Folio for Method of teaching Mathematics

Folio for Methods of Teaching Mathematics
Name: Fabian anak Mikie
Matrix No: PFA070024
Dip Ed (Methematics)

Week 1

Unable to attend – need to register for hostel and
Materials taught during the 1st week will be obtain from the other who attended the class

Week2

Task:
We were asked to form a group and our group was assign to discuss on the article on Nature of mathematics. Each group will present the findings in each article. There were totally five topics were discuss. The fives topics are as listed below
Nature of mathematics
KBSM Mathematics
Philosophy and Development of Mathematics Education – Philosophy of KBSR Mathematics Education
National Philosophy of educations, Rukunegara
Article: “Success Rests on Teachers” form the Newspaper The Star

From the Topics nature of Mathematics, our groups define Mathematics as the science of patterns and relationships. The two main areas of Mathematics are:
Theoretical discipline
Ø Explores the relationship among absractions without concerns for whether those abstraction have counterparts in the real world
Applied Science
Ø Solving Problem that originate in the world of experience
Ø Relate the theory with the real world Problem

Mathematics help human in many ways with the concept of “Reveal hidden Patterns of the world” in
Geology – to locates oil reserves
Cryptography – Password
Genetic – DNA Decoding
Social – Statistics of human population
Medical – Scanners, X-rays
Suggest Alternatives – Multiplication

Mathematics also helps mankind to solve science problem in order to explain the science phenomenon such as the law of gravity, Speed, momentum, building, massive structures, machine, robots and lots more. Mathematics has a long history in civilization and the growth of technology for human. Another field that were discusses in the article was Mathematical Inquiry, which means solving real world problem using mathematics. This process involves 3 phases below
Abstractions and symbolic representation process
Manipulations of Mathematical statements
Application

Reflections:
The 5 topics discuss were mainly to create or recall the awareness of Mathematics in general, relationship of the national philosophy of education with mathematics, overview of our current mathematics curriculum in secondary and primary school, as well as the role of teachers in education industries nowadays.

Week 3

Class cancel – Thaipusam celebration (not yet replace)

Week 4

Task:
This week, most time spends on explaining the learning theories which can be use in classroom. According to Bruner, 3 forms of learning use by humans are the Symbolic, iconic and enactive. Two major learning theories are Behaviorist and Cognitive.

The behaviorist theories discover by Pavlov (1849-1936), Thorndike (1874-1949) and Skinner (1904-1990) are mainly learning by repeated exercise. The Cognitive theory which discovered by the father of Cognitive theory himself, Jean Piaget (1896-1980) explains the adaptation process through the below 2 steps process in learning:
Assimilation – Integrated new experience with the existing cognitive structure
Accommodation – Modify Existing structure schema or create new structure in order to learn new things

Then, we were given some exercise to try in the class to test our understanding on the theory of observing patterns by taking and example of proving whether (a²+b²) is equal to (a + b) ² or not. This is done and proven by doing repeated patterns exercise on algebra.

Reflections:
General introduction of common learning theories and its application in the real world

Week 5

Task:
Each group were to present the understanding of learning theories and reflect the topics discuss during class on week 4, the topics presented must incorporate the learning theories discuss whether it is Behaviorist or Cognitive. The presentation must include any topics in mathematics where any of the two theories can be applied. The founder of the theory must also be mention.

Next session of the class was the introduction of the Constructivism theory; this can be done using graphic calculator to facilitate the learning of the topics Graph Functions by showing students the discovery approach. The methods are applied by introducing problems to teach students. Several examples of mathematical problem were introduce to explain the problem solving methods

There are 4 steps in Problem solving theory as introduce by George Polya (1945) as below
Understand the problem
Plan the strategy
Implement the strategy
Check and evaluate whether it is useful or not, different strategy can be use if it is not useful

According to George Polya(1945), Problem solving teaching methods can be use in the classroom using develope function concept as below
Ø Begin with meaningful context
Ø Connect different representations
Ø Use suitable technology available
Ø Use suitable function machine

At the end of the class

Reflection:
This week’s class was mainly to create the awareness of the learning theories that can be applied in teaching mathematics as well as to introduce the founder of the theory. Besides that, Constructivism theory was also highlighted by introducing problem to teach.

Next week topics will be on Topics probability.