July 2025 - Wiris

From a Useful Tool to a Strategic Company Reference

When Pietro Curci joined Le Monnier (an Italian publishing house) in the mid-1990s, he was already on the lookout for ways to modernize the production of educational content in his company, especially the most complex part: math formula typesetting. As head of the graphic office, his responsibility was clear: ensure quality, consistency, and efficiency in a publishing environment.

It was during those years, well before Le Monnier was acquired by the Mondadori Education Group (the biggest publishing company in Italy) in 1999, that Curci discovered MathType for Word. The equation editor quickly became indispensable, offering a way to produce clean, editable, and reusable formulas, something that was unheard of at the time. The Mondadori Education Group operates in three main areas: books (publishes fiction, non-fiction, children’s, educational, and academic books); magazines (publishes leading Italian print and digital magazines), and retail (manages a large network of bookstores and online sales). It is also active in education, digital content, and international licensing.

When the transition to Mondadori Education happened, so did the natural evolution of MathType from a useful tool to a strategic standard. Today, as Head of the Graphic Office for the Humanities Area for high schools, Curci oversees a large part of the group’s editorial workflow, and MathType remains at its core. Nearly three decades later, it remains a cornerstone of Mondadori Education’s editorial workflow. “Our solution is used by DeaScuola and Rizzoli Education, which are part of the Mondadori Education Group”, explains Curci.

What started as a practical solution for writing equations in Word has grown into something much bigger. Over time, MathType has become deeply embedded in how Mondadori Education works.

It’s not just used by one team or for one task, but it supports different departments and adapts to various parts of the production process. Whether in editorial or digital, MathType has proven to be flexible and reliable, earning its place as a shared reference point across the company.

The Challenges

In the mid-1990s, Le Monnier -and later Mondadori Education- needed a reliable tool for producing complex mathematical content. Curci recalls the limitations of early typesetting systems, particularly when it came to consistency, reusability, and integration with publishing tools like QuarkXPress.

“We needed something stable that would allow us to reuse content across editions and titles,” Curci explains. “MathType gave us formulas as images, and an image, as I always say, is forever. It was revolutionary“.

But over time, challenges evolved. The rise of digital publishing, colored content, and interactive formats pushed editorial tools beyond what black-and-white workflows could support. Ensuring compatibility with new operating systems and modern layout tools became a strategic necessity.

Mondadori Education and Wiris: Joint Efforts to Improve the Product

Mondadori Education adopted MathType in its early versions and never looked back. The company standardized its use across internal and external collaborators. Layout professionals, editors, and authors could all work with the same equation editor, streamlining collaboration.

“With the plugin installed in our platforms, we can extract formulas without redigitizing them. It saves time and reduces errors, something essential when you’re dealing with 5,000+ formulas in a textbook”, affirms Curci.

When Curci and his team encountered barriers -such as color rendering issues, EPS compatibility, or font glyph problems- they didn’t give up with MathType. Instead, they worked closely with Wiris, contributing practical solutions and insights based on their real-world workflow.

MathType’s flexibility in exporting MathML for digital editions, while maintaining high-quality image-based formulas for print, allowed Mondadori Education to meet evolving demands without rebuilding their content library from scratch. As Curci affirms, “Thanks to the embedded MathML, we can easily export the formulas as code and reuse them in digital formats”.

The Implementation Process

The implementation of MathType at Mondadori Education was the result of a clear vision: to establish a unified, efficient workflow for mathematical content creation. Once MathType proved to be a reliable solution, it was adopted as the official standard across the organization. This meant that all external vendors producing math formula typesetting layouts were also required to work with the same tool, fostering consistency and compatibility across every stage of production.

One of the key advantages of MathType was its ability to generate formulas as images, allowing for the long-term reuse of content. Thanks to this, legacy materials could be updated by simply adjusting style preferences, eliminating the need to recreate thousands of formulas from scratch.

The integration of MathType enabled seamless collaboration. Editorial teams received manuscripts with embedded formulas and passed them on to layout professionals, who could extract and edit the formulas directly, greatly reducing manual intervention and improving version control.

Throughout this process, Pietro Curci played a crucial role in bridging the gap between user needs and technical development. His collaboration with Wiris led to the resolution of various challenges, such as color rendering issues in EPS files, overprint settings in InDesign, and glyph compatibility. These contributions helped shape subsequent versions of the equation editor and ensured its alignment with real-world editorial demands.

Why MathType Is Essential to Mondadori Education’s Editorial Excellence

Over the years, MathType has established itself as a trusted and indispensable tool within Mondadori Education’s editorial ecosystem. Its ease of use, compatibility across platforms, and ability to generate both print and digital outputs have made it a core component of the company’s workflow. The following key benefits highlight why MathType continues to play a strategic role in ensuring quality, efficiency, and long-term content reuse at Mondadori Education.

