Teaching methods 'should make math attractive to students'

Dr Ali Abdul Aziz Al Sharhan, Minister of Education and Youth, has emphasised the need to simplify mathematics teaching methods to prevent alienating students.

Addressing the First Mathematics Education Conference at the American University of Sharjah yesterday, Al Sharhan said that mathematics was often viewed as a difficult subject so it should be taught in such a way that pupils are attracted to it rather than revulsed. The conference is being held by the Dubai Men's College and American University of Sharjah.

In a speech read on his behalf by Dr Sulaiman Musa Al Jasim, Director of the Human Resource Development at the Higher Colleges of Technology, Sheikh Nahyan bin Mubarak Al Nahyan, Minister of Higher Education and Scientific Research, said, "The learning of mathematics should be an interesting experience, and teachers should make the subject easy and enjoyable."

The conference was designed to bring together mathematics instructors from all over the UAE who teach at all levels. It was attended by 40 supervisors and around 800 teachers from schools, the Higher Colleges of Technology, American University of Sharjah and Zayed University.

Norman Gray, Director of Dubai Men's College, said the conference allowed them to hear experienced international professionals speak on new techniques in teaching and new technology available for teaching math.

"The objective was that students understand and enjoy mathematics because rote memorisation does not work when applying scientific principles to problem solving situations," he said.

Dr Roderick French, Chancellor of the American University of Sharjah, said that mathematics was a key to intellectual and practical life because he believed that other subjects and occupational skills were increasingly mathematics-based.

He said: "The student who comes to the university deficient in mathematics lacks the keys to open the door to many chambers of the intellectual universe. The student who graduates from university deficient in mathematics is not only at a competitive disadvantage in the world of work, but he or she will be incapable of understanding much of what is happening in modern life.

"Our aim is to enable our graduates to comprehend and shape the world they will be entering and not to be its victims. A solid grounding in mathematics is a necessary element of the assets of the educated person for coping with the challenges of modern life."