SA Mathematics Challenge Workshop

September 03, 2015 | Girls’ College | Author: SA Mathematics Challenge Workshop

SA Mathematics Challenge Workshop -  Pure Joy Conference Centre – Pretoria

The South African Mathematics Foundation (SAMF) is registered as a non profit organisation aiming to advance the mathematics development and education of South African children and young people through improved quality teaching and learning of mathematics as well as through public awareness activities. The Mathematics Challenge is a competition, similar to the Mathematics Olympiad, administered under the auspices of SAMF, intended to (amongst other things) generate an interest in mathematics and to promote problem solving in mathematics education.

In 2014 Mr Marc Ancillotti (HOD Mathematics Girls’ College) was invited to sit on the Mathematics Challenge panel to co-set and moderate the question papers for this National competition. (In 2014 more than 110 000 learners participated in the first round of the competition). Such an opportunity is wonderful for Marc, and the Girls’ College, as he gets to engage in Mathematics and Mathematical Problem Solving at the highest level with some of the finest Mathematics University Professors and Doctors of Mathematics in South Africa. 

Marc attended a workshop in Pretoria where the panel set the Final Round papers for 2015. The panel will re-convene in Durban in September to start setting Round 1 questions for 2016.

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Robust Discussion: Pictured Above from left to right

Mr Steven Muthige (Limpopo Department of Education); Mr Sthembiso Khanyile (KZN Department of Education); Mr Marc Ancillotti; Mr Ashley Ah Goo (Eastern Cape Department of Education)

 

 

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Deep in thought: Pictured Above from left to right

Chairperson – Professor Alwyn Olivier; Mr Steven Muthige (Limpopo Department of Education); Mr Sthembiso Khanyile (KZN Department of Education); Mr Marc Ancillotti; Mr Ashley Ah Goo (Eastern Cape Department of Education); Mr Mark Rushby; Dr Nico Govender (Eastern Cape Department of Education)

 

Taken from the SAMF website: http://www.samf.ac.za/Challenge.aspx

The Nature of the Challenge

The Challenge questions are aimed at conceptual knowledge, the application of knowledge in new situations, problem solving, reasoning, communication and general mathematical thinking. We want the Challenge to help South Africans to become empowered independent creative and critical thinkers! And we believe mathematics is accessible to all, not just the selected few!

The Challenge is actually not about competition or about standards, but about participation, and we want learners to enjoy participating in the Challenge. We recognise that learners may initially find the questions quite challenging – hence the name Mathematics Challenge! But the questions are not necessarily "difficult" – they simply address a different dimension of mathematics of which our learners in the traditional curriculum have very little experience.