Scientists and engineers are the ones who move life forward in the world, while the rest of society is engaged in "keeping the existing one together". The reason why I think so is as follows: Today, all countries strive for economic growth. However, the prerequisite for this economic growth is the growth of production and therefore also consumption. Since the resources of our planet are limited, this cannot be sustainable! It is much more important to invent new ways to convert "free" energy (water / wind / sun) into a form more suitable for us or to find ways to consume less energy, ensuring the benefits of our welfare society. However, such inventions are carried out by scientists and engineers, not doctors, bankers or politicians. The basis of scientific work is knowledge / facts in their field and most importantly - the ability to think (to derive new facts / knowledge from existing ones, to have a good imagination, etc.). This brings us to mathematics. People who think that school mathematics teaches a person formulas that no one will need in real life are mistaken. In fact, mathematics teaches you to think! If we now compare a math problem and, for example, a game of checkers, we find several common characteristics. 1) Closed system - if in mathematics there are defined formulas, then in checkers there is a board and rules for moving the pieces 2) Creativity - in mathematics a person must be able to use the right formula in the right problem, in checkers one must derive combinations from the rules. 3) Goal - the goal of a math problem is to find a solution using formulas and creativity, in checkers the goal is to defeat the opponent, the tools are also rules and creativity. The advantage of a game of checkers here is the competitive element. If solving a math problem can provide satisfaction, then defeating an opponent at the checkers board offers something more. Science subjects are gradually losing popularity among schoolchildren. There are several reasons: 1) Welfare society - humanity is becoming increasingly lazy. Less and less effort is needed to live a comfortable life 2) Education policy - currently the final exam in mathematics is not mandatory (it is true, in a few years it will become mandatory again) 3) The ability to concentrate of young people - due to the widespread use of the Internet, the amount of information available to young people has grown exponentially over the past decade. However, this has had a negative impact on the ability to concentrate of young people. Since deep thinking requires good concentration, it has also had a negative impact on interest in science among young people. 4) Availability of entertainment - why bother with mathematical formulas when it is much cooler to shoot birds with pigs from a ragulka box on your smartphone during math class? In recent years, some Estonian schools have started to practice an approach where a gomoku / checkers board is taken out during some math classes during the semester and they try to make young people think. The best ones even get a five in their diary for good performance. I think this is a very good idea and such an approach should be more widely popularized. Mind games cannot replace real subjects in the lesson plan. However, mind games can help make real subjects (mathematics) more attractive and improve young people's ability to concentrate. Finally: The Estonian Mind Games Association plans to hold a mind games Olympiad in schools in four areas next academic year: Chess, checkers, gomoku and sudoku. More about this Olympiad in the following stories.
Thoughts on Mind Games, Part 4: Mind Games and Mathematics
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Wow, I didn't know that some schools use this approach. When I graduated, it probably wasn't done yet, at least not at my school. But a good idea anyway. At the same time, we were shown pranking in computer science/programming class and were allowed to do it, it's not bad at all for developing real thinking and concentration, and there's a competitive element to it. And the mental sports Olympiad seems like a really good idea, I probably would have even participated if something like this had been done when I was at school! ;)
Pranking is also a mental sport!
"Chess in Schools" is a program led by the Estonian Chess Federation. The goal is similar to the Estonian Mind Sports Association: to improve the logical thinking and concentration of schoolchildren. Personally, I think this project would be more successful if it were not limited to chess. The rules of chess are known to be more complicated and many people do not have the motivation to understand them. However, the game 5-in-a-row (Gomoku) has much simpler rules: put 5 pieces in a row on the board and you are the winner! However, this game can also be exciting and require deep thinking when you get into it. "Mind Sports in Schools" is one of the slogans of the Estonian Mind Sports Association, which we are working on. The online mental sports Olympiad for schools is the first major step on this path.
A very good idea to organize such an Olympiad! I'm sure that a certain percentage of participants will definitely develop a greater interest in mental sports by participating in the Olympiad, and vint.ee will gain more active users.
Vint.ee will definitely gain a lot of users, because you have to have an account here to take part in the Olympiad, the question is how many of them will remain active after the competitions... But more important than them becoming users is that they will start doing mental sports and develop their own thinking. In addition, maybe Estonia will have more players in the title competitions in the future :]