European Virtual Laboratory of Mathematics

1. European Virtual Laboratory of Mathematics Daniela Velichová Katedra matematiky, Strojnícka fakulta Slovenská technická univerzita

2. European Virtual Laboratory of Mathematics • project proposed within the Leonardo da Vinci scheme • coordinator – STU in Bratislava, Slovak Republic • partners - 6 universities from the European countries

3. European Virtual Laboratory of Mathematics - partners • University of Plovdiv, Faculty of Mathematics and Informatics, Bulgaria • University of West Bohemia, Faculty of Applied Sciences, Plzeň, Czech Republic • Miskolc University in Hungary • University of Limerick, Ireland • University of Salamanca, Spain • School of Mathematical and Information Sciences, Coventry University, United Kingdom http://www.mathcentre.ac.uk

4. European Virtual Laboratory of Mathematics - reasons • declining level of mathematical knowledge among secondary school graduates • decreasing numbers of students at hard sciences and technical study programmes • unsatisfactory study results and success rates in the first years of university study • traditional ways of teaching mathematics • general trend all over the world

5. European Virtual Laboratory of Mathematics - needs • to upgrade the overall level of mathematical knowledge • to promote new methods in teaching Mathematics, as e-learning, blended solutions • to improve the quality of and free access to training materials for mathematics at many and in several different forms

6. European Virtual Laboratory of Mathematics - objectives • improving the understanding of mathematics for a wide range of students • improving the skills and competencies of teachers and trainers in utilising e-learning resources for mathematics education • supporting the process of innovation in mathematics educationthrough a blended solution

7. European Virtual Laboratory of Mathematics - aims • to provide a consultancy service in Maths on all levels and in both electronic or personal form • to promote e-learning in Maths • to help teachers and trainers in developing and authorship of their own electronic learning materials

8. European Virtual Laboratory of Mathematics – basic ideas • trans-national cooperation within the common framework of EVLM Portal • network of National Centres of Mathematics located at the partner institutions • platform to disseminate relevant information • virtual database for sharing all available resources • training on how to develop and use quality electronic learning materials in Maths

9. European Virtual Laboratory of Mathematics – target groups • students from secondary school up to PhD. students • secondary school teachers, trainers, university lecturers, researchers or scientists • any interested party from the non-academic sphere, from the industry, research and development • any training organisations, schools and university training organisations providing continuous education and distance learning or life-long learning • private individuals and home self-learners

10. European Virtual Laboratory of Mathematics - outcomes • official EVLM Portal serving as a common virtual communication and working environment • National Centres of Mathematics promoting new advanced e-learning methods for education of Maths • dissemination of information on available educational sources • virtual database of resources dealing with mathematical topics • expert consultancy on special mathematical topics

11. European Virtual Laboratory of Mathematics - impact • to introduce a change into the education of mathematics • to raise the awarness about the existence of new training methodsand enhance competenciesof educators, teachers and tutors • to enhance the role of mathematics in the general education • to stress the importance of mathematics as a scientific field

12. European Virtual Laboratory of Mathematics - cooperation • on institutional level - through the National Centres of Mathematics at universities in national languages • on national level – through the National Portals in different countries in national languages and in English (partners) • on trans-national level - through the EVLM Portal in English (coordinator)

13. European Virtual Laboratory of Mathematics - expectations • innovation of teaching Maths using new ways, sharing and utilising existing and newly created educational materials • blended solution – usage of different educational forms, tools and materials to enhance synergetic effect • dissemination of information on available resources in printed or electronic form in virtual database • free acces to e-learning educational modules and materials on Internet

14. European Virtual Laboratory of Mathematics - expectations • improvement in Maths understanding fostered by providing shared consultancy for any theoretical or practical request • better image of Mathematics in the society - raised interest andincreased importance • platform for cooperation of different target groups from different countries within virtual framework of networking partner organisations in the European research area

15. European Virtual Laboratory of Mathematics - invitation • any interested party is invited to join the project in a long-term perspective www.matematika.sjf.stuba.sk/EVLM/index.htm