To Uncover Multicultural Psychology Aspect Phenomena of (Mathematics) Education
Mathematics education is not only in a country, but it is almost in every country in this world give mathematics education to the student. Differences the place is influence differences of mathematics education methods. It is depends on culture, social, and condition each of country. For example are differences of mathematics education in Japan and in Indonesia. They have different method to give mathematics education. In Japan, mathematics education is started with introducing the application of mathematics that will be explained and then student will know by theirs what the chapter will they learned. Besides that, in Japan, student have more freedom when they learn mathematics than in Indonesia that have a freedom just when they discuss in small group and when they are learning, they must listen the explanation from the teacher. That make teachers are more dominant than student and it make teacher center learning method.
Because of the differences of culture, and method in mathematics education between many countries, there was done a symposium that was followed by APEC countries members. It was done in Ubon, Thailand on November, 2nd-5th 2011. The symposium had a theme, “innovation on Problem Solving Based Mathematics Textbooks and E-textbooks”. Delegation from Indonesia was Dr. Marsigit. He is one of mathematics lecturer in Yogyakarta State University. He and his wife had followed some activities as a symposium series, there were:
First, he followed a speech from invited speaker. Duration of that speech was about 90 minutes (1.5 hour). Not only one speaker, but also there was eight invited speaker that came from different countries.
Second, he presented his paper that was prepared before. And the title was “Teachers’ Simulation on Developing Problem Solving-Based Mathematics Textbook in Vocational Senior High School Mathematics Teaching in Indonesia”. He presented as a professional researcher. Before he started his presentation, he makes a small introduction and he introduces his wife. He was not the only one presentation at that time. There were 15 presentations from some countries that presented their papers.
Next activity was as a observer in “open class”. Because of his experiences in another country before like in Japan, he assumed as a professional observer. Open class was done by the best teacher in Bangkok and the student were from 1st, 5th, and 6th grade in elementary school. In open class, he as an observer in 1st grade in elementary school with Theng Chun Chor (Hongkong), observer from United States, and observer from Thailand. In this class, students learn about how to calculate the 13 dragonflies that on the paper that was given by teacher. Teacher just gave them a paper that there was picture of dragonflies and student were given a freedom how to calculate that into small group. Some of them gave a line and cross line in dragonflies picture and some of them used a beam to give a sign dragonflies that had been calculated. But, using beam was not effective than using cross sign. After they had been finished to account the dragonfly pictures, teacher chooses one of them to tell what they had done. This method learning can improve the creativity and braveness of public speaking of student. The fourth activity was as a commentator in invited speaking presentation in that event. The invited speakers came from APEC members’ country; they were Prof. Ivan Vyosotsky (Russia) and Prof. Uthith Imprasit (Thailand). From Russia, he presented about theorem of probability in Junior High School, and from Thailand, he presented how modeling as a problem solving.
Differences were not only in mathematics learning method but also in religion. The both of committee and participants were admire each others. For example was separated for Muslim’s food. Not only that, the committee of that event was very helpful to the participants.
In that symposium, there were many presentations that present their paper. One of them was Prof. Shizumi Shimizu from Japan that present speech in principals, mathematics activities are carried out as problem solving. That is, they are sequence starting with:
1. Generating wonder and question
2. Formulating problem by formalizing them
3. Understanding the problems
4. Planning
5. Implementation
6. Reflecting on solution process
More important thing is “end of a problem solving must be start for next challenge”. Short sentencess before means that problem solving in mathematics is a start of new mathematics problem that more complex, because of mathematics is continued. Learning process is built up ourselves and built up the world. How people dimensions is influenced by how they combs between their logic and experiences. Although there are probability that human experiences are lose than animal, but they are still the most special because they have expectation in their live.
The other presentation was presentation from Prof. Isoda Masami came from Japan. He told about three big problems in mathematics learning (education), there were:
1. The challenge of integrating students’ perspective into teaching practice.
2. The gap between theories/research and practices
3. The lack of learning theories on teachers and educators.
From the explanation above, it is known that there are many mathematics learning method can be used in mathematics problem solving. Besides that, mathematics problems are not only in a country but also it be a general problem that be faced by another countries. Symposium in Thailand can be a mathematics problem solving in general from some point of view. In psychology mathematics learning, it can be a base to improve model and design mathematics education and mathematics learning.
Good and useful article.
BalasHapus