The general aim of the iMath project was to make full use of advanced technology and data analysis systems and solutions to fully exploit new and alternative approaches of teaching Mathematics able to adapt to the evolving expectations of learners, offering inexpensive, personalized educational environments and support higher education students through their learning path. Specific objectives were: SO 1: Fully explore the state of art in terms of academic publications and exemplary practices of the use of artificial intelligence and algorithm based tools in education for the identification of the student needs and behaviors SO 2: Pursue the development of an intelligent system to support the learning path of student through the planning, drafting and testing a fully operative AI-based algorithm able to map each student’s individual learning paths, their strengths and weaknesses, identify subjects that are more challenging and those that are easily assimilated, to then create personalized learning paths and environments SO 3: Provide academic Math lecturers and students with ready to use tools, guidance and tips on how to use visual and AI based approaches to teach and learn Math topics
iMath project motivation was deeply connected to the experience and follow up activities of MathE project during which some of the iMath partner organisations developed an e-learning platform dedicated to the improvement teaching and learning of Math subjects at higher education level. The original MathE tool (https://mathe.ipb.pt) offers a variety of multiple-choice questions to help students understand their level of knowledge of different Math concepts and guiding them in improving their skills and reinforce their confidence through practice and learning materials. The MathE platform randomly provided students with questions only taking into account the chosen math topic. With the involvement and testing of the platform (carried out in 2020 involving more than 50 lecturers and 650 students), the need for a more powerful functionality able to select the questions and materials more appropriately, emerged. iMath motivation is therefore to answer to students and lecturers needs by developing a new intelligent learning system that using artificial intelligence techniques at its core, offers the best possible personalized learning pathways, defined according to personal profiles and tailored to the related characteristics.