The Use of ICT to Enhance Learning of Mathematics in Secondary Schools - Essay Example

RESEARCH PROPOSAL ON THE USE OF ICT TO ENHANCE LEARNING OF MATHEMATICS IN SECONDARY SCHOOLS Mankind has continuously evolved over time. Known history tells that the present form of mankind is the result of the evolution of different stages or age. Mankind has always been in search of the ways to improve his living standard that forced him to look for alternatives of hunting, thus agriculture developed. This process of adoption to the changes and the search for the better ways to perform tasks has not been exhausted; rather it is still going on. However, it is a matter of fact that its pace has been increased drastically as a result of the continuous and rapid evolution of technology. Today, in whatever domain of work we look into, we always find the impact of technology continuously revolutionizing those fields and industries. The education industry is no exception. When looking deep into various disciplines of studies to analyze the actualized as well as potential impact of technology, we come across the fact that the understanding of the subjects which are very conceptual in nature, increases many folds. Mathematics is one of them. Furthermore, especially in secondary classes in Singapore, when the course of mathematics starts to get more conceptual and complex, it becomes essential to let the students visualize various concepts using multimedia, which would otherwise be impossible to demonstrate. Thus this study aims to analyze the impact of use of Information and Communication Technology in the enhancement of learning of Mathematics in the secondary schools of Singapore, particularly in the assessment aspect of teaching. Information Communication Technology is too broad area to be analyzed as a whole, thus we would restrict ourselves to the impact of multimedia technologies only. This specification leads us to our research question, that is, Is there any impact of the use of multimedia resources in teaching How the multimedia resources can be used in teaching mathematics to secondary class students What is the impact of using Multimedia technologies on the learning enhancement of secondary class students of Mathematics, particularly in the assessment aspect of teaching. LITERATURE REVIEW: This literature review is aimed to look at the work relevant to the issue that has already been done. Thus, first of all we would start with defining the term multimedia, without as well as within the context of Information Communication Technology. Moving further, we will analyze the various researches done on the issue of teaching methodologies and its relation with technologies. The term 'relation' here includes the advent, the nature and level of integration of technology and teaching over time and impact. Moving further, we would review the literature on how the multimedia technologies can facilitate the teaching of mathematics. Lastly we would try to analyze that keeping in view the existing literature, what is the need of the proposed research. It is important to be clear in very beginning that what perspective of multimedia we are considering, in order to avoid any ambiguity. In a literal sense, the word multi means many and media means the plurality of mediums, the way of delivering some thing. The type of information that is considered as part of media are diversified, it includes, text, graphics, animations, sounds and video clips. The list is not exhaustive; with the evolution of technology new types of media keep on being added. For example, initially only text was the media to be used, then graphics and then sounds, animations and clips and so on. When we speak of the term multimedia in terms of information and communication technology, it has been defined as Multimedia is communication that uses any combination of different media; it may or may not involve computers. Multimedia may include text, spoken audio, music, images, animation, and video. . Multimedia programs are often interactive and include games, sales presentations, encyclopedias, and more. From this definition we can infer some essentials, first, it is the application of technology that makes some message a multimedia one; secondly, it is a form of communication. Besides, there must be multiple media used. Lastly, they are interactive. Having a clear understanding of what we would perceive from multimedia, let's move to explore the utility of technology in teaching. Teaching has existed, in one form or other, ever since the mankind has learned civilization. Through ages, the professionals of this field have tried to integrate their particular disciplines of studies with the evolving technologies. Moore and Miller writes that in this era that is known as knowledge economy, the most leading approach of science is through multimedia technology to ensure the 'active, direct and developmental' information. (Moore and Miller, 1996) Rieber asserts that the multimedia, which literally means use of more than one media out of text, graphics, sound, video, animation etc. attracts the student's attention and thus invoke and boost up the learning motivation levels which ultimately results in increase in the effectiveness of