Research in education and educational innovation receive significant attention within 4TU+.AMI. High quality mathematics education is crucial for many study programs, especially those related to exact sciences, engineering, and technology. These fields rely on mathematical methods to model, analyze, and solve complex problems.
Study programs aspire to prepare the talent of the future who will shape research, technology, policy and education. Building on this overarching goal, educational practices need to be tailored to large groups, to meet the diverse needs and backgrounds of students, and to support students in developing a critical and research attitude. Moreover, the rapid improvement of Generative AI creates new opportunities in education and poses challenges regarding assessing and meeting intended learning outcomes.Ā
Increased impact through educational research and collaboration
The Netherlands is a country with world leading higher education institutions. Our educators are highly skilled, motivated and experienced. But there is much more to gain by adopting a research based approach to the teaching and learning of mathematics, and by collaborating on a national level. A research attitude regarding teaching and learning can help identify successful practices, and identify effective methods to achieve intended learning objectives. Collaboration on a national level can help successful educational programs scale up, share and learn from various practices, and increase national success rates.Ā
Annoesjka Cabo, professor of Statistics for Innovation in Education at TU Delft and one of the people involved in the 4TU+.AMI Strategic Research Initiative 'MEReP' on mathematics education, points out: "Many of us, educators in mathematics higher education, are constantly looking for improvements in studentsā learning and their conceptual understanding. Collaboration in researching the effects of innovations on our education leads to shared knowledge on how to adopt good practices and how to adapt those to specific contexts."
4TU+.AMI aspires to contribute to university mathematics education in various ways.
Research in education is pivotal
The 4TU+.AMI Strategic Research Initiative 'MEReP' (Mathematics Education Research Project) aims to address the pressing need to adapt and enhance mathematical education at Dutch universities to meet contemporary demands effectively. The primary objective of MEReP is to create a community of researchers and practitioners in mathematics education where existing practices are shared, evidence on innovative practices is gathered to advance the teaching and learning of mathematics in higher education.
One of the people involved inĀ MEReP is Fulya Kula (University of Twente). Fulya: āMathematics education becomes especially meaningful once a mathematician is in the classroom to teach. Teaching mathematics has its own dynamics, different from other sciences, and even within mathematics, each topic requires a specific pedagogical approach. For instance, teaching proofs and logic differs greatly from teaching integration in calculus or Type I and II errors in statistics. This is why we need more resources, opportunities to connect with colleagues who share similar experiences, and easier access to relevant literature. With MEReP, we aim to address these challenges and be as approachable as possible, so mathematics teachers feel supported, connected, and part of a collaborative community.ā
Mathematics Eduction Network NL (MathEdN.nl)
As part of the MEReP initiative, the Mathematics Education Network NL (MathEdN.nl) provides a national platform where mathematics educators from Dutch universities and universities of applied sciences connect teaching practice with educational research. The platform makes it possible to share experiences and exchange ideas to strengthen mathematics education in the Netherlands.
Our long-term goal is that MathEdN will grow to a national online library of educational practices in the Netherlands.Ā
Waterproof - a personal automated proof assistantĀ
To help students with acquiring the skill of mathematical proofs, more and more teachers are turning to proof assistants. These tools provide immediate feedback on mathematical proofs, and in the end verify their correctness. In Eindhoven, they have embodied this technology in Waterproof, educational software that helps students write mathematical proofs. Waterproof's use of controlled naturalĀ language helps students transfer the skills they acquire to writing proofs on paper and reduces the steep learning curve of traditional proof assistants.Ā
Both because we see the benefits for education, and because we believe that proof assistants inĀ combination with generative AI will play a large role in education and research, we see it as crucial to embed the necessary expertise into the 4TU+.AMI community. By financing an educational project led by Jim Portegies (TU/e), Marcelo Seri (RUG) and Bart van den Dries (TU Delft) we aspire to build a community within 4TU+.AMI around proof assistants for education and make teaching with proof assistants practically feasible.
To conclude, at 4TU+.AMI we find it very important to keep investing in mathematics education and to keep exploring how we can support the mathematics community regarding their educational practices.Ā