XN000022-1977-04-29 — Page 12

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FRIDAY, APRIL 29, 1977

MATHEMATICS SEMINAR FOR SECONDARY SCHOOL TEACHERS

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+A SYLLABUS FOR THE 1980'S+ IS THE TITLE OF A MATHEMATICS SEMINAR FOR SECONDARY SCHOOL TEACHERS TO BE HELD AT THE HONG KONG POLYTECHNIC TOMORROW MORNING.

THE SEMINAR, ORGANISED BY THE MATHEMATICS SECTION OF THE EDUCATION DEPARTMENT, IS EXPECTED TO BE ATTENDED BY ABOUT 300 TEACHERS. IT WILL BE OPENED BY THE ACTING DEPUTY CHIEF INSPECTOR OF SCHOOLS, MRS. LOUISE MOK.

THE PURPOSE OF THE SEMINAR IS TO CONSIDER A NEW MATHEMATICS SYLLABUS FOR FORMS IV AND V AS DRAFTED BY THE CURRICULUM DEVELOPMENT MATHEMATICS SUBJECT COMMITTEE.

+ALREADY THERE HAS BEEN A GOOD RESPONSE FROM TEACHERS EAGER TO DISCUSS THE VITAL NEW IDEAS CONTAINED IN THIS SYLLABUS,+ SAID MR. FRANK PARK IN, PRINCIPAL INSPECTOR (MATHEMATICS) AND CONVENOR OF THE SEMINAR.

MR. PARK IN ADDED: THE PHILOSOPHY BEHIND THIS NEW SYLLABUS IS QUITE DIFFERENT TO THAT OF PREVIOUS ONES. WITH THE ADVENT OF THE ELECTRONIC CALCULATOR IT IS POSSIBLE TO BRING STUDENTS INTO DIRECT CONTACT WITH THE REALITIES OF OUR MODERN CULTURE,

+SCHOOL MATHEMATICS NO LONGER APPEARS AS AN INTELLECTUAL GAME FOR THE INITIATED USING CONTRIVED QUESTIONS, BUT AS A POWERFUL TOOL TO BE USED. INDEED THE MATHEMATICAL FUNCTIONS ON CALCULATORS ARE NATURALLY DIRECTED TO MATHEMATICS THAT OCCURS IN INDUSTRY, TECHNOLOGY, SCIENCE, ENGINEERING, COMMERCE AND THE SOCIAL SCIENCES. EVEN THOUGH THE NEW FORM IV AND V SYLLABUS THEN IS ESSENTIALLY A USEFUL SYLLABUS EDUCATORS WILL STILL BE ABLE TO DEMONSTRATE ITS PEDAGOGICAL VIRTUES.+

NOTE TO EDITORS:

YOU ARE INVITED TO HAVE THE SEMINAR COVERED. IT WILL BE HELD FROM 9 A.M. TO 1 P.M. TOMORROW IN ROOM L-401, LIBRARY BUILDING, HONG KONG POLYTECHNIC.

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