learning. (Reiber, 1996). It was noted by Chang, Sung and Chen in their study that the computer based learning helps the facilitation of students in acquiring the important skills and abilities in technology and information, while also exploring the mathematical fields. (Chang et al., 2001) Many researchers have made researches so as to determine that how multimedia has contributed in enhancing the learning of student. Mayer and his other research mates have developed the generative theory of multimedia design. (Mayer, 1989) It has been identified by Burk et al that after the instructor take time and use computer based animation to let the students conceptualize the any concept of mathematics, students will increase their understanding and performance on conceptual examination questions. (Burk, 1998) After a tiresome and thorough study, Thompson and Riding concluded that animated diagram of a mathematical demonstration facilitates the understanding of 11-14 year-old pupils. (Thompson and Riding, 1990). However, not all the researchers agree to the fact, some researchers do disagree. Lin and Dwyar have concluded out of their research that animations are neither cost effective not an effective strategy. Thus it can not improve the achievements in knowledge acquisition of objectives that were there behind the web-based learning. (Lin and Dwyer, 2004). These studies show that a lot of work has been done so as to identify various impacts of the use of technology especially multimedia on the enhancement of learning. Though difference of opinion exists, yet it is quite impressive that a lot work has been done about it, which shows that this area is worth research. However, while I was browsing through the research as well as the syllabus of the mathematics for the secondary students of Singapore, initially it came to my mind that probably all the areas have already been researched out. But when I put myself in the shoes of a secondary student having a mathematics course, I went into nostalgia. What I found missing in all the researches was the use of multimedia for the learning enhancement of the secondary students, especially in the field of mathematics, especially for the purpose of assessment. Assessment is also an integral part of teaching. In the tradition pedagogical literature, we find assessment as a way to rank what students have learned so far, however, modern pedagogical researches have proved that the best approach is to use assessment for the sake of learning. Assessment also teaches a lot to the student. Thus it is also essential that multimedia be used not only for delivering lectures, but it can also be used for the purpose of assessment. I remember those tough problems of Pythagoras theorem or calculus, where I did know the procedure to solve the equations; I knew that how to go about for the problem but what I was lacking were the imaginative skills to imagine the real picture from the written words. This happens to many students not always because of their inefficient imagination skills. Often, it is very difficult to frame a real life situation into words. Moreover, when a teacher frames a question into words, he is bound to make the student direct towards one particular procedure or hint which leads to the intended procedure. This, in a sense, bounds the student to think the way his or her instructors want to think. However, when an animated or motion clip of the situation is shown, it really helps the student to link it with real life. This will not only make the students good at mathematics, but will also let them use those skills in real life problem, which is the very first objectives of teaching mathematics at secondary level in Singapore. It states that: Mathematics education aims to enable pupils to: acquire and apply the skills and knowledge relating to number, measure and space in mathematical situations that they will meet in life. METHODOLOGY: The research would be an experimental one. It is not possible to have a historical research, since the practice of assessment of mathematics using multimedia in the secondary classes of Singapore does not exist. Likewise, the survey will also be not relevant when considered the issue at hand. Here I would like to specify the pros and cons of this type of research method. The most favorable part of this method is that no other method is more feasible or suitable. Experimental method is most suitable when the research wants to study something that does not exist already, so do I. However, like any other experimental method, this would also be a method, where most of the factors would be controlled, thus there are a bit of chances, that when implemented the recommendations of this research, we come across some instances contrary to the expected one. However, this can be removed by iterative process of experimentation, implementation and then again experimentation, implementation and so on. DESCRIPTION OF THE RESEARCH METHODOLOGY: Research Design This is a full design experiment since we are controlling all the other factors like the effects of answering initial questions correctly on the later questions, the chances of having difficult questions earlier and easier later or vice versa, the effect of attempting