Math, Camera, Action! MATHCOUNTS Foundation announces third annual Math Video Challenge

SAN DIEGO - Jan. 7, 2014 - PRLog -- For many teachers, keeping students enthusiastic about math is a continual challenge.  Yet more than ever, today’s technology-driven environment demands math skills.  The MATHCOUNTS Foundation, creator of the nation’s most prestigious math competition, addresses this problem head-on with the nationwide Math Video Challenge at http://videochallenge.mathcounts.org.

It’s an innovative program geared toward middle school students, in which they script, film, and edit a short video focused on applying math to a real life situation.  The contest is free, and encourages students to leverage technology, cooperation, and leadership skills.  “This was more of a challenge in teamwork and technology as well as creativity than it was to solve the mathematics problems. That is why the contest went over so well with my students! They loved it,” said a team advisor from last year’s Math Video Challenge.

“We’re extremely proud of the fun, creative ideas we’ve seen from these students, who come from all backgrounds and levels of ability,” said MATHCOUNTS executive director, Lou DiGioia. “I hear from teachers that this was the most fun their class had all year, and that the contest really helped kids to open up and participate in math like never before.”

An independent study conducted by an educational research organization found that the contest “increased student learning in math and in a wide range of 21st century skills such as critical thinking, communication, and collaboration.” Teachers reported increases in excitement and engagement with math, and said that the Math Video Challenge is even a great way to connect with students who normally do not take an interest in math.

How does the contest work?

Teams of four students (along with an advisor, who can be a teacher, parent, or other volunteer) choose a problem from the MATHCOUNTS School Handbook as a starting point for their videos. Educators will be happy to learn that each problem is connected with an approved common core standard. Then it’s up to the students to find a creative way to express the problem in a real world situation. Once team members have written their script and starred in their own math movie, they upload it to the site and compete for votes with students from all over the country.  They can share their video on Facebook, Twitter, and other social media, and encourage their friends and family to vote for their video.

Last year’s winners (http://videochallenge.mathcounts.org/videos/wheres-waldorf) showed off their video production skills as well as their comedic talents in their video titled “Where’s Waldorf?”

What can students win?

Four finalist videos are selected by a judges panel. All 4 team members and the team advisor for each finalist team receive an all-expenses-paid trip to attend the 2014 MATHCOUNTS National Competition in Orlando, where they will present their videos to the 224 students competing in the MATHCOUNTS Competition Series. These national competitors will then vote and determine one winning team to receive college scholarships. Also, each Friday during the voting period MATHCOUNTS randomly selects one of the videos in the contest as a weekly prize drawing winner. Each of the four students on that team will receive a $25 Amazon gift card.

Many students struggle with math, but often what they’re really missing is excitement and motivation. The Math Video Challenge was designed with this in mind – it’s a unique tool for teachers or parents to get their kids participating and connecting with math. The Math Video Challenge “brought creativity and real-life problems to the classroom,” says one advisor.  Another says the competition ”brought math to life” for their students.

Each team needs an advisor, so register (http://videochallenge.mathcounts.org/advisor/register) today and put math into “action!”

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About MATHCOUNTS Foundation

The MATHCOUNTS Foundation is a 501(c)(3) non-profit organization that strives to engage middle school students of all ability and interest levels in fun, challenging math programs, in order to expand their academic and professional opportunities. Middle school students exist at a critical juncture in which their love for mathematics must be nurtured, or their fear of mathematics must be overcome. MATHCOUNTS provides students with the kinds of experiences that foster growth and transcend fear to lay a foundation for future success.

For more than 30 years MATHCOUNTS has provided enriching, extracurricular opportunities to students and free, high-quality resources to educators. Every child is unique, but MATHCOUNTS believes all children are capable of seeing the beauty and joy of math, whether they are already passionate about math, or intimidated by it.

There are many paths to math. MATHCOUNTS works to ensure that all students discover theirs.