Chap Sam Lim

Promoting and Implementing Lesson Study in Malaysia: Issue of Sustainability

This chapter discusses the experiences of promoting and implementing lesson study, with their related issues and challenges encountered in Malaysian schools. The Japanese model of lesson study was first introduced in 2004 to Malaysian mathematics teachers as small scale research projects and postgraduate student dissertations. It was in 2011 that lesson study gained the interest and attention of the Malaysian Ministry of Education (MOE) The Teacher Education Division of the MOE implemented professional learning communities and lesson study was identified as the core collaborative approach to improve teaching and learning. Although some Malaysian schools have been introduced to lesson study since 2004, there was a lack of tangible reports regarding the impact and success of lesson study implemented. Unofficial reports revealed that very few schools were able to sustain the lesson study practices. Thus, in this chapter, we highlighted the issue of sustainability, and analysed the possible challenges and constraints faced in an effort to sustain the lesson study practice. Based on our own experiences and reviews of related literatures, we proposed some feasible suggestions on how to sustain lesson study in schools, particularly in Malaysia and also schools in other parts of the world that face similar predicaments as Malaysia.

The Politics of Equity and Access in Teaching and Learning Mathematics

Besides clarifying the definitions of equity and access we briefly contrast two philosophical positions on the nature of mathematics and speculate about their consequences for equity and access. We next discuss “whose mathematics,” and provide a viewpoint for mathematics learning as related to equity and access for students. We also consider mathematics teachers and their teaching role as these are related to equity and access for students, and then broaden the chapter to include political influences on both teachers of mathematics and learners. Given the diverse political systems in operation throughout the world, and the range of conditions within and between countries, we are unable to frame questions that can be definitively answered. Our observations relate to the role that politics plays at different levels to influence access and equity for teaching and learning mathematics and are supported by particular examples, some from history, others documenting more recent events. Finally we offer a brief discussion of several international cases of what we believe is a form of colonization that follows from official insistence on “English first” in teaching mathematics in some states where English is a second language for students.

Cognitive Diagnostic Assessment: An Alternative Mode of Assessment for Learning

This paper discusses how cognitive diagnostic assessment can be used as an alternative assessment for learning the topic of “time” in primary mathematics. Cognitive diagnostic assessment is an assessment that can provide meaningful feedback on student’s cognitive strengths and weaknesses. The one described here was initially developed by the researchers and validated by a panel of seven expert primary mathematics teachers. It was then administrated to 127 Grade Six (12 years old) students. In this paper, several examples are given to illustrate how cognitive diagnostic assessment could be used as an assessment for learning. The limitations of using this approach as well as future research directions are also discussed.

Profiling Mathematics Teacher Professional Development in Malaysia

This chapter is aimed to provide an insight of mathematics teacher professional development in Malaysia. In general, there exist two strands on what constitute or perceive as teacher professional development in the Malaysian context. On one strand, the education agencies under the Ministry of Education (MOE) conduct in-service courses and workshops for teachers to cater the requirements and changes in the mathematics curriculum. This is meant to ensure that teachers are competent to teach and deliver what is transpired in the curriculum. On the other strand, research-based projects such as action research and Lesson Study have provided some autonomy and empowerment for teachers to dictate their own professional development. Both strands of teacher professional development would have direct or indirect influence towards teachers’ teaching. The discussion includes some contemporary issues pertaining to the mathematics teacher professional development. It was observed that generally, teachers show little interest and commitment towards their professional development even though they are aware of its importance in their teaching. The factors are attributed to the over emphasis of examination, administrators’ leadership, teachers’ skepticism and lack of structural support in school for teachers’ professional development. In recent years, the MOE mandated several policies that aimed to put emphasis on teacher professional development such as making it a compulsory requirement for career advancement. There are also efforts to make professional development a school-based programme through teacher collaboration. These would deem more effective and practical in long term as indicated in the research and literatures that promote and support teachers to be self-committed, motivated, and yearning for professional development.

Video as a Medium for Introducing Lesson Study to Multi-ethnic Malaysian Mathematics Teachers

This chapter discusses how edited videos were used as a medium to introduce the concepts and processes of Lesson Study to 54 multi-ethnic Malaysian teachers as part of their professional development. These teachers were teaching in one of the three different types of vernacular primary schools which were underperforming in mathematics and science. The chapter begins with a brief introduction of the Malaysian school system, the recent decline of the Malaysian student performance in international studies and thus the need to upgrade the teacher quality. The Japanese model of Lesson Study was chosen, but to address the language proficiency issues of the participating teachers, various strategies were used to improve teachers’ engagement with the contents of the edited videos during the introductory workshop. The chapter concludes that video can be an effective medium; however, teacher commitment and administrators support remain the most important factor for the success of any professional development programme.

Riding the Third Wave: Negotiating Teacher and Students’ Value Preferences Relating to Effective Mathematics Lesson

The “Third Wave” is an ongoing international collaborative mathematics education research project, involving 10 countries conducted over the years 2009–2011. Adopting the theoretical framework of social cultural perspective, the project aimed to explore the contextually-bound understanding and meaning of what counts as effective mathematics lesson from both the teachers and pupils’ perspectives. This paper will begin with a brief description of the Third Wave Study Project, the research framework and the general methodology used. Thereafter, it will concentrate on the main focus of the paper featuring a detailed discussion of the related findings from the Malaysian data. The data involved six mathematics teachers and 36 pupils from three types of primary schools. Multiple data sources were collected through classroom observations, photo-elicited focus group interviews with pupils and in-depth interviews with teachers. During each class lesson observation, the six selected pupils (as predetermined by their teacher) were given a digital camera to capture the moments or situations in the observed lesson that they perceived as effective. Pupils were then asked to elaborate what they meant by effective mathematics lesson based on the photographs that they have taken. Teachers were also interviewed individually immediately after each lesson observation and pupil’s focus group interview. Findings of the study show that both teachers and pupils shared two co-values and two negotiated values in what they valued as an effective mathematics lesson. The two co-values are “board work” and “drill and practices” while the two negotiated values are “learning through mistakes” and “active student involvement”. However, there are minor differences in teachers’ and pupils’ value preferences, for instance, pupils valued more of “clear explanation” from their teachers and active participation in classroom activities whereas teachers put emphasis on using different approaches to accommodate different types of pupils. More importantly, it was observed that an effective mathematics lesson is very much shaped by the continuous negotiation between teachers’ and pupils’ values and valuing. This paper will end with reflections on some possible implications and significant contributions of the study in mathematics education.