MaT˛SMc PROJECT SUMMARY

Studies of the last 10 years (eg. PISA studies 2006, 2009, TIMMS) show a lack in secondary school students’ motivation to learn mathematics and science in many EU member states, as well as a comparatively high number of low achievers in these fields. This has several negative impacts:

• Many fields in the world of work rely on an understanding of maths and/or science

• Many decision-making processes in society, politics, economy, ecology etc. require at least a basic understanding and basic competences in science and mathematics principles

• Students who are less motivated to learn maths and science and less competent in these areas are much less likely to become motivated teachers in these fields, exacerbating an already bad situation. Several studies also confirm a positive correlation between interdisciplinary teaching and students’ achievements, as well as a positive correlation between useful and realistic context and learning, i.e. an increased motivation through interdisciplinary materials that have a realistic leads to a higher level of competences and better results in assessments.

This addresses several priorities in the EU policy context, particularly those set out in the ET2020 framework (“the development of key competences should build on solid basic skills in […] maths and science” as well as “reduce the number of low performers in mathematics and science [to be less than 15% in 2020]”; the latest Eurydice Reports for Mathematics Education and Science Education, though stating improvements in some member states, show still 17.7% low achievers in science and 22.2% low achievers in mathematics) and in the Comenius programme objectives (“help young people acquire the basic life skills and competences necessary for their personal development, for future employment and for active European citizenship” and “enhance the quality and European dimension of teacher training”).

The project proposal was prepared during a preliminary meeting of team members, after having observed a need for the production of interdisciplinary materials, and a lack of cooperation between mathematics and science teachers, in several partner countries. Also the publication of the OECD Programme for International Student Assessment (PISA) 2009 results, and the publication of the Rocard report on science education, that both showed weaknesses in the partner countries’ students’ mathematics and science achievements, strengthened the feeling of a need for better teacher preparation in these subjects. The consortium members have also already worked together in several co-operations, so they know that they can fruitfully and efficiently co-operate in a project context producing concrete and useful materials.

The project participants are teacher training institutions in seven European Countries: The University of Vienna (Austria), the University of Sunderland (United Kingdom), the Palacky University Olomouc (Czech Republic), the Constantine the Philosopher University Nitra (Slovakia), the University of Palermo (Italy), the Šiaulių universitetas (Lithuania) and the Πανεπιστήμιο Λευκωσίας (Cyprus).