Abstract:

This paper introduces the ongoing (2015-2018) EU funded project Future Mathematics (FutureMath). The project aims to enhance learning and teaching of engineering mathematics by exploiting educational technology. The objectives of the project is to explore and develop methods to learn and teach engineering mathematics effectively and innovatively by utilizing educational technology and using digital contents. As an outcome of the project, we will provide a collection of best practices, useful resources and pedagogical practices for web-based learning and teaching of mathematics.

This paper presents overall the FutureMath project. Furthermore, we will introduce experiences related to usage of educational technology in mathematics learning and teaching. In addition, we will highlight some preliminary project results. Thus, we will:
a) shortly introduce the overall project plan,
b) highlight the results of questionnaire for students related to technology enhanced mathematics learning and teaching,
c) introduce the topics of mathematics online pedagogy, and
d) summarize the experiences and best selected practices for mathematics learning and teaching that have been investigated during the project so far.

According to the project plan, different development themes vary during the project lifetime. Correspondingly, the project started with the needs analysis phase. In that phase, we explored the students’ expectations and current situation of technology usage in partner institutions. Simultaneously, research on mathematics online pedagogy started and preliminary version of mathematics’ learning platform (MLP) was planned and built. Online pedagogy introduces best practices for utilization of technology enhanced contexts in mathematics education. MLP is a comprehensive framework for mathematics education with the respect of the 21st century skills and it hosts various teaching and learning activities that will be produced in the project.

After needs analysis, project’s planning phase started followed by production phase. At this stage of the project, the production phase is in progress. In autumn 2017 project’s testing phase will begin and the materials and outcomes produced in the project will be tested.

Even the project working is going on, we have gained useful experiences and results during the project lifetime this far. Based on research work carried out at the beginning of the project, we have selected trends such as flipped classroom, learning analytics, short videos/screencast, gamification and online assessment to be more investigated during the project. Online pedagogy of the project will discuss about these trends. At this stage, we have already some experiences about utilization of such methods in university teaching. In this paper, we will shortly introduce our experiences.

We have also conducted a survey to explore the students’ expectations about modern mathematics teaching methods. Based on the survey results, over 80 % of respondents agreed that “Using the modern technology in mathematics' learning purposes, increases my motivation towards course concerned”. In addition, the most of the students (over 70 %) preferred to have more alternative teaching and learning methods as well as more online content in university mathematics courses. In this paper, we will also summarize the students’ expectations about mathematics learning and teaching in HEIs.

Keywords:

Mathematics learning, mathematics teaching, research projects.