Math Works for Us!

The use of meaningful tasks

in teaching fractions to

enhance students’ engagement

WALS

2008

Math Works for Us!

NorthLight School Website : www.nls.edu.sgFor Slides to Today’s Presentation

Professional Sharing

WALS 2008

PresentorsMath Works for Us!

Math Works for Us!

Agenda

• About NLS

• Profile of students

• Mathematics Curriculum Framework

• Research project

• Question & Answer

About NLS

Math Works for Us!

Math Works for Us!

“The Northlight School was set up in January 2007 to provide a new vocational pathway for students who were unable to cope with the mainstream curriculum. Previously, many of these students, who failed the Primary School Leaving Examination[1] (PSLE) twice or thrice, enrol at the two Vocational Training Centres (VTCs). However, these VTCs had a 60% attrition rate and less than half of those who completed the programme made it to Institute of Technical Education (ITE)” (Shanmugaratnam, 2006).

[1] The Primary School Leaving Examination (PSLE) is a national examination, which a pupil sits at the end of primary education. PSLE is to assess pupils' suitability for secondary education and place them in one of the appropriate secondary school courses, which match their learning pace, ability and inclination.

Curriculum Framework

Character Education • NorthLight Programme• Sports & Wellness Programme• Arts Appreciation Programme• CCAs eg Sports, Uniformed group, Dance club

Vocational Education• Vocational Training Programme• Pre-employment Skills Training Programme• Industrial Attachment

Foundation Education• Language and Literacy Programme• ‘Math Works for Us!’ Programme• ICT Literacy Programme

Math Works for Us!

Profile of NLS studentsStudents who failed

PSLE once or twice

Math Works for Us!

Profile of NLS students

Statistics on Language & ICT

Literacy, Numeracy• 13 to 15 years old

• 96% of the students have a U grade for Mathematics (30 marks and below)

• 55% of the students have a reading age of Primary 1 and below

• 84% of the students having ICT literacy level below P6

Math Works for Us!

Profile of NLS students

Statistics on family financial

background

• 5% with household income below $500

• 20% with household income between $501-$1000

• 20% with household income between $1001-$1500

• 24% with household income unclassified (e.g., irregular income, no income etc)

• 43% of the students are on financial assistance scheme

Math Works for Us!

Profile of NLS students

EQ profile of the students

• Students tested for Intrapersonal, Interpersonal, Adaptability, Stress Management and General Mood

• Scored very low on Interpersonal and General Mood

• Scored low in Optimism and Happiness

ANIME @ NLS

Profile of NLS students Opportunities created for students

to experience success

• Failing an examination is not equal to failing in life

• With opportunities provided, we hope to help them see possibilities in life

• Darker the sky, brighter they shine

Math Works for Us!

Math Works for Us!

Vocational Education

Vision

Math Works for Us!

A mathematical programme that prepare youth at work and

community.

Mission

Math Works for Us!

To equip students with mathematical skills and attitudes

at vocational level of competency and confidence

that can be applied in life.

Math Works for Us!

•Year (No of hours) •Modules•Year 1(150h)

•Foundation Modules:Munchy Numbers (38h)Magical Shapes (16h)Count On It! (16h)Fill It Up! (10h)Zoombies Fractions (16h)Deci Monsters (10h)Tick Tock (16h)Connecting Units (28h)

•Year 2(150h)

•Foundation Modules:Mathematics Around Us (75h)Mathematics On The Move (30h)Mathematics In The Media (40h)

•Year 3 (100h)

•Elective modules (50h):a)Technical Math ORb)Financial Math

•Integrated into vocational strands (50h)

•Year 4 (50h)

•Integrated into vocational strands (50h)

Teaching approach

Math Works for Us!

Use of meaningful tasks

Cooperative learning groups

Mastery through a diversity of tasks

Concrete-Pictorial-Abstract Approach

Opportunities for success

E gaged

Learning

Research Question

Math Works for Us!

With the use of meaningful tasks to teach fractions,

• Will there be an increase in the students’ level of engagement?

• What effect does the level of engagement have on students’ learning?

Literature Review - Engagement

Math Works for Us!

Engagement defined by Donnell, Reeve and Smith (2007) as “behavioural intensity, emotional quality and personal investment in student’s involvement during learning activities”. Wehlage and his colleagues in Steele (1993) described engagement as students’ ability to participate and demonstrate real interest in and commitment to the classroom tasks.

Literature Review - Meaningful

Math Works for Us!

