The 5-year collaborative programme between MoEYS and VVOB on Strengthening Math Results and Teaching “SMART” (2017-2021) organises capacity development workshops through the mathematic taskforce to math teacher trainers and model teachers with a strong focus on math teaching methodology integrating STEAM (Science, Technology, Engineering, Art, Mathematics) activities. By promoting innovative and self-exploring STEAM activities, students are encouraged to explore new ways of learning mathematics, embedding meaningful real-life activities and problems, starting from the early grade years.
To ensure the implementation of new integrated approaches in teaching and learning at school level, building competences at teacher training level is considered a core business of VVOB-Education for Development to support Ministry of Education Youth and Sport (MoEYS), Cambodia. The mathematic taskforce of VVOB’s SMART programme plays a very important role to achieve the results of the program and be a part of sustainable change.
Exploring STEAM
After a first training on STEAM and math teaching methodology by VIVES University College in November 2017 and a second training on ‘art in math and math in art’ by LUCA school of art in February 2018, the mathematic taskforce has improved mathematic manuals by integrating STEAM in teaching and learning activities.
In April 2019, as a part of a follow-up capacity training, 2 lecturers from Luca School of Arts in Belgium, observed a 2-day try-out training on STEAM with the focus on art in geometry delivered by the mathematic taskforce to model teachers in Battambang. After the training, LUCA experts reflected, coached and provided constructive feedback to the taskforce members, as well as gave two-day refresher training to strengthen their skills around integrating art into teaching geometry in primary mathematics.
Use drawing skills to support STEAM
Drawing skills are significantly correlated to teaching and learning geometry. During 2-day try-out of training on art and geometry, we found that the combination of both topics motivated model teachers in teaching geometry to pupils. Participants were carried along with the idea of using drawing skills in geometry lessons because learning how to draw is based on the observation – understanding, imagination and representation – patterns used to design something. For example, in STEAM activities, geometric shapes were used to form the landscape (mapping) of a city from above, in which the participants had explored the way to link math and art into real-world. Afterwards they drew the pictures of the city based on their observation and interpretation by using a combination of different geometric figures. Finally, they got to transfer the map on the paper, so drawing was transformed into 3D models.
Passing on the knowledge
With all these new insights, the mathematics taskforce developed a strong ToT (Training of Trainers) Guide and Teaching manual on measurement for grade 1-6. The measurement manual covers all measurement topics (length, weight, capacity and time) and has a clear lay out that helps teacher trainers and model teachers to explain the use of learning lines, the importance of assessment in learning and concept explanation of measurements.
From October 2018 till June 2019, math teacher trainers and model teachers have received interactive and innovative trainings around teaching methodology in measurement. During these trainings the math taskforce members took the 13 teacher trainers and 376 model teachers from Phnom Penh and Battambang through different teaching methodologies as well as approaches around STEAM. Finally, participants were exposed to STEAM activities which they could adapt and use in their various teacher guides and ToT guides for student-teachers in Teacher Education College as well as for pupils in primary schools.
To make the training more practical and show the transfer to the classroom, participants prepared a lesson plan in groups, with activities from the teaching manual, tried-out this lesson with pupils and after the lesson they used reflection techniques on teaching and learning to evaluate their lesson. During feedback and reflection sessions, led by the math taskforce members, five aspects were taken into consideration including building conceptual understanding (Concrete-Pictorial-Abstract), classroom management techniques, how to support students (especially slow learners), how to address students’ misconception and gender responsiveness.
A total of 32 lesson plans with innovative teaching skills were tried out in a real classroom setting for all three trainings. This allowed the math taskforce members to observe the implementation of the teaching and learning activities of the measurement manual and provide necessary feedback as well as strengthen the existing math teaching methodology manuals.
Let ‘s explores STEAM activities
To round up the training all participants were challenged to build a water rocket, an air-car or hydro lift. To introduce the activity the math taskforce summarized the principles of STEAM and showed them the model of rocket, the model of the air-car and the model of the hydro lift.
All necessary materials were provided, and groups encaged themselves with exploring the possible option for building. After a lot of trial and error, which is one of the strengths of using STEAM activities, and as many enthusiastic cheering sounds from each group, the different objects all moved through air or water.
At first the rocket flied a short range at the initial attempt, the car only moved an inch and the hydraulic lift only moved up. So, groups had to go back to the drawing board and try to optimize their projects in different ways. Finally, they made a trial to fill the rocket with water, increased the air in the balloon and strengthened the hydraulic pump. Cheering sound exploded, while the water-filled rocket flied a high range into the sky, the cars were driving by air power and the hydraulic jack could lift the load!
