HPM Newsletter 74 is now available.
It is a little thin, but includes information about interesting new books, for instance, so it's still worth a look. (Of course, since I'm one of the editors I would always say that.)
HPM is the "International Study Group on the Relations Between the History and Pedagogy of Mathematics".
Sunday, June 27, 2010
Mathematical teaching in North Korea
This blog has been silent lately - but things will get better, as I am planning to blog from the ESU6 conference in Vienna.
However, I just read an interesting article that I would like to tell you about:
Contents or ideology? A case study of mathematical teaching in North Korea. Written by Alexander Karp and Jung Hang Lee, published in Asia Pacific Journal of Education, 30: 1, 1-13.
The article gives the results of an interview study where both teachers and students from North Korea that have now found refuge in South Korea. The article deserves to be read in full, but I still want to mention a few points:
Ideology is a part of mathematics teaching in North Korea. An example mentioned in the article is text problems where collective farms have exceeded their goals "due to the beneficial influence of the Great Leader". In fact, mathematics lessons follow the same sequence as almost everywhere in the world, except for one detail: a 45-minute lesson should include Review, Checking Homework, Reinforcing the Policy of the Party, Delivering New Knowledge and Practice. "Reinforcing the Policy of the Party" is not a standard part of lessons in most countries, and some countries (such as Norway) has also almost done away with the "Checking Homework" part.
We see that Tim Rowland's concept of "contingency" has a part to play also in this context. The authors tell of a new teacher who came to the classroom to find a frog inside a box, with a sign from the frog's neck saying "Let's study math!" The teacher managed to turn this into a teachable moment, telling them about frogs' importance for the crops and telling them that they would, due to the leadership of the Great Leader, produce more crops in the future. (Sadly, we know that the "Great Leader" has mismanaged the country, also when it comes to crops.)
The article does not just tell us about the North Korean system, but reminds us that Stieg Mellin-Olsen long ago told us that mathematics will always include some politics and ideology. The authors also cite Gert Schubring and say that a difference between "what is officially proclaimed and what actually goes on" is nothing special for North Korea.
An interesting article.
However, I just read an interesting article that I would like to tell you about:
Contents or ideology? A case study of mathematical teaching in North Korea. Written by Alexander Karp and Jung Hang Lee, published in Asia Pacific Journal of Education, 30: 1, 1-13.
The article gives the results of an interview study where both teachers and students from North Korea that have now found refuge in South Korea. The article deserves to be read in full, but I still want to mention a few points:
Ideology is a part of mathematics teaching in North Korea. An example mentioned in the article is text problems where collective farms have exceeded their goals "due to the beneficial influence of the Great Leader". In fact, mathematics lessons follow the same sequence as almost everywhere in the world, except for one detail: a 45-minute lesson should include Review, Checking Homework, Reinforcing the Policy of the Party, Delivering New Knowledge and Practice. "Reinforcing the Policy of the Party" is not a standard part of lessons in most countries, and some countries (such as Norway) has also almost done away with the "Checking Homework" part.
We see that Tim Rowland's concept of "contingency" has a part to play also in this context. The authors tell of a new teacher who came to the classroom to find a frog inside a box, with a sign from the frog's neck saying "Let's study math!" The teacher managed to turn this into a teachable moment, telling them about frogs' importance for the crops and telling them that they would, due to the leadership of the Great Leader, produce more crops in the future. (Sadly, we know that the "Great Leader" has mismanaged the country, also when it comes to crops.)
The article does not just tell us about the North Korean system, but reminds us that Stieg Mellin-Olsen long ago told us that mathematics will always include some politics and ideology. The authors also cite Gert Schubring and say that a difference between "what is officially proclaimed and what actually goes on" is nothing special for North Korea.
An interesting article.
Friday, April 2, 2010
Fragments in Beijing
Last week I was a student at Capital Normal University in Beijing. I am taking a course which is a collaboration between Capital Normal University and Oslo University College. The aim of the course is to learn to create database driven websites for education, by means of tools such as HeidiSQL and CodeCharge Studio. Thus, it is a technical course with much to learn for a guy like me who don’t know more about databases and websites than what I’ve learned on my own. But it is also a course about how to create real-life solution that will have an impact on real people. Therefore, creating a website suited for the actual people we want to reach, is crucial.
