PROJECT Pythagoras
PROGRAMME Erasmus +
ACTION TYPE   KA220-HED - Cooperation partnership in higher education
PROJECT NUMBER   2021-1-RO01-KA220-HED-000032258
PERIOD   1. 2. 2022 - 31. 1. 2025
PROMOTING ORGANISATION   Lucian Blaga University of Sibiu (LBUS), Victoriei Boulevard No. 10, 550024 Sibiu, Romania
CONTACT PERSON   Assoc. Prof. PhD. Florin Daniel Sofonea
CONTACT EMAIL   florin.sofonea@ulbsibiu.ro




Objectives

PYTHAGORAS project strives to develop policies that will make learning Mathematics
more inclusive, efficient, enjoyable and real,
connecting Mathematics teaching with real life cases linked to the students’ fields of study.

PYTHAGORAS is a proposition to the future of the Higher Education
from teaching within large lecture rooms to a more personalized teaching & learning approach.

All project outcomes and activities will be tailored to address the prerequisites of the partner institutions for undergraduate students regarding their fundamental mathematics background. These perquisites will be checked from all aspects: (1) mathematical content, (2) mathematical processes, (3) views about the nature of mathematics, and (4) personal characteristics of students & teachers (personal – and academic ones).

Aims

Project will address the role of mathematics within STEM education
and examine how it might be advanced through various approaches:

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Improve Mathematics Teaching

(a) Linking Mathematics to real life problems & examples
(b) Enhancing teachers´ and students´ digital skills

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Gamification

in teaching & learning

Making Mathematics teaching
- face to face, online, and blended -
more interactive with the use of mathematical games


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Open access online

Supporting the fundamental knowledge with the introduction of an online and open access course available to any stakeholder

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Compatible blended teaching & learning

Automated & frequent assessments,
online games along teaching maths,
visualizations and animations, assignment of micro-credentials

Outputs - Results

Higher Inclusivity, Diversity and Digital Transformation of STEM Studies

Intellectual Output 1

Toolbox for teachers on Education for Sustainable Development
● A contribution to higher use of ICT tools along teaching, assessment and engagement of students along courses in Mathematics and improvement of teachers’ digital skills

Intellectual Output 2

Learning scenarios and guide for gamifying online and hybrid mathematics education at university level
● A reward gamification scenario integrated into a Math course of all the partner HEI Institutions that can be integrated in other courses
● A contribution to higher realization and motivation of students to learn Mathematics and link them with their study field topics

Intellectual Output 3

An online and open access Precalculus Course (MOOC) in English
● 12 lectures, 12 examples from Real Life Examples, 12 frequent exams
● The course will be accredited or update existed modules among the HEI partners

Target groups and project impact

Academics:
(1) improving its teaching and deliverable abilities by introducing new innovative teaching strategies, EDS approach, gamification, ICT tools and PBL approach adapted to the new ICT & mobile learning tools
(2) extend their educational & research network
(3) creating a methodology that can be transferred to other disciplines through gamification and other technologies
(4) development and introduction of a formative assessment software that will contribute to the flexibility of the training

Students:
(1) increase students' confidence in their ability to learn mathematics
(2) increased chances to pass mathematics courses
(3) realize the potential of Mathematics to address daily life challenges
(4) learn to apply acquired knowledge for solving real life problems
(5) build their digital literacy
(6) obtaining skills for university before engaging in an degree
(7) obtaining micro credentials for specific gained skills and habilities
(8) promoting self-learning and auto assessment through technology and flexible learning.

Universities:
(1) reduce failure rate
(2) adopt new teaching methods & tools during their course curricula
(3) adaptation of the curricula to new COVID-19 requirements
(4) internationalize their course curricula
(5) introduction of microcredentials
(6) prepare graduates to real life challenges

Market / Industry:
Having graduates with appropriate skills for market/Industry needs PYTHAGORAS project will meet the needs of the target groups by enhancing the motivation of students to learn Mathematics through an online and open access Precalculus Course (MOOC). The MOOC will have lectures; real life examples on how mathematics are useful for our daily personal and professional life; and tests.

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Testimonials

Arte Consultores Tecnológicos, S.L.

