MUSCAT: The Oman Mathematics Committee on Thursday celebrated the International Day of Mathematics at Sultan Qaboos University under the patronage of Dr Mona Salem al Jardani, Under-Secretary at the Ministry of Manpower for Technical Education and Vocational Training.
The International Day of Mathematics is celebrated on March 14 every year in response to the call of the International Mathematics Union with the aim of improving understanding about the importance of mathematics in education among the public, decision makers and schoolchildren. The goal includes contributing to capacity building in mathematical and scientific education, with special focus on girls and children from developing countries.
Dr Magda Talib al Hinai, chairparson of Oman Mathematics Committee, said that the activities include a full day training for mathematics teachers in higher educational institutions in Oman on the use of GeoGebra and MathXpert. GeoGebra is a multi-platform dynamic mathematics tool for all levels of education that joins geometry, algebra, tables, graphing, statistics and calculus whereas MathXpert is a programme that helps to solve the problems in mathematics and designed to replace blackboards and homework.
“The second axis is a competition for fifth and fourth grade students run by Mathnasium. The third axis is a full-day competition for ninth-graders run by lecturers from the Higher College of Technology”, she said.
Dr Magda said that the Oman Mathematics Committee has joined hands with the Ministry of Education to conduct training programmes and workshops on integration of technology in math education. So far, workshops have been conducted in Musandam, Dhofar, Al Buraimi and some other areas of Oman. The committee is preparing to conduct workshop in South Al Batinah area in a few days. She added that the committee has finalised the theme of the 5th edition of the annual international conference on mathematics, which will be “math teaching in special education”. To promote research in mathematics, the committee would organise the 2nd edition of the annual mathematics research forum by holding three international workshops in December this year in coordination with Sultan Qaboos University and Nizwa College of Technology.
Dr Saad Salman Ahmad from the Higher College of Technology gave a talk that highlighted the challenges in math teaching in the era of technological advancements. Dr Huda al Shuaili from the same college gave a talk on the role of mathematics in the Fourth Industrial Revolution.
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