Browsing by Author "Albin, Simon"

Now showing 1 - 2 of 2
  • Thumbnail Image
    Item
    A comparative analysis of word problems in six junior primary Mathematics textbooks in Namibia
    (2019) Albin, Simon; Von Watzdorf, Anja
    In mid-year of 2018, while lecturing on „Solving structured story word problems‟ for developing meanings of the four basic operations to the junior primary student teachers in their second year of the Bachelor Degree of Junior Primary Education at a selected Namibia‟s largest public University, both students and their lecturer of Numeracy Education recognized that the majority of taught story word problems found in junior primary schools‟ textbooks seemed to be of onetothreetypes of word problem structures, while there are actually twenty one word problem structures. This observation led the course lecturer and a student to carry out this research by analyzing the exact types of word problems found in six mathematics textbooks for Namibian junior primary schools currently in use. We analyzed by comparing two series of Grade 1-3 learner‟s books currently in use in Namibia‟s primary schools entitled “Platinum Mathematics” (Alves et al., 2014) and “Solid Foundations” (Burger, 2015) respectively. We analyzed by comparing two series of three textbooks and each series was written by the same authors from Grade 1-3. The literature review suggested that this focus area was under-researched in Namibia, hence its sharp contribution to the body of knowledge in particular the pedagogy of Mathematics. The key findings indicated first, inconsistency of hierarchical inclusion of word problems and second, multiplicative word problems were more (165) than additive word problems (108) translating into 72 multiplication word problems versus 22 word problems for addition in Table 5.1 and 67 multiplication word problems versus 21 word problems for addition as illustrated in table 5.2. The most outstanding finding showed that about 70% (188/273) word problems found in all six learner‟s textbooks were asking students to find the unknown results. This bias surely negatively affects students to reason realistically in Mathematics across the school grades (Ku & Sullivan, 2001) and this is supported by our teaching experience. As per our intuition, word problems and skills developed by solving word problems are the key fundamental reasoning enablers for learners to enjoy Mathematics and solve algebraic related problems in and out of school. Regrettably, this is not happening currently among Namibian learners. The new contribution to the pedagogy of Mathematics of this research study is the findings that indicated that some word problems found in junior primary school learner‟s books are a combination of more than one type of word problems. Hence, there is a need for teachers to ensure effective mastery of 21 word problems for the learners to be able to solve combined word problems.
  • Thumbnail Image
    Item
    Learning from students’ experiences of microteaching for numeracy education and learning support: A case study at University of Namibia, Southern campus
    (2017) Albin, Simon; Shihomeka, Sadrag P.
    The purpose of this study was to investigate, reflect and learn from experiences of undertaking microteaching in a Numeracy Education and Learning Support class of 153 students studying Diploma in Junior Primary Education Year 3 (DJPE3) at University of Namibia, Southern Campus. Microteaching is a platform for beginner teachers to improve teaching competencies, and this took place prior to students’ placement and evaluation of School Based Studies for 4 weeks (June/July 2017) in any Namibia’s primary schools of their choice offering class teaching from Grade 0 to Grade 3. Prior to microteaching, student teachers demonstrated nervousness and were scared to present a lesson before their peers. Literatures on microteaching were synthesized before data were analyzed by summarizing 91 written reflections of 91 student teachers who unanimously took part in a survey after completing and returning a questionnaire with four open-ended questions. Analysis of the data revealed that, microteaching is a learning platform for teaching practice, positive and negative factors influence student’ microteaching scores, and most students were satisfied with microteaching scores. The results of this study suggest that microteaching lecturers at the University level should be trained and equipped with student-engagement skills to be highly effective and supportive toward students.