Education for Mathematically Gifted

Students in Taiwan

Prof. Cheng-Der Fuh

National Central University, Taiwan

07.24.2012

Abstract

• Introduction

• System 1. Elite Programs

• System 2. Science Affairs

– National Primary and High School Science Fair

– Taiwan International Science Fair

• System 3. Mathematical Competitions– National IMO Selection Competition

Introduction• List of Gifted Classes in High Schools

Region School NameCentral Taiwan

National Taichung First Senior High School National Taichung Girl’s Senior High

School Taichung Shi Yuan Senior High School National Taichung Second Senior High

School Taichung Municipal Chungming Senior

High School Taichung Municipal Hui-Wen High School National Taichung Wen-Hua Senior High

School Changhua Senior High School National Changhua Girl’s Senior High

SchoolSouthern Taiwan

National Chia-Yi Girl’s Senior High School National Chia-Yi Senior High School National Tainan First Senior High School National Tainan Girl’s Senior High School Kaohsiung Municipal Kaohsiung Senior

High School Kaohsiung Municipal Kaohsiung Girl’s

Senior High School The Affiliated Senior High School of

National Kaohsiung Normal University National Feng-Shan Senior High School National Pingtung Senior High School National Pingtung Girl’s Senior High School

Region School NameTaipei City Taipei Municipal Zhongshan Girls

High School The First Girl Highs School Taipei Jingmei Girls High School Taipei Municipal Jianguo High School The Affiliated Senior High School of

National Taiwan Normal University National Yang Ming Senior High

School Taipei Municipal Yongchun Senior

High School Taipei Municipal Nei-Hu High School Wego Private Senior High School

Northern Taiwan

Pan-Chiao Senior High School National Wu-Ling Senior High School National Experimental High School at

Hsinchu Science Park National Hsinchu Senior High School National Hsinchu Girl’s Senior High

SchoolEastern Taiwan

National Yilan Senior High School National Hualien High School National Hualien Girl’s High School

Introduction

Outside of the gifted classes in high schools, three major

education systems for Taiwanese talented children are:

1.Elite Programs

2.Science Affairs

3.Mathematical Competitions

1. Elite Programs

Program for high school gifted students

• Jointly hosted by the Ministry of Education and the National Science

Council.

• Five sub-programs: Physics, Mathematics, Chemistry, Biology and Earth

Science.

• In each sub-program, ten domestic scholars are invited to be the advisor

of these students.

1. Elite Programs

Other Elite Programs• Foundation of United Microelectronic Corporation• National University of Kaohsiung• Department of Applied Mathematics, National Sun Yat-sen University• Department of Applied Mathematics, National Hsinchu University of

Education

Students in these programs usually further participate in science fairs and / or mathematical competitions to further pursue their talents in Mathematics, which we would introduce in the following.

2. Science Fairs

There are two major science fairs in Taiwan:• National Primary and High School Science Fair

• Taiwan International Science Fair

2. Science Fairs

National Primary and High School Science Fair

• Founded in 1960

• Hosted by the National Taiwan Science Education Center

• Over 200,000 students and teachers participate the contests annually,

with over 20,000 projects are presented each year, leaving a

widespread and significant impact.

2. Science Fairs

Age Subject

Elementary School PhysicsChemistryBiologyMathematicsEarth ScienceApplied Science

Junior High School

Senior High School

High School of Commerce MechanismElectronics and Information ScienceChemical and Environmental EngineeringCivil EngineeringAgriculture and Biotechnology

2. Science Fairs

National Primary and High School Science Fair

• In 1982, the International Science and Engineering Affair (ISEF) of USA

begin to invite Taiwanese student to the fair.

• At the beginning, 2 students are selected from the National Primary and

High School Science Fair to participate ISEF.

• In 1989, due to the outstanding performance of Taiwanese students,

the ISEF raises the number of students to 6, selecting two students

each from each of the northern, central and southern Taiwan.

2. Science Fairs

National Primary and High School Science Fair

• From that on, more and more international science fairs invite

Taiwanese student to participate, with the number of invitations

increasing rapidly that eventually exceeds the scope of the original

National Primary and High School Science Fair.

2. Science Fairs

Taiwan International Science Fair

• Founded in 1991, and renamed in 2002.

