Integration of technology in primary mathematics instruction

Hi everyone!

This is some comments with regard to the topic: integration of technology in primary Mathematics.

Technology has been widely used in the classroom currently to enhance the process of teaching and learning. Undeniably, technology can do wonders to teaching. It adds variety and fun to the classroom. However, how a teacher utilizes and applies technology in the classroom can influence the learning of pupils greatly. Therefore, it is crucial for Mathematics teacher to know how to use and manipulate technology to teach Mathematics effectively. So here are some ideas to guide everyone on how to maximize the use of technology to support Mathematics teaching and learning, hope this can make you and your students Winners in Maths!

1. Power point is the easier tool to use in the classroom. We're sure that everyone of you are well-versed in this!

This is an example of how the teacher uses power point to teach addition. Power point is the easiest tool to use as it allows us to add pictures, sounds, movement and animation. By adding these elements to the slides, it will be easier for teachers to convey the ideas.

2. Internet is also a great technology tool that can be used by Mathematics teacher. We've found an article by Marilyn Western, in which she wrote about tips to use technology in the elementary classroom. One of the tips is the use of Glogster. We've tried it, and trust us, it is amazing!

Glogster at http://www.glogster.com/edu is an attention-grabbing (and FREE) way to get all

kinds of information to pupils.

You can use it as a mean to get pupils to websites, watch videos, and listen to any audio. You can also easily embed a glog in your classroon wiki, blog or website. Or pupils can build their own 'glog' to show what they know. We can even record important Mathematical tips/rules and let Gloster repeat it for us! Cool isn't it? But make sure you chose a cool player to really enhance your audio!

3. Another cool website that we can explore is Goole Earth at http://earth.google.com

We can use some of that excitement to pull in some interesting Maths concepts. For instance, we can use the ruler tool to measure things that pupils find. For example, locate a park, playground, even a shopping mall. Pupils can measure the sides and figure out the perimeter and area of that place. They can even measure the distance between 2 different places.

4. Here are other website which we can use in the classroom:

http://cemc2.math.uwaterloo.ca/mathfrog/main.shtml They provide resources for both kids and also teachers and parents. There are tonnes of interesting Mathematical games there, and it is filled with all the useful information about Mathematics. With this, it enables pupils to learn at their own pace:

5. Video is an effective tool to grab pupils' attention as well. Teachers can just play the video for set induction and we are sure it will be able to keep pupils attentive for the rest of the lesson.

This is one of the videos that we found quite interesting:
We are sure that you can find lots of interesting online Mathematical games for your pupils. We've provided some useful links in our previous posts as well! So, why not use them and bring some fun to the classroom? Chalk and talk is not sufficient and it can't grab all the attention of the pupils.

To sum up, it is indeed very true that technology can help pupils to learn and master Mathematics faster and easier, however, it is important to take note that technology cannot totally replace the role of teacher. Teachers need to be there to guide pupils, and supervise them to ensure that learning occurs. We play an important role in facilitating pupils to learn. Hence, teachers or teachers-to-be out there, be careful not to let technology replaces you!

" More About Problem Solving In Maths...!"

(We would just like to add on...)

Well, the topic 'Problem-Solving in Maths' is definitely a captivating subject matter to ponder upon as we deemed that there are salient underlying factors that constantly encourages our education system to embed the topic 'Problem-solving in Mathematic'...

"Hmm..Why is this so?Have you guys ever wondered?"
Ultimately, as we thoroughly browsed the net..we found the reason behind it! Yeah..
the rationale of having problem-solving in Mathematics are to:

1. Improve pupils' willingness to try problems and improve their perseverance when solving problems.

2. Improve pupils' self-concepts with respect to the abilities to solve problems.

3. Make pupils aware of the problem-solving strategies.

4. Make pupils aware of the value of approaching problems in a systematic manner.

5. Make pupils aware that many problems can be solved in more than one way.

6. Improve pupils' abilities to select appropriate solution strategies.

7. Improve pupils' abilities to implement solution strategies accurately.

8. Improve pupils' abilities to get more correct answers to problems.

(http://library.thinkquest.org/25459/learning/problem/#goals)

"Ahah..so now you know why 'Problem-Solving in Maths' is always there right?"

Oh ya..to the kids out there,do remember to practice, practice and practice problem solving in Maths because...PRACTICE MAKES PERFECT!..

(http://www.ixl.com)
This is a very practical and useful website for kids to practice problem-solving in Maths..Do feel free to visit them..They are indeed funnnn and coooooool....Enjoyyyy....

*Hopefully, we, as future teachers will be able to practice and apply Problem-Solving in Maths in our classroom as effectively as possible and at least achieve the intended aims as listed above...
Good Luck Friends!!

FuN leArNinG wItH MaThS iN SolVinG pRobLeMs

Hello friends!!Congrats to Group 10 for their remarkable presentation on 'Problem Solving In Maths'!.Splendid insights and practical ideas have been shared!Good Job girls..

Well,obliquely the topic made us ponder and reflect further on how to come up with decisive ways for the primary kids to be engaged in the problem solving Maths activity..As we browse through the net, we found some brilliant problem solving activities, fun learning games, suggestions/strategies from various websites that we would like to share with you guys..

