Collaborative Studies on Innovations for Teaching and Learning Mathematics in Different Cultures: Lesson Study focusing on Mathematical Thinking and Communications in mathematics

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Date
2010
Authors
Lim, Chap Sam
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Abstract
This study aimed to promote mathematical thinking and communication among three primary schools in Malaysia in view of the importance of mathematical thinking and communication among school pupils. Review of local literature shows that even though the Malaysian school mathematics curriculum do stress the need to develop mathematical thinking and communication among pupils, most classroom teaching practice observed by the researchers (e.g. Jamaliah Kamal, 2001; Ruzlan Md Ali, 2007) remained procedural and examination-oriented. We contend that most primary mathematics teachers were not clear about the concept of mathematical thinking and communication as well as ways to promote it in the classroom. Hence, we began the study by providing a series of workshop activities to nine mathematics teachers from three primary schools. During the workshop, the teachers were engaged in hands-on activities that aimed to enhance their concepts and experiences of mathematical thinking and communication. Through sampled video, teachers were introduced to the process of lesson study. The participating teachers displayed positive feedback after these workshops. All of them then proceeded to their schools collaboratively planned out their mathematics lessons; taught the lessons; observed and reflected on the teaching lessons.Out of the three schools, School A managed to carry out two lesson study cycles; School B one lesson study cycle while School C withdrew half-way. Time constraint and administrative support remain two biggest challenges for the implementation of lesson study as observed by many other researchers elsewhere. Nevertheless, analysis of the teaching lessons and interview transcripts, have shown that the seven mathematics teachers from the two schools have managed to plan out mathematics lessons that promote mathematical thinking and communication to some degrees.
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