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Developing lesson packages involving the history of mathematics: teacher collaboration in a plc team
Author
Poh, Wei Beng
Supervisor
Dindyal, Jaguthsing
Abstract
The use of the history of mathematics as a pedagogical tool has been advocated by many mathematics educators. Despite the rich historical development of mathematics, the use of mathematics history appears to be absent in Singapore mathematics classrooms. The purpose of this case study is to explore the professional collaboration of four mathematics teachers in a professional learning community (PLC) to develop a lesson package infused with the history of calculus.
The lesson package took a total of three months to develop using the weekly protected team time built into the teachers’ timetable. Using a lesson study approach, the package was taught by two teachers in the PLC team to three banded classes of low, average and high ability students. A total of 58 students took part in the study. A pre- and post- questionnaire was administered to these students to examine their awareness of the history of mathematics in their learning of mathematics. Semi-structured interviews were conducted with both the teachers in the PLC and selected students from each band to find out the effects of the history infused lessons.
From the perspective of the teachers, findings from pre- and post- semi-structured interviews revealed that the PLC provided a good platform for teachers’ collaboration. The teachers in the PLC team gained knowledge of the rich history of calculus and were convinced of the use of history as a pedagogical tool in the teaching of mathematics.
From the perspective of the students, students gained a better awareness of the historical development of calculus after the four month study. The learning approach in infusing the history of calculus had a positive impact on the students’ interest and motivation towards the learning of calculus. However, it was also observed that when measured across students of different abilities, the low ability students were the least convinced of the use of the history of mathematics in the learning of mathematics compared to the other two groups of students. Analysis of students’ pre-test and post-test scores also revealed that there was a significant difference (p = 0.05) in the mean scores between students who were taught the history infused lessons and another group from the same class who were not taught the lessons.
The lesson package took a total of three months to develop using the weekly protected team time built into the teachers’ timetable. Using a lesson study approach, the package was taught by two teachers in the PLC team to three banded classes of low, average and high ability students. A total of 58 students took part in the study. A pre- and post- questionnaire was administered to these students to examine their awareness of the history of mathematics in their learning of mathematics. Semi-structured interviews were conducted with both the teachers in the PLC and selected students from each band to find out the effects of the history infused lessons.
From the perspective of the teachers, findings from pre- and post- semi-structured interviews revealed that the PLC provided a good platform for teachers’ collaboration. The teachers in the PLC team gained knowledge of the rich history of calculus and were convinced of the use of history as a pedagogical tool in the teaching of mathematics.
From the perspective of the students, students gained a better awareness of the historical development of calculus after the four month study. The learning approach in infusing the history of calculus had a positive impact on the students’ interest and motivation towards the learning of calculus. However, it was also observed that when measured across students of different abilities, the low ability students were the least convinced of the use of the history of mathematics in the learning of mathematics compared to the other two groups of students. Analysis of students’ pre-test and post-test scores also revealed that there was a significant difference (p = 0.05) in the mean scores between students who were taught the history infused lessons and another group from the same class who were not taught the lessons.
Date Issued
2013
Call Number
QA21 Poh
Date Submitted
2013