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Exploring Kuwaiti Mathematics Student-teachers’ Beliefs Toward Using Logo and Mathematics Education. Presented By Nabeel Sulaiman School of Education. Aim of the Study.
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Exploring Kuwaiti Mathematics Student-teachers’ Beliefs Toward Using Logo and Mathematics Education Presented By Nabeel Sulaiman School of Education
Aim of the Study • To build a more complete theory on Kuwaiti Mathematics student-teachers’ beliefs toward mathematics teaching and learning and ICT impact. • To explore the effects of using Logo in a mathematics education course on Kuwaiti mathematics student-teachers’ beliefs toward Logo and mathematics education.
Kuwait Education System: An Overview • Before the discovery of oil: • 1900 Al-Katatib. • 1911 First school Al-Mubarkiya School. • 1921 Second school Al-Ahmadiya School. • 1936 Council of Education was established. • 1938 First school for girls called Al-Wosta School.
Kuwait Education System: An Overview • After the discovery of oil 1938: • 1946 12 schools • 1956 Formal education divided into four categories: • First, Kindergarten with duration of two academic years. (4 yrs) • Second, primary with duration of four academic years. (6 yrs) • Third, intermediate with duration of four academic years. (10 yrs) • Fourth, secondary with duration of four academic years. (14 yrs) • 2006 The duration of school years changed from 4-4-4 to 5-4-3.
Kuwait Education System: An Overview • Schooling is compulsory, age 6-14 years. • Literacy rate: 83.5 %. • Free education through university for Kuwaitis. • Universities: 2 public + 7 private. • Public: Kuwait University (oldest , established 1966). • Public: College of Basic Education. • Kuwait Ministry of Education (MOE) oversees all aspects of education, and sets educational goals and standards.
Educational Statistics (MOE, 2007)
Information and Communication Technology (ICT) in the Kuwaiti Schools • 1986 Ministry of Education (MOE) Kuwait started a gradual implementation of ICT education programs in secondary schools. • 1994 Kuwait Intermediate School Information Technology Project (KISITP) was initiated, it aims was to implement information technology (IT) courses in intermediate school curriculum. • 2004 ICT was implemented in primary schools. The objective is to teach basic ICT aspects: computer operation, MS Word, MS Excel, Logo, etc. However, the goal was ICT literacy … not to incorporate ICT into subject disciplines.
Mathematics Education in Kuwaiti Schools • MOE consider Mathematics an important discipline, the FACT remains that the Kuwaiti educational system is confronted with the reality of Kuwaiti learners are underachievers in Mathematics, both nationally and internationally. • According to Third International Maths and Science Study (TIMSS) about students’ attainment in mathematics, Kuwaiti students sit at the bottom of the overall rank order of the countries in the survey (TIMSS survey, cited in SCRE 2005). • 47th International Mathematical Olympiad (IMO) 2006, Kuwaiti students rank was with the last five overall orders of the 90 countries (i.e. 86 of 90) (IMO, 2007).
Reasons for Kuwaiti Students’ Underachievement • Kuwaiti students are still taught mathematics by rote-learning and memorization (Al-Ajmi, 2006). • MOE has confirmed that Kuwaiti students’ underachievement in mathematics can be attributed to the traditional methods of teaching. • The un-incorporation of ICT programs is also a major reason for students’ underperformance in mathematics (Al-Turkey, 2006a,b); for example Logo.
The Role of ICT • ICT provides a mindful engagement in an intellectual partnership context with the learners. As a result of this partnership, there is cognitive residue which is transferable. The learners leave ICT with some mastery that can be used in other learning situations. • ICT “mindtools” are “adopted or developed to function as intellectual partner with the learner in order to engage and facilitate critical thinking and higher-order learning” (Jonassen, 1996, cited in Harvey and Charnitski, 1998, p. 154). • Logo programming language as an ICT cognitive tool serves to engage and enhance learners’ mathematical thinking.
Beliefs As Pajares (1992) Values Attitudes Judgments Opinions Ideologies Perceptions Conceptions Conceptual systems Preconceptions Dispositions Implicit theories Personal theories Perspectives
Kuwaiti Mathematics and Student-teachers’ Beliefs • Little is known about mathematics teachers’ views of mathematics they teach or the way they teach it (Al-Ajmi, 2006). • Kuwaiti mathematics student-teachers, so far no research has been conducted to explore their beliefs about the teaching and learning of mathematics or the use of Logo for mathematics education.
ICT and Teachers Training Institution • Take an active role in preparing future mathematics teachers to use new up-to-date methods, technology tools, ICT, in their future classrooms which would have an impact on students’ learning, achievement, and developing positive attitudes toward mathematics. • “Technology is essential in teaching and learning mathematics; it influences the mathematics that is taught and enhances students' learning” (NCET, 2000).
Hypothesis Statement • It will be shown that Mathematics student-teachers in Kuwait change their guiding educational beliefs after using the Logo programming language in the “Methods of Teaching Mathematics” course. • The student-teachers will gravitate away from the Traditionalist approach towards the use of Logo in a Constructivist approach context, with far-reaching implications for student-teachers training courses in Mathematics.
Methodology Methodology Qualitative Quantitative Logo Module Course (Table Attached) Pre-Belief Questionnaires Post-Belief Questionnaires Pre Semi-Structured Interviews Post Semi-Structured Interviews
The Focus of Data Collection Methods • Focused on student-teacher beliefs with regard to: • The nature of mathematics. • The learning of mathematics. • The teaching of mathematics. • Logo programming language as a tool for the teaching and learning of mathematics. • Information and communication technology (ICT). • Student-teachers’ previous mathematics classrooms experience.
