SMARTPOOL, THE EPBF’S ground-breaking initiative to put pool into schools across Europe within the context of mathematics, is close to completing its 12 month programme and has been deemed a roaring success.
Funded by the European Union through its Erasmus+ educational programme, Smartpool was initially derailed by the Covid pandemic but got underway in earnest in the summer of 2022. Smartpool itself originated from the Netherlands as a tool for teaching mathematics through pool.
After funding was achieved in 2020 the EPBF, in partnership with the KNBB sought co-operating partners to activate the programme across Europe through its extensive membership. The five countries selected for the programme were the Netherlands, Bulgaria, Finland, Germany and Cyprus.
In addition, organisations like EU Maths In – the European Service Network of Mathematics for Industry and Innovation; Platform Wiskunde Nederland – Dutch Platform for Mathematics and Stichting Mulier Instituut, who were tasked with collecting data and analysing results, collaborated extensively.
The educational establishment in the participating countries welcomed Smartpool with open arms and the following statuses were achieved:
Bulgaria – Smartpool Mathematics during school hours, pool after school at pool hall. For Pilot 2, the pool moved into the schools.
Cyprus: Smartpool during school hours as a replacement for one of the
physical education lessons.
Germany: Smartpool after school at the student research centre
Finland: Smartpool as an elective course during school hours
Netherlands: Smartpool as an elective course during school hours
Initially, three schools from each country became involved with 15 schools in total and the first study programme was formulated and translated into each language of the participating languages as well as English
Following the first stage, there were evaluations made, with teachers and pupils being surveyed, and consequently there were some adaptations and improvements. The second stage saw Smartpool expand significantly as a further five schools in each country were added.
Each participating school was given one pool table along with other essential equipment like cues and balls. A lead teacher in each establishment was educated to become a light-level billiard trainer enabling them to pass on basic skills to the students. The complete project took three years from its very beginnings and ends with the conclusion of Pilot #2 that runs from January to August 2023.
Commented, EPBF Vice President Youth Sport Director Tommi Lamminaho, “In Finland we went to some schools with the trainers and into the classrooms, spent time with the kids and saw the enthusiasm they had, not only for pool but also it made maths more fun for them.
“It generated a greater interest in maths from the students so when given a choice of classes, ‘Billiards and Maths’ really stood out as opposed to plain geometry. It makes them more interested and it makes it much more fun.
“A second important aspect was that if the kids didn’t really care for the maths, the teachers found that they could reach kids that they may not have normally reached. So it acted as a social tool for youngsters who may have found themselves outside the mainstream for whatever reason.
“For some countries they found it was better to work with children in the 11/12 age bracket and other countries went for an older 13/14 age group. In Finland for example, one of our mathematicians who makes the courses for secondary schools, made his own curricula using Smartpool.
“That was also spread around Europe within the project and translated into the various languages and that including coding and things like that and it was all very impressive. However, it mainly showed that the teachers and mathematicians saw the opportunity and a lot can be done around this.”
Over the past 12 months, the EPBF have had enquiries from all over Europe as well as outside the continent and the EPBF will now be looking at how to take this innovative project further. Ideally, there would be national school competitions within the participating countries and then a pan-European competition, but that is still in the planning stages.
As the year-long programme for Smartpool comes to a close – the project ends at the end of August – plans are being made to make Smartpool available for the entire EPBF membership and additionally, build a network of Smartpool trainers across Europe within the membership countries.