Slovak LOSSTT-IN-MATH System



At the national level.
Pedagogic Faculties  in Bratislava and Banska Bystrica, Faculty of Mathematics, Physics and Informatics in Bratislava and Faculty of Natural Sciences in Kosice

The future basic school teachers at the primary level (1st to 4th grades) take a four-year study during which they get acquainted with all fields of the subject matter taught at the primary level of basic schools. As far as the Mathematics content of the studies is concerned, they take courses in elementary set theory and propositional logic, arithmetic, algebraic structures, essentials of geometry, basics on computers, etc. However, in Mathematics as well as in other subjects, the emphasize is on didactical aspects of their future teaching, that is, an essential part of the courses is devoted to theory and  practice regarding methods and efficient procedures of teaching.
    The future basic school teachers at the lower secondary level (5st to 9th grades) take a five-year study aimed at their preparation for teaching two subjects. Mathematics is combined with other subject (e.g. physics, chemistry, biology, geography, computer science, arts, foreign languages). Pedagogic Faculties in Bratislava and Banska Bystrica prepare future teachers only for the lower secondary level while Faculties of Mathematics, Physics and Informatics in Bratislava and of Natural sciences in Kosice prepare teachers for both lower and upper secondary level (5st to 12th grades).

At the local level.
Pedagogic Faculty of Matej Bel University in Banska Bystrica

In the last years LOSSTT in Mathematics at Pedagogic Faculty in Banska Bystrica was combined with LOSSTT in the following subjects: the Slovak language or Arts or Music or Physical education. Below are compulsory and optional courses and so called `compulsory optional modules' of the Mathematics curriculum valid in this form since 1996:

Compulsory courses of the 1st cycle (Years 1 - 2):

Introduction to Mathematics (39 hours);

Geometry (26 hours),
Mappings (39 hours);

Algebra 1 - Algebraic structures (39 hours),
Algebra 2 - Polynomial algebra (26 hours),
Algebra 3 - Linear algebra (26 hours);

Mathematical analysis 1 (52 hours),
Mathematical analysis 2 (52 hours).

Compulsory courses of the 2nd cycle (Years 3 - 5):

Measure 1 (26 hours),
Drawing geometry (26 hours),
Analytic geometry (26 hours);

Arithmetic 1 (13 hours);

Didactics of mathematics A (26 hours),
Didactics of mathematics B (26 hours);

Computers and programming 1 (13 hours);

Discrete mathematics (26 hours);

Probability and statistics (26 hours);

Application of mathematics in science (13 hours).

Compulsory optional modules:

A - Module of geometry
Nonlinear mappings (26 hours), Measure 2 (26 hours), Conics (26 hours), Drawing tasks (26 hours);

B - Module of algebra
Polynomial algebra (13 hours), Linear algebra (26 hours), Arithmetic 2 (26 hours), Algebraic structures and lattices (13 hours); Mathematical Olympiad (13 hours);

C - Module of Didactics of mathematics
History of mathematics (13 hours), Methods of solving mathematics problems 1 (26 hours),  Arrangement of mathematics curriculum (13 hours), Concepts in mathematics (26 hours), Workshops 1(26 hours), Statistics in school practice (26 hours).

A -student's option has to be at least 3 courses; B - student's option has to be at least 3 courses; C - student's option has to be at least 5 courses;

 Optional modules:

Elementary mathematics (26 hours), Personal computers (26 hours), Internet (26 hours), Outline and draw (13 hours), Romantic mathematics (26 hours), Computers and programming 2 (13 hours), New course in Didactics of mathematics (13 hours), Methods of solving of mathematics problems 2 (26 hours), Workshops 2 (26 hours), Diploma thesis seminar (13 hours).

Trajectory of Teacher training at Pedagogic faculty of M Bel University

 LOSSTT program in Mathematics with 2nd specialization

Magister study

5 years

Type of
course

 credits
/
hours

Total

1st cycle
(Year 1-2)

2nd cycle
(Year 3-5)

credits

hours

credits

Hours

credits

hours

Pedagogical-
Psychological and
Basic module

C

 

34

26

28

21

6

5

C/O

50/37

10

7

4

3

6

4

O

 

6

4

2

2

4

2

 1st specialization

 (Mathematics)

C

 

59

40

31

21

28

19

C/O

110/76

31

20

7

5

24

15

O

 

20

16

5

5

15

11

 2nd specialization

 (e.g. Music)

C

 

59

40

31

21

28

19

C/O

110/76

31

20

7

5

24

15

O

 

20

16

5

5

15

11

Diploma thesis

C

10

10

 

 

 

10

 

Pedagogical Practice

C

20

20

10

 

 

20

 

TOTAL

 

300

300

189

120

88

180

101

Pedagogical practice in LOSSTT:
in each of the two specializations (Math+2nd Spec) the following is prescribed:

Passive practice the 6th semester: 13 hours (1 hour per week) 1 credit
Active practice the 7th semester: 26 hours (2 hours per week) 2 credits

 the 8th semester: 26 hours (2 hours per week) 2 credits
Continuous practice the 10th semester: 4 weeks in a block of full teaching in school 5 credits

So out of total 300 credits for the LOSSTT, 10 credits are assigned for pedagogical practice in each of the two specializations (e.g. Math + Slovak language).

Diploma thesis in LOSSTT:
  • 10 credits
  • the number of hours is not specified - it is expected that students will devote at least the last 4 semesters to an intensive work (out of their other duties) to writing their diploma thesis (in one of the two specializations).
Number of students to be accepted for LOSSTT:
  • no numbers are prescribed at national level (from the Ministry or so), they are determined by each Faculty according to its capacities (personal, financial,…)
  • so in reality the numbers of students for LOSSTT at the Pedagogic Faculty are suggested for each academic year by the Dean, subsequently are approved by the Senate of the Pedagogic Faculty and then finally formally approved by the signature of the Rector of the university
  • in the last years we in reality accepted all students interested in LOSSTT
  • there is some subsidy for each accepted student by the Ministry of Education, but this is not so relevant to become the main issue in `the battle' for students among  universities (there are 23 universities in Slovakia which means there are just too many for such a small country and the `survival' fight between them is expected to be tough…)

This page comes from the LOSSTT-IN-MATH Project website
http://losstt-in-math.dm.unipi.it