Meanwhile, according to Donnell, Reeve and Smith (2007) and Ormord (2006), meaningful tasks are anything that students might encounter in their real world. But according to Ausbel in (Donnell, Reeve and Smith, 2007), “meaning occurs when a learner actively interprets experiences”.

Literature Review

Math Works for Us!

Research done by Vale (2001) and Steele (1993) found that students’ were highly engaged in the meaningful tasks given and the success rate is higher as they were able to build their own understandings.

Participants

Math Works for Us!

Group Number of students Age Gender

Project 3314-15 years old Mixed

Comparison 32

Measure MeanProject Group Comparison Group

Effect size

Entry test scores 45 45 45 0

Math Works for Us!

Engagement Level

Comparison

Project

Math Works for Us!

Video

Math Works for Us!

Interview with Students – transcript Interviewer : Can you tell me what are the activities that motivate you?

Student F (Project) :Like teaching other courses like decimals in maths, like shapes. Activities like measuring the area of the triangles, also to round off to the nearest hundred with numbers. He do some basketball. He used his method all the math activities like how much you weigh, how you weigh something. He used the weighing scale. He used 500 out of 1000 grams equals to ½ gram I think. Other activities he did with us like measuring the water in litres. Also he taught using shapes to describe about fractions. Like cards. I also refer to pizza pieces.

Student J (Comparison) :The smartboard and more worksheets.

Student G (Comparison) :Using the smart board to write. The manipulatives..

Math Works for Us!

Interview with Students – transcript

Interviewer :Can you tell me how you use fractions in other subjects?

Student D (Project) : Like art, they want half the paper.

Student L (Comparison) : I don’t think so

Impact on Learning

Math Works for Us!

Video

Math Works for Us!

Impact on Learning

Math Works for Us!

Video

Math Works for Us!

Math Works for Us!

Impact on Learning

Math Works for Us!

Impact on Learning

Math Works for Us!

Which figure is 1/3 shaded?

(a) (b)

(c) (d)

Math Works for Us!

Which fraction is bigger?

Math Works for Us!

Which fraction is bigger

Student A : because this one I thought cut into 5 parts right. Then I shade into one. Then this one I thought is the biggest part. ¼ is bigger because of the size. And the parts that they cut. This one they cut into 5 parts. This is the smallest one because they cut into 5 parts. This is the biggest part because they cut into 4 parts.

or ?

Lesson Debrief

Math Works for Us!

Math Works for Us!

Learning points from Lesson Study

Different Learning needs

Scaffolding and Tiering

Direct Instruction

Math Works for Us!

Learning points from Lesson Study

Group work – homogenous

Choice of materials

Questioning skills

Drawing Connections

Limitations

Math Works for Us!

Teacher factor

Absenteeism

Language

Ratings level of observation

Conclusion

Math Works for Us!

• Caution against over generalization

• First research study

• Results are not conclusive enough to say that meaningful tasks do engage students’ learning.

Conclusion

Math Works for Us!

As the study is more exploratory in nature, the team will continue with this research study next year on a more rigorous level.

Reference

Math Works for Us!

Donnell, A. M., Reeve, J. & Smith, J. K. (2007). Educational Psychology : Reflection for Action. United States of America : John Wiley & Sons, Inc.

Shanmugaratnam, T. (2006). Helping Students Stay in School. Retrieved March 8, 2006 from http://www.moe.gov.sg/speeches/2006/sp20060308.htm

Steele, D. F. (1993). What Mathematics Students Can Teach Us about Educational Engagement : Lessons from the Middle School. Annual Meeting of the American Educational Research Association. 1-29.

Vale, C (1999). Meaningful Mathematics in the Middle years. Paper presented at combined Annual meeting of the Australian Association for Research in Education and the New Zealand Association for Research in Education. (ERIC Document Reproduction Service No. ED 454 039)

Acknowledgement

Math Works for Us!

This paper could not have been accomplished without the involvement and support of

Principal, Mrs Chua Yen Ching,Ex Vice-Principal (IP), Mr Wee Tat ChuanVice-Principal (IP), Mr Chia Hai SiangNIE-Lecturer, Dr Yeap Bar HarCPPD Curriculum Specialist, Mdm Yen Yeen PengCPPD Curriculum Planning Officer Ms Ng Luan Eng

The writers are grateful to the above mentioned parties for their cooperation, support and contribution during the process of the data collection.

Teachers’ Day Video

Math Works for Us!

Math Works for Us!

Questions

&

Answers

The use of meaningful tasks in teaching fractions

to enhance students’ engagement

WALS2008