About TUM: Junge Akademie
The TUM: Junge Akademie is a scholarship program for students from the Technical University of Munich who are interested in science and academia. Over a period of 20 months they work on their own research project in interdisciplinary teams, with the support of tutors and experienced experts.
About Us
Our shared interest in creativity and education has drawn our attention to the declining trend in the recent PISA results. We aim to address this issue on the different levels of teachers and students, in public discourse and research. We are further interested in how creativity can enhance mathematical performance.
Our Goal
Within the research project, we compare different perspectives on possible reasons for declining mathematical performance. We want to find out if the identified problems by experts and political institutions who are responsible for creating solutions align with the reality of affected students.
Methods
During our project we will use an exploratory approach with a focus on individual expertise and opinions from politicians, didactics, teachers, and students. The exploratory approach used in the project constitutes three main phases:
Data collection:
Literature review and qualitative interviews are the primary research methods used for collecting data. Consultation with experts and professionals from PISA studies, IQB studies and didactics enables us to gain their insights and opinions on educational framework, mathematics curriculum, teaching methods and didactics. The public discourse and expert opinions will be cross-verified with those of students and teachers, the primary stakeholders of the education system, through individual interviews.
Data analysis:
A qualitative content analysis is used to cluster information from the literature and interviews. The obtained data allows us to identify the key arguments, actors, and evidence.
Data interpretation:
We will critically compare and assess the advantages and drawbacks of the education system, deduce possible solutions to overcome the shortcomings and promote a creative and innovative mathematical experience for students.
Team
| Abhirami Sreeprakash | (Technology of Biogenic Resources) |
| Bushra Demyati | (Civil Engineering) |
| Elke Haldmaier | (Sport Science) |
| Konstanze Maria Dietlmaier | (Health Science) |
| Lucia Arens | (Mathematics) |
| Marius Prock | (Biology) |
| Praissya Nathania | (Food Technology) |
Tutors | |
| Altan Birler | (PhD Student in Informatics) |
| Andrea Schittenhelm | (PhD Student in Sport Science) |
Supervisor | |
| Prof. Dr. Jörg Niewöhner | www.professoren.tum.de/niewoehner-joerg |