An Taoiseach Enda Kenny TD
An Taoiseach Enda Kenny TD said: “Ireland is very much to the fore of online learning and resources such as those developed by Alison and Macmillan have a significant role to play in maintaining our position as an international centre of excellence in education. The new Project Maths online tutorials provide invaluable support to Leaving Cert students and teachers and are also a really practical resource for anyone trying to grapple with day-to-day financial maths. These resources, though simple in their execution, are revolutionary in their vision and will help to future-proof education for the next generation.”
Following a pilot programme, Project Maths was introduced to the schools’ curriculum in 2012 by the Department of Education and Skills and was designed to help students apply maths to everyday life, whilst preparing them for working in the areas of science or engineering.
Alison CEO Mike Feerick said: “Now more than ever before, educators need to place a huge emphasis on STEM* subjects and how they are taught in schools. To encourage greater participation in sectors such as science and technology that are critical to our economic development, we need to look not only at what we are teaching our students, but how. Young people are digital natives, learning through the web is a natural extension of their everyday lives and our hope is to encourage more and more students to enjoy learning maths in a forum that is natural for them – online.”
The Alison and Macmillan Maths Doctor programme has been developed in collaboration with teachers working directly with the Project Maths curriculum in Ireland such as the Galway Education Centre, Athenry Maths Academy and Project Maths Teachers. It aims to support the existing high level of maths teaching already found across the country. Engineers Ireland’s STEPS programme has recently announced its support for Alison's maths programme and was today unveiled as a partner of the educational group.
Simon Walsh, Managing Director of Maths Doctor and a former maths teacher explained, “Alison and Macmillan have developed a resource that can be used by students and teachers not only in Ireland, but all over the world, enabling them to learn and study mathematics in a pioneering but really practical way. I think we can show students, through online learning, that maths can be fun and that in itself would be a major achievement.”
For students requiring additional help, the resource also features a low cost option for one-to-one tutorials, with both student and teacher visible on screen simultaneously, enabling them to work through tasks, together, in real time.
The free courses are as relevant to adults as they are to teens and cover areas including understanding compound interest, income tax, gross pay, investments and savings.
Students, teachers and parents can access the new Alison and Macmillan Maths Doctor interactive multimedia programme at here
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Notes on Math Doctor
Maths Doctor is a British award-winning e-learning business that is run by qualified teachers. The brain child of Simon Walsh, a highly experienced and qualified mathematics teacher who has worked for both state and independent schools, pupils can learn maths in an exciting and technologically innovative manner. Using a shared virtual whiteboard and a live video feed, a student and teacher can see and hear one another and both write on the screen. For more information: www.mathsdoctor.co.uk
Notes on Macmillan Science and Education
As part of one of the largest and best known international publishing groups in the world, the new global division of Macmillan Science & Education is home to its academic, scholarly and educational businesses. The division employs more than 5,000 people, operating on more than 50 countries around the world, supporting scientists, professors, teachers, journalist, editors, writers and entrepreneurs to empower learning and discovery. See more at: www.learndiscover.com
Notes on Engineers Ireland
Engineers Ireland is one of the largest representative bodies on the island of Ireland, with almost 23,000 engineers. The membership incorporates all disciplines of the engineering profession in Ireland across industry, the public service, semi-state organisations and academic institutions.
Engineers Ireland’s STEPS programme is a strategic partner of Science Foundation Ireland’s (SFI) Discover Programme, which seeks to promote the awareness and engagement of the Irish public with science, technology, engineering and maths (STEM). The STEPS programme encourages primary and post-primary students to explore the world of science, technology, engineering and mathematics while also promoting engineering as a career choice.
