This work deals with the Mathematical Olympiad competition, and it is divided into two sections. The first section focuses on the history, organizational structure and the results of pupils in each year, comparing them. Part of this section also discusses and summarizes the International Mathematical Olympiad, mainly the achievements of our competitors. In the second section of the work is my own research on teachers' knowledge of Mathematical Olympiad. The research was focused mainly on the base of the competition at schools, what teachers know about its structure and most importantly what they think about the whole competition, how teachers and their pupils evaluate it.

This thesis reports data gathered through case studies of ten of the students who took part in a survey of secondary school students who had been invited to camps at which the New Zealand teams were chosen for the International Mathematical Olympiad (IMO) in the first five years of this country�s participation in the IMO. The case studies data gave individuals� narratives that were captivating yet complex, unique yet universal, clear yet not easily described all of apiece. I read widely in response to the information they offered and found that reflection and a narrative style of presentation assisted the grasping of nuances and implications of the students� narratives. Few of the parents of the students were particularly competent in mathematics or able to account for their child�s curiosity, concentration and skills in pursuing a fascination with number. In most of the families, all members were encouraged to follow their own inclinations and interests, to respect the maintenance of a balance of cultural and physical activities, to regard books and play as normal life supports, and to believe that discovery, enchantment and pleasure were both goals and accomplishments of everyday life. Most of the students experienced less encouragement at school than they might have expected, and unpleasant experiences could be linked with a teacher�s apparent lack of appreciation of a student�s mathematical ability. Both the case studies and the initial survey suggested that most teachers, at any level of formal education, were doing all they were capable of doing in mathematics, and that the students responded to opportunities to self-select subjects and topics that interested them and to the help and company offered by mentors and peers who had flair and competence in appropriate subject areas. Few of the case studies students were motivated by strategies dependent on a high level of competition or a 'sorting' of that offered in formal education (through attitudes and practical organisation such as timetabling) into either Arts or Science subjects. Most were attracted to the study of languages and/or philosophy and some to that of computer science. Most showed interest and some prowess in individual cultural and physical activities requiring perseverance. Largely, they were motivated by finding fresh or novel ways of integrating diverse knowledge, and by associating with peers. They enjoyed and valued self-awareness, intellectual independence, chances to empathise with ideas and people, and tasks that were in harmony with the dictates of their own volition. Evidence of differences among the case studies students - even though they had all been identified as very able in mathematics - led me to Vadim Krutetskii�s theories of the components of mathematical ability and their functioning and thus to new views, first, of the interplay between aptitude and languages of perception, inner comprehension and outer expression and, second, of the relationships between giftedness and other attributes of human abilities and endeavours. These appreciations suggested that the models of education and support commonly exhibited in the case studies students� families and in the environments of their extra-school activities had been more encouraging of their gifts, talents and personal growth than those often exhibited in the schools they attended.

Recent reform efforts in science education focus on scientific literacy for all citizens. In order to be scientifically literate, an individual must have informed understandings of nature of science (NOS), scientific inquiry, and science content matter. This study specifically focused on Science Olympiad students’ understanding of NOS as one piece of scientific literacy. Research consistently shows that science students do not have informed understandings of NOS (Abd-El-Khalick, 2002; Bell, Blair, Crawford, and Lederman, 2002; Kilcrease and Lucy, 2002; Schwartz, Lederman, and Thompson, 2001). However, McGhee-Brown, Martin, Monsaas and Stombler (2003) found that Science Olympiad students had in-depth understandings of science concepts, principles, processes, and techniques. Science Olympiad teams compete nationally and are found in rural, urban, and suburban schools. In an effort to learn from students who are generally considered high achieving students and who enjoy science, as opposed to the typical science student, the purpose of this study was to investigate Science Olympiad students’ understandings of NOS and the experiences that formed their understandings. An interpretive, qualitative, case study method was used to address the research questions. The participants were purposefully and conveniently selected from the Science Olympiad team at a suburban high school. Data collection consisted of the Views of Nature of Science – High School Questionnaire (VNOS-HS) (Schwartz, Lederman, & Thompson, 2001), semi-structured individual interviews, and a focus group. The main findings of this study were similar to much of the previous research in that the participants had informed understandings of the tentative nature of science and the role of inferences in science, but they did not have informed understandings of the role of human imagination and creativity, the empirical nature of science, or theories and laws. High level science classes and participation in Science Olympiad did not translate into informed understandings of NOS. There were implications that labs with a set procedure and given data tables did not contribute to informed NOS understandings, while explicit instruction may have contributed to more informed understandings. Exploring these high achieving, Science Olympiad students’ understandings of NOS was a crucial step to understanding what experiences formed these students’ understandings so that teachers may better their practices and help more students succeed in becoming scientifically literate citizens.

