SPM Mathematics Online Quiz Competition
Sarawak state-level Inter-School SPM Mathematics Online Quiz Competition is jointly organized by ACCA Malaysia and Methodist Pilley Institute Sibu, the objective is to help SPM students to better prepare for SPM Examination in the subject of Mathematics. The quiz competition was participated by 60 schools, with 1700 out of 2800 students successfully have completed in answering all the quiz questions. The results of Mathematics Online Quiz competition as follows:
▲ School level 学校组
▲ Individual level 个人组 – Top three winners 前三名
▲ Individual level – 20 excellence awards 20名优胜奖(排名不分先后)
▲ Best scorers of every school 各校最佳奖(排名不分先后)
Mr Hii King Kai, Principal / CEO of Methodist Pilley Institute emphasized the importance of Mathematics, “Thousands of years ago, pyramids were built with the help of mathematics. Galileo, one of the brightest minds in our human history, said that “the laws of nature are written by the hand of God in the language of mathematics. You can see mathematics in the nature, like the Fibonacci sequence, or the golden ratio or 1.628 in plants, in seashells, in eggs, in architecture, in painting. 50 years ago, without Mathematics, Apollo 11 would not have landed on the moon. Today, basically all our computers, handphones, the internet, run on mathematical logics. Scanners in the shopping mall, QR code for MySejahtera, AirAsia planes, our cars, etc. etc. all require mathematics. And, Mathematics is needed for almost every single profession in the world, from engineers, to doctors, accountants, even if you do bakery or pastry, you need mathematics. It is not too outrageous for me to say that Mathematics make the world go around.”
Principal Mr Hii explained that other subjects in SPM are training you what to think, it’s Mathematics that trains you HOW to think. Many studies had confirmed that learning mathematics will make a person smarter and be more productive in his/her work as they are better at solving problems. Mathematics is one of the best ways to strengthen the brain. He quoted from one of the world’s most brilliant minds, Galileo from and ancient Italy who said: ‘If I were again beginning my studies, I would follow the advice of Plato and start with mathematics.”
The event was graced by the presence of Dr Les Met, Timbalan Pengarah (Sektor Pembelajaran) of Jabatan Pendidikan Negeri Sarawak for the announcement of Mathematics Online Quiz Competition. The following is the speech by Dr Les Met:
Let me share with you a little bit of information on the Covid-19 situation, and maybe how to help our students with their exams. You see the Covid-19 pandemic is having a global impact, affecting the lives of many people. We all need to navigate through this unprecedented period of which we have little or very limited time to prepare ourselves to face this crisis – Covid-19 pandemic. Nevertheless, we should not let this situation disorientate us, this pandemic has also given us the opportunity to change our behavior, thinking style, life style, among which learning and working from home taking a new dimension in our life. So I would like to share a little bit with our students on the tips on how students can focus on studies during the pandemic.
It is important to keep in mind your vision, to have a clear vision in your life, you should put studying and learning as a priority in realizing your vision. Otherwise, it will be very difficult for you. Always remember the benefits that you will derive from acquiring knowledge that will contribute positively in securing a better future on enabling you to excel in your career. In order to prepare for SPM, for our beloved students who are with us this morning, students must be able to plan their time effectively as learning to manage time effectively is very important, it is a skill that every student should master. In your everyday time for study, for example, you can create a study guide by topics, and prioritize with part is more important for your exam.
Secondly, you must be able to create a conducive environment, your study environment will impact your learning period. Now your study place should be tidy, quiet, away from distraction. If you want to succeed in your study, it is crucial to discipline yourself at work, even at home. Another thing which I want to share with our students is to utilize the learning materials and also the internet as much as possible. If you have internet, it is very good, if you have internet connectivity, you can access the information that can enhance your learning. Online learning can help you to prepare for your assignment and your exam. If you do not have internet, stay calm, don’t grumble, then make full use of the learning materials that you have. You still can rely on the textbook, class notes and past year papers that your teachers have given to you. So now you must be your own teachers. Be your own teacher and student at the same time. Read your note and try to understand what the concept is about; this is very important for our students.
And other point is to form a study group and keep a study diary where you can jot down important words, examples that can be used further. You can also make group work on your mobile; friends’ assistance will help. Remember to also do some sort of mind mapping. Another key idea of study is through the concept of map or what we call mind mapping – visualize, structure, prioritize, these will facilitate with a free flow of ideas, help you with your teamwork, structure information visually, and assimilate better. Last but not least, my advice to our students, candidates of SPM, remember to look after yourself, it is very important.
It is essential that you include some time break which will help you to evaluate the stress, it is very stressful studying at home, learning and working from home is very stressful, so you have to be able to release your stress. So do some exercises daily and have your hobbies because those activities are very beneficial for your mental state. It is vital for you to have a good diet, eat properly, drink plenty of water to keep yourself hydrated. As your brain, just like vehicles, need fuel to stay in top form. According to cognitive science, a good amount of sleep will help you study better, this is very important for our students facing this pandemic. I am sure if you set a target every day to tackle a particular subject, to prioritize your revision, these will avoid unnecessary stress at exam time. Focus on your effort, embrace the changes we are facing a new norm.
