Merge branch 'case_study_units'

website_files/CaseStudies/2024/Integrating_STACK_at_the_University_of_Trieste,Italy.md

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 Juma Zevick Otieno, Danilo Lewanski, Daniel Doz, Wastalas D'Asise Dogbalou
 
 ### Background
-The University of Trieste (UniTS) is a prominent player in Italy’s academic landscape, recognized for its efforts to align with contemporary educational trends in education. This is despite the largely traditional nature of Italy’s education system ( for more details [click here](https://www.research.unipd.it/handle/11577/3508021)).
+The University of Trieste (UniTS) is a prominent player in Italy’s academic landscape, recognized for its efforts to align with contemporary educational trends in education. This is despite the largely traditional nature of Italy’s education system (for more details [click here](https://www.research.unipd.it/handle/11577/3508021)).
 In Italy, university assessments are traditionally summative, relying heavily on high-stakes, end-of-semester exams to measure student understanding. This model places emphasis on theoretical knowledge assessed at the end of the semester, often lacking interim feedback that could aid in bridging knowledge gaps as they arise. Although effective in certain respects, this system has significant limitations, particularly in its lack of continuous feedback mechanisms that could help students identify and address learning gaps throughout the semester. By regulation, lecturers are not obligated to administer continuous assessments during the semester. 
-In response to this, UniTS launched a pilot project to integrate STACK, an open-source assessment tool designed for STEM subjects, starting with the Department of Mathematics, Informatics, and Geological Sciences (MIGe). Developed through a partnership with [IDEMS International](https://www.idems.international/), UK-based community enterprise focused on supporting education and sustainable development projects worldwide. 
-This was done during the 2022/23 academic year, starting with a Probability and Statistics course and later scaling it up to Linear Algebra in the subsequent academic year. STACK was selected due to its automated, real-time feedback, allowing students to learn from their mistakes and progress through iterative practice. 
+In response to this, during the 2022/23 academic year, UniTS launched a pilot project to integrate STACK, an open-source assessment tool designed for STEM subjects, starting with the Department of Mathematics, Informatics, and Geological Sciences (MIGe). Developed through a partnership with [IDEMS International](https://www.idems.international/), UK-based community enterprise focused on supporting education and sustainable development projects worldwide. 
+This started with a Probability and Statistics course, later scaling up with the addition of a Linear Algebra course in the academic year 2023/24. STACK was selected due to its automated, real-time feedback, allowing students to learn from their mistakes and progress through iterative practice. 
 
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@@ -133,6 +133,6 @@ The integration of STACK in our Linear Algebra and Statistics courses has yielde
 
 1. **Refinement and Expansion**: We will continue to refine existing STACK questions, particularly those used in Linear Algebra. The newly authored STACK questions will be rolled out in the 2024/2025 semester, allowing us to monitor their impact on student learning outcomes.
 
-2. **Collaboration and Research:** We are constantly looking out to establish collaborations through STACK development and research ideas, since we are still new at this, both within Italy and beyond. This will play a vital role in expanding our understanding and ability to carryout research experiments that explore the broader application of STACK in mathematics education. 
+2. **Collaboration and Research:** We are constantly looking out to establish collaborations through STACK development and research ideas, since we are still new at this, both within Italy and beyond. This will play a vital role in expanding our understanding and ability to carry out research experiments that explore the broader application of STACK in mathematics education. 
 
-3. **Integration in More Courses:** We plan to extend STACK to more first-year courses, particularly in disciplines like Physics, where it can significantly aid in students’ comprehension of complex concepts. Expanding STACK's application will not only provide students with a more interactive learning experience but also generate additional data to evaluate its overall effectiveness across different fields.
+3. **Integration in More Courses:** We plan to extend STACK to more first-year courses, particularly in disciplines like Physics, where it can significantly aid in students’ comprehension of complex concepts. Expanding STACK's application will not only provide students with a more interactive learning experience but also generate additional data to evaluate its overall effectiveness across different fields.