Seven SMART Steps is an adaptation project aimed at spreading SMART e-Maths methodology. SMART e-Maths is a differentiated learning methodology meant to increase problem-solving and text comprehension competencies of 3-8 graders.
The problem of differentiated teaching is one of the best known challenges of mass education based on frontal educational methodologies. The need for digital solutions supporting differentiation is obvious.
The partners implementing 7 SMART Steps have developed such a solution in the frame of a previous project called “SMART e-Maths”. The solution targets math teachers and 3-8 grade students of primary schools, supporting the development of their problem-solving competencies of by offering them adaptive, personalized learning paths in a digital educational material. It is suitable to support classroom work, homework assignments and preparation for diverse contests and exams, and many other activities.
SMART e-Maths works like this: the student enters a learning module at basic level, and starts solving math tasks. After each good solution, (s)he jumps up a level. If the solution is wrong, (s)he gets helping questions and explanations leading to the good solution, and falls down a level. Teachers can monitor the process (users are registered, all activities recorded and reports generated), and even gets notified if a student gets “stuck” at some level, needing personal intervention of the teacher. ALL CONTENTS CAN BE MODIFIED, AND NEW CONTENTS CAN BE CREATED BY TEACHERS. They can use 10 different test-wizards, plus video- and text explanations. More, detailed description of is available on the project’s website: http://smartemaths.eu/
The project’s results demonstrated the need for a longer, well-supported adaptation process, concentrating not only on the use of the already developed contents, but mostly on content development by cooperative groups of teachers.
The 7 SMART Steps’ goal is to develop a detailed adaptation methodology, as a stand-alone innovation, while spreading the best practice in 18 more schools in Hungary, Romania and Slovakia.
The adaptation process will consist of 7 steps, organized in 3 adaptation phases:
Adaptation phase 1 – “WIDE ADAPTATION”
- SMART Step 1 –How to use SMART e-Maths methodology and existing contents?
Adaptation phase 2 – “DEEP ADAPTATION “
- SMART Step 2- How to develop a script of a linear learning block (an MS Powerpoint document describing the block contents)
- SMART Step 3- How to develop a digital learning block
- SMART Step 4- How to use smart tools to develop audio-visual content
- SMART Step 5- How to develop a learning block supporting adaptive paths
- SMART Step 6- How to create cooperative teams to create learning blocks
Adaptation phase 3 – “EMPOWERING SMART MENTORS”
- SMART Step 7 – How to support an adaptation process as a SMART Mentor
The adaptation process will have a modular structure, so that any teacher completing even a single step will acquire a useful knowledge, and future participants will have a choice to participate in the whole adaptation process, or only complete a part of it.
As a direct result, the SMART e-Maths methodology will be introduced in 18 schools, 18 teachers will be trained to create digital contents supporting differentiated learning processes, and eventually to become SMART Mentors spreading the adaptation themselves. 270 students will improve their problem-solving and text-comprehension skills in an exciting and challenging digital education process supported by materials developed by their teachers.
As a long-term result of the project, we expect to empower schools and teachers with a full adaptation process they can get through to use SMART e-Maths methodology at different levels (as a teacher, as a content developer or as a SMART Mentor). Through the adaptation processes, larger numbers of stakeholders will get access to innovative, digitally supported methodology they can use in classrooms, after-school programmes and homework assignments to support differentiated learning.
Acronim: 7 Smart Steps,
project no.: 2020-1-HU01-KA226-SCH-094124
implementation period: 2021.03.01-2022.08.31,
total grant: 171 004 EUR