SUMMARYOne of the priorities set by the European Union regarding Secondary School’s Education is the Improvement of Basic skills on The Mathematical Competence. The level reached by our surrounding countries and its comparison to those all over the world are graded in the PISA dossier (Programme for International Student Assessment). This document Is based on the analysis of the results of some tests undertaken every three years in several countries to define students’ International value. This research is carried out by The OECD, Institution in charge of the standardized tests. In its final Report conclusions, the dossier reflects the bad results on this specific competence that many countries in Europe obtain. This is the reason why our project intends to deal with the Mathematical competence Improvement. In that way our most important target will be the development, implementation and confirmation of a range of measures to improve the above mentioned competence.It is added the circumstance that next year (September 2016) the French education system will undergo a major reform, one of the principal priorities is the improvement of results in mathematics competence.2. OBJECTIVES.The main objective of the project will be the development, implementation and validation of a catalog of measures to improve mathematical competence.To be able to reach this goalThe first year we will work on the following:1.- Students selection in each country.2.- Setting the Initial Test to state the level of students related to the topic (Geometry).3.- Elaborate the observation sheet4.- First teachers' meeting to agree 2 and 3.The second year we will work on the following:1.- Taking the Initial Test before students mobilities.2.- Long term mobilities (students). 3.- Retaking the Initial Test after students mobilities.4.- Each country must write a summary of their results.5.- Teachers meeting to: a) Compare their results and the observation sheet. b) Elaborate a “Catalogue of Improvement Measures”The third year we will work on the following:1.- Implementation of Measures in each school.2.- Restart the Test with the New students to verify the benefits of the Catalogue of Measures (these new students will be different from the Initial ones, as to avoid pupil-factor influence).3.- Final teachers' meeting to analyze results and make conclusions.3. NUMBER AND PROFILE OF PARTICIPANTSThere are two participants: one Spanish educative center and another French one. One aspect that unites them is that they are located in border towns, and both centers have been taking part in European projects for many years.4. DESCRIPTION OF THE ACTIVITIES AND METHODOLOGYStage 1 (Academic course 2016/17)It will be held In the two centers participating in this academic course:(1) Mathematic Week(2) Selection of students who participate in long stay(3) Development of the initial and final test, which will be done by the students selected(4) Development of a observation template about the aspects which must be picked up during the long stayStage 2 (Academic course 2017/18)The following activities is going to be carried out:(1) Students are going to respond to the activities proposed in the initial test (pre-test)(2) Long-term stays of students in foreign centers(3) Students are going to respond to the activities proposed in the final test (post-test)(4) Meeting of teachers to carry out the assesment of the results and prepare an initial catalog of improvement proporsalsStage 3It is going to develop in the academic course 2018/19 and the activities are:(1) Implementation of the proposals(2) Repetition the test to students who be in 3º ESO that academic course (This avoids the possible effect of human factor)(3) Last meeting to prepare the definitive list of proposals and conclusions5. LONG-TERM BENEFITSThe long-term benefits are directly related to the main objective of the project: the improvement of the mathematical competence. Initially, the beneficiaries will be the student and schools which participate directly in the project. After the ideas contained in the catalog of proposals are constrasted, the benefits will be extended to all secondary schools interested in the same goals.A particular level, the personal experience and the improvement in language competence in a foreign language lived by students who perform long stay will mark a before and after in their lives.We can not forget what can mean for our pupils have foreign students as classmates. Thanks to this experience, our students can approach to a reality different from theirs.
To start with this summary we must mention that this Project we applied for inside Erasmus+ policy was meant to be completed in 36 months, but our National Agency decided it would be 24 months instead. This has implied a complete reorganisation of the timing regarding the initial Project. 1. Context One among the specific priorities in teaching in all douements elaborated by the EU is the improvement of basic capacities, included the Ccompetence in maths. The levels that our surrounding countries reach in this competence and its comparison to those worldwide are written in The PISA survey (Programme for International Student Assessment) This record is based on the analysis of students performance on some tests every three years in different countries to determine the international record of our students. The survey is set by the OCDE, on charge of the standarized tests. In its conclusions the mediocre marks on this competence among many european students and particularly among the participants in the current Project are shown.: Spain average 484, UE average 489, OCDE average 494, France average 495. This is the main reason to develop this study: HOW TO IMPROVE THE PERFORMANCE IN MATH COMPETENCE. 2. Objectives The main target of this Project has been the organisation, implementation and validation of a catalogue of measures to improve the math competence. In order to achieve this target: During the first year a) A previous work was done (describe above) between teachers involved in both schools. b) Data, on which the first measures’ catalogue was written, were gathered. In order to obtain all these data, different comparison and observation of students from both schools techniques were used. This implied long term mobilities among students from both countries to organize our common work we could all conclude the way in which the math competence could be improved. During the second year all the measures in the catalogue were validated. 3. Number and profile of participants The participants were two schools: one Spanish and one French. Un A common feature between them was the geagraphical situation on borders with other countries and both of them involved in European Projects for a long time. 4. Description of activities and methodology Step 1 ( 2016/17) In this schoolyear we achieved the following: (1) Students’ selection involved in the long term stay. (2) Elaboration of Initial and final assessment by the selected students. (3) Elaboration of the Observation sheet about the proposed activities during the long term stay. (4) Students’ Answers dossier about the proposed activities (pretest) (5) Long term stay of students in the partner school. (6) Students’ Answers dossier about the proposed activities (postest) (7) Teachers meeting to evaluate the results and elaboartion of the first catalogue of improvement measures. Step 2 ( 2017/18) The following activities were finished: (1) Proposed activities implementation. (2) Repetition of the test to those students who were in 3º ESO that year. (3) Students Long term stays in the foreign countries. (4) Short term saty of one Spanish teacher in the French school to jobshadow and to give some lessons. (5) Final meeting to elaborate the final catalogue with all the proposals and conclusions. (6) Choice of the final logo of the project 5. Long term benefits These benefits have been directly relatedto the main target of this Project: The improvement of the Maths competence. As it was planned, at the very first stage, the students and the schools participating in the Project took advantage of this improvement. Later on,, and once the ideas gathered in our catalogue were studied, these measures can be spread to any Secondary school interested in them. Regarding the personal experience and that of the improvement of Maths competence in a foreign country has had a before and after in their lives. We cannot forget what this experience represented for those students who did not travel to the foreign country because they could also approach to a new and different reality.