Researchers from the Technion found a way to integrate values education into the teaching of mathematics * The Director General of the Ministry of Education, Dr. Shimshon Shoshani, requested to develop the research findings for the use of mathematics teachers throughout the country
Researchers from the Department of Technology and Science Teaching at the Technion found a way to integrate values education into math teaching. Following the research, the Director General of the Ministry of Education, Dr. Shimshon Shoshani, invited the researchers to launch a project that will develop the findings of the technical research for the use of mathematics teachers throughout the country.
Dr. Yael Adri carried out the wide-ranging research under the direction of Professor Netza Mobshovitz-Hadar and with the support of the National Academy of Sciences and the Ministry of Education. Twelve teachers and hundreds of students in seven secondary schools participated in the study.
"We have proven that values education can also be integrated into teaching mathematics, which is considered a 'dry' field," says Dr. Adri. "Initially, in collaboration with four experienced math teachers, I developed a file of examples of mathematical activities that also allow education for values according to the curriculum of the Ministry of Education for middle school. The file is called 'Shear Ham' ('Integration of values in mathematical education'). After that I set out for an experiment in the field. The twelve teachers who participated in the experiment in their classrooms received the file and, inspired by it, developed additional ideas of their own."
In the years 2007-2009, the researcher practically tested the possibility of integrating values education into the teaching of mathematics in the middle school classes she taught. She integrated values education into the teaching of mathematics by adding a value level to two central courses in teaching mathematics: one - solving mathematical problems whose context made it possible and the other - discussions of the meaning of mathematical terms that have meaning outside of mathematics as well. According to Dr. Adri, "it became clear that devoting time in the classroom to values education while studying mathematics did not harm the students' achievements nor the rate of progress in studies according to the official curriculum. Furthermore, the study of mathematics has become more meaningful, relevant and closer to the world of the students".
In 37 experimental lessons held in 2008, 12 mathematics teachers, guided by the researcher, incorporated social values such as respect for others, cooperation, helping others, avoiding violence, tolerance, equality between the sexes, freedom of choice, saving water, protecting the environment, contributing to society . In 34 additional experimental lessons, the teachers combined personal values, such as developing logical thinking, accuracy, self-control, patience, creativity, order, skepticism and criticality, intellectual courage, self-confidence and striving for excellence. The mathematical subjects in which the values education was integrated covered all the subjects in the official curriculum.
All the teachers who participated in the experiment reported at the end that they were enriched with ideas regarding ways to integrate values education in the teaching of mathematics and the perception of their role as mathematics teachers changed.
The main problem faced by the Technion researchers was to find in the curriculum mathematical subjects or mathematical concepts in which opportunities for values education can be found. So, for example, when teaching the concept of common denominator in algebra, the teacher can stop and devote some time to expanding the concept of common denominator and its importance in our lives and ask the students to define the common denominator between them and the children of foreign workers or the children of the nearby Arab village. In solving problems, instead of talking about two faucets filling a pool at a constant rate, you can talk about two students providing help to a student who is sick at a constant frequency.
The researchers give an example of a problem on ratio and proportion, which appears in one of the accepted textbooks, which was converted into a question that has an opportunity to talk about values. The original problem: "To make a salad dressing, you need vinegar, oil and soy, in a ratio of 1:2:3
1. What is the ratio between the amount of vinegar and soy?
2. What is the ratio between the amount of oil and soy?
3. What is the amount of vinegar, oil and oil needed to make 240 grams of sauce"?
The problem was converted by Dr. Edri into a problem in a value context: "Mitel, Orit and Danny decided to save money together, in order to do good deeds together. Since then, each of them put a tenth of her weekly pocket money into a joint fund. It turned out that they contributed to the fund in a ratio of 1:2:3
1. What is the ratio between Mittal's deposit and Danny's?
2. What is the ratio between Orit's deposit and Danny's?
3. How much did each of them deposit, if NIS 240 accumulated in the cash register?
"The Education Law was the starting point for the research," says the supervisor, Professor Netza Mobshovitz-Hadar. "The law, which opens with the words '...to be a person who loves people...' defines eleven different goals for education in Israel, most of them are values goals. Unfortunately, values education in our schools has been relegated to Keren Zeta, because of the race for achievements in the matriculation exams. Dr. Adri's research proved that even while teaching mathematics it is possible to educate about values and in particular about social values. Mathematics is studied for many hours, for twelve years, this precious time should be used for education and not only for Torah study. We have proven that this does not come at the expense of progress in the curriculum. The achievements of the students who participated in the study were not affected and in some cases even improved."
