Mathematics Web-Based Learning for Malaysian Secondary Schools in Geometry

MASTER RESEARCH PROPOSAL Prepared by Yeo Lian Ming 1. Title : Mathematics Web-Based Learning For Malaysian Secondary Schools In Geometry 2. Chapter 1 Introduction Background Of The Problem Learning of geometry is formally introduced in the Malaysian primary mathematics curriculum. The emphasis in geometry increases as students progress to secondary education, where about forty percent of the sixty topics in the five-year secondary mathematics curriculum comprises geometry content (Malaysian Ministry of Education, 1998).It is paramount that students at the beginning level of secondary education are provided with logical reasoning skills to build on subsequently more rigorous experiences of formal geometry. The Curriculum and Evaluation Standards for School Mathematics (NCTM,2000), and other important literature in the area of mathematics education call for emphasis in geometry at all levels. Geometry is a unifying theme to the entire mathematics curriculum and as such is a rich source of visualization for arithmetical, algebraic , and statistical concepts.For example, geometric regions and shapes are useful for development work with the meaning of fractional numbers, equivalent fractions, ordering of fractions, and computing of fractions (Sanders, 1998, p. 20). However, geometric concepts are often neglected in elementary and middle level schools in favour of teaching computational skills ( Huetinck & Munshin, 2004 ; Noraini Idris, 2006 ).Various reasons related to mathematical system itself, curricular materials, instructional practice, and cognitive development have been proposed to explain students’ the difficulties with geometry. In many Malaysian schools, the teaching and learning of mathematics has been reported to be too teacher centred and that the students are not given enough opportunities to develop their own thinking (Malaysian Ministry of Education, 2001). This situation invariably results in students becoming passive receivers of information , which in many cases do not results in conceptual understanding.Many students are not able to comprehend what their mathematics teachers teach especially on the topic of geometry because mathematics content is taught with the intention of finishing the syllabus and preparing for examinations. Little regard is given to how well the students understand geometrical concepts. On the topic of geometry, students encounter difficulties in applying what they have learnt due to spatial inability and visualization problems. In secondary school, mathematics teacher’s biggest challenge is to find a way how to get students’ interest to learn geometry.Through web-based learning, teacher can give students a new and stimulating way to learn and practice mathematics when and where it is suitable for them. The use of computers in education can be utilized as a new technological support for the visualization of abstract concepts through computer-generated virtual representations, allowi ng for the generation of mental model of the geometrical concepts. Moreover, the use of the World Wide Web as an educational delivery medium has pushed the limits of instructional design.It is becoming commonplace for students to register for programs, access course materials, communicate and submit assignments, and retrieve grades electronically. Classrooms and conference facilities in schools around the world are web-friendly, with many offering video-conferencing or full virtual classroom facilities. But the real question is this: does web-technology help or hinder learning? The best answer seems to be that it depends on the situation. Sometimes it helps. Sometimes it hinders.On the plus side, the Internet has moved management education ahead by enabling rapid, easy access to education and information, shared workspace tools for collaboration, instant communication and messaging, and online help. On the negative side, the quality of learning, more often than not, fails to meet ex pectations. Statement Of The Problem Teaching and learning process in mathematics particularly in the topic of geometry is not an easy task. Students tend to fail in developing an adequate understanding of the concepts, reasoning, and problem solving skills.The lack of understanding in learning geometry often cause discouragement among the students, which invariably will leads to poor performance in public examination. A number of factors have been put forward to explain why learning geometry is difficult due to geometry language, visualization abilities, and ineffective instruction. Poor reasoning skills are also another area of concern among secondary school students. Many are unable to extract necessary information from given data and many more are unable to interpret answers and make conclusions.Traditional approaches in learning geometry emphasized more on how much the students can remember and less on how well the students can perform the process of problem solving that includ es higher order mathematical thinking skills and reasoning. Thus learning becomes forced and creates anxiety among students and seldom brings satisfaction to the students. Objectives Of The Study This study will explore the ICT ability such as the web-based instructional objects as learning visual aids for the teaching and learning process in Geometry.This skill will enhance the teaching and learning process in delivering the topics in Geometry. The study will address some of the primary issues that should be included in the curriculum design process to develop a more interesting learning experience that truly engages the students from a cognitive perspective, while encouraging or fostering a greater accomplishment in the student's learning development particularly the visualization ability and problem solving skills.Scope Of The Study This study focuses on the curriculum design of web-based instructional objects for the teaching-learning process that involves hands-on ability with emphasis on experiential model. From the experiential perspective, the goal is to provide an opportunity or event that will engage or involve the student in the active process of learning. Experiential web-based learning can occur when the