Melbourne Uni Mathematics and Statistics Research Competition: An Opportunity for Collaboration and Skill Development

Last term, our Year 5 and 6 students were invited to develop their creativity and problem-solving skills by participating in Melbourne University Mathematics and Statistics Research Competition.

As part of our Academic Coaching program, students worked together each Tuesday afternoon to tackle an open-ended research question. They employed methods used by mathematical researchers to investigate their problem, and together they would gather data, simplify, visualise, hypothesise, conjecture, and prove.

The aim of the competition was to allow students, through mathematics, to use their creativity and problem-solving skills to make choices about how best to ask and answer questions about their chosen project. It was also a great way to develop their collaborative and social skills.

After 10 weeks of developing their project, students submitted a presentation to the university. Melbourne University recognised our students’ participation with each one receiving a certificate of recognition; and this week the College will also formally acknowledge the time and dedication of our participating students by hosting a morning tea.

These types of competitions help foster skills central for learning success and we will continue to seek out opportunities, like this one offered through the University of Melbourne. We want our learners to partake in a range extra-curricular activities so they can grow in their problem-solving skills, pose critical questions, develop their inferencing ability, pursue clarification, and work through challenges collaboratively and towards a common goal.

Primary Teaching and Learning Team