23 תגובות
First of all thanks for the response, I did not expect to receive a response at all, hence the late reply.
About your question:
I don't smoke at all.
On the contrary, I am strengthening the hands of Dr. Yael Adri!
There are so many values that deserve to be educated, some of them are: love of humanity, honesty, mutual help, loyalty, cooperation, personal health...
It is also necessary to educate for judgment, skepticism (meaning not to take anything for granted), curiosity, and even help students make wise choices at the intersections of life.
flower:
What exactly are you talking about?
And what values exactly do you want them to educate?
Wow, I just can't believe my eyes!
They did a good job here - an initiative for a successful change and these are the reactions???
Words have a lot of power, it is not for nothing that we say "life and death are in the hand of the tongue" and therefore in every lesson, especially mathematics (which is studied for many hours) values and education must be introduced. This is actually the main purpose of the school - look at the education law - first to educate about values and then about mathematics. The comments here only show how necessary this is!
lion:
Hahaha 🙂
Let them learn to tilt matrices instead of this bullshit.
Mathematics is a discovery of self-worth!
Mikey:
I agree with you one hundred percent, but the problem is that our values and some of those in charge of the education system (see, for example, the value of the chief scientist of the Ministry of Education) strive for negative values.
There is a clear connection between mathematics and values and this connection goes through the definition of identity, belonging to a group and mapping boundaries and there is great importance in trying to connect morality to science because immoral science is bad science,
Of course, as they wrote here, the experiments presented here are arbitrary and unnatural and therefore worthless, but there is a clear connection between knowledge and morality and between ignorance and violence and we need to find ways to illustrate this connection in a more meaningful way.
I only hope that in 2050 we will not encounter in Europe, and maybe even in the USA, something like this:
And a register sells a truckload of wood for $100.
The cost of production is $80.
Was it making a profit?
All the best from Cal on 13, words in stone. (Or at least the youth of today should be allowed to read it
In English classes - that way they will also learn English and morals!).
Fifty-Two Years of Math 1957 – 2009
Last week I purchased a burger at Burger King for $1.58. The counter girl took my $2 and I was digging for my change when I pulled 8 cents from my pocket and gave it to her. She stood there, holding the nickel and 3 pennies, while looking at the screen on her register. I sensed her discomfort and tried to tell her to just give me two quarters, but she hailed the manager for help. While he tried to explain the transaction to her, she stood there and cried. Why do I tell you this? Because of the evolution in teaching math since the 1950s:
1. Teaching Math In 1950s
A logger sells a truckload of lumber for $100.
His cost of production is 4/5 of the price.
What is his profit?
2. Teaching Math In 1960s
A logger sells a truckload of lumber for $100.
His cost of production is 4/5 of the price, or $80
What is his profit?
3. Teaching Math In 1970s
A logger sells a truckload of lumber for $100.
His cost of production is $80.
Did he make a profit?
4. Teaching Math In 1980s
A logger sells a truckload of lumber for $100.
His cost of production is $80 and his profit is $20.
Your assignment: Underline the number 20.
5. Teaching Math In 1990s
A logger cuts down a beautiful forest because he is selfish and inconsiderate and cares nothing for the habitat of animals or the preservation of our woodlands. He does this so he can make a profit of $20.
What do you think of this way of making a living?
Topic for class participation after answering the question: How did the birds and squirrels feel as the logger cut down their homes? (There are no wrong answers, and if you feel like crying, it's ok.)
6. Teaching Math In 2009
Un hachero vende una carretada de madera para $100.
The production cost is $80.
How much money has he made?
It's quite a forced mix-up, in math class you have to learn math, this researcher from the Technion wanted to test the effect of introducing values and morals into math classes, in my opinion this is a wrong step, if you want to teach values then they should devote special time to it (and we need our youth is deteriorating from generation to generation to a new low), it should be part of the general being, but not have philosophical discussions about a common denominator, roots, derivatives, etc.
I would be happy to hear that the teachers would give the students a general background on the development of mathematics and mathematicians relevant to the study material, certainly not to have philosophical discussions about it, but a few sentences about mathematicians relevant to the study material, so that they would get a background on how things were discovered, etc.