following conditions are met during the design phase: a )the appropriate level of cognitive and/or affective domain is reached, causing the student to do much more than simply receive the learning or knowledge, ( b )the relationship between the type of knowledge establishes an implied level of student involvement, ( c )the outcomes are evaluated with respect to the domain (cognitive and/or affective) in terms of the type of knowledge. Once these steps are included during the design process, rather than as an afterthought, web based learning will become richer, and provide the student an authentic learning event.Significance Of The Study In designing instructional objects, emphasis should be placed on designs that are conducive to meaningful learni ng rather than designs that aim merely at presentation of objects. This study will examine the integration of technology, content, pedagogy and online delivery as it affects the student learning experience. The process and model for creating interactive-rich learning environments is presented to improve their course development practices and online classroom quality. . Chapter 2 Literature Review The application of instructional objects in the teaching and learning of mathematics helped the students to understand the subject matter more clearly through novel presentation; making the learning of mathematics interesting and fun as well as easier to understand (Clarke ; Gronn, 2004). The wise use of web-based technology can help to break the boundaries between classroom and workplace, between theory and practice, and between the roles of instructor and learner.A second generation approach carefully designed and extended, can lead to many win-win solutions that can promote meaningful ac tion-based learning that combines the best in technical and soft skills education in both classroom and workplace settings (Morgan, G. ; Adams, J. , 2009). However, there was a significant interaction effect between delivery model and prior web experience. This indicates that for some learners, certain delivery models may be more ffective for web-based environments (Ahern, T. ; Martindale, T. , 2001). The results of the recent study showed that the learners who used the hybrid web based learning model displayed a better understanding of the necessary concepts and were able to apply their learning experiences to real life contexts better than the learners who were exposed to the traditional teaching method only (Naidoo, N. ; Naidoo, R. , 2006).With the current bodies of research and knowledge on development both of the learner, and the instructor, there is a need now more than ever to re-examine and develop a new model for instructional design. It may be necessary then, to abandon, o r perhaps significantly modify, the traditional instructional design models that were grounded in behavioral terms in favor of a model that is more experiential (Kolb, 1984). 4. Chapter 3 Research Methodology Research Design ; ProcedureThrough the use of programs that can be downloaded from the internet such as Moodle an Open Source Course Management System (CMS), an interactive course materials containing online activities such as self assessments, animations, and simulations on the topics in geometry can be produced to develop an e-learning websites to encourage self-learning and ability to seek for knowledge from various sources. These can improve learning and are often more enjoyable , flexible learning time and meaningful for students. Operational FrameworkThis study will adopt quasi-experimental design which consists of two groups of students. One treatment group will undergo the lessons of geometry using web-based learning while the other control group will be taught by tradi tional approach. I will conduct interviews, surveys and questionnaires to obtain empirical information on this research. Please refer to the attached Gantt chart. Assumptions ; Limitations This study will only use one instructional module entitled Geometry as the treatment period, and an expanded study should encompass the entire Mathematics subject.There are many other delivery models to examine in terms of effectiveness for web-based learning. Studies should be conducted using these models in combination. It would also be interesting to examine participant variables (age, gender, prior experience, etc. ) and the effectiveness of various delivery models. Research Planning ; Schedule Preparation Phase : Study the content of geometry. A literature review of the web-based learning by previous research endeavours will be conducted to complete and narrow down the orientation I will take for the following steps of my research.Analysis Phase : Observe a group of students to identify probl ems in teaching-learning the topic of geometry and analyze the types of instructional object activities in the web-based learning. Design Phase : Select a few subtopics of geometry as the research target. Employ experiential model to produce interactive course materials for geometry which containing online activities by using Moodle an Open Source Course Management System. Application Phase : Test the instructional objects on the sample group to collect data in terms of web-based learning quality, analyze the results and draw conclusions.Evaluation Phase : Refining and enhancing the interactive course material of geometry in the web-based learning. 5. Chapter 4 Expected Findings and Summary The rapid expansion of web-based learning necessitates examining its effectiveness because instruction is more than simply displaying information. Instruction requires an integrated fit that considers the content, the current state of the student and the delivery model to achieve success.The most important long-term outcome of web-based learning may be the students's increased capabilities to learn more easily and effectively in the future, both because of the knowledge and skill they have acquired and because they have mastered learning processes. That implies that a major role in teaching is to create powerful learners. In conclusion, I hope that the students can apply their knowledge of geometry to solve the mathematical problems as well as everyday problems they face in daily life through this web-based learning.

