Teachers' Day is celebrated in honor of the birth anniversary of Iohannes Amos Comenius, the founder of modern pedagogy. This year, at the Faculty of Science of Masaryk University, we celebrate with the knowledge that we have teams introducing innovative ways to teach mathematics and applied data science to the next generation of students.
Mastering Mathematics: The Key is Linking Theory with Practice
For many students, mathematics is a challenging subject. To address this, teams at the Department of Mathematics and Statistics focus on connecting theoretical knowledge with practical skills, transforming an abstract discipline into a useful tool for solving real-world problems. This approach is inspired by student feedback and industry needs, bringing modern methods into the classroom.
Doctoral students play a key role in this transformation—not only do they contribute to the development of educational materials, but they also create space for a creative approach to mathematics. “Our goal is to integrate theoretical knowledge with practical skills in all revised courses, enabling students to apply what they learn in real-world scenarios,” says Markéta Makarová, a doctoral student actively involved in curriculum innovation.
Innovating Three Key Courses Across the Bachelor's Programme
The modernization of applied mathematics courses at the Department of Mathematics and Statistics incorporates innovative approaches that align with current industry trends. “Our faculty focuses on preparing individuals with strong mathematical thinking—an essential skill in today’s world. We train future experts in financial services, statistics, and data analysis,” says Jan Koláček.
Doctoral students have successfully secured grants for two out of three projects aimed at innovating the curriculum across three years of undergraduate studies. “These subjects reinterpret traditional math education, making it more practical and accessible to students,” adds Koláček, one of the project co-leaders.
Motivation for Innovation: Bridging Theory and Practice
Innovation at Masaryk University is driven by projects that enhance student competencies. “We show students how what they learn will be useful in real life. We see their enthusiasm grow, and that’s a huge motivation for us,” explains David Kraus.
Markéta Makarová shares her experience: “When applying for our first grant, I felt that my undergraduate studies were too theoretical. I had knowledge but lacked the practical skills to conduct data analysis. That’s why we redesigned the M4130 Mathematical Software course, allowing students to work with real datasets early in their studies.”
Personalized Learning for Better Understanding
Innovative teaching methods cater to students with different levels of math proficiency. “Some students grasp concepts quickly and need extra challenges, while others benefit from additional explanations. We strive to tailor our teaching so that everyone gets the support they need,” explains Makarová.
Courses are conducted in small groups of 8 to 20 students, allowing for more personalized attention. Traditional tests have been replaced with final projects where students present their work to peers, receive feedback, and refine their solutions. “This approach improves both their understanding and confidence,” says Silvie Zlatošová.
Sim to See: Simulating Interdisciplinary Professional Collaboration
A key focus of the innovations is simulation-based learning, preparing students for real-world teamwork across disciplines. Since future data analysts and statisticians will work alongside professionals from various fields, teaching them how to collaborate effectively is essential.
It is Important to Teach Students to Recognize the Limitations of AI
An essential part of innovation is also the preparation of study materials and the integration of work with artificial intelligence, i.e., Artificial Intelligence (hereinafter AI), which graduates can use after entering the workforce. The subjects show students how they can automate certain work steps with awareness of possible AI hallucinations and the need for supervision. In this way, students are prepared for real-world work challenges where understanding AI capabilities and limitations is crucial.
Which Subjects are Being Innovated?
The subjects are being innovated as part of Masaryk University projects called Innovation in Teaching. Primarily, these projects include:
Subject Mathematics of Insurance M6110 Taught in the 4th Semester of Bachelor's Studies
Among the innovated subjects is Mathematics of Insurance, which focuses on the application of mathematical concepts in the insurance industry. This course not only teaches the basic principles of but also connects theory with practical applications, allowing students to see how the skills they acquire are applied in practice. “In Mathematics of Insurance, they finally do what they might have come here for. They get to deal with financial issues and see how the mathematics they learned theoretically can be used to solve real problems,” says Silvie Zlatošová.
Subject Mathematical Software M4130 Taught in the 3rd Semester of Bachelor's Studies
Another innovated subject is Mathematical Software. The subject deals with programming languages R and MATLAB, simulation, and modeling in them. Students learn the basics of programming, which they use for their often-first data analyses and simulations. These skills will be used in subsequent subjects and in practice. “We try to support both beginners and advanced students. Students can complete exercises with the help of hints that we have incorporated into the assignments. We want to ensure that students take away all the necessary knowledge from the seminar. On the other hand, there is always the possibility to delve much deeper into the solution. How much to immerse oneself in the solution is up to the student. Sometimes I am surprised by the solutions of some students. They often come up with excellent results, even when analyzing data for the first time,” says Markéta Makarová, who leads the seminars.
Subject Linear Statistical Models I M5B10 Taught in the 5th Semester of Bachelor's Studies
The teaching of statistics and data analysis at the Department of Mathematics and Statistics also aims at modern and interactive approaches. As part of another project supported by MU, doctoral students are helping to transform the subject Linear Statistical Models I. They use the principle of simulation-based teaching, where students apply theoretical knowledge to real problems. “Our goal is to simulate a comprehensive data analysis throughout the seminar, which connects newly acquired statistical knowledge with its real application,” says Tomáš Pompa, a doctoral student involved in this project.
Innovated subjects focus not only on improving teaching itself but also on using modern tools for data analysis. “Students learn to create interactive reports from their data analyses and present their results appropriately, for example, using graphs. These skills will help students not only in further studies but primarily in their future employment,” adds doctoral student Michaela Marčeková. This practice brings students closer to their future profession. Theoretical statistics is no longer just an abstract discipline for them – they see its meaning and practical application in creating models and analytical reports.
Creation of a Study Programme Focused on Statistical Data Science
The innovations of individual subjects do not end there. The Department of Mathematics and Statistics at MU is currently developing, in collaboration with the Faculty of Informatics at MU, a new Bachelor’s study programme focused on statistical data science. This is expected to be accredited this year. As Jan Koláček notes: “Currently, the Department lacks a programme more focused from the beginning on practical applications. In specialized Bachelor’s studies, we now have one programme with four specializations. This programme has a large common set of subjects for all specializations, which are too theoretical for many students. We have been discussing with students which subjects outside the current study programme are attractive to them and also monitoring demand on the job market. Therefore, in our new Bachelor’s programme, we have reduced theory and focused more on practice. In collaboration with colleagues from the Faculty of Informatics, we have included some of their subjects in the new programs. This will allow us to attract people who want to do mathematics more practically. Graduates of the programs will find broad employment opportunities in areas related to data analysis. They will be able to perform advanced work with data, use machine learning, predictive analysis, and algorithms, and provide inputs for strategic decisions,” he concludes.
How are the Sim to See Projects Doing?
What can be said in conclusion? Educators from the Department of Mathematics and Statistics are thrilled that many innovative ideas have come directly from doctoral students who have recent experience with their completion. Doctoral students, in turn, appreciate the support from teachers in applying for internal grants, which help them implement changes in teaching. The subjects have an excellent response from students, evident from subject surveys or student feedback. Students appreciate the willingness, helpfulness, openness, and overall approach of teachers. They like the use of interactive materials and communication with teachers. Iohannes Amos Comenius would certainly be pleased with how teaching innovations continue today.
Photo: Irina Matusevich
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