EU
and the GEAM courses according to the
defined methodology:
 Duration, hours, credits;
 Descriptions;
 Major Outcomes;
 SEFI Level;
 Curriculum aims and objectives;
 Problem solving abilities;
 Assessment systems;
 Recommendations;
14 March 2016, YSU

10. Recommendations 1 (TUT)
• Changing syllabus (contents and the way of
presentation, "theorem-to proof" style could be
slightly modified by putting more emphasis on
applications )
• Adding topics, applications, examples related to
engineering disciplines to improve engineering
student's motivation to study mathematics.
• Using mathematical tool programs (Matlab,
Scilab, R-, etc) for solving problems.
14 March 2016, YSU

11. Recommendations 2 (TUT)
• Finding the courses, or parts of the courses, or
activities related with the courses that can be
best studied using MathBridge.
• Adding (small) student project works to the
course. Use of web resources, and open data
would add student motivation.
• Finding complementary ways of assessment
that would measure competencies
corresponding to SEFI list.
14 March 2016, YSU

12. GTU - Calculus 2; Statistics and Probability;
Discrete mathematics
UG - Pre-calculus; Calculus 1
ATSU - Calculus 1; Modelling and optimization for
Technological Processes (Master Pr.)
BSU - Linear Algebra and Analytic Geometry;
Discrete Mathematics
NPUA - Calculus 1; Probability Theory and
Statistics 1, 2
ASPU - Linear Algebra and Analytical Geometry;
Calculus 1
List of modified courses
14 March 2016, YSU

13. SEFI FRAMEWORK
• One of the key purposes is to modernize selected national
math courses based on SEFI criteria after comparing these
with corresponding EU courses. The SEFI framework for
math curricula in STEM education provides the following list
of competencies:
• thinking mathematically
• reasoning mathematically
• posing and solving mathematical problems
• modeling mathematically
• representing mathematical entities
• handling mathematical symbols and formalism
• communicating in with and about mathematics
• making use of aids and tools.
14 March 2016, YSU

14. Implementation
❖ We cannot address all problems, we have chosen:
• Modification of course material
to focus on more applied competencies
Syllabi change (GTU, NPUA, …)
Bridging courses (GU, GTU, NPUA, …)
• Introduction of e-Learning technologies
Math-Bridge
TEL classrooms, equipment
• Students Mobility
14 March 2016, YSU

15. Math-Bridge

16. Outline
• Overview
• Activities
• Outcomes
14 March 2016, YSU

17. Large-scale Evaluation
• Fall, 2015: Teach the selected course in the
traditional way.
• Implement updated courses within Math-Bridge.
• Fall, 2016: Teach modified versions of the selected
course.
• Compare student performance, analyze the results
and verify the impact of the modified courses.
14 March 2016, YSU

18. Our Objectives
Completed 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 (Technology-Enhanced
Learning) tools for GEAM Universities
Current Objectives
• Build a capacity 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.
14 March 2016, YSU

19. Conclusions
The applications and the use of ICT tools
makes the course more interesting.
Students will spend much more time to do
experiments around the questions given by
the teacher.
Students feel the importance of the course
and this would assist for students’ progress.

20. Improved Math programs
• TOPIC 1: NUMERIC SEQUENCES (Lecture 1-4)
– Bounded and unbounded numeric sets. Bounds of sets.
Theorem on existence of infimum and supremum. Limit
of a sequence. Examples related to engineering
disciplines and applications.
– Uniqueness of the limit and boundedness of a
convergent sequence. Using mathematical tool
programs for finding limit of a sequence.
– Infinitely small and infinitely large sequences.
Properties of infinitesimals.
– Monotonic sequences. Criteria of limit existence,
examples. The number e, application of natural number
e in engineering disciplines.
14 March 2016, YSU

21. Project website: Project Twitter channel:
http://www.mathgear.euhttps: // twitter.com/MathGeAr

22. Thank you
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