same question initially through traditional methods and later through multimedia methods and vice versa. For details of how these factors are controlled, refer to research procedure. Sampling: Three classes will be selected out of all secondary classes. (Random selection) Fifty students will be selected from each of the selected level of secondary classes; these students will be selected randomly from each school but stratified sampling on the basis of the total strength of the school will be done. Topics will also be randomly selected. It will also be ensured that the teachers selected to teach in the experiment have not taught to any of the student of the group earlier. Instrumentation: Random selection will be done for the topics. The teacher with average rating of teaching, yet experience of teaching through multimedia and command over the subject will be selected. The questions will be taken from various textbooks or reference books. This will also be done randomly. For assessment through multimedia, we will shoot a video or develop it through 3D studio max or MAYA for the relevant questions. Research Procedure: We would do the experiment in three stages. In each stage we would sample fifty students of one particular level of secondary class. The same concept will be taught to them simultaneously. Ten questions will be asked from all of them. However, from a set of fifty students, half of them would be asked first five questions in traditional manner while another half of the question would be asked by computerized method, using multimedia. While another half of students, the rest of twenty five students will be given the first five questions in computerized method using multimedia and last five questions will be done using traditional method. Repeat the same experiment for different level of students and different topics related to different branches of mathematics, such as geometry, arithmetic, algebra, statistics etc. Here the very essential principle of randomization must not be ignored, in any case. A repetition is also done eliminate the factors that can disrupt the experiment. For example, there are chances that when the student learns something and is assessed through traditional method and then if questions would have been asked, even without telling the correct answer, the student would be in a better position to answer, since he already has devoted sometime to think over the problem in previous method. That is why different questions are planned to be asked; moreover, if all the students will have been doing the traditional method first and multimedia one later, there are the chances that even if the initial questions were different from the later one, the level of difficulty would have been varied. Furthermore, it is a general tendency that when we have done earlier questions easily, the next questions are attempted with greater confidence and when initial questions are not done well, the students tends to mess up the rest too. To eliminate or minimize this effect on overall result, we will be giving the first five questions to half of the students in written form, while the other half would be getting in multimedia form. The data thus collected would be the percentage of correct responses using traditional one and that using the multimedia methods of assessment. Before all this, a pilot study would be done so as to ascertain if any problem exists with the method implementation. Later on, the actual experiment would be conducted. Data Analysis The inferential statistical procedure thus applied to identify whether or not the population mean of the answers through both the methods are equal, will be two way ANOVA. Two way ANOVA can be applied because it satisfies all the required conditions like equality of sample size, independence of two samples etc. Obviously, all the descriptive measures required to reach the inferential procedure of two way ANOVA will be applied. We wish to have a research that not only enhance our learning but add a few drops of wisdom to our knowledge society and knowledge economy as well. BIBLIOGRAPHY Burke, K.A., Greenbowe, T.J. and Windschitl, M.A., Developing and using conceptual animations for chemistry instruction. J. of Chemical Educ., 75, 1658-1661 (1998). Chang, K.E., Sung, Y.T. and Chen, S.F., Learning through computer-based concept mapping with scaffolding aids. J. of Computer Assisted Learning, 17, 21-33 (2001). Lin, C.L. and Dwyer, F., Effect of varied animated enhancement strategies in facilitating achievement of different education objectives. Inter. J. of Instructional Media, 31, 2, 185-194 (2004). Mayer, R.E., Systematic thinking fostered by illustrations in scientific text. J. of Educational Psychology, 81, 240-246 (1989). Moore, R. and Miller, I., How the use of multimedia affects student retention and learning. J. of College Rieber, L.P., Animation as feedback in a computer-based simulation: representation matters. EducationalScience Teaching, February, 289-293 (1996). Thompson, S.V. and Riding, R.J., The effect of animated diagrams on the understanding of a mathematical demonstration facilitates the understanding in 11-14 year old pupils. British J. of Educational Psychology, 60, 1,93-98 (1990). Read More