Postevent Nutrition Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

Postevent Nutrition - Essay Example A post-event meal should help to restore fluid and electrolyte losses, replenish glycogen stores and prevent low blood sugar (SMCA n.pag 2nd edition). Inappropriate food intake during post event can have serious implications on recovery. Post event meals are very important particularly for glycogen restoration. As it is a known factor that muscle glycogen is severely depleted for athletes, adequate recovery means that the muscles are rested, re-fueled, and ready to go again (Davis 2005). During an event the athlete encounters free radical attack and to overcome the free radical effects, it is important to take adequate antioxidants. Post event must also be the right time for replacing all those vitamins and minerals. These acts as co-factors in the body's enzyme complexes involved in the production of energy and vitamins which protect against free radical damage (SIS n. pag). The most critical factors that determine sports performance is the energy and hydration supply to the body. Similarly, after an event it is important to replace the lost energy and hydration. Athletes replace fluid and fuel by consuming both liquid and solid carbohydrate feeds.

Textile ARt Model's Comparison and Contrast Essay

Textile ARt Model's Comparison and Contrast - Essay Example Textile art is one of the most fundamental mediums of art. One of the two pieces of art discussed in the following section is the robe of the Empress Dowager Cixi and the other piece of art is the Amish crazy quilt. The Textile Art The textile art has been just as famous throughout the history as it is today. Its immense popularity can be attributed to the fact that fabric has been one of the most fundamental needs of humans at all times. Cloth was needed not only to cover the body, but also to protect it against the harsh effects of the weather. Besides, cloth is used as bed-spreads, table tops, curtains, nets and several other things of huge domestic significance. Its great usability is what always renders the textile art extreme value, importance and appreciation. The Empress’s Dress and the Amish Crazy Quilt: Contrast and comparison Clothes an individual chooses to cover the body essentially depict the taste of the individual and play a big role in improving or tarnishing the looks of the individual. A cloth may be of very good color otherwise, though if it does not go well with the complexion of the person wearing it, the beauty of the color loses its significance and it looks more odd than enchanting. On the other hand, if the color of the clothes is matched with the complexion, it speaks volumes about the taste and sense of style of the person wearing it. That is the fundamental reason why we can see the yellow dress of the Empress bordered with a thick strip whose dark color compliments the central portion as shown in the figure below: Empress Dowager Cixi’s Robe (â€Å"Denver Art Museum†). In order to facilitate the comparison and contrast the Amish crazy quilt is shown in the following figure: The Amish crazy quilt (â€Å"Denver Art Museum†). Period of the chosen art models: Crazy quilts were extremely popular in the US starting from the early 1870s till late 1920s. The dress in the second picture belongs to the Empress Dow ager Cixi who was born in 1835 and died in 1908. The two fabrics essentially existed in the same period, with the quilt being in fashion for about one to two decades after the death of the Empress. Market of the two art models: The quilt and dress differ in that the former was a public property and anyone could purchase or somehow acquire a quilt of his/her own whereas the dress solely was the property of the Empress Dowager Cixi and could not be accessed by common people. The Empress that possessed the dress was in charge of the Manchu throne of China whereas the crazy quilts were as famous and common among the ordinary people as the big landlords. Material: The material used for the making of the dress and the quilt was different. The dress of the Empress is made up of lightweight gauze and is suitable for wearing in the summer season whereas solid colored materials and fabrics were made use of to make the Amish crazy quilts, and unlike the dress of the Empress, these quilts were suitable for use in the winter season. The dress and quilt were similar in the quality that neither of the two had excessive ornamentation, though if the two were to be compared, the quilt had more ornaments than the dress. The beauty of these quilts was that they were made in a highly informal fashion. Non-Amuish makers of the quilt kept collecting irregular and rough silk and velvet fabrics in order to

