Interdisciplinary Project Work (PW) was introduced as an educational initiative in Singapore schools from primary to pre-university levels in 2000. PW was posited to (a) enhance perceptions and use of inter-subject connections in real-world problems, (b) promote knowledge application, and (c) provide a platform for the use of thinking skills. The main goal of this thesis is to explore how these objectives are inter-related with factors influencing the quality of group collaborative mathematical thinking processes and mathematical outcomes during a mathematically-based interdisciplinary project. In this study, high quality mathematical thinking processes occur when the flow of group interactions is purposefully directed towards the enhancement of mathematically accurate, logical, and reasonable outcomes. / A Sequential Explanatory Mixed Methods Design consisting of consecutive quantitative and qualitative data collection and analysis procedures was used to answer the seven research questions in the study. A researcher-designed mathematically-based interdisciplinary project was implemented over 14-15 weeks with 16 classes of students (aged 13-14) belonging to two educational streams (higher and average-ability) in three Singapore government secondary schools. No teaching intervention was administered. Six scales were developed for pre- and post-project measurements of students’ mathematical confidence, perception of the value of mathematics, and perception of the interconnectedness of mathematics (N = 398). Ten student-group cases (n = 38) were selected for further in-depth qualitative data collection procedures pertaining to the nature of mathematical knowledge application, use of metacognitive monitoring and regulatory strategies, and core thinking skills application during three tasks in the interdisciplinary project. / The findings of this study clearly demonstrate the complexities of using PW to promote holistic and connected use of knowledge. Five substantial contributions to research on interdisciplinary learning arise from the thesis:1. An empirical framework synthesising factors influencing the quality of group collaborative mathematical knowledge application processes and outcomes was developed.2. The social influence of the group member activating applications of core thinking skills and metacognitive monitoring and regulatory strategies is a mediating factor influencing the flow of cognitive-metacognitive group interactions, and therefore, the quality of collaborative mathematical knowledge application processes and outcomes.3. Leaders of high-stream groups who were socially non-dominant but mathematically active were more likely to apply a higher frequency of core thinking skills than group members in other roles (i.e., questioner, recorder, and encourager) during a mathematically-based interdisciplinary project.4. The types and complexities of mathematical knowledge and skills applied during a mathematically-based interdisciplinary project did not correspond with stream.5. Whilst students were more able to appreciate the use of mathematics for inter-subject learning after participating in a mathematically-based interdisciplinary project, their beliefs about inter-subject connections and efforts at making these connections only marginally changed.These outcomes enhance our understanding of the challenges involved in the successful use of interdisciplinary tasks with middle school students and provide focuses for future teacher facilitation of mathematical learning during interdisciplinary education.
| Identifer | oai:union.ndltd.org:ADTP/244987 |
| Date | January 2008 |
| Creators | Ng, D. K. E. |
| Source Sets | Australiasian Digital Theses Program |
| Language | English |
| Detected Language | English |
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