CEO, Santa Cruz de Tenerife, Spain

Ceo is actively interested in promoting innovative new methodologies in education, and therefore considers the expected results of the PYTHAGORAS project as a valuable and important contribution to provide tools to help teachers and students with teaching and learning mathematics, as well as pursuing the followings objectives:
● Establish common learning and teaching methodologies
● Enhance the digital skills of scholars
● Introduce innovative tools & pedagogies along learning, assessment and teaching Mathematics
● Enhance of specific soft skills of teachers and students: resilience, critical thinking, collaboration skills, presentation skills.

Edosoft Factory, S.L.

Canary Islands, Spain

We appreciate you have brought the PYTHAGORAS project proposal to our attention. Having read it carefully, in particular its goals, we would like to express our support to it, namely by issuing a declaration of interest in:
● Facilitate students’ understanding why to learn Mathematics
● Enhance students’ motivation to learn Mathematics
● Teach Students’ how to learn Mathematics
● Enhance Teachers Digital Skills: from pedagogy to technology issues
● Incorporation of microcredentials to all our training actions and outcomes
● Dissemination of the project.

The University of Edinburgh

School of Mathematics, Prof. Christopher J. Sangwin

I’m most interested in the outcomes from the PYTHAGORAS project which seek to enhance the digital skills of scholars, and which introduce innovative tools and methodologies for learning, assessment and teaching Mathematics.

Karlstadt University, SMEER

The Research Centre of Science, Mathematics and Engineering Education Research

The Research Centre of Science, Mathematics and Engineering Education Research (SMEER) at Karlstad University is actively interested in promoting innovative new methodologies in education, and therefore considers the expected results of the PYTHAGORAS project as a valuable and important contribution to provide tools to help teachers and students with teaching and learning mathematics, as well as pursuing the followings:
● Enhance the motivation of students to learn Mathematics
● Establish common learning and teaching methodologies
● Build bridges and share good practices between various European HEIs
● Introduce innovative tools & pedagogies along learning, assessment and teaching Mathematics.

SVENSKA MATEMATIKERSAMFUNDET

Sweden

We are interested in promoting innovative new methodologies in education, and therefore considers the expected results of the PYTHAGORAS project as a valuable and important contribution to provide tools to help teachers and students.
We would like to express our support to it, namely by issuing a declaration of interest in:
● Enhance the motivation of students to learn Mathematics
● Establish common learning and teaching methodologies
● Build bridges and share good practices between various European HEIs
● Enhance the digital skills of scholars
● Introduce innovative tools & pedagogies along learning, assessment and teaching Mathematics.

Team

Coordinator


LUCIAN BLAGA UNIVERSITY of SIBIU
Victoriei Boulevard No. 10, Sibiu, 550024, Romania

img   www.ulbsibiu.ro
CONTACT PERSON   Assoc. prof. PhD. Florin Daniel SOFONEA, dean
CONTACT ADDRESS   Faculty of Sciences, str.Dr.I.Ratiu, No.5-7, Sibiu, 550012, Romania
CONTACT EMAIL   florin.sofonea@ulbsibiu.ro
Lucian Blaga University of Sibiu is one of the oldest HEI's in Romania and has its beginnings in the latest 18th century, when the Theological Pedagogical School was founded. Since then, LBUS has been inseparable from a prolific process of development which led to the configuration of a wide offer of study programs: 79 Bachelor’s programs, 58 Master’s programs, 5 Distance learning programs 15 Ph.D. fields. Strengthening the bond between academic life and the international dimension has been and continues to be a priority which has materialized in: 1 interdisciplinary module for Erasmus+ students, 1 preparatory year of Romanian as a foreign language (for incoming students), 5 Bachelor’s programs and 4 Master’s programs taught in English. Within the field of research, LBUS persistently aims towards achieving excellence and international recognition. In 2020, LBUS became the first university in Romania to implement an ERC-Consolidator European research project.

Partners


AALBORG UNIVERSITET, Aalborg, Denmark
img   www.aau.dk
Aalborg University (AAU) was inaugurated in 1974. AAU differentiates itself from the older and more traditional universities with its focus on interdisciplinary, inter-faculty studies; a pedagogical structure based on problem-centred, real-life projects of educational and research relevance – which internationally has become known and recognised as ‘The Aalborg Model’. In PYTHAGORAS Project, AAU has joined with the Department of Architecture, Design and Media Technology - AD:MT (Faculty of Engineering and Science). The AD:MT is a multi campus department with branches in Aalborg, Copenhagen and Esbjerg. The department's vision is to utilise and investigate the interplay between creativity and technology for development of new growth areas in research and education.

