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Making Beautiful

MATH( Meaningful

s)
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1

Abd Karim
 Agend
a
1 Issues in Mathematics
Teaching

2 Strategies & Innovation

Abd Karim
FURTHER
READINGs
Unleashing students
POTENTIAL through
creative maths, inspiring
messages and
INNOVATIVE TEACHING

Abd Karim Alias@2015

ACTIVITY (5 minutes)
Please list the issues that you think
your students are facing (struggling) in
learning mathematics.

Abd Karim Alias@2015

 What Skills are Useful
in Innovation-Driven
Societies?
• M athematical problem solving
• M athematical reasoning
• M athematical creativity and
critical thinking
• M athematical communications
Any educator should master three types of
knowledge:
1. content knowledge—knowledge of the facts,
principles and methods in the discipline that is being
taught,
2. pedagogical knowledge—understanding of the
learning process and the conditions that facilitate
and hinder it, independent of the discipline in which
the learning takes place, and
3. pedagogical content knowledge—to denote
knowledge and understanding of the learning
process in the context of a particular discipline.
Abd Karim Alias_2013
 What are the problems with
the traditional way of
teaching mathematics?

… t h e way math is traditionally taught

reinforces the idea that it's an innate
talent

Photo by Meg Lauber on

Flickr. Abd Karim Alias_2015
 M any students disengage
from learning
mathematics…WHY?

uinn Dombrowski on Abd Karim Alias_2015

10 Abd Karim
FURTHER
READINGs
 The Four Pillars Upon W hich the
Failure of M ath Education Rests*
(and what to do about them)

*Matthew A. Brenner,The Four Pillars Upon Which the Failure of Math Education Rests Abd Karim Alias_2013
 The Four Pillars Upon W hich the
Failure of M ath Education Rests*
(and what to do about them)

The approach (not content) of math education is too

PILLAR abstract and decontextualized
1 Math education conveys rituals and procedures but not
PILLAR understanding
2
PILLAR Metacognitive activity is absent in math education
3
PILLAR Sociolinguistic obstacles to success in mathematics
4
*Matthew A. Brenner,The Four Pillars Upon Which the Failure of Math Education Rests Abd Karim Alias_2013
 Math demands creativity, collaboration and
discussion more than memorization, drills and
just hurrying to get the right answers
Photo by Yoel Ben-Avraham on Abd Karim Alias_2013
Making Mathematics Meaningful &
Beautiful — HOW?

Abd Karim Alias@2015

ACTIVITY (5 minutes)
What are new strategies or
innovations you have done to make
learning mathematics more
meaningful and effective?

Abd Karim Alias@2015

Explore new innovative delivery
methods
Conventional Approach

Proble
m
Proble Proble
m m
MATHEMATICS
Problem
Problem

Connection to
real world

Abd Karim Alias_2013

New Framework

Calculu
s
Numbe
r Probabilit
Theory y

Real World
Statistic
s
Algebra

Connection
to other
subjects
Re-examine Curriculum
We need to redesign our Math courses to clearly build on
complimentary skills and emphasize the inter- relatedness
of Algebra, Statistics, Chemistry, Physics, Geometry,
Engineering, Economics, and even Calculus (and even
Music, Poetry, History, Art, Architecture, and
Philosophy).
Mathematics curricula should be redesigned to
highlight and have students experience the
very real everyday applications

Abd Karim Alias_2013

Dan Meyer on Real World
Math

Abd Karim Alias@2015

 Bloom Taxonomy
(revised)
Generating new
ideas, being Higher
innovative, level
viewing things
in different
thinking
ways

Lower
Abd Karim Alias_2013
level
 New
Framework,
New Paradigm
> Re-examining the
structure of the
curriculum,
> Explore innovative
delivery methods

Abd Karim Alias_2013

 M emorable & meaningful
learning experiences
Cooperative
learning
Experiential learning
Collaborative
learning
Immersive learning
Blended learning
Enquiry-based
Problem-based
learning
learning
Image source: http://office.microsoft.com/en-­‐us/clipart/ Abd Karim Alias_2013
Abd Karim Alias@2015
PROBLEM-BASED LEARNING (PBL)
IN MATHEMATICS

