The task for the day was to come up with a proposal which we intend to do... and share with the class (by the afternoon, 8 May 2011). Well, attempted to work on something that attempted in the very first module... however, noticed that my thoughts and ideas evolved over time... I think it's closer and closer to what's done in the school... Confusion was the word which describes best in those few hours. It's not that I don't know what I want... but I was not clear in the positioning... thought it's a bite too wide... and it was a welcomed suggestion when Tania helped to reframe it as professional development for teachers. I agree. Perhaps it's more manageable and more focused... and I think it's something possible to do in the school context.
Well, now I understand why we need to examine our epistemology first before moving on... that's what I believe, as it's going to drive how I approach the research, and the strategies I'm going to adopt. I shall not attempt to move in the 4 elements in details: Epistemology, Theoretical Pespectives, Methodologies and Methods... but will briefly touch on them...
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ Epistemology: My beliefs…
1. Environment shapes the way learners think and learn. Learners learn best in an environment that is ‘natural’ to them. Many a time, how learners think and behaviour are largely influenced by the environment that they are 'immersed' in. Today, learners grow in a technology-rich environment, at least, in developed countries worldwide. We are unable to deny this fact; and that is why learners today are also know n as the digital natives. Since young, they are exposed to a range of technology tools and applications - television, computers, handphones, etc.
2. The purpose of education. What learners learn must be relevant to them, and it should be life-long skills. While in schools, we are unable to deny that fact that knowledge takes priority because it is 'examinable'. Learners are expected to be able to demonstrate their mastery of the prescribed curriculum knowledge and skills, what is more important is equipping learners with a set of life-long skills that are useful and relevant to them in a long run - be in when they further their studies, or when they join the workforce, or better still, if they are lead by their heart to pursue their passion. All in all, education is meant to prepare learners for the 21st century world they live in.
3. The affordances of today's technology. It's no longer the technology that is only meant for or to support "individualised learning", but with the leveraging on the internet and hence the Web 2.0 technologies, community and interaction are two key characteristics to describe today's technology. Hence, we should ride on these affordances of today's technologies to develop skill sets that are relevant to students.
(I) TITLE OF THE RESEARCH PROJECT
The working title for the project (up to 50 words)Changes to current Practices in Singapore Mathematics Classroom to foster students’ Collaboration and Communication skills through the use of Web 2.0 Technologies
(II) THE RESEARCH QUESTION(S)
The overall research question and any sub-questions (up to 100 words) How could teachers change their practices in a Mathematics classroom through leveraging the affordances of Web 2.0 technologies?
Sub-questions:
- How could professional development impact on teachers’ capacity to use Web 2.0 technologies in a Mathematics classroom?
- How collaborative and communication skills could be fostered through the use of web 2.0 technologies in a Mathematics classroom?
- How web 2.0 technologies could be leveraged to develop students’ ability articulate their mathematical understanding in a Mathematics classroom?
(III) THE RESEARCH PROBLEM / ISSUE / PUZZLE / SUBJECT
The research matter that will be addressed in this project (up to 250 words)The Context
Through examining the following questions, we would be able to identify the lacunae and therefore the issues which the research aims to address.
- How different are today's learners vs yester-year's learners
- How have curriculum designers and classroom teachers change the way curriculum is delivered?
- How has the physical (and virtual) learning environment changed?
1. Today's Learner and Yester-years' learners
Today's learners grow up in a technology and media-riched environment. Since young, they come in contact with technologies like mobile phones, computers and social network.
- A survey commissioned by Infocomm Development Authority (iDA) of Singapore showed that in 2010, about 82% of households in Singapore had Internet access at home and all accessed to the Internet using the computer, as compared to 59.4% recorded in 2002. [Ref 4, p13][Ref 5, p3]
- International statistics has showed that Singapore is one country that is amongst the countries with the highest internet penetration, 78.1%. This is comparable to developed countries in the region like Japan (78.2%), Hong Kong (68.8%), South Korea (81.1%), as well as those worldwide such as Australia (80.1%), New Zealand (85.4%), North America (77.4%), Denmark (86.1%), Finland (85.3%) and UK (82.5%). [Ref 5]
As such, our learners are considered to be much more IT-savvy than yester-year's learners. They are also much more comfortable in the technology-rich environment. They like interaction, they like multimedia. [Ref 7]
2. Classroom Practices in a Mathematics Classroom [elaboration needed]
- What's the key focus in a Mathematics classroom?
- How are Mathematics lessons 'delivered' in a "traditional" classroom?
- The emphasis and the mode of delivery
- How has these changed in today's classroom?
- Singapore Mathematics classroom:
- 5 domains: Concepts, Skills, Processes, Attitude, Meta-cognition
- Skills (direct relation to the subject discipline): Critical Thinking Skills
- 21st century skills (embedded in the Mathematics curriculum) - how do they play out in a Mathematics classroom?
- Communication Skills
- Collaborative Skills
- Technology has starting to make its way into classrooms in the past 20-30 years. [Ref 9]
- In particular, recent years, Web 2.0 technologies (including social network) have become ubiquitous
- Focus of 21st century learning: Shift from knowledge to skills
- Emphasis of the 21st century skills [Ref 8]
- Having know who our learners are, their attributes (that shapes their learning style), as well as the availability and accessibility of relevant technologies, why Mathematics teachers are not leveraging on the ubiquitous technologies into their classrooms?
- What are the potential challenges?
- Their awareness of the 'learners' needs and learning styles?
- Their awareness of the Web 2.0 technologies as well as their affordances?
- Their mental model of Web 2.0 technologies' place in the Mathematics classroom?
- What is the teachers' mental model of good practices in a Mathematics classroom?