ELLINIKO MESOGEIAKO PANEPISTIMIO, Heraklion, Crete, Greece
img   www.hmu.gr
The Hellenic Mediterranean University (HMU) evolved out of the Technological Educational Institute of Crete (TEI) after 36 years of development and expansion, with over 10.000 students and 250 Academic and administrative staff. It now offers Undergraduate, Postgraduate and Doctoral Studies in 11 Departments in five Faculties in five Cities on the North Coast of Crete, strategically and internationally located in the Eastern Mediterranean between the Continents of Europa, Asia and Africa. HMU is now also a member of the European University “ATHENA” (Advanced Technology Higher Education Network Alliance) funded by Erasmus+ and Horizon 2020. HMU has received a lot of distinctions for its participation in the Erasmus Program with the highlight moments to be: (a) the award with the silver metal in 2013 from the European Commission for the ‘quality and quantity of the Intensive Programs organized by it’; and (b) the participation in one of the 41 European University Alliances, the ATHENA Alliance.

INSTITUTO POLITECNICO DO PORTO, Porto, Portugal
img   www.ipp.pt
The Porto Polytechnic (P.PORTO) is the largest and the most dynamic Polytechnic in Portugal, occupying the first position in the ranking of the Polytechnic and, in conjunction with major universities, it is placed in the upper reaches of the ranking of National Higher Education. Its mission is to be the leader of Polytechnic subsystem in Portugal, taking its social responsibility in the presence of the community and society, in an international frame of reference, demanding for the excellence. P.PORTO is a very active institution in R&D national and international projects, which are proof of a tight relationship with business companies, organizations and society.

SLOVENSKÁ TECHNICKÁ UNIVERZITA V BRATISLAVE Bratislava Slovakia
www.stuba.sk
Slovak University of Technology in Bratislava ("STU") is a modern educational and scientific institution founded in 1937. STU as the largest public university in Slovakia offers education mainly in technical, technological, technical-economical, technical-information and technical-artistic fields of study using the modern methods of education, laboratories and practical training. It is aimed at the study branches with stable opportunities of students' employment at the labour market. STU offers education in foreign languages, primarily in the following areas: civil engineering, mechanical engineering, electrical engineering, chemistry and food technology, architecture. International cooperation is a significant area based on interactive contacts with educational and scientific-research institutions of the countries all over the world, while it is focused on solution of the joint projects within the EU framework and other international programmes, mobility of students, teaching staff and researchers.

UNIVERSIDAD DE LA LAGUNA, La Laguna Tenerife, Canarias, Spain
img   www.ull.es
The University of La Laguna, more than 200 years old, is the oldest higher education institution in the Canary Islands. Its catalog of qualifications includes 45 Degrees, 30 Official Masters, 52 Doctorate programs and 25 Own Degrees. There are more than 20 thousand degree and master students and nearly 16 hundred teachers. University of La Laguna has the only mathematics degree developed in the region that has recently celebrated its 50th anniversary. Mathematics training, theoretic and applied research as well as in didactics, is an emblematic element of our university.

ECOSISTEMAS VIRTUALES Y MODULARES SL, Santa Cruz de Tenerife, Canarias, Spain
img   www.evm.net
EVM is a Spanish consultancy company offering services in different areas: Engineering and Innovation, Infrastructure and Space, Funding and Co-investment, Training and Education. EVM has designed many training programs targeted at entrepreneurs and NGOs, which reflect its special way of understanding the process improvement of both traditional companies willing to innovate, and new companies adventuring into the fields of entrepreneurship. EVM is organized as a factory of ideas shaped by an interdisciplinary team of its own, a network of collaborators and a well-defined framework.