Preserved editorial legacy. “MathType is irreplaceable,” says Curci. “Without it, we would have lost a huge amount of content or had to reinvest in recreating everything”.
Increased efficiency. Automated extraction of formulas from documents, coupled with standardized workflows, greatly reduced manual effort and error rates across the team.
Ease of use. The platform requires no advanced technical skills, making it accessible to a broad range of professionals. “The fact that it has a simple interface doesn’t mean it’s not good. Otherwise: with just a few clicks, you understand what to do to save and typeset formulas”, affirms Curci.
Flexibility and reusability. Formulas can be adapted to new design preferences with minimal effort, reducing rework.
Support for digital formats. Built-in MathML export facilitates the production of reflowable, accessible digital textbooks.
Collaborative customer service. The collaboration with Wiris has enabled Mondadori Education to resolve technical challenges like spot color management, overprinting, and font compatibility, ensuring consistent output across print and digital.
Cross-department adoption. MathType is used not only by in-house editorial teams but also by all external layout professionals who contribute to Mondadori Education’s math formula typesetting publications. Its status as a shared standard enables a smooth production chain.
Future-proofing. Despite working with older machines to maintain compatibility, Curci and his team are eagerly awaiting the new MathType release. The goal: support newer systems while maintaining continuity.

Looking Ahead Together

We’re entering a new era of innovation, driven by the evolution of our products and the needs of the STEM community. At Wiris, we’re actively working on meaningful improvements of MathType to better support today’s editorial and educational challenges. And we’re not doing it alone, as Mondadori Education and Pietro Curci continue to be by our side, offering their insight, testing new features, and helping us shape what’s next.

For Curci, it’s not just about modernization, it’s about continuity: “I’m not looking for glory” he says. “What I care about is sharing knowledge and ensuring that future generations can build on what we’ve created. Experience is meant to be passed on, not buried”.

Mondadori Education’s relationship with MathType is not just about software: it’s about editorial integrity, long-term thinking, and the power of collaboration. “I’ve worked closely with Wiris for years. I’ve seen how they listen. This isn’t just about Mondadori Education: it’s about keeping a shared legacy alive across the publishing world”. “If one day we had to stop using MathType, it would be a significant loss”.

Interested in MathType? Get in touch.

Teaching math online is redefining the educational landscape. The emergence of advanced digital tools has empowered educators to deliver personalized, flexible learning experiences. Among these innovations, innovative online math teaching methods are crucial in enhancing student engagement, knowledge retention, and academic performance. This article explores these transformative strategies and highlights how Wiris enables educators to implement them effectively and efficiently.

Key Trends in Online Math Teaching: Prioritizing Personalization, Engagement, and Flexibility

In an increasingly digital and dynamic educational landscape, modern online math teaching strategies are evolving to address the diverse needs of today’s learners. The focus is no longer solely on content delivery; it has shifted towards creating learning environments that foster personalization, maximize student engagement, and offer flexibility to accommodate different learning styles and paces.

The most prominent and impactful trends in teaching math online today include:

Flipped classrooms: The flipped classroom model transforms the traditional educational paradigm by moving direct instruction outside of the classroom -typically through videos, readings, or online content- and reserving classroom time for active learning. This approach fosters deeper understanding through discussions, collaborative problem-solving, and interactive exercises in math education. Students engage with material at their own pace before class and apply their knowledge during in-person or synchronous online sessions.
Microlearning: Microlearning involves delivering information in small, focused segments that are easier to digest and retain. Rather than overwhelming students with lengthy, complex lessons, microlearning breaks content into concise, manageable units. In innovative online math teaching, this method proves highly effective, as it reduces cognitive overload and enables students to achieve mastery one concept at a time.
Personalized learning: Personalized learning leverages technology to tailor educational experiences to the unique needs, skills, and interests of each student. In the context of online math teaching, this approach allows educators to adapt instruction dynamically, enabling students to progress at their own pace. It ensures that learners receive the right level of support and challenge, enhancing motivation and academic performance.

Wiris solutions, including WirisQuizzes and LearningLemur, represent online tools for teaching math online that operationalize these methodologies, enabling educators to develop dynamic assessments and tailored learning paths for their students.

Real-World Applications: How These Online Math Teaching Strategies Benefit Students

Adopting personalized learning, microlearning and flipped classroom strategies equips students with competencies critical for real-world success. These methodologies not only boost academic outcomes but also nurture skills crucial for thriving in digital and collaborative professional environments.

Through innovative online math teaching methods, educators are fostering the development of vital skills such as problem-solving, critical thinking, and self-directed learning, which are capabilities increasingly demanded in STEM industries and the future workforce.