This thesis reports data gathered through case studies of ten of the students who took part in a survey of secondary school students who had been invited to camps at which the New Zealand teams were chosen for the International Mathematical Olympiad (IMO) in the first five years of this country�s participation in the IMO. The case studies data gave individuals� narratives that were captivating yet complex, unique yet universal, clear yet not easily described all of apiece. I read widely in response to the information they offered and found that reflection and a narrative style of presentation assisted the grasping of nuances and implications of the students� narratives. Few of the parents of the students were particularly competent in mathematics or able to account for their child�s curiosity, concentration and skills in pursuing a fascination with number. In most of the families, all members were encouraged to follow their own inclinations and interests, to respect the maintenance of a balance of cultural and physical activities, to regard books and play as normal life supports, and to believe that discovery, enchantment and pleasure were both goals and accomplishments of everyday life. Most of the students experienced less encouragement at school than they might have expected, and unpleasant experiences could be linked with a teacher�s apparent lack of appreciation of a student�s mathematical ability. Both the case studies and the initial survey suggested that most teachers, at any level of formal education, were doing all they were capable of doing in mathematics, and that the students responded to opportunities to self-select subjects and topics that interested them and to the help and company offered by mentors and peers who had flair and competence in appropriate subject areas. Few of the case studies students were motivated by strategies dependent on a high level of competition or a 'sorting' of that offered in formal education (through attitudes and practical organisation such as timetabling) into either Arts or Science subjects. Most were attracted to the study of languages and/or philosophy and some to that of computer science. Most showed interest and some prowess in individual cultural and physical activities requiring perseverance. Largely, they were motivated by finding fresh or novel ways of integrating diverse knowledge, and by associating with peers. They enjoyed and valued self-awareness, intellectual independence, chances to empathise with ideas and people, and tasks that were in harmony with the dictates of their own volition. Evidence of differences among the case studies students - even though they had all been identified as very able in mathematics - led me to Vadim Krutetskii�s theories of the components of mathematical ability and their functioning and thus to new views, first, of the interplay between aptitude and languages of perception, inner comprehension and outer expression and, second, of the relationships between giftedness and other attributes of human abilities and endeavours. These appreciations suggested that the models of education and support commonly exhibited in the case studies students� families and in the environments of their extra-school activities had been more encouraging of their gifts, talents and personal growth than those often exhibited in the schools they attended.

The diploma thesis included of informations of a Mathematical Olympiad, equations and systems of equations. The theoretical part contains a historical development and its organization, next it contains informations about equations and their teaching as it is given in the National Curriculum. The practical part consists of a collection of exercises on the topic of equations and systems of equations, which were included in the competition Mathematical Olympiad. Examples in the collection are divided into categories vhich appeard, and ranked by difficulty. Further practical part includes evaluation works heets completed by students of Pedagogicial faculty, University of South Bohemia. This thesis may serve as preparation pupils on Mathematical Olympiad or as a collection of examples for talented pupils

Title: Analysis of the sporting achievements of young Czech athletes at the European Olympic Youth Festivals (EYOF) and Youth Olympic Games (YOG) following their participation and sports results at Olympics Objectives: The aim of this diploma thesis is to process an overview of the participation and sports results of young Czech athletes at the EYOF and YOG, followed by analysis and statistical evaluation how these athletes got on in competitions of the Olympic Games Methods: Because of the specific topic, structure of the whole thesis and used methods had to be customized to our needs. First two subsections of the analytical part are kind of descriptive-analytic research, therefore it is theoretical work. Other subsections contain statistical-analysis and explanation of the obtained data. This part of the work is based on a secondary analysis of data, and thus it is a research method of qualitative research. Results: In the first part of analytic section we processed on overview of the participation of young athletes and their sport results at the EYOF and YOG between the years 1991 and 2015. Based on this overview we searched for athletes who participated both, EYOG or YOG and Olympics. After that we processed this results as well. Analysis showed us, that the most successful are athletes in...