- Teachers’ focus largely on concepts, knowledge and skill mastery (pertaining to the discipline)
- Mathematics teachers in general feel that the traditional methods of teaching and learning deliver the expected results due to consistently good performance/track records
- Evidence: Results from PISA and TIMSS: Singapore students did well.
- Technologies were introduced to Mathematics classrooms since the IT MasterPlan 1 days. For many Mathematics teachers seldom explore beyond the tools that were introduced more than 10 years ago - dynamic applications like Geometer Sketchpad, Spreadsheet. While there are some variations, little progress is made beyond these applications that focus mainly on investigation and computation (including graph creation). Content management systems that provide visuals and exercises have also become more common in Maths classrooms.
- To what extent that Mathematics have adopted Web 2.0 technologies in teh Mathematics classrooms in Singapore? Little data was collected. Similarly, there is also little research in this area in Singapore classrooms.
(IV) THE REASONS FOR THE RESEARCH
Why the research should / needs to be completed (up to 250 words)- Change in teachers’ mindset on the choice of technology tools to be used in a Mathematics classroom
- Enable them to ride on existing technologies to foster 21st century skills
- Heavy investments of technology infrastructure (physical and virtual) in institutions – ride on existing technologies and optimise the use
- more holistic way to develop students’ skill set
(V) THE SIGNIFICANCE AND INNOVATION OF THE RESEARCH
How the proposed research is new and different from previous research in the area (up to 250 words) - To inform fellow educators in Mathematics classrooms how to design classroom practices that leverage on Web 2.0 technologies to foster communication and collaborative skills.
- Curriculum units – in line with the MOE’s direction of the use of technology to develop students into self-directed learners and collaborative learners
- To “dispel” the myth that Web 2.0 technologies are appropriate for Language-related subjects, and not for subjects like Mathematics (heavy on mastering concepts and procedural skills)
- Currently, in the Singapore context, little data was collected. Similarly, there is also little research in this area in Singapore classrooms.
(VI) THE AIMS OF THE RESEARCH
The objectives of the research project (up to 200 words)The objective is to carry out an intervention by providing professional development to teachers that
- convince them the appropriate choice and use of Web 2.0 tools (in appropriated topics) could help to foster collaborative and communication skills, without compromising students’ learning outcomes
- level up their capacity to use Web 2.0 technologies in Mathematics classroom to foster students’ collaborative and communication skills
(VII) THE RELEVANT RESEARCH LITERATURE
A short list of key references related to the topic and brief discussion of some of the main ideas in this literature relevant to the proposed research (up to 1,000 words)(VIII) THE METHODOLOGIES AND METHODS TO BE USED IN THE RESEARCH
The recognised approach to research (i.e. methodology, such as ethnography, experimental research, grounded theory, action research) and the recognised research techniques or procedures (i.e. methods, such as interviews, case studies, document analysis, statistical analysis) to be used, and how these fit into the overall research design (up to 500 words)Methodology: Action Research
School setting. Reflective process - inquiry and discussion. Collaborative. Real problems experienced in schools, or looking for ways to improve instruction and increase student achievement.
- Draw up Plan: Professional Programme for Teachers
- Supported with evidences/ Examples to convince, to generate buy-in
- Identify range of Web 2.0 tools and map them to topics/sub-topics (appropriateness)
- Carry out survey to find out teachers' familarity and perception of the use of Web 2.0 technologies in general as well as in the Mathematics classroom
- Professional Development (I): Introduction on the range of Web 2.0 tools on
- The features and affordances
- Application in the topics/sub-topics
- Survey to get qualitative feedback from students (who have gone such learning ‘experiences’)
- Adoption of learning activities
- Evidences of learning – work done by students (activities implemented)
- Interview of teachers
- Observations on changes in students’ responses (quality & depth)
- Journals – Reflections
- Professional Development (II): Design of learning activities
- Implementation of learning activities
- Teachers implement their own learning activities
- Teachers to draw out ‘observations’ from students’ responses
(IX) THE OUTCOMES THAT ARE EXPECTED FROM THE RESEARCH
The expected contributions of this research to knowledge, theory and practice in the relevant fields (up to 250 words)~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
References:
- http://www.alliance.brown.edu/pubs/themes_ed/act_research.pdf
- Integrating Oral Presentation into Mathematics Classrooms: A Study in Singapore Secondary Schools
- Fan, L., Yeo, S.M. (2006). Integrating Oral Presentation into Mathematics Classrooms: A Study in Singapore Secondary Schools. Singapore: NIE. Retrieved from (http://repository.nie.edu.sg/jspui/bitstream/10497/3347/1/CRP24_03FLH_Conf06(AERA)_FanYeo.pdf)
- IDA Singapore Survey: Infocomm Usage in Households and Individuals 2010 (http://www.ida.gov.sg/doc/Publications/Publications_Level3/Survey2010/HH2010ES.pdf)
- IDA Singapore Survey: Infocomm Usage in Households and Individuals 2002 (http://www.ida.gov.sg/doc/Publications/Publications_Level2/Annual_Survey_on_Infocomm_Usage_in_Households_2002.pdf)
- Internet World Stats: Usage and Population Statistics. (http://www.internetworldstats.com/stats.htm) (updated: April 12, 2011)
- Rodgers, M., Runyon, D., Starrett, D., Holzen, R. V. (2006). Teaching the 21st Century Learner. The Annual Conference on Distance Teaching and Learning. The Board of Regents of the University of Wisconsin System.
- Partnership for 21st Century Skills. (2004). (http://www.p21.org)
- History of Computers in Education (http://www.csulb.edu/~murdock/histofcs.html)
