Remedial Math education
Pre-requisite Mathematical Knowledge (SIGMA)
SIGMA is the Special Interest Group that aims to facilitate continuous learning paths in education in mathematics between secondary education, medium level vocational education and higher education. SIGMA aims to mitigate the problems regarding the pre-requisite mathematical skills for moving from secondary to higher education and from medium level vocational education to advanced level vocational education. SIGMA has close links with the domain of the Nationwide Programme e-Learning.
The problems regarding mathematical skills stem from the fact that students no longer meet the mathematical pre-requisites as a result of educational changes in secondary and higher education. The various projects and initiatives that were undertaken in the last few years were too isolated to achieve an exchange of results. SURFfoundation takes the position that collaboration, knowledge exchange and a more efficient use of results are necessary to obtain adequate responses and solutions.
SIGMA is the platform for this exchange of knowledge, experience and materials. SIGMA intends to build a strong community that combines forces and establishes guidelines to tackle the problems of pre-requisite mathematical knowledge. The community will involve the consumers (representatives from teaching staff and students) as well as the providers (secondary education, vocational education). A core group will be responsible for achieving the targets of SIGMA; the community members will be playing an important part.
SIGMA focuses on the following themes: Content and Pedagogy, Assessment and Tests, and Exchange and Standardisation.
Further information
The SIGMA contact is Natasa Zupancic Brouwer (nbrouwer@science.uva.nl).