Students take math outside the classroom
Niagara College hosts project that shows life is a numbers game
Math is much more than number crunching — it plays a key role in many industries, about 50 Grade 9 students were reminded on Wednesday at Niagara College’s Welland campus.
Bill Aida, a teacher at St. Catharines Collegiate, said it was a wonderful experience for the group he brought.
Students visited the college’s applied health institute and gained hands-on knowledge of how math is used in the pharmaceutical industry, and participated in workshops at the Rankin Technology Centre to calculate the relationship between a vehicle’s tire circumference and gas mileage.
“They actually get to see where math is going to be applicable,” said Aida, who said it’s effective for students to learn more about the subject outside their high school classroom.
“It’s really good to get them here at a young age so they can see what they’re working toward,” he added.
Even though his students still have a few more years until they make a decision when it comes to college or university, it gives them a head start on what they might consider in the future.
“It also opens their eyes to the different programs Niagara College has to offer,” said Aida.
“To me, that’s one of the best experiences for these kids.”
Jennifer Pirosko, co-ordinator of student success for Niagara Catholic District School Board, said one of the program’s goals is to provide experiential learning opportunities and rich, authentic experiences to use math and see how it can be applied to so many areas.
She also said it gives students a broad appreciation of how mathematics can be used in many fields, ones that students may pursue later in life.
“Regardless of where the student is headed, we think this is an overall great experience for them to be able to use their math skills and apply them,” she said.
Terry Potts, project officer for the annual initiative that has been taking place for five years, said the partnership between Niagara College and both school boards is a way to entice students to start thinking about a postsecondary education a few years ahead of time.
“Exposure with the younger grades is very important so they can see ahead — and that math is everywhere,” she said.
Students who attended were from St. Catharines Collegiate and Saint Michael Catholic High School.
The effort is part of the School College Work Initiative, helping create a seamless transition for students from secondary school to college.
A collaboration of the Council of Ontario Directors of Education and the Committee of College Presidents, it is jointly funded by the Ontario Ministry of Education and Ministry of Advanced Education and Skills Development.