Maths Talent Quest

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Maths Talent Quest 2012
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What is the MTQ?

• The Maths Talent Quest (MTQ) is open to all
  primary and secondary students in Victoria and
  Tasmania.
• The MTQ aims to promote interest in mathematics
  and foster positive attitudes amongst students,
  teachers and parents. The focus is on the
  process of mathematical investigations.

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Why Include MTQ?

• For Victorian students, many of the Victorian
  Essential Learning Standards can be addressed
  including
• Communication
• Design, Creativity and Technology
• Information and Communications Technology (ICT)
• Thinking Processes
• For Tasmanian students the Essential Learnings
  can be addressed through
• Thinking
• Communication
• Social Responsibilities
• Personal Futures

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Why Include MTQ?

• Projects and investigations cater for student
  diversity. They not only provide gifted and
  talented students with the opportunity to show
  their ability and to follow interests, explore
  and research, they also allow students from
  diverse backgrounds, particularly those from
  different cultures and from rural centres, to
  show how mathematics relates to their lives.

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Scenes from Judging
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Maths Talent Quest

• Who can enter?
• How do we enter?
• Entry formats
• Awards
• Getting started
• Classroom management
• Judging Criteria

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Who Can Enter?

• All students from P-12
• Entries can be
• - Individual
• - groups up to 6
• - classes up to 30
• A maximum of 8 entries per year level

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How Do We Enter?

• Download the Information Booklet from the MAV
  website this is your Number 1 source for MTQ
  information
• Complete your school judging and select which
  entries you are submitting to the MTQ
• Register online on the MAV website
• Entries close Wednesday 18th July
• Visit www.mav.vic.edu.au/studact/mtq.htm
• for further details

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All entries must include a log, journal or
rough workings.
Entry Formats

• Investigation
• Creative writing
• Models
• Posters
• Technology-supported mathematics
• Games
• Film, video, audio tapes

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MTQ Dates
Registration opens Monday 16 April 2012
Registration closes Wednesday 18 July 2012
Delivery of entries Latrobe Monday 6th August to Tuesday 7th August 2012
Judging Wednesday 8 August to Tuesday 14 August 2012
Display of entries Wednesday 15 August 2012 (Morning)
Entry Pick Up Wednesday 15 August 2012 (Afternoon) and Thursday 16th August 2012
Award Ceremony Thursday 25th October 2012
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Investigations (1)

• Must include
• An abstract
• Mathematical aims
• Observations and results
• Discussion on relevance of results
• Conclusion
• Log, journal or rough workings

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Investigations (2)

• Real world maths or mathematical situations
• Sequential steps
• Formulate own questions
• Apply prior knowledge and strategies
• Explore systematically
• Use mathematical processes
• Justify the results
• Summarize the findings

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Creative Writing

• Essays/stories
• Collection of poems or letters
• Script for a play
• Must have a cover sheet showing
  - mathematical aims,
• - key mathematical ideas,
• - an evaluation
• Log, journal or rough workings
• must be included

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Models

• Must reinforce a mathematical principle
• Be appropriately documented
• No larger than 70cmx70cmx70cm
• and 10kg
• Log, journal or rough workings must be
• included

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Posters

• Sequential presentation of the maths involved
• Be appropriately documented
• No larger than A1 and fit a Postpak cylinder
• Log, journal or rough workings must be
• included

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Technology Supported Mathematics

• Must highlight aspects of mathematics
• Be appropriately documented including a hard copy
  of your project
• Log, journal or rough workings must be
• included
• Windows or Macintosh on CD ROM

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Games

• Show development of mathematical ideas from
  developer and players perspectives
• Appropriately documented an evaluation of a
  trial.
• Original and creative
• Log, journal or rough workings must be
• included

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Film, Video, Audio Tapes

• Must illustrate producers development of
  mathematical ideas
• Appropriate documentation
• Script indexed commentary
• No longer than 15 minutes
• Log, journal or rough workings must be
• included

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Awards

• Certificate of Participation for all
• Encouragement Certificate
• Credit - Certificate
• Distinction and High Distinction Certificates
  and Book Vouchers
• Outstanding investigations are selected to
  represent Victoria in National MTQ
• Distinction, High Distinction and National
  Awards Presentation Ceremony- La Trobe
  University, Bundoora

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To Get Started

• Start working with classes early
• Give students ideas and inspiration
• Brainstorm with students - what are their
  personal interests? - sports? -
  hobbies? - controversial questions?
• Excursions/Camps
• Local business or Community interests
• National or Global issues or interests

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Classroom Management

• Groups or whole of class
• MTQ vs classwork
• MTQ vs set project
• One lesson per week or whole of week
• Rewards - less formal homework
• more time - more assistance

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(Please refer to Judging Criteria sheet)
State Judging Criteria

• The Judging Criteria can be downloaded from the
  MAV website at http//www.mav.vic.edu.au/studact/m
  tq.htm
• The Judging Criteria sheet has 4 Criteria with a
  total of 11 categories.
• Each category is scored as High, Medium, Low or
  Not Evident.
• Each category receives a corresponding score of
  4, 3, 2, or 0.
• The highest possible score is 44.

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(Please refer to Judging Criteria sheet)
State Judging Criteria

• Communication
• 4 categories
• 2. Understanding
• 4 categories
• Ideas Resources
• 2 categories
• 4. Presentation
• 1 category

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Why Include MTQ?

• Interest
• Explore
• Create
• Question
• Communicate
• Think
• Solve problems
• Collaborate
• Time management
• Design
• Success
• Rewards
• Real Life/Meaningful

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Notes from National Judges

• Mathematics, not presentation or multimedia
• expertise, forms the basis of judging
• decisions.
• Topics must be age appropriate
• Demonstrate mathematical knowledge
• Have evidence of how student/group/class
• has investigated topic
• Integrated piece of work
• Context in which project developed
• Student ownership
• Acknowledgement of support

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Judging runs from 8th to 14th August at the
State Judging Centre La Trobe University,
Bundoora
Judging Requirements

• It is compulsory for each metropolitan school to
  provide a minimum of two hours judging
• Where schools have more than five entries, an
  extra two hours of judging must be provided for
  every five extra entries or part thereof
• Regional schools are encouraged to participate in
  judging
• Judges who are independent of schools are also
  encouraged to participate in judging

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For Further Information

• Download the General Information Booklet, the
  Student Information and the Judging Rubric from
  the MAV, MTQ website at www.mav.vic.edu.au/studact
  /mtq.htm
• Refer to the Questions and Answer section on MAV,
  MTQ website www.mav.vic.edu.au/studact/mtq.htm
• Speak to the MTQ coordinators at
  office_at_mav.vic.edu.au or phone [phone]
• Contact MTQ coordinators regarding MTQ
  Teacher/School PDs