Always believe in yourself and you can achieve your vision and goal. In every success story lies the key factors that are determination, willpower, and hard work. I believe all our SPM candidates are working very hard. Jabatan Pendidikan Negeri Sarawak (JPNS) is working hard to prepare some modules for our students for their revision. So hopefully by the end of the second week of December, we will be able to distribute the modules to the students throughout Sarawak, for the SPM candidates to be able to use these modules. Together we will be able to combat this pandemic, hope that we work together to overcome the pandemic, we must trust our journey, stay safe.
Lastly congratulate all the winners. I was informed that we have a number of schools and students taking part. I also like to congratulate all the students who have participated in the event. Thanks to all the teachers involved, thanks to PPD, MPI for making this event possible. Without MPI, it is very difficult to have this kind of events. Thank you very much for the concerted effort to put a priority on education, to assist our students to prepare for the SPM. Hopefully to have the same kind of event next year.
Interview with First Prize Winner Kelly Wang Sze Qing
Kelly Wang felt so proud to bring honour to her school – SMK Jalan Arang, Kuching, “Throughout my school career, making a name for my school was among my top priorities, besides receiving a quality education. I understand that in whatever academic endeavours I embark on, the name of my school follows closely behind, and I have the responsibility to uphold that name. Secondly, I aim to be a leading example for other students from my school that nothing is impossible to achieve with dedication, passion and nonetheless hard work.”
Kelly Wang expressed that she enjoys doing Mathematics very much. She finds excitement in solving challenging questions, “the way the gears in my head turn to put pieces of the puzzle together, to come up with a solution to the problem presented to me. I like to think of Mathematics as a language, one that represents complex and abstract ideas understandable only to those that are well-versed in the intricacy of the language itself. Mathematics also brings meaning to many social constructs such as economics as well as forms the very foundations of the sciences.”
Kelly Wang attributed her success in Online Mathematics Quiz Competition to practice. As with anything else, Mathematics requires practice to bring about improvement. With practice, she finds herself conditioned to solve similar problems without much difficulty. On the other hand, she tries her best to reduce reliance on the calculator whilst doing practice questions, finding efficiency in using mental arithmetic instead.
Kelly Wang was grateful to her teachers at SMK Jalan Arang for igniting her passion and interest in the subject. She also thanked to her parents on instilling the importance of discipline in everything she does and teaching her that the purpose of education is ultimately to become a well-rounded person equipped with the knowledge to find footing in this increasingly complex world.