KARLSTADS UNIVERSITET, Karlstad, Sweden
img   www.kau.se
Karlstad University (KAU) has consolidated its position as a mid-sized and innovative higher education institution with stable and controlled growth. It currently provides around 70 degree programmes and 900 courses within humanities, social studies, science, technology, teaching, health care, and the arts, having approximately 16,000 students and 1,200 employees. The University is internationally acknowledged in several research fields and is, in addition, at the forefront of some, having at least eight strong/excellent research groups of international excellence and of great importance to other research environments. High quality teaching, flexible forms of study, professional contacts and satisfied students are factors placing Karlstad University among the top six universities in Sweden in terms of first choice applicants. The university makes systematic internationalisation efforts at all levels, and international mobility among staff and students is high; KAU is also active at the national, regional, and local levels, providing expertise in the utilisation of research and education, and in co-operation with a range of partners in wider society, from private industry to public bodies.

ROMANIA · DENMARK · GREECE · PORTUGAL · SLOVAKIA · SPAIN · SWEDEN

Meetings

online Meeting 30

  • January 30, 2025
  • Agenda - final report preparation
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online Meeting 29

  • December 4, 2024
  • Agenda - administrative issues, final report
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online Meeting 28

  • October 1, 2024
  • Agenda - administrative issues, LTT event details
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online Meeting 27

  • July 29, 2024
  • Agenda - administrative issues, the last progress report
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online Meeting 26

  • June 27, 2024
  • Agenda - administrative issues, the last progress report
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Transnational Meeting 3

  • May 27 - 28, 2024
  • The Hellenic Mediterranean University
    Chania, Crete, Greece
  • Agenda - status of workpackages WP1 - WP3 Preparing Summer school for students in Porto
    Organization of Pythagoras Colloquium
  • Programme
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online Meeting 25

  • April 29, 2024
  • Agenda - discussion on program and date of webinar on STACK exercises
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online Meeting 24

  • April 11, 2024
  • Agenda - preparing the third transnational meeting of partners and next LTT 2 activity
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online Meeting 23

  • March 6, 2024
  • Agenda - final programme of LTT 1, next activity plan
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online Meeting 22

  • January 30, 2024
  • Agenda - plannig LTT 1 activity
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online Meeting 21

  • December 20, 2023
  • Agenda - administrative issues and plannig
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online Meeting 20

  • November 30, 2023
  • Agenda - Time schedule for the next activities
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online Meeting 19

  • October 31, 2023
  • Agenda - Summary of activities in the last year of project
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Transnational Meeting 2

online Meeting 18

  • August 31, 2023
  • Agenda - Planning the second transnational meeting of partners
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online Meeting 17

  • July 31, 2023
  • Agenda - Finalization of Interim Report
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online Meeting 16

  • June 29, 2023
  • Agenda - Administrative issues: Interim Report,
    Program of the 2nd transnational meeting of partners
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online Meeting 15

  • May 31, 2023
  • Agenda - Administrative issues: Timesheets, interim report, second transnational meeting of partners
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online Meeting 14

  • April 28, 2023
  • Agenda - Planning issues: interim report, second transnational meeting of partners
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online Meeting 13

  • March 31, 2023
  • Agenda - The interim report preparation: summary of the work performed, the results achieved and the financial costs used for the first half of the project duration
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online Meeting 12

  • February 17, 2023
  • Agenda - management issues and work planning: progress report, Transnational project meeting 2
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Pythagoras webinar - DAY 2

  • January 23, 2023
  • First Year Project Webinar
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Pythagoras webinar - DAY 1

  • January 16, 2023
  • First Year Project Webinar
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online Meeting 11

  • December 7, 2022
  • Agenda - First Year Webinar planning
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online Meeting 10

  • November 3, 2022
  • Agenda - Quality Assurance and Risk Management Plan
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online Meeting 9

  • October 20, 2022
  • Agenda - Progress in Workpackage 1
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online Meeting 8

  • October 7, 2022
  • Agenda - The Progress report
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online Meeting 7

  • September 21, 2022
  • Agenda - Analysis of the Progress report
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online Meeting 6

  • August 2, 2022
  • Agenda - The Progress report
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online Meeting 5

  • July 19, 2022
  • Agenda - Peparation of Progress report
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online Meeting 4

  • June 7, 2022
  • Agenda - Administrative issues
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Transnational Meeting 1

  • April 27-28, 2022, Sibiu, Romania
  • Agenda - Kick off meeting
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online Meeting 3

  • April 5, 2022
  • Agenda - Project management
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online Meeting 2

  • March 1, 2022
  • Agenda - Dissemination issues
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online Meeting 1

  • February 1, 2022
  • Agenda - Administrative issues
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Latest news

Project final report is under preparation.