A Vietnamese mathematician in the US said that the shortcoming in teaching Math in Vietnam is the lack of connection between theory and practice, making the public skeptical about the benefits of studying Math.
Professor Nguyen Trong Toan, 42 years old, from Dak Lak, is a former student of the University of Natural Sciences, Ho Chi Minh City National University, master's degree from the University of Texas, doctorate from Indiana University, USA. He taught at Brown University and is currently teaching at Pennsylvania State University.
In 2018, he received the Centennial Fellowship from the American Mathematical Society, and was later awarded the T. Brooke Benjamin Prize by the Society for Industrial and Applied Mathematics (SIAM), which is awarded every two years for research on nonlinear waves. In 2022, he was appointed full professor at Pennsylvania State University.
Returning to Vietnam to attend the 10th National Mathematics Conference in early August, Professor of Mathematics shared his views on the current way of teaching and learning Mathematics.
Professor Nguyen Trong Toan. Photo: Provided by the character
- Returning to the country this time, what do you feel about the Math atmosphere in the country?
- Attending the conference with the participation of nearly 1,000 mathematicians, I was very happy to see the development of mathematics learning in the country, the efforts of colleagues in affirming the position of Vietnamese mathematics in the world. In particular, the solidarity in the mathematics community regardless of region, at home and abroad, was clearly seen at the recent Congress.
- In teaching Math in high school, many people think that Vietnamese students are good at difficult math, learning like a gamecock without being able to apply it. What do you think about this?
- Coming from a family of coffee farmers, and never having attended any specialized school or gifted student training class, I always appreciate the efforts of families and schools in teaching.
People may think that Vietnamese students only do math like a chicken, without clear application because most high schools focus on teaching students to solve difficult problems and do math quickly. However, thanks to that teaching method, we always have high rankings in regional and international math competitions every year. Who says this is not an achievement?
Every time I hear about your outstanding achievements that bring glory to Vietnam, I feel very proud. But why can't we go further than just competitions?
In my opinion, there will be corresponding goals for each development orientation. I think what students lack is thinking. They only focus on solving math problems according to the methods they have been taught, without ever thinking that they are their own best teachers. Light up your own enthusiasm and desire to learn, and we are just the torchbearers.
- Minister Nguyen Kim Son said that teaching Math must make students love and realize the need to learn this subject. In your opinion, at the high school level, is there anything that needs to be improved? How should we teach and learn Math effectively?
- I think the shortcoming in teaching and learning Math in Vietnam is the failure to connect theory and school exercises with reality. This leads to skepticism about learning Math. Students have not found a connection with reality, so their self-discovery thinking has not been stimulated.
In the US, students from elementary school are exposed to real-world problems, such as electricity and water use, oil and gas, economics, and engineering. These problems are not meant to puzzle students but to help them understand how life works, thereby developing their cognition and thinking early.
The program is also very comfortable, creating conditions for students who are passionate about Math. Students in grades 6 and 7 can also study the Advanced Math program with their older brothers and sisters in grades 9 and 10. Students can think of similar problems and find different ways to solve them than the teacher. This is a way to help them develop their creative and non-accepting thinking.
Professor Nguyen Trong Toan received the T.Brooke Benjamin Prize of the International Society for Industrial and Applied Mathematics (SIAM) in 2022. Photo: Provided by the character
- So, according to you, what is the purpose of learning Math?
- If I say that learning Math contributes to the development of humanity, do you believe it?
In my opinion, Mathematics is the thinking, the vision, the foundation of all fields in the past, present, and obviously the future. Because only Mathematics is not bound by rules and external influences, we are free to explore, connect other fields together by asking questions to satisfy all human curiosities. It is this freedom that has helped us discover surprising new theories in Physics, Chemistry, Biology, Economics, Computer Science and other sciences. This is why Mathematics needs to be respected.
Just like when building a house, the taller the house, the more solid and sturdy the foundation must be. Do you want to build a level 4 house, a villa, a building, a city, a country or a whole generation? You want to finish school, go to work, earn money, want to see quick changes just like building a level 4 house, short-term results in front of you.
What we want to do is to change the times, change the future, and introduce new thinking and research directions. What previous generations of teachers have not been able to do, we will continue. What we left unfinished, students and future generations will complete. Big goals take a long time. Although we cannot see immediate achievements, I believe that human perception will gradually change in the future. To make a mark, we must have a solid foundation in Mathematics.
Mathematics is not only a language but also a science. The genius scientist Albert Einstein once said that progress in Mathematics is the premise for new achievements in natural sciences. In fact, all physical phenomena are explained through partial differential equations - one of my main research directions. Closer to us are practical mathematical problems such as data analysis, which require the connection between analysis, geometry and statistical probability... I believe that future technological revolutions will continue to depend on the development of Mathematics.
- In the US, what jobs do people who study Math usually do, and how does their income compare to other professions?
- In the US, a Bachelor of Mathematics can continue on the research path, become a university professor or work for companies like Wall Street, Facebook, Google, data science research companies, oil and gas...
Math is thinking, it is vision. If you think well, your vision is not limited, you can do anything you want. In my world, Math is the bridge connecting the world.
Of course, professors' salaries are not high, only 1/4 of those working in industrial companies, but in return we are paid and welcomed all over the world, have flexible working hours, many vacations and are respected by everyone.
What to do and what to do, actually depends on how you seize the opportunities that life brings.
Thanh Hang
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