“I enjoy the science and I’d like to pursue a career in them. Hopefully, by studying these subjects at the pre-university level, I would be able to narrow down the areas of the sciences that I find the most interest in. Most importantly, I’d like my career to be one that I can find something new to love about every day, one that would feel less of a chore but a hobby. It will also bring me great satisfaction if my career closely gives back to the community that raised me and improves the lives of those from my hometown. Most importantly, I would like to break prejudices against women in STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics) and represent women in this currently male-saturated field,” shared by Kelly Wang on her ambition.
砂州校际SPM线上数学常识比赛
砂州校际SPM线上数学常识比赛由英国特许公认会计师公会(ACCA)马来西亚分部和诗巫卫理毕理学院联合举办，目的是帮助SPM中五的学生更好地准备数学科（Mathematics）的SPM考试。 共有60所学校参加了这项线上比赛，在2800名参赛的学生中有1700名成功完成了所有测验考题。成绩如下：
▲ School level 学校组
▲ Individual level 个人组 – Top three winners 前三名
▲ Individual level – 20 excellence awards 20名优胜奖(排名不分先后)
▲ Best scorers of every school 各校最佳奖(排名不分先后)
卫理毕理学院院长许钧凯先生在致辞
众所周知，数学很重要。 几千年前，金字塔是在数学的应用下建成的。 伽利略是人类历史上最聪明的人之一，他说：“自然法则是上帝用数学语言编写的。 您可以看到自然界中的数学，例如斐波那契数列，或者植物，贝壳，鸡蛋，建筑，绘画中。 50年前，没有数学，阿波罗11号就不会降落在月球上。 今天，基本上我们所有的计算机，手机，互联网的操作都基于数学逻辑运行。 购物中心的扫描仪，MySejahtera的QR码，亚航飞机，我们的汽车等都需要应用到数学。 而且，从工程师、医生、会计师，全世界几乎每个职业都需要数学，即使您做面包店或糕点，也需要数学。 如果说数学让世界运转起来，这说法并不无道理。
在SPM中的科目中，数学是最能训练您如何思考的一个科目。许多研究已经证实，学习数学将使一个人变得更聪明，并且在他们的工作中更有生产力，因为他们更擅长解决问题。 数学是强化大脑的最好方法之一。 古代意大利的伽利略（Galileo），也是世界上最杰出的思想家之一说过：“如果我再次开始学习，我会遵循柏拉图的建议，先从数学开始。”
在SPM校际线上会计基础常识比赛在线闭幕式上，砂拉越教育部（Jabatan Pendidikan Negeri Sarawak）的副总监（Timbalan Pengarah）（学术组Sektor Pembelajaran）的Les Met博士宣布比赛成绩。
砂拉越教育部（Jabatan Pendidikan Negeri Sarawak）的副总监（Timbalan Pengarah）（学术组Sektor Pembelajaran）的Les Met博士致辞：
感谢ACCA和卫理毕理学院主办SPM校际线上数学常识比赛。 我相信这项活动可以帮助学生为SPM考试做准备，特别是在这个困难时期。
让我与您分享一些可以帮助我们的学生应对即将来临的考试的方法。 新冠病毒正在影响全球，改变着许多人的生活。 我们所有人都需要度过这段前所未有的困难。 在这段时期我们缺乏充足的时间来准备如何应对这场危机。 尽管如此，我们不应该让这种状况阻拦我们，反之，它让我们有机会改变自己的行为，思维方式，生活方式，其中在家学习和工作成了新常态。 因此，我想与学生们分享一些有关在如何在这段时间专注自己的学业。
最重要的是要牢记自己的愿景，在生活中拥有清楚的愿景。 你应该把实现愿景做为学习的目的。 牢记知识给你带来的益处，知识将为你创造更好的未来，使您在职业生涯中表现出色并做出积极的贡献。 为了准备SPM考试，学生必须能够有效地善用自己的时间，因此学习有效地管理时间非常重要，这是每个学生都应该掌握的一项技能。 在你每天的学习时间里，你应该按照主题编排时间表，并优先复习对考试最重要的部分。
其次，你必须能够安排一个有利于学习的环境，你的学习环境会影响您的学习效率。 你的学习环境应该整洁，安静，远离干扰。如果你想在学习中取得成功，你比许能在工作地点或在家里自律。 尽可能多利用学习材料和互联网。 如果您有互联网设备，它可以增强你学习的效率。 在线学习可以帮助您准备作业和考试。 如果您没有互联网，请保持冷静，不要抱怨，应充分利用已有的学习材料。 你仍然可以靠老师给你的教科书，课堂笔记和历届考题。
最后，记住要照顾好自己。 空出一些休息的时间给自己舒解压力。 实际上，在家学习感到非常压力，因此你必须能够释放压力。 因此，每天做一些运动并从事一些爱好，因为这些活动对你的精神健康非常有益。 饮食要均衡，多喝水以保持身体有足够的水分。 根据认知科学的研究，充足的睡眠可以帮助你更好地的学习。 相信自己有能力实现自己的愿景和目标。 每个成功故事都包含一些关键因素，即决心、毅力和努力工作。
访问第一名 王诗清同学
王诗清非常自豪地为她的学校SMK Jalan Arang带来荣誉。 她认为，除了接受优质的教育外，在求学的生涯过程中，能为学校建立好声誉也是重要的责任之一。 她表示，任何的学术成就，学校的名声都紧随其后，她有责任维护学校的好名声。 其次，她也要成为学校其他学生的榜样 – 用付出，热忱和辛勤就可以获得意想不到的成就。
王诗清表示，她非常喜欢数学。在解答具有挑战性的数学题时，她会感到很兴奋，脑子里就像齿轮般转动起来，把数学题像拼图似的拼凑在一起，找出答案。 她喜欢将数学视为一种语言，它代表了复杂而抽象的概念，而只有那些精通这种语言复杂性的人才能理解。 数学还为人类社会的建设（如经济学）带来了贡献，并构成了科学的基础。
她表示她之所以可以在比赛中表现出色的原因是练习。数学需要不断的练习才能带来进步。 通过练习，就有能力轻松解决类似的数学题。 另一方面，她在练习数学题时会尽力减少对计算机的依赖，从而使用更有效的心算方法取代。
她感谢她的中学老师启发了她对数学科的热情和兴趣。 此外，也感谢她的父母向她灌输纪律的重要性，并教导她，教育的目的最终是要成为一个具备知识并全面发展的人，才能立足于现今越来越复杂多样的世界。
谈到她的志愿， 她分享她喜欢科学，想从事与科学有关的事业。最重要的是，希望在自己未来的工作领域中每天发现让她感兴趣的新事物，让工作不是琐碎的事而是一项爱好。她希望她的事业能够回馈养育她的家乡并改善社区居民的生活，那将给她带来极大的满足感。 最重要的是，她希望可以打破STEM（科学，技术，工程和数学）对女性的偏见，并能够代表女性参与这个目前以男性为主导的科学领域，和发挥所长。