Development of metacognitive and discursive activities in Indonesian Maths Teaching (MeDIM)

Scientific Supervision:

Prof. Dr. Elmar Cohors-Fresenborg (Osnabrück), apl. Prof. Dr. Christa Kaune (Osnabrück), Dr. Yansen Marpaung (Yogyakarta)

Cooperation project between the Institute for Cognitive Mathematics of the University of Osnabrück, the Research Institute for Mathematics Education e.V. (Osnabrück), the Institute for Mathematics Education of the Universitas Sanata Dharma (Yogyakarta) as well as the Mathematics Learning Study Center (Pusat Studi Pembelajaran Matematika) of the Universitas Sanata Dharma (Yogyakarta).

Schools participating:

1. SMP Joannes Bosco, Yogyakarta

2. SMP BOPKRI 3, Yogyakarta

Duration: 01.04.2009 until 31.12.2010

Initial Position:
International comparative studies have shown that the mathematic performance of pupils in many countries is not satisfying. In order to change this, an improvement in the quality of mathematics teaching is necessary.

In Indonesia the PMRI (Pendidikan Matematika Realistik Indonesia) Project was started to reform mathematics teaching in primary schools. In 2001 the teaching experiment started in year one at school (and was continued in the following years up to year 6 at school). The Freudenthal Institute and Algeemene Pedagogische Schol (APS) in Utrecht was responsible for the scientific guidance. Meanwhile 17 Indonesian Universities are participating in the PMRI Project. The University Sanata Dharma is one of the leading universities.
The success of this project suggested the continuation of the reformation efforts to improve mathematics teaching also in the following years at secondary school (Sekolah Menengah Pertama).
The increase of metacognitive activities of the pupils and teachers is considered an important method in the international debate about mathematics education. The point is to change teaching culture in such a way that the learners plan, monitor and reflect their own thinking processes.
The Institute for Cognitive Mathematics of the University of Osnabrück has been dealing with this subject for many years in its research and development activities. An additional stress is put on the promotion of discursivity in mathematics teaching. The Institute of Cognitive Mathematics attends various teachers at several test schools in Germany, which use this research and development work to improve their mathematics lessons.
The mathematics education of the University of Sanata Dharma (Yogyakarta) and of the University of Osnabrück have been working closely together since 1982. The latest project of this cooperation is “Development of metacognitive and discursive activities in Indonesian Maths Teaching”.

Targets:

With the help of a feasibility study this project is meant to check to what extent a future pilot study can be promising regarding the increase in mathematical competences of pupils of year 7 at secondary school (Sekolah Menengah Pertama). The future pilot study is to test measures which shall enable a higher percentage of the pupils to really understand the mathematical concepts and procedures developed in the maths classes. 
First of all, suitable tools for this pilot study have to be developed in the feasibility study, because this is an extensive innovation. These tools are learning material for the pupils and adequate teacher training, but also methods for the monitoring of the pupils' learning success and for the change in the teaching culture. In addition the personnel and financial investments of the pilot study have to be taken into consideration.  

The effectiveness of this concept is to be tested at two secondary schools.

Financial Support:

• MISEREOR: Research grants
• Catholic Academic Exchange Service (KAAD): Postgraduate Scholarship for 12 months
• Research Institute for Mathematics Education e.V.: Research grants

Kaune, C.; Cohors-Fresenborg, E.; Nowinska, E.; Handayani, N. & Marpaung, Y. (2012): Development of Metacognitive and Discursive Activities in Indonesian Maths Teaching – Results of the feasibility study. In Indonesian Mathematical Society Journal on Mathematics Education (IndoMS - JME) 3(1), p. 1-16  PDF
German version: Entwicklung metakognitiver und diskursiver Aktivitäten im indonesischen Mathematik – Ergebnisse einer Machbarbeitsstudie PDF
Indonesian version: Pengembangan kegiatan metakognitif dan diskursif dalam pembelajaran matematika di Indonesia - Laporan hasil studi kelayakan PDF

Kaune, C.; Cohors-Fresenborg, E. & Nowinska, E. (2011): Development of Metacognitive and Discursive Activities in Indonesian Maths Teaching - A theory based design and test of a learning environment. Indonesian Mathematical Society Journal on Mathematics Education (IndoMS - JME) 2(1), p. 15-39. PDF
German version: Entwicklung metakognitiver und diskursiver Aktivitäten im indonesischen Mathematik-Unterricht - Theoriegeleitete Entwicklung und Erprobung einer Lernumgebung. PDF

Kaune, C. & Nowinska, E. (2011): Development of Metacognitive and Discursive Activities in Indonesian Maths Teaching - A theory based analysis of communication processes.
In Collection of Papers of the International Seminar and the 4^th National Conference on Mathematics Education "Building the Nation Character through Humanistic Mathematics Education", Yogyakarta, 21-23 July 2011, p. U24-U35. PDF
In Booklet of the International Seminar and the Fourth National Conference on Mathematics Education 2011 "Building the Nation Character through Humanistic Mathematics Education", Yogyakarta, 21-23 July 2011, p. 62-71.
German version: Entwicklung metakognitiver und diskursiver Aktivitäten im indonesischen Mathematik-Unterricht - Theoriegeleitete Analyse von Kommunikationsprozessen. PDF