• Select students to participate international science fairs including:– Intel International Science and Engineering Fair (Intel ISEF)– Expo Sciences International (ESI) in Slovakia– Canada-Wide Science Fair (CWSF)– Hong Kong Joint School Science Exhibition (HKJSSE)– Singapore Science and Engineering Fair

2. Science Fairs

Taiwan International Science Fair

The Taiwanese contestant performs extremely well in these fairs.

• Between1982 and 2010, a total of 160 projects of Taiwanese students

have been selected to compete at ISEF.

• They have won: 1 Intel Young Scientists award, 9 Best of Category

Awards, 92 Grand Awards and 106 Special Awards.

• The ratio of Taiwanese students to win a Grand Award is about 64%

(102/160), which outperforms the ratio of all participants, which is

around 30%.

2. Science Fairs

Recently, two other science affairs arise that exist simultaneously with the existing two major affairs:

•The Macronix Science Award•Shing-Tung Yau High School Mathematics Award

3. Mathematical Competitions

National IMO selection competition

• Suggested by Prof. Shiing-Shen Chern in Nov. 1990.

• In Dec. 1990, the authority approved the suggestion, assigning Prof.

Fon-Che Liu for IMO and also Prof. Jau-D Chen for APMO.

• Taiwan begins to participate in APMO since 1991, and in IMO since

1992.

• Prof. Chen is in charge of Taiwan IMO program from 1992 to 2002.

• Prof. Cheng-Der Fuh is in charge of Taiwan IMO program since 2003.

3. Mathematical Competitions

National IMO selection competition

• Suggested by Prof. Shiing-Shen Chern in Nov. 1990.

• In Dec. 1990, the authority approved the suggestion, assigning Prof.

Fon-Che Liu for IMO and also Prof. Jau-D Chen for APMO.

• Taiwan begins to participate in APMO since 1991, and in IMO since

1992.

• Prof. Chen is in charge of Taiwan IMO program from 1992 to 2002.

• Prof. Cheng-Der Fuh is in charge of Taiwan IMO program since 2003.

=APMO Selection=

-數學奧林匹亞辦公室 -

GMC CampGMC Camp APMO CampAPMO Camp

APMOAPMODate ： 2012.2.3 ~ 5

N. Central Univ.

38 students continue

Date ： 2012.2.5~7

N. Central Univ.

75 students continue Date ：

2012.3.13(Tue)

N. Central /

Kaohsiung Univ.

29 students continue

※ 86 Students in Total ※91 Student in Total

Date ：2012.2.11(Sat.)

N. Central / Kaohsiung Univ.

70 students continue

※ 231 Students in TotalAPMO Pre-examAPMO Pre-exam

※201 Students in Total

IMO Selection Camp

-數學奧林匹亞辦公室 -

1st Stage1st Stage 2nd Stage2nd Stage 3rd Stage3rd Stage

Date ： 2012.3.23~27

29 Students

16 Students

Date ： 2012.4.6~10

16 Students

11 Students

Date ：2012.4.20~24

11 Students

6 IMO Member

and 2 Understudy

IMO Training Camp

IMO

1st Camp5/4~5/8

3rd Camp6/1~6/10

2nd Camp5/18~5/22

4th Camp6/20~6/23

5th Camp6/29~7/2

-數學奧林匹亞辦公室 -

The 53rd IMO

• Date ： 2012/7/4 ~ 2012/7/15

• Place ： Mar del Plata, Argentina

-數學奧林匹亞辦公室 -

Historical Ranking of IMO

2001 2002 2003 2004 2005 2006 2007 2008 2009 2010 2011

Taiwan 9 7 16 6 7 10 9 9 11 19 8

Japan 13 16 9 8 8 7 7 11 2 7 12

Vietnam 10 5 4 4 4 13 3 12 15 11 31

South Korea 4 6 6 12 5 3 4 4 4 4 13

Russia 2 2 5 3 3 6 1 2 3 2 4

USA 2 3 3 2 2 2 5 3 6 3 2

China 1 1 2 1 1 1 2 1 1 1 1

3. Mathematical CompetitionsMany other mathematical competitions stand side-by-side with the national IMO selection competition in Taiwan, including: •Shing-Tung Yau High School Mathematics Award

•Math. Competition for Junior High School Students (Ministry of Education)

•National Math. Competition for High School Students (Ministry of Education)

•Inter. Math. Tournament of the Towns (Chiuchang Math. Edu. Foundation)

•Taiwan Regions Math. League (Chiu-Chiu Education Foundation)

•American Math. Competitions (Chiu-Chiu Education Foundation)

• Thank You for Your Attention