Ngan Hoe Lee

Initial Perspectives of Teacher Professional Development on Mathematical Modelling in Singapore: Problem Posing and Task Design

The Singapore Mathematics Curriculum is often referred to as the Problem Solving Curriculum. Despite two major reviews, it has remained largely unchanged. Consequently, teachers are familiar with problem solving but not problem posing, a key feature in mathematical modelling, an addition to the curriculum since 2003. As mathematical modelling is context based, teachers expressed concern with the availability of appropriate relevant tasks and the sustainability of mathematical modelling. This chapter is the second in a series of three on initial perspectives of teacher professional development on mathematical modelling in Singapore. It captures the readiness of participants in a relevant professional development event in designing modelling tasks and the value they attached to problem posing as part of the total student mathematical learning experience.

The Singapore Mathematics Curriculum Development—A Mixed Model Approach

Singapore has a history of having a national mathematics curriculum, which is produced and disseminated by the Ministry of Education, exemplifying a deductive approach towards mathematical curriculum development (Olivia, Developing the curriculum, 2009). This Chapter presents, through three case studies of school-based curriculum innovations, how the development of mathematics curriculum in Singapore has evolved from a deductive to containing elements of both the deductive and inductive approaches—a mixed model approach. Through the eyes of the three case-studies, advantages to such a mixed model approach towards mathematics curriculum development will be presented. Key contributing factors for the success of such a mixed model approach will be elicited through an analysis of these case studies as well.

Mathematics education in Singapore

Mathematics education in Singapore is a shared responsibility of the Ministry of Education (MOE) and the National Institute of Education (NIE). The MOE overseas the intended, implemented and attained curriculum in all schools while the NIE is involved in teacher preparation and development and also research in mathematics education. Therefore this report has two sections respectively, the first describes the education system and school mathematics curricula while the second briefly provides relevant information on teacher preparation and development and mathematics education research in Singapore.