Seminar on the Best Practices and Innovations in the Teaching and Learning of Science and Mathematics at the Primary School Level

From APEC HRDWG Wiki

The broad aim of this Education Network seminar is to enable experts and specialists in science and mathematics education from APEC member economies to present their thoughts and ideas which have brought about an improvement in educational practices at the primary school level. This responds to globalisation and challenges brought about by technological advancement in Information and Communication Technology, which necessitate change in the education paradigm. The seminar was held in August 2003 in Sengalor, Malaysia, and the proceedings follow.

Proceedings of the Seminar

Title	Presenting Economy	Summary
A Do-It-Yourself Estimation in Measurement Use of Problem-Based Learning	Malaysia	Discusses how problem-based learning influences pupils' thinking much more than information that they have read or been told.
Do-Talk-Record - A Teaching Sequence for Developing Mathematical Thinking	Singapore	Discusses a framework that utilizes the teaching sequence "do-talk-record: and the processes specializing and generalizing to help learners articulate their thinking and hence help make mathematical thinking more explicit in the classroom.
Enhancing Children's Understanding of Mathematical Concepts Using Pantomime	Korea	Discusses how pantomime is a powerful tool to teach mathematics because it enhances children's communication, reasoning, and the correct formation of mathematical concepts.
Enjoying the Science Classroom Using Interactive Materials to Enhance Understanding	Australia	Discusses how the application fo constructivist theories in the classroom has increasingly emphasized the importance of relevant contexts in teaching science.
Identifying and Remediating Pupils' Misconceptions on Electricity	Malaysia	Demonstrates several Prediction-Observation-Explanation activities that could identify common misconceptions on electricity and suggestions to remediate these misconceptions.
Implementation of Reform in Science Teaching in Indonesia	Indonesia	Discusses a reform project that emphasizes a learning-by-doing approach that encourages students to observe and perceive, reforms teaching methods and materials, and updates assessment procedures.
Language Factors and Their Relevance in Problem Posing and Problem Solving in Primary Mathematics and Science Classrooms	United States	Demonstrates how sophisticated language skills are needed if children are to develop sound problem posing and problem solving skills.
Probing Children's Understanding of Science Concepts via Interviews	Malaysia	Discusses how interviews should be conducted with children, the kinds of data that can be acquired from the interviews, and how to analyze and interpret them.
Public Awareness of Science: How Can Research Influence Primary Classroom Practice?	Australia	Examines world trends in public awareness initiatives, especially their significance for primary science education, and describes the problems of research into public understanding and scientific literacy.
Schemes of Children's Learning in Additive and Multiplicative Structures	Malaysia	Identifies transitional thinking methods that bridge from addition and multiplication to proportional reasoning and call these methods "iterative muliplication."
School-Based Training Program (SBTP) for Science and Mathematics Teachers: The Philippines Experience	Philippines	Discusses how the vast size of the Philippines' Department of Education requires good practices to be shared and trained at the school-level, allowing teachers in pilot and expansion schools division to undergo the process of learning, sharing, and working together.
The Impact of Quality Assessment Information on Teaching and Learning in Science Classrooms	New Zealand	Discusses a New Zealand project aimed at raising the achievement of students in science by collecting quality information about student achievement and using this information to identify and plan learning needs.
The State of Education Reform in Chile in the Field of Science Education: The Project on Inquiry-Based Science Teaching and Learning at Primary Schools	Chile	Discusses an educational reform in Chile from academic science for the few to a basic scientific education for all that provides the skills of questioning, inquiry, and the understanding of the relationship of science, technology, and society.
Three "Open" Methods for Teaching Elementary School Mathematics	Japan	Discusses the Japanese open approach to teaching mathematical problems that exemplify a diversity of approaches to solving a problem.
Summary of the Best Practices and Innovations in the Teaching and Learning of Mathematics in the Represented APEC Economies		Summarizes the findings and reports of the APEC Economies attending this seminar.