Abstract:

This work aims to provide a summarized description of the global experience obtained throughout the different projects of educational innovation in which the authors have participated during recent years. These projects have also involved many other colleagues from different Departments at the University of Granada, and have had to deal so much not only in the way of presenting and conducting the classes, but also in the manner professors evaluate the students.

An important feature is also the use of different additional technological tools for managing the interactions between the teacher and the students. Various software packages and technological devices can also serve as calculation tools in the classes, mainly for practical sessions with computers, and also for the resolution of different types of problems with the aid of graphical calculators for example. The general trend now also involves the extensive use and development of several Web platforms: PHP (acronym for “Hypertext Pre-processor”) servers with JavaScript and dynamic HTML (“HyperText Markup Language”). Some of these platforms have been developed by the University and collaborators: «Tablón de Docencia» (could be translated as “Teaching Wall”), «Directorio de Asignatura» (“Subject Directory” in English), «SWAD» (stands for "Sistema Web de Apoyo a la Docencia" in Spanish, "Web System for Educational Support" in English), and some others created by ourselves, such as «S.A.G.D.» (stands for “Sistema de Autoevaluación y Gestión Docente” in Spanish, “System of Auto-evaluation and Educational Management” in English), «A.I.P.O.» (stands for “Aula Interactiva para Prácticas con Ordenador” in Spanish, “Interactive Classroom for Practices with Computer” in English), «DaVinci» (is the name of a new Moodle platform), among others.

Another fundamental aspect of our experience was the continuous evaluation of the students, with a complete battery of test elements for the teacher and pupils (following the main aims of the Bologna Plan) by means of partial exams of theory and problems, some written on paper and others with the aid of a computer, or even online (for self-assesment) with the aid of some platforms such as SWAD or S.A.G.D.

All these new teaching methodologies, together with the special emphasis in the dynamization of the classes devoted to the resolution of many practical specific problems, related with the main interests of the corresponding students, and the search of the maximum engagement and interaction with the students, are making the teaching of mathematical subjects at the University of Granada (UGR) more and more efficient, despite the low level in mathematical skills that some students may have at the beginning.

Keywords:

Educational innovation, web platforms, new teaching methodologies in mathematical subjects.