The InterMat project (Interdisciplinary Approach to Teaching and Popularising Mathematics) aims not only to generate new scientific knowledge but also to transfer research findings into educational practice, strengthen international collaboration, build project capacity, and promote mathematics and science within society. Consequently, a significant share of the project’s impact is achieved through professional development activities, international projects, cooperation with educational institutions, and outreach activities targeting teachers, students, and the wider public.
This section presents project outcomes that extend beyond traditional measures of scientific productivity and demonstrate the broader educational and societal impact of InterMat.
Professional development and training
A central objective of the InterMat project is the transfer of research-based knowledge into educational practice. Members of the research team actively collaborate with teachers, preschool educators, educational practitioners, and pre-service teachers through a wide range of professional development activities.
The training activities addressed topics including: game-based learning in mathematics education, computational thinking, interdisciplinary approaches to teaching and learning, mathematical and digital literacy, innovative teaching methods for learners of different ages, etc.
A particular strength of these activities is the diversity of the target groups involved, ranging from preschool educators and primary school teachers to mathematics, computer science, and STEM teachers. Through these activities, InterMat directly contributes to strengthening educational practice and supporting evidence-based innovation in education.
List:
- 24 October 2025 – Game-Based Learning, Part 1, delivered by Bojan Crnković, Vedrana Mikulić Crnković, and Ivona Traunkar, was attended by 11 teachers, educators, and NGO education practitioners and lasted 8 teaching hours.
- 19 December 2025 – Game-Based Learning, Part 2, delivered by Bojan Crnković, Vedrana Mikulić Crnković, and Ivona Traunkar, was attended by 8 teachers, educators, and NGO education practitioners and lasted 8 teaching hours.
- 24 March 2026 – Educational Games for Developing Computational Thinking and Teaching Computer Science, delivered by Bojan Crnković, Vedrana Mikulić Crnković, Ivona Traunkar, and Martina Holenko Dlab, was attended by 58 primary school computer science teachers and lasted 8 teaching hours.
- 25 March 2026 – Educational Games for Teaching Mathematics and Developing Computational Thinking, Part 1, delivered by Bojan Crnković, Vedrana Mikulić Crnković, and Ivona Traunkar, was attended by 23 secondary school mathematics teachers and lasted 4 teaching hours.
- 8 April 2026 – Educational Games for Teaching Mathematics and Developing Computational Thinking, Part 2, delivered by Bojan Crnković, Vedrana Mikulić Crnković, and Ivona Traunkar, was attended by 17 secondary school mathematics teachers and lasted 4 teaching hours.
- 27 April 2026 – Educational Games for Teaching Computer Science, delivered by Bojan Crnković, Vedrana Mikulić Crnković, Ivona Traunkar, and Martina Holenko Dlab, was attended by 17 secondary school computer science teachers and lasted 4 teaching hours.
- 11 May 2026 – Educational Games for Teaching Mathematics and Developing Computational Thinking, delivered by Bojan Crnković, Vedrana Mikulić Crnković, and Ivona Traunkar, was attended by 28 primary school mathematics teachers and lasted 4 teaching hours.
- 22 May 2026 – Educational Games and Game-Based Learning in STEM Education, delivered by Bojan Crnković, Vedrana Mikulić Crnković, Ivona Traunkar, and Martina Holenko Dlab, was attended by 65 pre-service teachers from the University of Rijeka and lasted 8 teaching hours.
- 18 June 2026 – Educational Games for Developing Computational Thinking and Teaching Geography, delivered by Bojan Crnković, Barbara Ruža Čirjak, Vedrana Mikulić Crnković, and Ivona Traunkar, was attended by 20 geography teachers and lasted 4 teaching hours.
- 23 June 2026 – Educational Games for Teaching Threshold Concepts in Mathematics, delivered by Bojan Crnković, Vedrana Mikulić Crnković, and Ivona Traunkar, was attended by 39 primary school mathematics teachers and lasted 4 teaching hours.
- 7 July 2026 – Games for Strengthening Mathematical Literacy and Computational Thinking in Primary Education, delivered by Bojan Crnković, Vedrana Mikulić Crnković, Ivona Traunkar, and Martina Holenko Dlab, was attended by 92 primary school teachers and lasted 8 teaching hours.
International Projects and Collaboration
One of the strategic goals of InterMat is the development of international research collaboration and participation in competitive projects. During the project implementation, research activities and networks developed within InterMat resulted in the successful involvement of project team members in several international initiatives.
COST Action CA25130 – Next-Generation Mathematics and Computer Science Education with Large Language Models (NextMCS-EduNet)
Members of the InterMat team actively participate in the European research network NextMCS-EduNet, dedicated to investigating the use of large language models and artificial intelligence in mathematics and computer science education.
The project leader serves as a member of the Management Committee, while three additional team members participate in various Working Groups. The Action focuses on innovative approaches to teaching and learning mathematics and computer science, teacher competence development, and the responsible integration of digital technologies into education.
These topics strongly align with InterMat’s research on mathematics education, computational thinking, digital literacy, and innovative teaching approaches.
Datarium
During the project period, a new international Erasmus+ project, Datarium, was approved.
The project focuses on improving statistical literacy among young children and strengthening educators’ competences for teaching statistical concepts in early childhood and primary education.
The InterMat project leader coordinates the implementation of Datarium at the University of Rijeka, while two additional InterMat team members participate as project collaborators. Datarium extends the team’s research on innovative approaches to mathematics education and the development of mathematical literacy.
Blue-connect 3.0
During project implementation, the international project Blue-connect 3.0 was successfully approved for funding and entered its implementation phase.
Funded through the Horizon Europe programme, the project aims to strengthen connections between science and society through science communication activities, collaboration with schools, citizen engagement, and the promotion of scientific literacy.
The University of Rijeka participates in the project as a partner institution, while the InterMat project leader coordinates project activities at the University. The goals of Blue-connect 3.0 are closely connected to InterMat’s research on science communication, outreach activities, and public engagement with science.
Mathematics and Science Outreach
The popularisation of mathematics and science represents one of the four core research areas of InterMat. The project investigates how outreach activities contribute to scientific literacy, interest in STEM fields, and stronger connections between researchers and society.
Members of the project team regularly design and implement science outreach activities, workshops, public events, exhibitions, and educational programmes for children, teachers, students, and the general public. These activities are also used as a research context for studying public attitudes towards science communication and engagement with mathematics and STEM disciplines.
Examples of outreach events involving the project team during the first project year include:
- Ja istražujem (Delnice),
- Ja istražujem (Cres),
- Ja istražujem (Korzo),
- International Day of Mathematics,
- Mathematics Evening,
- Rijeka Technology Day,
- STEM Picnic Rijeka,
- STEM Picnic Guest Events,
- Festival of Science,
- Researchers’ Night,
- Tobogan Festival,
- TjeDAN za DARovitost,
- Oda svjetlosti.
The involvement of team members in initiatives such as Blue-connect 3.0 further demonstrates the growing significance of InterMat’s research and outreach activities in the fields of science communication, public engagement, and scientific literacy.
InterMat views education, research, and science communication as interconnected processes. For this reason, the project’s success is measured not only through publications and conference presentations, but also through its contribution to teacher professional development, international collaboration, project generation, educational innovation, and the strengthening of mathematics and science in society.