Here we would like to share some that you can use for your future classroom..
http://www.mathplayground.com/


In this website, you may find lots of ideas that can apply to teach students in solving problems in Maths subjects since this week we have listened to a presentation about problem solving.
You also may want to take a look on this YouTube video where it gave us clear examples on how to carry out and create questions based on problem solving topics..

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=m3ZwlLTiNrI&feature=PlayList&p=83FA940DF4358154&playnext=1&playnext_from=PL&index=13

Besides, here is another website on problem solving strategies www.thesingaporemaths.com

This simple yet significant website listed most of the common and practical strategies that kids in Primary 3-primary 6 can seek out to tackle their problem solving Maths questions..It serves as an eye opener for the kids to try out many creative and fun stratgeies to apply in problem solving process..

So, do visit the links and tell us about it.."What say you?" Hopefully they are very useful and practical for us as future teachers... =)

Group Presentation : Week 1-Malaysian Primary Mathematics Curriculumk & its Implications

Sorry for the delayed upload and blog of our group presentation...

You can download here...=D

We were the first group and were in fact very nervous as to how to present the contents...

Nevertheless, we really gained a lot through discussions with group members as we explore the Malaysian Primary Mathematics Curriculum as well as when we presented the topic.

Well, we had learnt the curriculum thoroughly when we were still in IPG IPIK. So, it would be boring if we were to touch on the aim, objectives and content organisation just as they are...

So, we decided to compare our curriculum with Singapore.

You may be wondering why Singapore???
Our curriculum is good enough...

Well..., we believe that it is important to learn from one another to promote continuous learning (improvement) and not remaining static and contented with current achievements. We cannot deny the fact that Singapore's maths is highly credited and acknowledged by countries all around the world...

So, through this presentation, we hope to be able to highlight some of the positives and limitations of the curriculum of both countries.

One of the very proud aspects of the teaching and learning of Mathematics in Malaysia is that we really integrate and apply moral values within the curriculum which we find really lacking in many other curriculum. Furthermore, our own developed curriculum really suits the pupils in our country as the educators and writers are all well versed with the situation of our country.

Therefore, through this presentation we hope to

create awareness within the future teachers to be more well versed with the curriculum our country

and be ...

a better Mathematics teacher who is able to humble oneself and learn from others to improve...

Some of the highlights of our presentation....
Some articles...for further readings...

Mathematics Achievement among Malaysian Students

What the United States Can Learn From Singapore's World-Class Mathematics System

Some videos...for your information...

So, these are some of the highlights of our presentation...

Nevertheless, our maths curriculum is the best, developed, for the teaching and learning of our schools and we are proud of the continuous effort made by all parties to ensure the continuous improvements within the subject maths!

Malaysia Boleh!!

Kids out there! Be ready to get enchanted by MATHS!

Have you ever wonder why Maths is so difficult and dull? Well, you got that wrong!

Here are some cool amazing sites that you will definitely love visiting!

Cool math at Coolmath.com

Cool math 4 kids @ coolmath4kids.com

http://www.amathsdictionaryforkids.com/


http://www.mathcats.com/

We felt that these links are extremely beneficial for you kids and also teachers. These pages are very educative and informative, with loads of Mathematical terms and problem solving ideas. Not only that, it is colourful and fun as well. So kids and teachers out there, do explore Maths to the max ya!You will be surprised...to see the wonders of Maths!

CAN EDUCATIONAL COMPUTER GAMES HELP EDUCATORS LEARN ABOUT THE PSYCHOLOGY OF LEARNING MATHEMATICS IN CHILDREN?

Hi readers!

We agree that educational computer games can help greatly in assisting educators to know more about the psychology of learning Mathematics in children.

Based on the article, we deem that they are abundant advantages of using computer games in learning Mathematics. We believe that games play a fundamental role in children’s daily lives. The authors of this article have done researches and observation on the use of games in primary children and we deem that the findings have really enlightened us and brought us to ponder upon the advantages of using GAMES in the Mathematics classroom.

We believe that games can help greatly in stimulating and motivating pupils to learn Mathematics. Motivation play an integral part in children’s learning. Pupils like game, therefore, when they are allowed to learn through hands on activities and games, it will indirectly drive them to learn. Besides that, many games are designed to cater to the needs of the learners, they are colourful, illustrative, challenging and often come with catchy music. Therefore, children will definitely find this learning atmosphere enjoyable and pleasant.

Besides that, we also agree with the findings which stated that games present a sense of success and accomplishment. This even works for slow-paced students. Computer games often come with different levels, therefore, with that, pupils can select the level of the games based on their ability.

The advantages of using games in a mathematical programme have been summarised in an article by Davies (1995) who researched the literature available at the time.