The hospitality of the staff and students of Capital Normal has been wonderful. We have been taken very good care of, both in terms of the actual teaching and learning processes, the lunches and dinners, the hotel and the social parts of the week. For instance, we all went to the Great Wall together.
It was also a very fruitful week for me and my project. I notice how I tend to be overwhelmed by other work when I’m in my office, not having enough time to either think of or work on the project. Now I do have a bit more confidence in the technical parts as well as a project plan which will take me where I want to go. I have also got a few more good ideas for the project while I’ve been here.
As usual when I go abroad for work, I added a few days for holiday in the end. It is, obviously, much more cost-effective than to go on a holiday to Beijing later. I got to see Tiananmen Square and the Forbidden City again. Last time I was here was in the month of December, which was very cold. This time it was possible to sit down and just enjoy the surroundings.
The hospitality of the staff and students of Capital Normal has been wonderful. We have been taken very good care of, both in terms of the actual teaching and learning processes, the lunches and dinners, the hotel and the social parts of the week. For instance, we all went to the Great Wall together.
It was also a very fruitful week for me and my project. I notice how I tend to be overwhelmed by other work when I’m in my office, not having enough time to either think of or work on the project. Now I do have a bit more confidence in the technical parts as well as a project plan which will take me where I want to go. I have also got a few more good ideas for the project while I’ve been here.
As usual when I go abroad for work, I added a few days for holiday in the end. It is, obviously, much more cost-effective than to go on a holiday to Beijing later. I got to see Tiananmen Square and the Forbidden City again. Last time I was here was in the month of December, which was very cold. This time it was possible to sit down and just enjoy the surroundings.
Friday, February 26, 2010
HPM Newsletter 73
HPM Newsletter 73 is now available. This is the newsletter of the HPM community (The International Study Group on the Relations Between the History and Pedagogy of Mathematics).
Articles and notices for future issues are greatly appreciated.
Articles and notices for future issues are greatly appreciated.
Sunday, October 18, 2009
HPM Newsletter 72
The HPM Newsletter (of which I'm the editor together with Chris Weeks), has posted its 72nd issue at the HPM website.
Tuesday, October 6, 2009
Augmenting Human Intellect and Machine of the Year
For a short post on two more articles ("Augmenting Human Intellect" and "Machine of the Year"), see my course blog.
Sunday, October 4, 2009
As we may think
I am taking a PhD level course at my institution this year, called "Fragments". I've just started on the first reading list, and am happy to see that it has some historical texts included. The first one I've read is Vannevar Bush's "As We May Think" (Atlantic Monthly 1945).
"As We May Think" is a fascinating article, trying to figure out how technology may in future (as seen from the point of view of 1945) may help in the organisation of knowledge. The direction described is often very recognizable, even though Mr. Bush was obviously limited by the technologies he had knowledge of.
Particularly interesting, I think, was the "Memex" machine. This was an idea of an office desk in which was organized not only encyclopaedias and newspapers, but also personal notes, and they were connected in ways which made it possible to find them easily. However, from the point of view of the present "Web 2.0" phase of development, it is interesting to see that the information could be inserted by buying centrally produced information, by inserting your own information or by getting information from someone you knew. The idea of the single person contributing to the mass of knowledge available was not there (except, of course, by contributing to the encyclopaedias or newspapers).
The way in which we can all "instantly" contribute to the information structures was probably almost unthinkable at that time.
"As We May Think" is a fascinating article, trying to figure out how technology may in future (as seen from the point of view of 1945) may help in the organisation of knowledge. The direction described is often very recognizable, even though Mr. Bush was obviously limited by the technologies he had knowledge of.
Particularly interesting, I think, was the "Memex" machine. This was an idea of an office desk in which was organized not only encyclopaedias and newspapers, but also personal notes, and they were connected in ways which made it possible to find them easily. However, from the point of view of the present "Web 2.0" phase of development, it is interesting to see that the information could be inserted by buying centrally produced information, by inserting your own information or by getting information from someone you knew. The idea of the single person contributing to the mass of knowledge available was not there (except, of course, by contributing to the encyclopaedias or newspapers).
The way in which we can all "instantly" contribute to the information structures was probably almost unthinkable at that time.
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)
Posts
