The Passau Math Museum: Hands-On Mathematics by Students for Schoolkids

Hands-On Mathematics by students for schoolkids is our innovative teaching concept. It consists of students developing tangible mathematical exhibits for schoolkids in seminars or in their final theses. In addition to the usual requirements for a written seminar paper or thesis in mathematics, the students design instructive exhibits that convey mathematical facts in an exciting way.With the Passau Math Museum, we offer our students a platform where they present their work permanently and visibly. The prospect to showcase their exhibit in our museum motivates students to intensively dig into the mathematical theory and its didactic presentation.Our teaching concept has the following effects. The students work meticulously on the mathematical subject to be well prepared for questions from the faculty as well as from the schoolkids, visitors and the press. When presenting their works, the students train soft skills such as free public speech, motivating, guiding, and responding to visitors and more. When designing their exhibits, particularly the student teachers implement autonomously the methods learned in their didactics classes. They practice connecting subject-specific and subject-didactic aspects.