Mathematics in motion: from bears to beyond

Mathematics is the quiet foundation beneath everything we do: guiding the GPS that gets us home, shaping the music we listen to, choreographing the traffic lights we pass, securing the messages we send, and even predicting the weather we dress for. It’s the invisible architecture of our daily lives.

Medve Matek: Experiencing Math Through Play

It is a common belief, and numerous studies confirm, that among school subjects, mathematics is the least popular. Similarly widespread (and also supported by research) is the claim that children who succeed in mathematics, or more broadly in STEM subjects, are more likely to become adults who are satisfied with their work and earn high salaries.

The Medve Matek Program is a unique initiative that started in Hungary and is one-of-a-kind in the world. It bridges the gap between math’s reputation and its potential by taking education beyond traditional frameworks. Movement, gamification, and team- and community-building tools give every child a positive math experience.

Why Medve?
The story started in 1999 in Debrecen, where the acronym M.E.D.V.E. was born from the Hungarian words Matek, Erdei, Debreceni, VEtélkedő (Mathematics Forest Competition of Debrecen). And since “medve” also means “bear” in Hungarian, the playful name stuck. Over the years, Medve Matek has grown into a nationwide program, while proudly keeping its original, bear-inspired name.

Their Mission is to promote logical thinking + create out-of-school community experiences. They believe that through exciting, enjoyable intellectual challenges, anyone can get closer to the world of mathematics. Working in teams makes problem-solving more fun at school, work, or at home. Students learn the benefits of collaboration, which they will carry into adulthood. They create a creative, inclusive platform for all who are curious.

In the first part of the lecture, participants will experience this approach through a game.

Paper Geometry vs. Orange Geometry - interactive presentation by István Lénárt

Most of us have learned geometry on a flat sheet of paper or a computer screen. What if this monologue of one system expanded into a dialogue between two geometric worlds? What if school teaching - even in the youngest grades - shifted from exclusively plane geometry to comparative geometry of two (or more) different systems?

Would this change be a boon for students or a source of confusion? How would a new perspective impact their thinking beyond mathematics, their understanding of, and empathy for people from different cultural and social backgrounds?

Math geniuses are welcome in the audience, but the talk is primarily aimed at children and adults who are indifferent or even hostile toward the subject: those who never planned to attend a lecture on Non-Euclidean geometries.

István Lénárt believes the most important task of school mathematics is not just to make children understand it, but to help them love it and gain confidence in their own abilities. Once the love is there, understanding will naturally follow.

Discover how higher mathematics can be introduced to a diverse audience, from primary school students to teacher training.

Step into a world where math is alive, playful, and transformative! Come see, discover, and experience it!

An event built around a project conceived and driven by Gabriella Skara - founder of The Learning Academy of Brussels - and supported by the Erasmus+ programme, organized within the framework of the Belgian Club of Hungarian Scientists.

István Lénárt explains spherical geometry to the mascot of Medve Matek.

István Lénárt has been teaching as a lecturer at Eötvös Loránd University for 35 years, where he originally studied chemistry and physics. He has been involved in mathematical research since 1969 and in mathematics education since 1981.

His research focuses on algebraic-axiomatic systems, multidimensional geometries, and the theory of irrational and transcendental numbers. In mathematics education, he specializes in teaching comparative geometry and designing the necessary teaching tools.

István Lénárt has delivered lectures and teacher training courses in numerous countries, published books and articles in multiple languages, both individually and with co-authors, and holds three patents related to educational tools. For his pedagogical work, he has been awarded the Beke Manó and Varga Tamás prizes.