On the morning of September 28, the STEM Application Research Institute and Human Resources Training in collaboration with Edufly Education Technology Joint Stock Company organized a Workshop on "Teaching Applied Math in High School".
Mr. Pham Duc Tam - Director of the IASTEM Institute for STEM Application Research and Human Resource Training said that in the context of fundamental and comprehensive innovation in education, especially with the implementation of the 2018 General Education Program, Math is identified not only as a basic science to practice logical thinking, but also an effective tool to form and develop problem-solving skills and abilities to apply them to life.
"The current trend of teaching toan in the world and in Vietnam emphasizes the application and practicality. Students need to experience Mathematics through situations related to life, participate in solving practical problems, and thereby develop comprehensive qualities and abilities. This is also an inevitable requirement to educate Vietnam to adapt to international trends" - Mr. Tam said.
Sharing at the workshop, Mr. Thieu Quang Tung - Math teacher at Cau Giay Secondary School (Hanoi) said that Applied Math helps students develop problem-solving skills, increase interest in studying, connect Mathematics with life and prepare for future careers related to Math.
However, from teaching practice, Mr. Tung realized that Applied Math has appeared in some lessons but has not been widely deployed.The content is mainly integrated in topics such as probability, statistics, grammar, and prime numbers.
To effectively implement it, Mr. Tung proposed many solutions. For teachers, according to Mr. Tung, it is necessary to innovate teaching methods, integrate technology, design lessons associated with life, differentiate according to abilities, participate in specialized training and share experiences with colleagues.
For schools and the education sector, Mr. Tung proposed organizing thematic training for teachers; building a bank of practical problems; including application content in inspection and assessment; at the same time providing equipment, documents and recording teaching initiatives.
From an expert's perspective, Prof. Dr. Tran Van Tan - Hanoi National University of Education reminded teachers: A lesson, an exam does not necessarily have to contain many "realistically" questions. When the real simulation stops at the language layer but lacks scientific accuracy and reasonableness, it can easily cause misunderstanding, distorting students' perception of the world.
"Education is inherently estimated; textbooks and textbooks are scripts for teachers and students to perform together on the "stage" of the classroom. Therefore, examples of practical application in teaching, with pedagogical intentions, may not be completely similar to everyday reality but are "realistic" or simulated. However, it is important that teachers clarify this with students, helping them understand that this is a stepping stone to develop thinking and application skills, not a primitive reality" - he said.
Dr. Ta Ngoc Tri - Deputy Director of the Department of Public Education, Ministry of Education and Training affirmed that Math has a special advantage because through this subject, students can develop logical thinking, creativity and problem-solving skills - key factors to become citizens to meet the requirements of the new era.
However, to do this, Mr. Tri said that the role of schools and teachers is needed. Because learning is only meaningful and brings true value when learners see them as stories seen every day, needing to be handled and resolved.
"We hope that teachers will pay attention to this, so that they can apply Math knowledge to the daily lives of students. From there, students love and are more interested in Math, at the same time, promote creativity, skills in handling and solving situations, and develop the necessary abilities and qualities" - Mr. Tri hopes.
