Enhancing Mathematics Learning in Primary School Using Realistic Mathematics Education(RME)

Information of Training Programme:
Enhancing Mathematics Learning in Primary School Using Realistic Mathematics Education(RME)
28th of February - 27th of March 2010

Rationale:

RME (Realistic Mathematics Education) is a theory of mathematics education which combines the concept of mathematics as human activities, how students learn mathematics and how to teach mathematics. In the concept of RME, students should be given opportunity to reinvent mathematics concepts and ideas by themselves. The reinvention process is better done by exploration of various contextual problems.

Another notable difference between RME and the traditional approach to mathematics education is the rejection of the mechanistic, procedure-focused way of teaching in which the learning content is split up in meaningless small parts and where the students are offered fixed solving procedures to be trained by exercises, often to be done individually. RME, on the contrary, has a more complex and meaningful conceptualization of learning. The students, instead of being the receivers of ready-made mathematics, are considered as active participants in the teaching-learning process, in which they develop mathematical tools and insights. In addition, students are also offered opportunities to share their experiences with others.

Therefore, teacher should have opportunity to experience teaching mathematics using Southeast Asia RME. It means that teacher will use the RME concept, but teacher uses his own culture and environment as the context of his teaching.


Aims:

To provide primary school teachers and mathematics educators the opportunity to understand RME theory.

To enhance primary school teachers and mathematics educators competence in mathematics teaching and learning using RME.

To provide primary schools teachers and mathematics educators the opportunity to experience SEA-RME lesson.


Expected Outcome:

1. At the end of the course participants should be able to:
2. show understanding of the basic concepts of RME
3. use RME approach in mathematics teaching and learning
4. acquire skills and abilities to develop classroom-experiment-based RME materials
5. design school-based RME development program

Course Content:

1. Introduction to RME
2. Selected topics
3. Design research or product development
4. Program design

Participants:

Twenty four (24) key teachers in Primary Schools. The number of participants needed as follows.
Country Number of Participant Specification of Participant
Indonesia 12 12 key teachers
Cambodia 2 2 key teachers
Lao PDR 2 2 key teachers
Myanmar 1 1 key teacher
Vietnam 1 1 key teacher
Timor Leste 1 1 key teacher
Malaysia 1 1 key teacher
Philippines 1 1 key teacher
Thailand 1 1 key teacher
Bruney 1 1 key teacher
Singapore 1 1 key teacher

Venue

SEAMEO Regional Centre for QITEP in Mathematics
Jl. Kaliurang Km.6 Sambisari Condongcatur Depok Sleman Yogyakarta, Indonesia


Course Requirements:

1. Mathematics curriculum documents from participant's country.
2. Articles on actual/recent issues on mathematics education in primary school in participant's country.
3. Mathematics text books for Primary School used in participan's school

Enquiries

SEAMEO Regional Centre for QITEP in Mathematics
Jl. Kaliurang Km.6 Sambisari Condongcatur Depok Sleman Yogykarta, Indonesia
Phone: +62 274 881717
Fax: +62 274 885752
Email: qitepinmath@yahoo.com