Procter & Gamble Business Sphere Research Paper

Procter & Gamble Business Sphere - Research Paper Example The firm has 127,000 members of staff, in addition to, 300 trade names vended in 180 nations. P&G averages approximately 4 billion deals every day. Background: The initial project, initiated in the year 2010, is the Business capability course that provides executives forecasts concerning P&G promotion share and additional performance stats five to 12 months in prospects. At its central part is a sequence of analytic forms intended to expose what is happening in the trade currently, why it is transpiring, and what measures P&G could take. The â€Å"what† forms center on statistics for instance shipments, transactions, and market share. The â€Å"why† models emphasize sales figures down to the nation, region, product line, as well as store levels, and drivers for example, publicity and consumer expenditure, inspecting in the region- and nation-specific financial data. The â€Å"deeds† studies observe levers P&G can draw, for instance pricing, promotion, and merchandise mix, and offer approximations on what they convey. Hypothesis: By eliminating the holdup of physically gathering and collecting data, this copyright-pending business intelligence structure advances efficiency and collaboration, abridges work processes, lessens the judgment-making cycle period, and facilitates P&G to concentrate on innovating for the customer. 1.4. Objectives To concentrate businesses on exemptions and offer forward looking projections and scenarios by the employment of business capability analytic outlines. To present multifaceted information and data visually in business procedures, permitting leaders to perceive the data in a simpler manner, process the data speedily, and rapidly alter criticisms into deeds. Using technology to facilitate in bringing perspective to the information and make out chances for P&G by the employment of technology by GBS Analysts. To use the connection of analysts in planet see the similar commerce data in the identical way simultaneously, permitting them to join forces more efficiently. To offer business significance through one supply chain exemplar controlled supply cycle capability outline to assemble numerous information points, methodical, and exposures. This should consequence in a record decrease of 25 percent and should save enormous amounts of money. 1.5. Assumptions This copyright- pending incorporation of technology, visualization, and statistical aids heads to drill-down into statistics to get retorts in real-time. To respond to a set of queries, the course studies and joins in so far as 220 terabytes of data (matched to the degree of data stored in 200,000 editions of Encyclopedia Britannica), permitting for unprecedented granularity as well as customization. The manner data is tendered uncovers criticisms, drifts, and chances for the business heads and compels them to ask diversely and extremely concentrated on business queries. The visualization aids individuals to â€Å"make out† the statistics in manners they would not have had the capability to distinguish with merely figures and spreadsheets. It tests suppositions while concurrently presenting the statistics in dissimilar methods, enlightening potential resolutions that formerly might have not been clear.

Management of Family Owned Real Estate Properties in London Dissertation

Management of Family Owned Real Estate Properties in London - Dissertation Example 1.3 Statement of the problem Fritz (1997) conducted management studies, which explored some of the complexities/ difficulties that are normally encountered in the management of family owned business and he concluded that the management of family owned businesses is quite different from other types of businesses and even the difficulties experienced are unique and rarely experienced in other types of business. In the studies conducted by Fritz (1997), he established that there are five common complexities that are normally experienced in the management of family owned business including real estate business. These complexities include family feuding that arises due to failure of the family members to separate their personal lives and business. The other complexities include nepotism, lack of a proper succession plan, inclusion of emotions in the running of the business, and the loss of crucial non-family employees who may opt to leave the company because of family conflicts and restricted growth opportunities since certain senior positions are preserved for the family members. It is because of these common complexities that family members of real estate businesses in London opt to use the services of property agents in order to avoid encountering these common complexities (Poutziouris et al 2006). 1.4 Research objective To establish how property agents have reduced the complexities involved in the management of family-owned real estate properties in London 1.5 Research objectives

The Impact of Creative Advertising on Consumer's Attitudes towards Literature review

