FAQ

The GEOMATECH project - „Development of digital teaching materials and teacher trainings in Mathematics and Science, supported by the GeoGebra software and adjusted to the Hungarian National Curriculum” is an outstanding project in education development. It was officially launched through the New Széchenyi Plan TÁMOP Programme in January 2014 under the code: TÁMOP-3.1.12-12/1-2013-0001.

The principal aim of the project is to raise the standard and appeal of Mathematics and Science in the Hungarian public education, to motivate primary and secondary school students to study STEM subjects and to improve the country’s international competitiveness and innovation capacity.

Who are the executers of the project?

BKF Foundation for Communication

BKF Foundation for Communication is a public benefit non-profit organization of the University of Applied Sciences Budapest intended to execute education development and research projects.   

University of Applied Sciences Budapest

University of Applied Sciences Budapest (BKF) is the biggest public higher education institution in Hungary, showing an undiminished development and growth since 2001. The University offers adult and higher education courses, and has been the beneficiary of numerous HEFOP and TÁMOP projects.

GeoGebra Non-profit Ltd.

Aims of the GeoGebra Non-profit Ltd, as well as the International GeoGebra Institue (IGI) include coordination of local GeoGebra institutions, software and curriculum development, methodological research, teacher trainings, user support, initiating cooperations, connecting underprivileged communities.

Methodological advisors of the project:

• Professor Valéria Csépe, Deputy Secretary of the Hungarian Academy of Sciences
• Professor János Kertész, Doctor of Physical Sciences, Professor of the Hungarian University of Technology and Economics

Methodological leaders of the project:

• Katalin Papp, Associate professor, PhD of the University of Szeged
• József Kosztolányi, Associate professor, Head of Methodology of the Bolyai Institute of the University of Szeged, President of the Education Section of the János Bolyai Mathematical Society
• Ödön Vancsó, Assistant professor, PhD and Researcher of the Mathematics Teaching and Education Centre of the Eötvös Lóránd University

Methodological experts of the project:

• Emese Kovácsné Nagy, Associate professor, PhD of the University of Miskolc, School leader in Hejőkeresztúr, Teaching leader of the Complex Instructive Program
• Károly Härtlein, Leader of the Demonstration Lab of the Department of Physics at the Budapest University of Technology and Economics

GeoGebra is a free dynamic software used worldwide to support teaching and learning Mathematics and Science. GeoGebra is not only enables visual representation of abstract STEM concepts and phenomena, but it is also an international community of teachers.

Is itYes, it is free of charge. GeoGebra is a free multi-platform software, which can be downloaded from www.geogebra.org.

The software can be downloaded from www.geogebra.org for free, without registration.

WhThe aim of the GEOMATECH competitions is to raise the appeal of Mathematics and Science among students. During the competitions students are using GeoGebra, one of the world’s most popular free educational software, helping to develop their computing skills. (If you are not familiar with the GeoGebra software yet, you can find more information at: www.geogebra.org).

Throughout the GEOMATECH competitions students can develop their computing and instrumental skills, become proficient in visualizing, interpreting and presenting their ideas, experiments and results.

During the competitions students will have the opportunity to solve the tasks in groups – individuals as well as groups of maximum 5 students can participate in GEOMATECH competitions.

The GEOMATECH competitions are open to the following age groups:

1.:    Grade 1 and 2
2.:    Grade 3 to 4
3.:    Grade 5 to 6
4.:    Grade 7 to 8
5.:    Grade 9 to 10
6.:    Grade 11 to 12

Students can enter the competitions in the following age groups and subjects:

•                Grade 1 to 2: Mathematics        

•                Grade 3 to 4: Mathematics

•                Grade 5 to 6: Mathematics and Science (principally Physics)

•                Grade 7 to 8: Mathematics and Science (principally Physics)

•                Grade 9 to 10: Mathematics and Science (principally Physics)

•                Grade 11 to 12: Mathematics and Science (principally Physics)

Throughout the competitions you will only need a computer and one of the world’s most popular, free educational software, called GeoGebra.

The best teams will be rewarded monthly in each age groups. Every winner will receive a GEOMATECH gift parcel per post.

The aim of our free and accredited teacher trainings is to make teachers in primary and secondary education familiar with our digital teaching materials and with the possibilities of the GEOMATECH framework helping their lesson preparations and teaching. After completing the training, teachers will be able to adjust and personalize the GeoGebra software to their teaching methods and their students’ needs, as well as to create new contents.

Our teacher trainings are the accredited trainings of the University of Applied Sciences Budapest. Its organizers and executers will be selected as a result of a public procurement procedure. The winner has to organize the trainings according to the quality assurance requirements of the University of Apllied Sciences Budapest. After successfully completing the training, teachers will receive a certificate from the University of Applied Sciences Budapest.

Our accredited teacher trainings start in September 2014 throughout the country. Information about the dates of the trainings will be updated on our website.

The training is for free without any late expenses. Catering will be offered to the teachers throughout the training (coffee break and / or lunch break), and teachers will also receive free course materials.

Cost of travelling and substitution shall be covered by the applicant or by his or her institution.

Yes, they are,60 credit points can be collected.

The duration of a course is 60 hours, which will be split for 6 or 12 days (the sessions will be 6 times 10 hours or 12 times 5 hours long). Exams will take place on the last day of the trainings.

No commitments from the participating schools or teachers are required after completing the training of the project. The organizer of the teacher trainings might ask the participating teachers to take part in a survey about the effectiveness of the trainings.

Every teacher training material will be provided for the participants for free.

Participants will only need a computer, a projector, possibly an interactive whiteboard, and the GeoGebra software is free to download.

You can read about the detailed topics of the trainings here.

The trainers of our teacher trainings will be well-selected, experienced teachers, who will receive an extra training in teaching GEOMATECH materials.

Trainings will be held for groups of 5 to 15 participants.

To complete the training participants need to be present at 80 % of the sessions and to pass the exam.

At the end of the teacher trainings, participants need to take a 1-hour practical exam to verify their widespread knowledge of GeoGebra and GEOMATECH.

Participants will receive a certificate by the University of Applied Sciences Budapest and 60 credit points, since it is an accredited teacher training.

Yes, they are, if the sending institution accepts it.

No such commitment is needed. Teachers can freely use and adjust these digital teaching materials to their needs.