Muatan Lokal in Mathematics Learning Process at Schools in Aceh Province

This research aims to describe muatan lokal, a subject discussing local culture content in Indonesia, and to analyze mathematics learning process at schools in Aceh Province based on Bishop's universal mathematical activities. The collection and analysis of the data used a qualitative approach. Besides the qualitative approach, we also used an ethnomathematical approach to make a rigorous description of muatan lokal and its existence in the mathematics learning process at the schools. This research found that the current implementation of muatan lokal in Aceh was still in progress of development. In fact, however, many schools have already implemented the subject muatan lokal based on the Indonesian Ministry of Education and Culture’s regulation. Furthermore, we could identify the existence of mathematics in the teaching material of muatan lokal subject. However, the connection between both muatan lokal and mathematics as subjects at school is too weak for the VII grade of junior high schools in Aceh

International Cooperation in Mathematics and Science Education

Education plays the important role of bringing up the next generation to sustain society. It becomes increasingly important to have an education system optimized for the era of globalization through the use of information technology in order to deal with the increased competition and cooperation between countries. The ability to scrutinize information critically is valuable here. Through quality teaching, people should be able to select useful information from the glut that surrounds them. Mathematics and science education play a crucial role in developing such ability among children through logical and scientific thinking. Technical cooperation by JICA in this field has been very well received and is expressed through numerous projects. A historical review of the development of mathematics education reveals that three major factors: curricular relevance, student centeredness in teaching, and educational outcome and its evaluation, play a key role in quality improvement. On the other hand, a review of international cooperation in the development of mathematics and science education reveals an additional factor: the institutionalization necessary to disseminate this quality education. Analysis identifies three future issues: the accumulation of fundamental research results, research cooperation and cooperation strategies, and long-term evaluation

Straightforward synthesis of functionalized cyclic polymers in high yield via RAFT and thiolactone-disulfide chemistry

An efficient synthetic pathway toward cyclic polymers based on the combination of thiolactone and disulfide chemistry has been developed. First, heterotelechelic linear polystyrene (PS) containing an alpha-thiolactone (TLa) and an omega-dithiobenzoate group was synthesized via reversible addition-fragmentation chain transfer (RAFT) polymerization, employing a newly designed TLa-bearing chain transfer agent (CTA). The subsequent reaction of this heterotelechelic polymer with an amine, which acts as a nucleophile for both the TLa and dithiobenzoate units, generated the alpha,omega-thiol-telechelic PS under ambient conditions without the need for any catalyst or other additives. The arrangement of thiols under a high dilution afforded single cyclic PS (c-PS) through an oxidative disulfide linkage. The cyclic PS (c-PS) disulfide ring formation was evidenced by SEC, MALDI-TOF MS and H-1-NMR characterization. Moreover, we demonstrated a controlled ring opening via either disulfide reduction or thiol-disulfide exchange to enable easy and clean topology transformation. Furthermore, to illustrate the broad utility of this synthetic methodology, different amines including functional ones were employed, allowing for the one-step preparation of functionalized cyclic polymers with high yields

Lesson study approach for teachers' professional growth in mathematics education and comparison of three examples

Paper presented at the 5th Strathmore International Mathematics Conference (SIMC 2019), 12 - 16 August 2019, Strathmore University, Nairobi, KenyaTeachers' growth is one of the most important factors to consider in each country where the quality of education is directly connected to the level of intelligence and thus level of economy. It is, however, regarded as a lifelong continuing process and not easy to grow in a short period. Teaching Gap (Stigler et al 1999) has caught attention on the lesson study from educators all over the world. With such a trend, the lesson study approach is a unique approach to address the issue of lifelong continuing process and collective aspect of professional growth. This lesson study approach was born and has been grown in Japan more than one hundred years. It has certainly become a part of the Japanese education culture, and on the other hand, Stigler et al. (1999) clearly has pointed out that the lesson study has a potential to influence culture of teachers and classrooms with time. While JICA has introduced the lesson study approach since 2003 in various countries, the cultural aspect of the lesson study is not well paid attention to. Thus this paper is to address the cultural and contextual factors of the lesson study through comparison of three cases in Japan, Bangladesh and Zambia.Hiroshima University, Japan

An Evaluation of the Effect of the Improvised Experiments on Student-teachers’ Conception of Static Electricity

