PTUK and Tulkarem Directorate of Education Hold Sixth Math Forum


Palestine Technical University – Kadoorie has organized the Sixth Palestinian Forum for Learning and Teaching Mathematics, in partnership with Tulkarem Directorate of Education, to open a wide horizon for those interested in the educational development and research in the field of mathematical sciences. The forum has targeted students, teachers, supervisors, academics and educational experts to explore scientific and procedural research studies and initiatives that could be generalized in the field of learning and teaching mathematics enhancing, consequently, the use of math in real life. The University President Representative in the Forum, Dr. Mutamid Al Khatib explained that PTUK pays special attention to science and technology, noting that the university’s organizing the forum falls within the framework of its responsibility to leverage the university development status, especially in education. He added on that the scientific and societal value of this forum is varied in different ways covering a wide range of society and tackling changes in the educational area, which include curriculum and modern evaluation strategies development that would foster the use of modern techniques in education and technology. The Director of Tulkarem Directorate of Education, Islam Al Taher pointed out that the forum tackles ways of developing the curriculum, raising the skills of productive thinking, developing the research quality, perusing the students’ initiatives and adopting new realistic evaluation mechanisms. She explained that the forum offers a space and a good opportunity to present and discuss studies, research and experiences in mathematics that would focus on improving the quality of teaching and learning as well as the exchanging of expertise with researchers, students and experts. Forum Scientific Sessions Research proposals were initiated in the first session by the head of the Curriculum Center Tharwat Zaid discussing “The Mathematics Curriculum Development” followed by several presentations on the skills of productive thinking included in the mathematics curriculum content. In the second one, the Director of the Educational Supervision and Rehabilitation Department Shahnaz Al-Far delivered a presentation on "Authentic Assessment" in addition to several initiatives were presented and discussed by school teachers aiming at developing the assessment procedures in learning and teaching mathematics. Recommendations A number of recommendations were conducted and aimed at: Including the skills of creative and critical thinking in the Math textbooks in accordance with the students’ growth characteristics, Setting up awareness programs for teachers to foster productive thinking, Initiating interactive school curricula, Conducting studies on the impact of using interactivity in the students’ skills acquisition, Developing the Math books for the third and fourth grades in the new Palestinian curriculum to cover the shortcomings.