Methods of Teaching Mathematics

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Browsing Methods of Teaching Mathematics by Author "Ameena Ahmed Yaseen Sulaiman"

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    Comparing the Content of the Palestinian and Israeli Grade Eight Mathematics Books and the Availability of the NCTM Standards in the Content of the Palestinian book
    (2012) Ameena Ahmed Yaseen Sulaiman; Dr. Salah Yaseen; Dr. Wajeeh Daher
    Abstract This study aims to compare the content of the Palestinian Mathematics book with its Israeli counterpart for the Eighth Grade, as well as identifying the availability of the NCTM standards that are issued by the National Council of Teachers of Mathematics in 1989 in the content of the Palestinian book in order to develop it. This research’s importance stems out from the necessity to correct the new Palestinian curricula that was completed in 2006/2007; the Palestinian curriculum is the first of its kind to be designed by Palestinian competencies. The researcher identified the problem of the study through the studies that stated that the curricula in general and the mathematics curriculum in particular suffer some kind of shortage in achieving its goals; therefore, efforts must be made in order to develop and improve the mathematics curriculum in Palestine. To achieve this, this study sought to answer the following questions: 1. What are the mathematics subjects that are included in the Palestinian mathematics book for the eighth grade? And what is their relative weight? 2. What are the mathematics subjects that are included in the Israeli mathematics book for the eighth grade? And what is their relative weight? 3. What are the differences and similarities between the mathematics subjects included in both the Palestinian and Israeli books? 4. The extent to which the NCTM standards are available in the content of the Palestinian mathematics book for the eighth grade? To answer these questions and achieve their goals, the researcher used the comparative studies approach through which she compared the mathematics subjects in the content of the Palestinian mathematics book for the eighth grade with those included in the Israeli mathematics book. She also used the Descriptive, Analytical Approach through which the content of the two parts of the Palestinian mathematics book was analyzed for the purpose of measuring the availability of the NTCM standards in the book by studying all the examples and questions included. The researcher also designed the study’s tool in the form of comparison table through which the different mathematics subjects included in the mathematics books for the eighth grade in both Palestine and Israel were compared. In addition to the list of the international standards of the NTCM issued in 1989 which are related to the (5-8)stage which was used as a tool to analyze the content of the Palestinian mathematics book along with its two parts for the eight grade in the form of tables to classify the examples, the questions and the training included in the book. The tool was also used to identify the opinion of teachers regarding the number of examples and questions that should be included in the content of the mathematics book for the eighth grade; the tool was also verified and its validity was checked. In order to achieve the objectives of the study the researcher took the following procedures: • Analyzing the content of the Palestinian mathematics book along with its two parts for the eight grade and the Israeli Mathematics book based on calculating the relative weight of the mathematics subjects included in the book’s content according to the number of classes that are assigned to it. Also, integrating the mathematics subjects into five main areas including (Numbers, geometry, Algebra, statistics and possibilities)، and comparing between the weights of these subjects according to their occurrence in the Palestinian and Israeli curricula for the eight grade. • Translating the NCTM standards that were issued in 1989 that are related to the 5-8 stage. The study’s tool (The List of the Standards) depending on these standards that are connected to the five mathematics areas (Numbers, geometry, Algebra, statistics and possibilities) and use them to know to what extent these standards are available in the content of the two parts of the Palestinian mathematics book for the eight grade through detecting all the examples, questions and training that achieve these standards. • Distributing the list of standards on a group of 15 mathematics teachers to conduct a survey on the number of questions and examples that should be available in the content of the Palestinian mathematics book for the eight grade. • In-depth study of the content of the Palestinian mathematics book with its two parts and reading every mathematics topic carefully and detecting every example, question and training in this book. • Look for the availability of the NCTM standards in every example, question and training in this book. The results of the study have shown that: • The relative weight of the mathematics subjects included in the content of the Palestinian mathematics book for the eight grade varies between 6.8% for the possibilities area, and 44.9% for the geometry area. A great interest in the area of geometry was noticed on expense of other mathematics subjects. • The relative weight of the mathematics subjects included in the content of the Israeli mathematics book for the eight grade varies between 0% for the possibilities area, and 42.1% for Algebra area. A great interest in the area of Algebra was noticed on expense of other mathematics subjects. • A similarity was noticed between the content of the Palestinian and Israeli mathematics books for the eight grade with respect to these subjects: Numbers, geometry, Algebra and statistics. However, the fifth area which is possibilities occurred in the content of the Palestinian mathematics book but not in the Israeli one, in addition to a noticeable variation between the Palestinian and Israeli books with respect to the relative weights of the different mathematics subjects. Showed the results of the analysis the study all of the NCTM standards that are related to the five mathematics subjects (Numbers, geometry, Algebra, statistics and possibilities) received a high level of interest among the teachers who were subjected to the survey; however, the percentage of these subjects that were available in the content of the mathematics book for its two parts was only 40.6%. This was the total percentage of the availability of NCTM standards in the book’s content which is close to what examples and questions the book has; this percentage is below the medium level. The curriculum addressed some of these standards appropriately and there was enough number of examples and questions to fulfill these standards. We also find that the curriculum addressed some of the standards in a weak manner and the percentage of standards reached 50.1% which is clear through the gap between these examples and questions and what the teachers have suggested to achieve these standards. The study recommended making use of the list of standards that the researcher achieved with respect to the development of school mathematics books, setting special standards for the mathematics curricula in Palestine based on the international standards of the NCTM, enriching the content of the mathematics book of the eight grade through examples and questions that develop high thinking skills such as prediction, conclusion, criticism, creativity, and problem-solving, and not to be confined to skills related to knowledge, memorization or application. It also recommended the provision of enriching books alongside the curriculum book in order to enrich the content with examples and questions that develop the high mental skills of the students, holding conferences and seminars to discuss the points of weakness and strength in school mathematics books and the application problems by teachers and supervisors in order to develop the Palestinian curricula so that it can cope with the modern trends in curricula design. Additionally, the researcher recommended conducting more research on mathematics curricula through content analysis in light of the NCTM standards especially with respect to numbers and operations for all school stages. More studies are also needed to be made on the Palestinian mathematics curricula using the comparative studies approach being one of the modern approaches in curricula correction and because Palestinian curricula are newly made.