The Foundation Centre for Microcomputer Applications (CMA) has been established in 1987 in Amsterdam. CMA has as main goals to enrich science and technology education with innovative and attractive ICT products and to stimulate the use of ICT in education. Furthermore CMA aims to contribute in general to science education by a variety of activities. A main focus always has been the enabling of science education that stimulates active roles by the students in research-kind of activities.
Since 1987 CMA has developed hard-and software solutions and curriculum materials for science education and developed and delivered training for teachers (both pre-service and in-service). The main product line is the Coach learning and authoring environment, consisting of the software package Coach and hardware (interfaces, sensors and actuators) for measurement and control. Coach software has also extensive possibilities for modeling, video measurements, animations, data processing and analysis. Internationally CMA’s solutions for science education are applied in many countries and therefore available in most European languages. For the innovative character and the quality of its products, CMA has received wide recognition, for instance the European Academic Software Award in 2002, and twice the WorldDidac Award (1998, 2010).
All of CMA’s staff has a longtime experience in science education, as researchers, curriculum developers and teacher trainers. They all have a background in science, and worked for Universities.
Role in the Project:
- CMA will especially bring into the project the large experience in cooperating (regional) with schools, its experience and learning environment for ICT in Science and Technology Education.
- CMA will lead WP3 and will contribute to all other WPs.