This study is investigating the student-teachers’ conception of static  electricity in Rwandan teacher training colleges. The study used a preand post-intervention design, where two groups of students were randomly  assigned in two groups. Along a period of four weeks, one group was taught using the traditional method (TRAD) while another using improvised  experiment (IME) method. The student-teachers were given a test before teaching while after teaching the same test was administered to both groups. The study was not interested in testing student-teachers’  achievement rather the conception of static electricity. The test was composed of six item questions and their answers were coded as “out of the topic, unrelated information and opposite answers”. After performing pre-test, student-teachers showed confusions related to non-mastery of content and alternative conceptions related to static electricity and  magnetism. Though about 27 per cent and 17 per cent of student-teachers in TRAD and IME respectively, reduced the gaps in their confusion after getting teaching intervention, however, there was found to be no statistically significant difference (p>.05 at df=10) in all of the item questions between these teaching methods in favour of IME. Four item questions showed an improvement while student-teachers developed more conceptual confusions in other two item questions. Not only examining student-teachers’ conception in static electricity but also teachers were recommended to be aware of students’ ideas, opinions and confusions prior to their lesson planning, teaching materials preparation, as well as teaching implementation. Keywords: Conceptions, Static electricity, Improvised experiments, Student-teacher

INTERSECTION OF CRITICAL MATHEMATICS EDUCATION AND ETHNOMATHEMATICS

Ethnomathematics has gained a certain level of momentum in the developing countries, and some developed countries with multicultural backgrounds. On the other hand, critical mathematics educaton that originated in developed countries, has highlighted critical points of ethnomathematical research. In this research the complementary relation between critical mathematics education and ethnomathematics has been deliberated in order to connect ethnomathematics to school mathematics as a part of educational endeavor. Subsequently a foundational framework has been proposed to strengthen the critical nature by means of reciprocity and develop mathematics education based on ethnomathematics

Consideration of international cooperation in the field of mathematics education : The case of the strengthening mathematics and science at secondary education (SMAASE) project, Kenya

The role of basic education is refocused from different angle at Jomtien Conference (1990) after 30 years haveelapsed since international conferences on the educational planning were convened for universal primary educationaround 1960. In this conference, it is regarded as a part, and especially a fundamental part, of human rights ratherthan as a tool to attain economic development. Thus international cooperation in the field of education is gearedtowards improvement of its quality as well as quantitative attainment of the universal basic education. In this direc-tion Japanese government has committed herself during UNCTAD general conference to the education in Africa,and the SMASSE (Strengthening Mathematics and Science at Secondary Education) project, between Kenyan gov-ernment and Japanese government is one development of such commitment in the field of mathematics and scienceeducation at the secondary level. This report has intended to present what the project considered and implementedduring the early stage. And through this presentation, the authors have presented two implications towards theoriza-tion of international cooperation in the field of mathematics education. They are namely consideration of socio-cul-tural aspect in mathematics curriculum and professional development of teachers through lesson research

Redefinition of Literacy Towards EFA Era : Focusing on the Mathematics Education 【Article】

The increment of information used to be regarded as a good thing unconditionally. However what werealize at the corner of this century is the unequal distribution of wealth and information which causesitself grow bigger and bigger than ever before. And it poses invincible tasks to humankind.The World Declaration, which has a symbolic meaning in the history of international cooperation,may become a cornerstone so long as we see some possibility in it and orchestrate our efforts toward theachievement of its goal. However, it may be degenerated into another empty doodle on the wall of histo-ry unless we translate these words into action. What we should do to change the possibility into the real-ity is to convert symbolism into practicability.It is our task to redefine the literacy as a basic ability in this declaration and to develop the discussionbased upon that definition. The critical thinking and creative attitude are the key concepts which createthe circulative channel between two sides which cannot be easily fused into one. They have beenemployed to enable not fusion but integration of the two mathematizations, science and technique

Experimental Evaluation of Mechanical Reliability of the Impeller Blade for Large Integrally Geared Compressors

Lectur

An experimental framework for designing document structure for users' decision making -- An empirical study of recipes

Textual documents need to be of good quality to ensure effective asynchronous communication in remote areas, especially during the COVID-19 pandemic. However, defining a preferred document structure (content and arrangement) for improving lay readers' decision-making is challenging. First, the types of useful content for various readers cannot be determined simply by gathering expert knowledge. Second, methodologies to evaluate the document's usefulness from the user's perspective have not been established. This study proposed the experimental framework to identify useful contents of documents by aggregating lay readers' insights. This study used 200 online recipes as research subjects and recruited 1,340 amateur cooks as lay readers. The proposed framework identified six useful contents of recipes. Multi-level modeling then showed that among the six identified contents, suitable ingredients or notes arranged with a subheading at the end of each cooking step significantly increased recipes' usefulness. Our framework contributes to the communication design via documents