Made available in DSpace on 2016-04-27T16:57:02Z (GMT). No. of bitstreams: 1 Washington Jose Santos Alves.pdf: 486997 bytes, checksum: 14658baeb0393c12e97c34666a9ce829 (MD5) Previous issue date: 2010-10-29 / Secretaria da Educação do Estado de São Paulo / This dissertation aims to investigate Brazilian Mathematical Olympiad Public Schools - OBMEP, sponsored by the federal government since 2005. The OBMEP was inserted into the scenario of Brazilian education in order to promote stimulus to the study of mathematics by students and contribute to improving the quality of basic education schools of local, state and federal. To understand the analysis proposed by the organizing committee of the association, we made a qualitative study with students from 3rd grade of high school, a public school located in São Paulo, to analyze how the OBMEP can stimulate and promote the study of mathematics among public school students and what possible contributions that evaluation can play in improving the quality of basic education in the country. Data analysis revealed that there is student interest in acquiring new knowledge and they are not motivated to participate in OBMEP due to lack of information about the competition / Esta dissertação tem como objetivo investigar a Olimpíada Brasileira de Matemática das Escolas Públicas OBMEP, promovida pelo governo federal desde 2005. A OBMEP foi inserida no cenário da educação brasileira com a finalidade de promover estímulo ao estudo da Matemática pelos alunos e contribuir para a melhoria da qualidade da Educação Básica das escolas municipais, estaduais e federais. Para compreender as análises propostas pela comissão organizadora da associação, fizemos uma pesquisa qualitativa com alunos da 3ª série do Ensino Médio de uma escola da rede pública localizada na cidade de São Paulo para verificar como a OBMEP pode estimular e promover o estudo da Matemática entre alunos das escolas públicas e quais possíveis contribuições que a avaliação pode exercer na Educação Básica do país. A análise dos dados revelou que há interesse dos alunos em adquirir novos conhecimentos e que estes não estão motivados para participar da OBMEP devido à falta de informação em torno da competição

nÃo hà / Esta pesquisa aborda discussÃes sobre a aÃÃo educacional subjacente a Coluna OlimpÃada de MatemÃtica publicada, semanalmente, no Jornal O Povo, na cidade de Fortaleza, no interstÃcio entre 1987 e 1996, na nova fase polÃtica da sociedade brasileira, destacado pela histÃria como Nova RepÃblica. Seus autores sÃo os professores Guilherme Lincoln Aguiar Ellery, JoÃo Marques Pereira, Marcondes Cavalcante FranÃa e Raimundo Thompson GonÃalves (in memorian), todos do Departamento de MatemÃtica, da Universidade Federal do CearÃ. Este tema insere-se na extensa Ãrea de pesquisa da histÃria e memÃria das disciplinas escolares, com destaque para a MatemÃtica no nÃvel do Ensino MÃdio. O objetivo geral da pesquisa constituiu-se em elaborar uma narrativa histÃrica compreensiva da Coluna OlimpÃada de MatemÃtica, identificando-a como uma aÃÃo educacional de divulgaÃÃo e preservaÃÃo do saber, destacando sua forma de inserÃÃo no contexto pedagÃgico do ensino de 1 e 2 graus de sua Ãpoca, hoje Ensino Fundamental e MÃdio, e analisando como de forma contÃnua, ininterrupta e longeva, esta conseguiu apresentar à comunidade uma visÃo holÃstica e interdisciplinar do estudo e ensino da MatemÃtica, como disciplina escolar. Neste sentido, buscou-se uma compreensÃo da trajetÃria daquela coluna publicada no citado jornal por via de um olhar crÃtico sobre a sistematizaÃÃo do conhecimento matemÃtico por ela divulgado, em uma perspectiva republicana, sobre como se chegou ao contexto pedagÃgico do ensino da MatemÃtica no nÃvel secundÃrio, no qual esteve inserida, de uma descriÃÃo analÃtica de seu conteÃdo, e da descoberta, a partir da captaÃÃo de uma percepÃÃo de seus autores, de indÃcios que possam esclarecer sua gÃnese, continuidade, ininterruptabilidade e longevidade. / This paper addresses a discussion regarding the underlying educational measure from the Mathematics Olympiad Newspaper Column, published weekly in the O Povo Newspaper from the City of Fortaleza, from 1987 to 1996, during Brazilian societyâs new political phase highlighted in Brazilâs history as the New Republic. The authors are professors Guilherme Lincoln Aguiar Ellery, JoÃo Marques Pereira, Marcondes Cavalcante FranÃa and Raimundo Thompson GonÃalves (in memoriam), all from the Mathematics Department of the Federal University of CearÃ. This theme is part of a broad area of research into the history and memory of different school disciplines, especially for secondary school level Mathematics. The general goal of this research is to trace a comprehensive historical narrative of the Mathematical Olympiad Column, identifying the newspaper column as an educational measure to disseminate and preserve knowledge, highlighting its key role in the pedagogical context of primary and secondary school levels at the time. As a secondary goal, the analysis of how the newspaper column was capable of presenting to society, in a continuous, uninterrupted and long lasting manner, a holistic and interdisciplinary vision of the study and teaching of Mathematics as a school subject. In this sense, this paper seeks to understand the trajectory of the newspaper column by means of a critical outlook regarding the way the column systematized mathematical knowledge, from a republican perspective. The central idea is to deepen our understanding of how the authors were able to approach the pedagogical context of teaching Mathematics at the secondary school level, through an analytical description of the content and discovery, stemming from the authors` perception as well as clues that may shed some light regarding its genesis, continuity, uninterrupted nature and longevity.

