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Towards the development Towards the development of an online Community of an online Community of Practice for of Practice for Mathematical Literacy Mathematical Literacy teachers teachers Maggie Verster Maggie Verster Duan Van der Duan Van der Westhuizen Westhuizen

Online Mathematical literacy community

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Mathematical literacy has beenintroduced in South Africa in 2006. A ML community of practice has been created to support the teachers in their implementation of the subject. This presentation was delivered at the Maraka Conference to report on the research regarding this intervention

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Page 1: Online Mathematical literacy community

Towards the development of Towards the development of an online Community of an online Community of

Practice for Mathematical Practice for Mathematical Literacy teachersLiteracy teachers

Maggie VersterMaggie Verster

Duan Van der Duan Van der WesthuizenWesthuizen

Page 2: Online Mathematical literacy community

What is Maths Lit (ML)?What is Maths Lit (ML)?

A Jamaican man wants a job, but the foreman won't hire him until he passes a little maths test.

Page 3: Online Mathematical literacy community

Here is your first question, Here is your first question, the foreman said.  the foreman said.  

""WithoutWithout using using numbersnumbers, , represent the represent the number 9number 9."."

Page 4: Online Mathematical literacy community

"Without numbers?"  The Jamaican says,

"Dat is easy."

And proceeds to draw three trees.

Page 5: Online Mathematical literacy community

"What's this?" the boss asks

"Ave you got no brain?  

Tree and tree and tree make nine," says the Jamaican.

Page 6: Online Mathematical literacy community

"Fair enough," says the boss.  

"Here's your second question.  

Use the same rules,

but this time the number is 99."

Page 7: Online Mathematical literacy community

The Jamaican stares into space for a while, then picks up the picture that he has just drawn and makes a smudge on each tree.

"Ere you go."

Page 8: Online Mathematical literacy community

The boss scratches his head and says, "How on earth do you get that to represent 99?"

"Each of da trees is dirty now.  So, it's dirty tree, and dirty tree, and dirty tree.  Dat is 99."

Page 9: Online Mathematical literacy community

The boss is getting worried that he's going to actually have to hire this Jamaican, so he says,

"All right, last question.  

Same rules again, but represent the number 100."

Page 10: Online Mathematical literacy community

The Jamaican stares into space some more,

then he picks up the picture again and makes a little mark at the base of each tree and says,

Ere you go.  One hundred."

Page 11: Online Mathematical literacy community

The boss looks at the attempt.  

"You must be nuts if you think that represents a hundred!"

Page 12: Online Mathematical literacy community

The Jamaican leans forward and points to the marks at the base of each tree and says,

"A little dog come along and crap by each tree.  

So now you got dirty tree and a turd, dirty tree and a turd, and dirty tree and a turd,

which makes one hundred."

Page 13: Online Mathematical literacy community

"SO, WHEN I  START?""SO, WHEN I  START?"

Page 14: Online Mathematical literacy community

ML provides learners with an awareness and understanding of the role that mathematics plays in the modern world.

MLis a subject driven by life-related applications of mathematics.

It enables learners to develop the ability and confidence to think numerically and spatially in order to interpret and critically analyse everyday situations and to solve problems.

What is mathematical literacy (ML)

Page 15: Online Mathematical literacy community

CoP: Communities of practiceCoP: Communities of practice• “Communities of practice are

groups of people who share

• a concern

• a set of problems

• a passion about a topic

• and who wants to deepen their knowledge and expertise in this area

• by interacting on an ongoing basis”

(Wenger, McDermott & Snyder, 2002:29

Page 16: Online Mathematical literacy community

The problem(s)The problem(s)

New subjectNew subject

Cultural contextsCultural contexts

LanguageLanguage

TextbooksTextbooks

Context vsContext vs Content Content

Page 17: Online Mathematical literacy community

Teacher ProblemsTeacher Problems

Overload – timeOverload – time

Novice TeachersNovice Teachers

Inadequate trainingInadequate training

Teachers as learnersTeachers as learners

Negative learner & Negative learner & parent perceptionsparent perceptions

AssessmentAssessment– Learning ToolsLearning Tools– LevelsLevels

Page 18: Online Mathematical literacy community

Solution??Solution??

Online community of practice (CoP)

ML Learning Ecology

Design ExperimentId

enti

fy t

he

pro

ble

m (

s)

Design an intervention

Imp

lemen

t

Analyse & Revise

MLTech tools

Page 19: Online Mathematical literacy community

So what happened?So what happened?

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Technological ChallengesTechnological Challenges

Access problemsAccess problems

Teacher computer skillsTeacher computer skills

Choosing the right toolsChoosing the right toolsThutong / Yahoo / MoodleThutong / Yahoo / Moodle

Registration problemsRegistration problems

Scanned documentsScanned documents

Chat problemChat problemss

Page 21: Online Mathematical literacy community

Teacher challengesTeacher challenges

Slow startSlow start

Time problemsTime problems

Teacher resistance to Teacher resistance to collaborating onlinecollaborating online

Lurkers Lurkers Active Active membermemberss

Page 22: Online Mathematical literacy community

Jareeebaaaaa….!!!!Jareeebaaaaa….!!!!

107 members and107 members andgrowing………growing………130 uploaded tests & exams / a130 uploaded tests & exams / assignments/worksheets…..ssignments/worksheets…..Face 2 Face workshops Face 2 Face workshops Virtual tea parties Virtual tea parties Access to “Expert” membersAccess to “Expert” membersPersonal developmentPersonal developmentConstant support + mentorinConstant support + mentoringg

Page 23: Online Mathematical literacy community

ConclusionConclusion

Sharing are taking placeSharing are taking place

It is providing a support It is providing a support space for teachersspace for teachers

Blended approach must Blended approach must be taken furtherbe taken further

Lurkers must be enticed Lurkers must be enticed to become active to become active membermemberss

Page 24: Online Mathematical literacy community

BibliographyBibliography

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