In an increasingly globalised world, critical global learning should form a vital part of children's education (OECD, 2016, Global competency for an inclusive world). Global competence includes acquiring the knowledge and awareness of global and intercultural issues, the ability to learn from and live with people from diverse backgrounds, the capacities for mutually respectful interaction and open and flexible attitudes. In recent patterns of cross-border migration into Europe, children have escaped poverty and war and now face the long struggle of adapting to life in a new country. Children in host countries also need adaptive skills to face the challenges and seize the opportunities that increased globalisation entails. Further, in many European countries, attainment in mathematics is low, with many children reporting anxiety and lack of self-efficacy in the subject. Teaching strategies known to accelerate learning are less likely to be used with disadvantaged students and overall levels of attainment are negatively correlated with levels of disadvantage (OECD, Ten Questions for Mathematics Teachers… and How PISA Can Help Answer Them, 2016). There is a need to develop understanding of and skills in meaning-making, problem solving approaches to teaching mathematics in ways which promote confidence in and ownership of the subject, drawing on co-operative and collaborative approaches which children are known to enjoy. In addition, mathematical competence is needed in order to understand and interact as citizens in contemporary, complex societies. Research indicates that a key inhibitor to global learning is the need to focus on the core curriculum. PiCaM embeds critical global learning in the learning of mathematics, placing it at the heart of the school curriculum. PiCaM will provide pre- and in-service training in global learning and innovative, co-operative learning strategies in mathematics. It will provide materials to raise children's awareness of multiple perspectives and develop their critical thinking. Themes will include the global nature of mathematics; mathematics in history; ethno-mathematics; critical numeracy; and modelling contemporary social issues. For example, revealing the Hindu-Arabic roots of the number system; tiling in Islamic art; measures of well-being; using scale to understand migration. The processes used will emphasise learners working together to create a community of enquiry, one within which they experience rational and reasonable dialogue about things that matter to them and their teachers. Thus both the content and the pedagogy will support the knowledge, attitudes, dispositions and skills that are required for critical global learning within the teaching of mathematics. PiCaM will involve the use of eTwinning by children and teachers and the creation of children-led public exhibitions. It will result in nine intellectual outputs. Teachers (70) and children (2100) will use the materials and eTwinning activities. Children, parents and carers (500) and members of the local community (120) will attend the exhibitions with former acting as "expert" explainers. Pre-service students (150) will undertake training. Stake holders (30) will contribute through the advisory group and national start-up events; and families and children (5000) will learn about the project through visits to Mathematikum. PiCaM will promote • cultural inclusion and respect and the combatting of discrimination and racism through supporting teachers in promoting equity, inclusion and diversity • children's motivation, interest and self-efficacy (and thus their subsequent achievement) in mathematics. It is expected to have a direct impact on the understanding, skills and practice of the pre-service students and their institutions and the practising teachers and their schools. It will impact on the learning experience of the children, increasing their motivation, interest and self-efficacy in mathematics through innovative, co-operative learning strategies, the introduction of multiple perspectives, P4C and critical thinking approaches. It will also increase the knowledge and awareness of global learning of the children, their parents and carers and members of the local community. The conceptual and methodological principles of PiCaM are likely to inform similar future work in a wider European context and to impact on pre-service students in subsequent years at the institutions involved and more widely and teacher educators who find out about the project through multiplier events, conference papers and other research and professional publications. It is likely that the materials and approaches will be adopted by other institutions. It is anticipated that the curriculum materials will be widely used in all partner countries following the end of the project, supported by multiplier events, professional publications, the website, liaison with key stakeholders and internet circulation.
In an increasingly globalised world, critical global learning should form a vital part of children's education (OECD, 2016, Global competency for an inclusive world). Global competence includes acquiring the knowledge and awareness of global and intercultural issues, the ability to learn from and live with people from diverse backgrounds, the capacities for mutually respectful interaction and open and flexible attitudes. In recent patterns of cross-border migration into Europe, children have escaped poverty and war and now face the struggle of adapting to life in a new country. Children in host countries also need adaptive skills to face the challenges and seize the opportunities that increased globalisation entails. Further, in many European countries, attainment in mathematics is low, with many children reporting anxiety and lack of self-efficacy in the subject. Teaching strategies known to accelerate learning are less likely to be used with vulnerable students and overall levels of attainment are negatively correlated with levels of disadvantage. There is a need to develop understanding of and skills in meaning-making, problem solving approaches to teaching mathematics in ways which promote confidence in and ownership of the subject, drawing on co-operative and collaborative approaches which children are known to enjoy. In addition, mathematical competence is needed in order to understand and interact as citizens in contemporary, complex societies. Research indicates that a key inhibitor to global learning is the need to focus on the core curriculum. PiCaM embeds critical global learning in the learning of mathematics, placing it at the heart of the school curriculum. PiCaM provides pre- and in-service teacher education resources in global learning and innovative, co-operative learning strategies in mathematics. The materials provide teachers and student teachers with the opportunity to re-imagine possibilities in mathematics education, opening up spaces for questioning, reasoning and collaboration, both locally, nationally and across boundaries through eTwinning. The PiCaM materials raise children's awareness of multiple perspectives and develop their critical thinking. Themes include the global nature of mathematics and mathematics in history. Activities include: exploring cultural influences through the mathematics of magic squares; learning about the history of colonisation through a study of maps; reflection on crisis and solidarity in the local setting and how this relates to economic crisis; tiling in Islamic art; embodied experiences of factors and multiples; land use in different countries. Processes emphasise learners working together to create a community of enquiry, one within which they experience rational and reasonable dialogue about things that matter to them and their teachers. Thus both the content and the pedagogy support the knowledge, attitudes, dispositions and skills that are required for critical global learning within the teaching of mathematics. Seven classroom resources are available, providing almost 50 hours of curriculum materials. The materials were developed by partners in England, Germany, Greece, Portugal and Romania. Teachers (70) and children (1200) in these countries tested the materials, with teachers also exploring the eTwinning activities. Pre-service students (400) undertook training in PiCaM approaches. Stake holders (35) contributed valuable advice through the advisory group and national start-up events. PiCaM promotes: • cultural inclusion, respect and the combating of discrimination and racism through supporting teachers in promoting equity, inclusion and diversity • children's motivation, interest and self-efficacy (and thus their subsequent achievement) in mathematics. Feedback from teachers and other stakeholders demonstrates that PiCaM is likely to impact on the understanding, skills and practice of pre-service students, teacher educators and their institutions and on practising teachers and their schools. The materials have the potential to impact on the learning experience of the children, increasing their motivation, interest and self-efficacy in mathematics through innovative, co-operative learning strategies, the introduction of multiple perspectives, P4C and critical thinking approaches. The conceptual and methodological principles underpinning PiCaM will inform future work in a wider European context, to impact on pre-service students in subsequent years at the institutions involved, and on teacher educators who find out about the project through dissemination events and publications. Feedback from teacher educators at multiplier events demonstrates a commitment that the materials and approaches will be adopted by other institutions in both initial and in-service teacher education. It is anticipated that the curriculum materials will be widely used by teachers in partner countries, supported by further events/publications.