The Impact of Creative Advertising on Consumer's Attitudes towards High and Low Involvement Products - Literature review Example In order to explain the difference between the high involvement products and low involvement products, an example between toothpaste and laptop is given (Bajaj, 2001). Here tooth paste is the low involvement products, while the laptop is a high involvement product. Both the products are evaluated on the basis of the benefits that can be received from them (Mintzberg and Waters, 2009). Apart from that, a high involvement product costs considerable more than a low end product (Benner and Sandstrom, 2012). Due to this reason the customer looks for differentiating factors in that particular product, which are not present in other products. The customer looks for specific features in the product that justifies the price paid for that product (Morgan and Linda, 2005). In other words the customer wants to achieve greater differentiation within the particular budget earmarked. In case of low involvement product, the products are more or less the same, offering the same benefits and features at the same cost (Bonaccorsi and Daraio, 2009). Thus, the low involvement products are characterized by less products differentiation. So for this reason the customer can reach to a conclusion easily (Robert, James and Jean, 2004). Creativity in advertising Creativity helps to transform thinking which are strategic in nature into ideas. These ideas then enable the advertisers to create effective communication (Samiee and Roth, 2003). There are mainly three different stages in creativity; create, creation and creative. In order to create, the advertisers need to float a new idea that is unique and different from the other ideas. The new idea is linked to the main purpose. It constitutes the... This report stresses that creativity in advertisements creates the difference in the way customers perceives a low involvement product and a high involvement product. The numerous experiments indicate that creativity in advertisement influences the buying pattern of the goods. The effect of creative advertisement is more on high involvement products than the low involvement products. A customer has to factor in different kinds of variables and information while buying a high involvement product. This article makes a conclusion that the involvement of the customer can be eased and the buying process can be fastened up and smoothed if the customer is made well aware of the product and the way it can be differentiated with other brands. By bringing in creativity in the advertisement the advertiser is in reality serving the same proposal although in an innovative way. The idea of doing the same and usual thing in a different way create lasting impression on the mind of the customer. The customer is able to associate with or recall the product for a longer period of time. The closest memory the customer accesses are long term memory where the information regarding the brand is stored. Creativity advertising helps to create that niche space in memory through connecting with the most basic features a customer looks while making a decision. The basic features are attention, perception, emotion, senses, reasoning, though, language as well as assimilation and recognition.

Clinical Scenario with Structured Questions Essay

Clinical Scenario with Structured Questions - Essay Example A nurse’s aid who is also a second year nursing student at university saw the client , took his blood pressure which was found to be elevated at 185/112. His heart rate was rapid at 113 beats per minute. The clinical picture indicated that the man was most probably having a heart attack. The student / nurse called an ambulance. As per unit protocol an accident/incident form was filled. Chest pain is a common occurrence with older patients. In the Emergency Department, chest pain needs to be isolated as cardiac or non-cardiac in origin. Physical assessment and proper history taking is very important in identifying the type of chest pain the patient is experiencing. This will also help the health care provider prioritize the plan of care. Proper assessment and history taking through detailed interview could have helped greatly in avoiding errors and reducing incidence reporting. This also indicates that the quality of care is improving. Pain is a very subjective matter. McCaffre y defined pain as whatever the person experiencing pain says it is, existing whenever the person communicates or demonstrates it does (McCaffrey, 1986). Chest pain is one of the most common complaints in emergency departments of hospitals and acute care centers, so common that immediate evaluation and correct diagnosis is very important in the patient’s survival. The situation describes a 44 year old Anglo-Saxon male client presenting with crushing chest pain. History shows long term use of alcohol, obesity, diabetic with insulin infusion, diaphoresis and shortness of breath. The Registered Nurse who first assessed the patient missed critical information such as taking the vital signs of the patient. Vital signs, particularly blood pressure is very important in the assessment of pain. Increased blood pressure usually indicates severe pain (Cox). High blood pressure and tachycardia are symptoms of a heart attack. These symptoms plus the crushing chest pain, diaphoresis and s hortness of breath are warning signs of heart attack and is should be considered a medical emergency. Clinical Governance Clinical governance is a term used by the National Health Service to describe a systematic approach in maintaining high standards of care and aims to continually improve the quality of services delivered in the clinical practice environment. Clinical governance is defined as a framework which helps all clinicians – including nurses – to continuously improve quality and safeguard standards of care (Royal College of Nursing). The role of clinical governance in this situation is to correct any mistakes that the drug and alcohol detoxification unit failed to detect. The purpose of clinical governance is to maintain and improve standards of patient care. In this scenario, it will improve the inadequate partenership between and among health care professionals dealing with the patient. It will also improve delivery of health care in other elements of clini cal governance such as education and training, clinical audit, clinical effectiveness, research and development, openness and risk management. In education and training, the staff of the unit are equipped for drug and alcohol detoxification but they also need to continually update themselves with regards to medical cases in order for them to promptly idnetify life threatening symptoms such as mentioned in