• Meaningful situations – for the application of mathematical skills are created by games
• Motivation – children freely choose to participate and enjoy playing
• Positive attitude – Games provide opportunities for building self-concept and developing positive attitudes towards mathematics, through reducing the fear of failure and error;
• Increased learning – in comparison to more formal activities, greater learning can occur through games due to the increased interaction between children, opportunities to test intuitive ideas and problem solving strategies
• Different levels – Games can allow children to operate at different levels of thinking and to learn from each other. In a group of children playing a game, one child might be encountering a concept for the first time, another may be developing his/her understanding of the concept, a third consolidating previously learned concepts
• Assessment – children’s thinking often becomes apparent through the actions and decisions they make during a game, so the teacher has the opportunity to carry out diagnosis and assessment of learning in a non-threatening situation
• Home and school – Games provide ‘hands-on’ interactive tasks for both school and home
• Independence – Children can work independently of the teacher. The rules of the game and the children’s motivation usually keep them on task.
• Few language barriers - an additional benefit becomes evident when children from non-english-speaking backgrounds are involved. The basic structures of some games are common to many cultures, and the procedures of simple games can be quickly learned through observation. Children who are reluctant to participate in other mathematical activities because of language barriers will often join in a game, and so gain access to the mathematical learning as well as engage in structured social interaction.

These tips come from Alridge & Badham (1993):

• Make sure the game matches the mathematical objective
• Use games for specific purposes, not just time-fillers
• Keep the number of players from two to four, so that turns come around quickly
• The game should have enough of an element of chance so that it allows weaker students to feel that they a chance of winning
• Keep the game completion time short
• Use five or six ‘basic’ game structures so the children become familiar with the rules – vary the mathematics rather than the rules
• Send an established game home with a child for homework
• Invite children to create their own board games or variations of known games.

So, we greatly believe that computer games can really help in the pupils learning in mathematics!

(Maths and Fun!)

Greetings and Welcome!

Hello! Welcome to our new blog...

We are Group One or you can call us "Enchanted Maths"! There are 5 of us in this group for our course, PMEY 3103. Through this blog, we hope to be able to share what we have learnt throughout the 14 weeks and how we can make the Malaysian pupils be enchanted by mathematics!

We would want to show the "fun" side of mathematics to the pupils!

So, before we proceed allow us to introduce the members of varied races or "muhibah" group...

Our first member,...leader and the only male in the group is

1. Mohd Loqman b. Hashim

Assalamualaikum and good day.I am from Bandar Baharu Kedah.I am TESL student who will be a future teacher, teaching English in a primary school. Of course that my minor subject for this course is Maths and this blog is our group blog about the wonderful good of Maths. I hope from this blog 'Enchanted Maths' our group can discuss whatever happen in Maths education, teachings, techniques and so on about Maths. And this will be very exciting. >.<

2. Our next member is Azalina Farah Auziz

Assalamualaikum and hye everybody!! I'm Azalina Farah binti Auziz.. Just call me FARAH.. I'm from Sik, Kedah. Like my other groupmates, I am a future teacher.. A primary school teacher! Through this blog, I hope I can share my knowledge with all of you.. And hopefully you will read all our posts and leave comments so that we can share our thoughts, learn from each other. I teach you and you teach me!! I hope I can be a good and the best teacher in the future...
"There'll always be a room for improvement.."

3. The third member is Caryn Ting.

I’m Caryn Ting. Currently an undergraduate in University Malaya. I’m from Sitiawan, Perak, which is about 4 hours drive from Kuala Lumpur. I am the eldest of 4 in the family. I am a TESL (Primary). This translates that I will be a primary school teacher in another 1 and a half years (time flies so quickly, it has already been 5 and a half years)…and I will also be teaching Mathematics. So, this “Enchanted Maths” blog will be where I share the next 14 weeks of my and our learning of how to teach Mathematics in fun and interesting way for the pupils!

So, do drop by and comment and share your thoughts!

4. Our next member is...the cutie...Ng Bee Guat.

Hello, my name is Ng Bee Guat. You can call me Bee Guat. I’m from Malacca, a small town situated at the south part of east Malaysia. Same like Caryn, I’m also a future primary school teacher. Hmmm, I’m not sure whether I’m qualified to be a good English or Mathematics teacher, however, I hope I can be one after I’ve completed my studies. Well, this blog will serve as a channel for me to learn, express, share, and gain useful experiences on how to teach Mathematics in an effective and interesting way. I would like to share a quote from S. Gudder, which I think truly reflects what Mathematics is all about:

“The essence of mathematics is not to make simple things complicated, but to make complicated things simple“.

5. Our last member is the sweet girl ...J.Priyatharisini

Hi everyone! I am Priyatharisini Jeyabalan.I am from Banting,Selangor.Basically, i am just a simple and sweet girl, a future teacher who loves expecting the unexpected and....is very passionate about teaching.English and Maths will be my teaching subjects in school in future. Well, i hope that this blog ( Get Enchanted By Maths) will offer a plethora of ideas to learn, enrich and explore the wonders of Maths that have enchanted generations of great thinkers.Besides, i also believe that the true mysteries of Maths lie at the limits of our thinking which is INFINITY!Thereby, as a future teacher i hope to guide my pupils to look beyond discovering the wonders and exploring the many marvel of Maths at the extremes along with fun and joy.So, deep inside i wish to make Maths a popular subject and NOT one to dread or avoid!TQ

So, through this blog we hope to be able to journey together and get enchanted by Maths!