Bridging Mathematical Thinking – Designing Web-based Multimed ...
Abstract
This paper presents the design framework, elements and processes as well as the initial findings during the pilot implementation of our web-based multimedia video cases for building online professional learning communities (PLCs) for mathematics teachers in Singapore. This work is a core part of an on-going project funded by Ministry of Education via Office of Educational Research (OER) at National Institute of Education, Singapore. One unit of two Primary Five (5th Grade) teachers’ videotaped lessons on fractions word problems were used as resources for the video cases. The multimedia cases and online environment focused on helping teachers collaboratively address an authentic issue of mathematics teaching and learning in Singapore – using ‘the model method’ to bridge the algebraic learning between upper primary schools and lower secondary schools. Our design was informed by two major lines of research – situated learning perspective and anchored instruction; and development of multimedia video cases and online learning for community building. We featured an authentic orientation and a problem-based case design to stimulate subject knowledge construction, used scaffolds to engage teachers in reasoning about classroom interactions and student learning, and used a case teacher as an online facilitator and co-participant in community building. Our pilot implementation of the design in one local school showed initial success in community building.