Elijah:
I definitely think that humanistic values should be instilled.
Why do you think I don't want that?
The fact that no values are instilled is not because I asked the question what values; This question exists whether I ask it or not. Do you object to the existence of the question? Do you think your protest will invalidate the question?
Do the secular schools not convey humanist values?
In my opinion, we have almost no secular schools in Israel!
There used to be streams of education in Israel, including secular streams.
In 1953, Ben-Gurion united all the secular currents under the state education. He failed to bring into the state framework the religious education that has since expanded and become several currents such as the religious state, the ultra-Orthodox schools and the schools of Agudat Israel.
The problem is that the religious were not satisfied with this because my kingdom is my kingdom - isn't it? That is why they demanded and gradually received - a foothold in state education and caused the disappearance of secular education.
That's why in all state schools they teach the Bible, Hagai Yisrael, Tusheba and recently also the prayer book.
The takeover was partly political - under the direction of Zebulon Hamer, partly through budgets (education hours were cut and then religious donors came and offered to finance the teaching of the prayer arrangement), and partly through pressure from postmodernist parents - see Tal'i article (Strengthening Jewish Studies).
Therefore - I am in favor of teaching humanistic values, but it is not clear to me where this can be done.
If it were up to me, all religious education would be canceled and only secular education with humanistic values would remain, but this is not up to me and that's why I asked the existing question anyway for realistic reasons because I prefer to avoid dreams of asphemy.
Michael,
Because of the questions "what values" values are not taught at all.
Even values that are agreed upon by everyone such as respect and helping others, respecting parents and adults. Why do only religious schools convey religious values without apology while secular schools do not introduce humanism classes, etc. Then they come with virtuosic proposals like in this article.
What are public funds being wasted on at the Technion and the Ministry of Education!
Maybe we will start teaching physics in a similar way: is a nuclear chain reaction an immoral reaction?
disgrace! It should be forwarded to the State Comptroller's investigation.
Education or memorization?
The students' robotics.
The teachers need to be replaced with better teachers,
And not to replace the mathematics teaching program with a "hot gate" teaching program.
There is no reason to do this, and the connection, as Besha said, borders on semantics [and the teacher's lack of originality] at best, propaganda [and brainwashing] at worst.
There is no problem teaching values, not even in a math class - but not in math, but in the essence of the class itself. The teacher is the example and educator, and the possibilities are as open as imagination and experience. From behavior in the classroom, to the development of a person's ability to think [questions like "What is actually being said here?" or "Was something significant said" are examples of questions that make a person think and develop his thinking], submission of group work and much more - but all of these are matters of the teacher's personal attitude, which is also always the background to the entire lesson, and each teacher brings life experience his, and his will [if any]. If anything, we really need to stop the race for graduation, but there is no reason to make a salad in the professions.
Among the most retarded things I've ever heard.
I'm trying to find a way to exaggerate it to show how retarded it is, but it already looks like a parody.
You must never connect science and mathematics and between values - this is a terrible opening for abuse. When an education system teaches "values", very quickly a clear distinction is made between the "good" and "bad" "values", and very effective propaganda methods are achieved, and we do not lack propaganda in the schools.
What's more, even if it's really just values like human dignity and the like, there's no benefit in mixing it up, it's like teaching math for one second, then stopping, (looking for some kind of loose semantic connection between the topics) and then teaching a completely different topic - values.
I really hope this is someone's joke.
cedar:
correct question.
Although a large part of mathematics deals with (numerical) values, since the reference here is to other values, the values are dependent on worldview. For example, many of the values that Limor Livnat wanted to instill in the students are, in my view, negative values. I fear that the new chief scientist of the Ministry of Education may also strive to instill negative values. This is a problem with education in general - not just math education.
What values?
ghost moon
Although even to me it doesn't sound particularly "revolutionary", (revolutionary isn't exactly the word I'm looking for, but I couldn't find it).
On the other hand, when in the (friendly) Arab countries questions like how many Israelis are killed by one missile appear, and we resent (and rightfully so) that with such an education, the hatred will never stop, then most of us probably naturally think that the words that convey the idea have no less influence than the idea itself.
It's like singing in numbers
one two three four;
two two six six;
nine, eleven, sixty-three;
four, eight, seven, three;
Did we learn to sing?!
Maybe you can teach values through math, but that's not the way.
This is just a change of words in the question, and they do not help to learn values through mathematics.