Teo, Kok Ming

Many types of pricing models incorporating different forms of demand functions have emerged in the past years. In an earlier work, a piecewise- defined Complementarity-Constrained Demand Function (CCDF) was discussed to correct certain weaknesses in commonly used demand functions. The authors introduced a Complementarity-Constrained (CC) pricing model incorporating the CCDF in that same work. However, there was a lack of numerical implementations therein. Hence in a separate work, we developed an algorithm using MATLAB to compare a generic pricing model and a CC pricing model. Experiments were performed to compare the revenues from the two models for certain ranges of parameters defining the demand function. In this work, we conduct further numerical testing by simulating the bidding behaviours of different types of customers and using simulated demand data to compare the models. We find that the use of the CC model leads to higher revenues for certain simulated scenarios.

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.

This study employs Sfard’s (2008) socio-cultural theory of Commognition to analyse student teachers’ thinking and communicating practices. Specifically, we investigate the effectiveness of the student teachers’ communication of a particular mathematical proof with reference of the four features of the commognitive framework, i.e., word use, visual mediators, narrative and routines. In this paper, we can report on the routine of the discourse to analyse the quality of mathematical discourse in two situations of “Expert-to-Novice” and “Novice-to-Novice”.

In recent years, computer-based technology has enabled university lecturers to teach their courses using non-traditional pedagogies. One such pedagogy is the flipped learning model. As flipped learning is being used more frequently to teach undergraduate mathematics, instructors need to collect data to identify practices that work well to promote student mathematics achievement and favourable perceptions toward this new learning mode. This paper describes six different types of pre-class tasks for a flipped Linear Algebra II course in a Singapore university, such as short videos narrated by the instructor, synopses, summary sheets, worksheets of problems and activities, and online quizzes. The sample comprised 15 pre-service teachers, who had adequate to good mathematics backgrounds, and their participation in this project would prepare them to implement flipped learning in school mathematics in the future. On average, they spent about one hour to complete these weekly pre-class tasks, but the stronger ones reported spending less time on these tasks than the other students. Almost all the students rated very highly these tasks in terms of helping them to learn and enjoyment at mid-semester and end-of-course surveys. These perceptions had weak correlations with the course grade. Suggestions for practice and future research are discussed.

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.

This paper examines the calculus curriculum in the current Singapore secondary and pre-university levels. Two concepts, (1) increasing and decreasing functions and their derivatives, and (2) the second derivative test for the nature of stationary points, are elaborated. An example of an incorrect calculus item in a national examination is brought up in relation to conditional reasoning involving calculus concepts. We reckon that the current emphasis on procedural knowledge in calculus is useful. However, we argue that formal conditional reasoning should not be introduced prematurely for school students.