A Tool for Developing

Students’ Conceptual
Knowledge

Abd Karim Alias@2015

 PBL in Mathematics
Many students lack a PBL is a
deep understanding promising approach not
of only to build math
math concepts. understanding
but also to test
students’conceptu
al
knowledge.
Teachers find it difficult to
develop a real-life
PBL requires teachers to
hook for students to
present students with
work
multifaceted, real-life
through problem solving
problems and act as
facilitators supporting
students in
Abd Karim Alias@2015
What kind of mathematics problems
help students develop deep,
conceptual understanding?

Abd Karim Alias@2015

 20
11
h,

Pl
ym
ou
t
of

Un
ive
rsit
y
,

W
http://bit.ly/math4real
http://www.flickr.com/photos/42232541@ N04/4267059618/
 Steve Wheeler, University of Plymouth,
http://bit.ly/math4real
http://www.flickr.com/photos/42232541@ N04/4267059618/
 Connecting math to
1. life
What can you learn from Ms.
Brookins and Mr. James
about linking math to stories?
2. How do real-word scenarios
increase engagement and
retention of concepts?
3. Why is it important to give
students a chance to
apply their learning?
http://www.flickr.com/photos/42232541@N04/426
ENQUIRY LEARNING

Abd Karim Alias@2015

 Steve Wheeler, University of Plymouth,
http://www.flickr.com/photos/42232541@N04/4267059618/
 ENQUIRY
1. How
LEAR N ING
does this strategy
encourage independence?
2. What kinds of questions do
Ms. Brookins and Mr
James ask their students?
3. How could this strategy be
used to help students critique
the work of others?
http://www.flickr.com/photos/42232541@N04/4267059618/
Abd Karim Alias@2015
Photo by Ben+Sam - Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike License http://www.flickr.com/photos/11080385@N05 Created with Haiku Deck
 l e a r n i n g
Bit e - s i z e
e a r n i n g )
(m i c r o l
“The process of
learning through
short, digestible and
well-planned units”
~Grovo

Abd Karim Alias@2014

 B ite-
size l
(mic earn
r ole ing
arnin
g)

Learn anything in small chunk—that’s the

basic premise of bite-size learning. It makes
sense to breakdown content into a small,
manageable segments. Abd Karim Alias@2014
Abd Karim Alias@2015
Engage students before, during
and after the class

4
0
41
Welcome to the
brave new world
of

Abd Karim Alias@2014

 43
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B LEN DI NG F2F WITH
M OOC

Abd Karim Alias@2015

Abd Karim
http://blended.online.ucf.edu/

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iTunes U

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New Framework,
New Paradigm
> Re-examining the
structure of the curriculum,
> Explore innovative
delivery methods

Abd Karim Alias_2013

New Framework,
New Paradigm
> Re-examining the
structure of the curriculum,
> Explore innovative
delivery methods

Abd Karim Alias_2013

Optimize classroom time
for…
> Conceptua
l,
> Contextual

Abd Karim Alias_2013

 Steve Wheeler, University of Plymouth,
http://www.flickr.com/photos/42232541@N04/4267059618/
Professor is making calculus go
viral
Professor Jim Fowler has
spent more than 1000+
hours on his Calculus
course on Coursera

http://www.flickr.com/photos/42232541@N04/4267059618/
• Calculus One has
enrolment >100,000
students
• Fowler built
MOOCulus*

*a quiz program full of customized hints

and automatically generated extra
problems in areas where individual students
need
 Steve Wheeler, University of Plymouth,
http://www.flickr.com/photos/42232541@N04/4267059618/
Photo by Anne Davis 773 - Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial License http://www.flickr.com/photos/46353871@N00 Created with Haiku Deck
M AT H E D U C AT I O N N E E D S A
M A K E OVE R

ABD KARIM ALIAS

Centre for Development of Academic Excellence
(CDAE) Universiti Sains Malaysia
Photo by Federica Olivieri on