Ng, Wee Leng

The purpose of this study was to examine the effects of a calculus course using the flipped classroom model on undergraduate students’ achievement in mathematics which was measured by their scores on three quizzes, a test, and a final written examination, as well as their overall scores. The scores of a total of 58 second year students, comprising 17 students in the experimental group and 41 students in the control group, enrolled in a university degree programme in Singapore were analysed retrospectively using analysis of covariance (ANCOVA) so as to control for initial differences. The experimental group comprised students who took the flipped calculus course in the August 2016 semester while the control group comprised students who took the same calculus course taught using a lecture-tutorial approach in the August 2013 semester. Results of ANCOVA show that after controlling for initial differences the experimental group scored statistically significantly higher in the test but lower in the final examination than the control group.

The authors of this paper have conceptualized and constructed a tool, using dynamic geometry software, to simulate scenarios of word problems involving speed, and used it to help students acquire the concept of speed and solve speed problems involving two objects moving toward each other. This paper demonstrates how such a tool can be created using GeoGebra, and describes how the use of this tool had improved understanding of speed concept, and ability to solve speed problems for a class of sixth grade students in Singapore.

In recent years, computer-based technology (CBT) has enabled university lecturers to teach their courses using non-traditional pedagogies. One such pedagogy is the flipped learning model. Under this model, students learn the basic content on their own using pre-class tasks and then come to class to engage in more challenging work such as solving difficult problems. CBT can play two important roles in flipped learning, namely to deliver learning materials efficiently and to assess student achievement effectively. This paper describes how these two roles were applied to a flipped Linear Algebra II course in the National Institute of Education (Singapore), taken by a group of student teachers (n = 15) over a 12-week period from January to April 2018. Their perceptions of flipped activities were gathered using weekly surveys, mid-semester survey, end-of-course survey, and end-of-course interviews. They generally agreed that flipped learning using CBT was helpful and enjoyable. As flipped learning becomes more common among university lecturers in Asian countries, it is beneficial to share experiences of utilising CBT to promote active learning of mathematics among university students.

A design experiment was conducted to examine the role of the TI-Nspire, the latest graphing calculator from Texas Instruments, in teaching and learning calculus. This paper reports details on, and preliminary results of, the design experiment involving the design and conduct of a TI-Nspire Intervention Programme for an intact class of thirty-six secondary four students (15-16 years) from a secondary school in Singapore. Use of the TI-Nspire was integrated into teaching and learning Calculus concepts with the aid of the TI Navigator, a wireless classroom network system that enables instant and active interaction between students and teachers. Mathematics attitudes surveys and structured interviews were administered to assess the effects of the use of the TI-Nspire on students’ attitudes towards mathematics. It was found that appropriate use of graphical, numerical and algebraic representations of Calculus concepts using the TI-Nspire could enable the subjects to better visualize the concepts and make generalizations of relevant mathematical properties. Results of paired samples t-tests and interviews with students suggest that there the use of the TI-Nspire has a positive effect on students’ confidence in and perceived usefulness of mathematics.

Anecdotal evidence suggests that many pre-university students (Years 11 and 12) and some mathematics teachers in Singapore have several misconceptions in solving equations of the form f(x) = f⁻¹(x) and that the appropriate use of the graphing calculator (GC) has the potential to correct these misconceptions. This paper analyses a group of prospective teachers' responses to a diagnostic test and pre- and post-diagnostic test surveys which not only revealed various inappropriate uses of the GC in solving the equation f(x) = f⁻¹(x) but also illustrated pedagogical roles the GC could play in correcting students' misconceptions about functions and the understanding of the concepts of functions. The paper also discusses the implications of these findings on classroom practices and pedagogical strategies pertaining to the use of the GC at the pre-university level.