26 DEC 2008

Have Sum Fun On Line in 2009

Yes, check out this great national competition on the website at www.havesumfunonline.com and enrol your teams for any one or more of each year level from Years 5-7 in each school term, and for any one or more of Years 8-10 in each semester. In 2007, about 1500 teams from all over Australia took part in this competition, and in 2008 the number grew to more than 2000.

HSFOL is an Internet-based cooperative problem-solving competition consisting of three rounds of 10 problems spread over three weeks, with an hour allowed for each round.

Congratulations to all the following winning teams in 2008, to all the other place-getters, and to every team that had a go.

Year 5: Birmingham Primary – Team five; St Stephens School – SSSFive; Busselton Primary School – Busseltonfives
Year 6: Birmingham – Team six; Perth College – Cubed AJS; Carey Baptist College – Thrash Penguins
Year 7: All Saints College – ASC1; Our Ladys Assumption – Euler; All Saints College – Team Xtreme; Christ Church – Alpha
Year 8: Cheltenham Girls High – Pink, Proud & Public; St Mary's Anglican Girls' School – St Mary's1
Year 9: Rossmoyne SHS – Bear9; All Saints' College – ASC9
Year 10: Rossmoyne SHS – Bear10; Willetton SHS – Poke-a-ha

Both teachers and students are very enthusiastic about HSFOL, and here are some of their many feedback comments.

Feedback from Students
  • Great opportunity to build problem solving knowledge
  • It is challenging and makes you think
  • Learn about other people’s style of solving problems
  • It’s fun working as a team
  • Not a lot of opportunity for team work in school
  • Different people are stronger in different parts of maths
  • Working on line is fast and simple
  • Good to have instant feedback
  • Good to compete against other teams and schools
  • We can have follow-up work on problem solving
  • HSFOL is something to look forward to.

Feedback from Teachers
  • Lifts the profile of mathematics in the school
  • Develops enthusiasm for mathematics
  • The items are comprehensive so often indicate neglected topics
  • Students are exposed to a variety of styles of problems
  • Develops strategies for working in groups
  • Students like working collaboratively
  • Students learn much from each other
  • Teachers can observe students working mathematically
  • Follow-up using the same problems in mainstream classes.

So, HSFOL with your students in 2009!

Dr Jack Bana, MAWA Student Activities Coordinator