Flipped Classrooms: Learning by Doing Instead of Memorizing

The flipped classroom model fosters student autonomy by shifting content delivery outside the classroom and reserving in-person sessions for collaborative, higher-order learning activities. Instead of passively listening to lectures, students engage with preparatory materials —such as videos or readings— at their own pace and use classroom time to apply concepts through problem-solving and discussion.

This method promotes critical thinking, deeper understanding, and active participation. It also supports diverse learning styles and encourages students to take greater responsibility for their learning. By transforming the classroom into a dynamic, interactive environment, the flipped model builds key competencies such as communication, collaboration, and analytical skills.

Benefits of the Flipped Classroom Model

These are the main benefits of the Flipped Classroom Model, a teaching approach that is increasingly gaining traction in modern educational methods:

Assign dynamic, preparatory quizzes to prime students for in-class activities. Assigning dynamic, preparatory quizzes ensures students engage with key concepts before class. This preparation allows for more effective in-class sessions focused on applying knowledge rather than covering basics. Tools like WirisQuizzes and LearningLemur can support you in developing these dynamic preparatory quizzes tailored to your learners’ needs.
Foster interactive, discussion-based classroom environments. With prior exposure to the material, class time can be devoted to discussions and collaborative problem-solving. This shift enhances critical thinking and promotes deeper understanding through active dialogue.
Promote active participation and collaborative learning dynamics. Flipped classrooms encourage students to actively participate and collaborate with peers. Working in teams and engaging in problem-solving activities builds not only academic skills but also essential competencies like communication and teamwork.

girl studing online

The Power of Microlearning: Quick Lessons for Better Retention

Microlearning is gaining traction as an effective strategy in online math teaching. This method decomposes complex concepts into manageable units, promoting deeper understanding and better long-term retention.

With WirisQuizzes and LearningLemur, educators can design brief, targeted quizzes that reinforce core concepts efficiently. The immediate feedback mechanisms facilitate real-time learning corrections. These micro-assessments exemplify innovative online math teaching approaches that reduce cognitive load and improve learning efficacy. This tool streamlines microlearning by enabling the creation of interactive, goal-oriented quizzes.

WirisQuizzes incorporates a feature that enhances microlearning by providing tailored feedback for open-ended math questions. It supports three main types of feedback: suggestive feedback, which guides students toward discovering solutions independently; confirmatory feedback, which reinforces correct answers and boosts confidence; and corrective feedback, which identifies mistakes and provides the correct solution. This immediate, adaptive feedback fosters critical thinking and ensures efficient, focused learning, aligning perfectly with microlearning principles.

feedback with wirisquizzes

Personalized Learning: Delivering Tailored Educational Experiences

Personalized learning is a cornerstone of modern educational methodologies, particularly in teaching math online. It leverages technology to customize educational experiences according to the unique needs, skills, and learning speeds of individual students.

WirisQuizzes and LearningLemur are central to enabling this level of personalization:

WirisQuizzes, oriented to higher education, allows teachers to design sophisticated quizzes incorporating mathematical expressions, graphical representations and dynamic text-based responses. Its advanced randomization and evaluation capabilities generate unique assessments for the students, promoting practice through varied and individualized problem sets.
LearningLemur, oriented to K-12 students and seamlessly integrated with Google Classroom, offers a comprehensive platform for customizable quizzes, automated grading, and personalized feedback. It not only saves educators valuable time but also fosters student engagement and mastery. The platform’s extensive library of adaptable exercises and detailed analytics empowers educators to monitor student progress and intervene when necessary, further enhancing personalized learning. In addition, LearningLemur now incorporates an AI math question generator that understands your needs and generates ready-made quizzes in seconds. It’s designed to address one of the most common pain points for educators: how to start creating math assessments efficiently without sacrificing quality.

learning lemur ai questions

What truly differentiates Wiris’ tools from others is their capacity to mathematically interpret any answer, apply rigorous mathematical logic to personalize feedback, and define random variables using advanced algorithms. These capabilities empower educators to offer more precise and responsive learning experiences, ensuring that each student progresses at their optimal pace and receives support tailored to their specific learning trajectory.

By integrating these solutions, educators can create adaptive learning environments where technology dynamically adjusts to student needs, providing instant feedback and continuously aligning educational content with individual learning goals.

Embracing the Future of Education with Wiris

The digital transformation of education demands agile, student-centric teaching methodologies. Teaching math online requires sophisticated tools, and Wiris stands at the forefront, delivering solutions that enable educators to design personalized, interactive learning experiences.

Enhance your online teaching strategy: start using WirisQuizzes today and experience the benefits of next-generation online tools for teaching math online.

Try WirisQuizzes now