Using Digital Smart Board to Overcome Higher Order Thinking Skills Learning Difficulties in Data Handling among Primary School Students

Elizabeth Julius,Abdul Halim Abdullah,Mahani Mokhtar,Nornazira Suhairom,Soh Hon Mun

doi:10.3991/ijim.v12i7.9644

Abstract

Data Handling at primary school involves gathering and recording information and then presenting it in a way that is meaningful to others. It is a fundamental part of student's mathematical understanding. Initial concepts of Data Handling need to be exposed to students in the early years as these skills will be used and built upon throughout their education. Due to its importance, Data Handling is included in the curriculum at primary level in Malaysia. However results of international assessments which focused on the use of higher order thinking skills showed that Malaysian students performed poorly in Data Handling. Therefore, this study was conducted to identify students’ learning difficulties in Data Handling at each level of higher order thinking skills (HOTS) namely applying, analysing, evaluating and creating. In addition, this study also investigated the use of smart board in overcoming HOTS learning difficulties in Data Handling. Numerous teachers recommend the use of smart board at primary schools since students have the opportunity to explore and learn novel concepts using the technology. Subsequently, it helps to generate dynamic learning experiences and student in school become more motivated about learning when the smart board is used during their lessons. Four experienced year five mathematics teachers and thirty year five students from a primary school were involved in the study. The students and teachers were selected based on purposive sampling. An interview protocol and rubric for cognitive domain in HOTS were used during the data collection phase. In addition, semi-structured interview sessions with the teachers and students as well as document analysis of the students’ mathematics exercise sheets in Data Handling were carried out by the researcher to investigate the students’ learning difficulties at each level of HOTS in Data Handling. It is hoped that the results from this study can contribute towards development of strategies, methods or programs using smart board to enhance HOTS in Data Handling among primary school students in Malaysia.

Highlights

Data Handling is an important aspect of mathematics which relates to collecting, representing and analysing data in order to solve a particular question or problem [29], [33]
Previous results showed that Malaysian students generally performed badly in data handling in two international assessments namely: Trends in International Mathematics and Science Assessment (TIMSS) and Programme for International Student Assessment (PISA)
Four year five primary school mathematics teachers who possess more than twenty years of teaching experiences in a Malaysian primary school and thirty year five students were involved in the study

Summary

Introduction

Data Handling is an important aspect of mathematics which relates to collecting, representing and analysing data in order to solve a particular question or problem [29], [33]. It is an important subtopic of statistics which brings student out into the real world of seeing data, reflecting upon it socially or individually, and make decisions from it [39]. Data handling is taught in Malaysian primary schools since students start their first year of schooling [24]. Previous results showed that Malaysian students generally performed badly in data handling in two international assessments namely: Trends in International Mathematics and Science Assessment (TIMSS) and Programme for International Student Assessment (PISA)

Methods

Results

Conclusion