Magistro darbe aptariamas formalaus, neformalaus ir savaiminio gamtamokslinio ugdymo(si) teorinis grindžiamumas, pateikiama moksleivių nuomonė apie Gamtos mokslus ir jų mokymą(si), apžvelgiami Vilniaus miesto 5–6 - ųjų klasių moksleivių (2004 ir 2005 metų) gamtamokslinių olimpiadų II – ųjų etapų organizavimo ypatumai, atliekama kiekybinė ir kokybinė šių olimpiadų analizė, pateikiama Lietuvos moksleivių gamtamokslinių pasiekimų rezultatų apžvalga nacionalinių ir tarptautinių tyrimų kontekste. Darbe pateiktos teorinės – literatūros analize ir praktinės tyrimo rezultatais pagrįstos išvados. Gauta grįžtamoji informacija apie gamtamokslinio ugdymo(si) dalyvius. Nustatytas šeštųjų klasių moksleivių, olimpiados dalyvių, bei Lietuvos moksleivių gamtamokslinių pasiekimų lygmuo. Magistro darbą sudaro 89 puslapiai. Pridedami 6 priedai (su priedais 115 psl.). Sėkmingam darbo atlikimui iškeltas tikslas ir šeši uždaviniai. Išanalizuoti 31 magistro darbui svarbūs literatūros šaltiniai. Tyrimų rezultatai pateikti 11 lentelių ir grafiškai pavaizduoti 32 paveiksluose. Atliktą darbą apibendrina 10 išvadų. / The main issue of this master thesis is education of formal, informal and natural sciences, it‘s theoretical base. The material of research consists of the date of the second part of natural sciences Olympiad and it‘s peculiarity of organization, witch was organized for schoolchildren of the 5th and 6th form (2004 – 2005 years), their attitude towards natural science and it’s learning, also. The quantitative and qualitative analysis of this Olympiads is given in this work. The results of Lithuanian schoolchildren’ attainments are overlooked in national and international context. There are analysis of literature and conclusions of practical researches in this thesis, the feedback of participations in natural sciences, also. The level of schoolchildren’ attainment in natural sciences was estimated. The thesis of master consists of 89 pages. 6 appendixes are attached (115 pages in total with appendixes). The main purpose and six taskes were set for the successful work. 31 sources of literature important for the thesis were analysed. The result of researches are laid out in 11 tables and 32 charts. 10 conclusions end the thesis of master.

The aim of this thesis is to elaborate a set of tasks that will have increasing difficulty and will lead pupils to the skill of solving problems designed for gifted students. The action research will focus on the student's work with the proposed tasks. In the theoretical part, attention will be paid to the available literature on the teaching of mathematics to exceptionally gifted pupils.