Thank you message
Thank you everyone who attended the event “Paving the way for girls in STEM and keeping them on the path” this morning. It was great to meet so many of you and we hope you had a good time and found it instructive and entertaining.
We would also like to thank our incredible speakers: Flavia H. Santos, PhD. and Dr Dervla MacManus from University College Dublin and Dr Pierpaolo Dondio from Technological University Dublin.
We invite to you read the policy brief (opens in a new window)‘Transforming Children’s Mathematical Learning through Digital Games’ in which the importance of talking about maths anxiety and how to transform children’s mathematics education through digital games is discussed.
About the report
Maths forms the foundation for cutting-edge scientific advancements like space travel and robotics. Yet many people overlook the role that primary and secondary school maths classes play in laying this groundwork. During these formative years several factors that can lead to difficulties in maths and a long-lasting impact on grades, finances, and career opportunities. Poor performance in maths at all educational levels is in part linked to maths anxiety. The presence of maths anxiety can start early in childhood and persist throughout adulthood and be passed down from parent to child or teacher to student. Access to high-quality information about maths anxiety for parents and educators is essential for the success of students. Early intervention and support are necessary to ensure that students achieve their academic goals and are well-prepared for their final exams. The Arithmós Project is a joint effort between University College Dublin and Technological University Dublin, supported by the Irish Research Council under Collaborative Alliances for Societal Challenges (COALESCE/2021/64). Its goal is to enhance maths education by involving children, teachers, families, and policymakers in the Republic of Ireland. The key components of the project include research in schools to assess the effectiveness of Seven Spells, a digital maths game on learning, a workshop programme for teachers to address maths anxiety in the classroom, a video for families and children to understand and overcome maths anxiety, and discussions with policymakers on curriculum development. The Arithmós Project Report presents in detail the core findings and outputs of our research and provides recommendations for policymakers, parents, and educators concerning gender gap in maths, maths education and the use of digital games in maths classrooms.
Dr Flavia H. Santos leads both the Arithmós Project, funded by the Irish Research Council, and the ENIGMA Project, supported by the European Commission's Erasmus Plus programme. Dr Pierpaolo Dondio developed and implemented the digital game Seven Spells, he also founded the Happy Maths Programme. Project team: Dr Mariuche Gomides, Dr Mariana Rocha, Ryan Flood.
