AIMS Alternatives for Innovative Maths Study
This is a multidisciplinary project aimed at students from 11 to 16, in which the teacher Valentina Cuadrado Marcos and other staff from her school (IES Alonso de Madriga, Ávila) are working to increase motivation and interest in the study of mathematics from an innovative pedagogical perspective.
The project is based on the theory of Multiple Intelligences (MI) with the aim of detecting and helping to bring out the full potential of the particular abilities of each student, discover their interests, and adapt the teaching methods so that they are ideal for each particular case. In this way the project not only contributes to increasing the students' self esteem but it also promotes mutual respect, tolerance and an understanding of different learning capabilities.
Using a collaborative work methodology, the students actively participate in the creation of their own learning materials according to their needs and characteristics as a learner. This stimulates in the students the spirit of investigation, the development of digital and linguistic competences, at the same time as providing them with opportunities to discover the connection between mathematics and their surroundings. The capacity to use mathematics to understand and solve problems in the real world promotes their autonomy and the development of critical thinking.
Two types of activities are carried out:
Local activities: during a period of 2 months each school develops and shares different online activities for the same type of intelligence: crosswords, mental maps, mathematical stories, webQuests, puzzles, message coding, videos and songs inspired by mathematical concepts, analysis of mathematical constructions, etc. Relations are established between mathematics and other areas: sport, Biology, Geography, recognition of Geometry in Art, the study of symmetry in nature, mathematics in architecture, etc.
- At the transnational level meetings are proposed in all the associated schools in Spain, France, Italy, Poland, Greece, the Netherlands and Rumania. During each meeting all the participants will work on specific activities for a type of intelligence.
We are surprised by the quantity of tools and digital supports used in the project (word clouds, use of Geogebra software, virtual time lines, geopositioning, presentations, videos, podcasts, blogs, wikis, etc.).
The final result of the project is intended to be the construction of a kit of teaching materials appropriate for each type of intelligence with which to stimulate the interest of the students in mathematics. All the activities will be available in blog format and will also be distributed on a DVD. The aim is also to create a teaching guide so that the methods and strategies developed can be re-used by future teachers. Other final products envisaged include a common multilingual dictionary of mathematical terms in wiki format, a table game, exhibitions, digital photo albums, different posters and brochures,as well as songs and videos.
From the NSS we congratulate the teaches and students who are participating in this project on the quality and variety of the materials and supports used and for promoting innovative ways of approaching the world of mathematics.
