Singapore Maths Tuition - University and JC

Individual and small group maths tuition in Singapore - University and Junior College

How tuition can help students excel in the International Baccalaureate’s Math Exploration project

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From the Editorial Team
12th September 2022

The International Baccalaureate allows students to take subjects at Higher Level (HL) or Standard Level (SL). In particular, students choosing to undertake the IB curriculum need to decide whether to take the Mathematics subject at HL or SL. A major component of the IB curriculum for Mathematics is the written report titled the “Math Exploration”.

In both the HL and SL curriculum, there is a Math Exploration which students must write. The Math Exploration consists of an original report where students must choose a topic of interest, undertake research on the topic, solve the problem presented in the thesis statement and formulate a conclusion. The Math Exploration will contain workings in a demonstration of the solving of the problem in the thesis statement and is not purely theoretical.

Furthermore, a critical aspect of the Math Exploration is an explanation as to why the student has chosen the topic. This section requires creativity as the answer that “I chose this topic to finish my Math Exploration” is unacceptable. The student must reach further and explain the underlying implications of the Math Exploration in the real world.

An example of a Math Exploration topic is the exploration of how encryption keys are created and decrypted by the recipient using a formula. A student would need to explain his/her interest in encryption keys and the current situation where hacking into personal data is becoming increasingly common. As such, more complex encryption keys are required to keep people’s data safe. The student would need to demonstrate how encryption keys are created and then decoded upon reaching the intended recipient of the data, and conclude that as time passes and computers get more and more sophisticated, more complex formulas are needed to encrypt and decrypt pieces of data.

Turning to the subject of this article, tuition could assist in the choosing of a topic and the explanation in the Math Exploration as the tutor would have a macro view of Mathematics as a whole and would be able to recommend good ideas for the student to undertake. As tutors will have a university-level knowledge of the subject, they would be able to assist the student in where to look during the research process and tidy up the workings used in the proving of the thesis statement. A tutor could help the student craft the section on why the student is interested in a particular topic by teaching the student about the real-life implications and uses of a particular formula or area of Mathematics.

As the IB curriculum requires independent research, some may wonder about the effectiveness of tutors in crafting these written assignments as tutors are usually found to help students drill with exam questions. The role of a tutor as a guide in the field of Mathematics to undertake research is perhaps, less thought of. However, IB tutors must assist students in writing such independent research assignments if they require help, as often, such writing assignments are new to students who have not experienced the Integrated Programme (IP) which prepares students for the IB programme. Students who have undertaken O Levels are accustomed to preparing for a major exam using past questions and have a lot to learn about writing a report and conducting research.

As such, tuition centres preparing their students for the IB programme ought to make the necessary arrangements for their tutors to assist their students in crafting a well-researched and succinct Math Exploration.

New training programme at ITE College East will teach low-code software development to students and lecturers

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11 April 2022

A new training programme and centre at ITE College East will teach mobile and Web application development to Institute of Technical Education students, under a newly-signed memorandum of understanding between app development platform OutSystems and ITE.

Students and lecturers will be trained in low-code software development, which is a method that requires little to no coding to build software. OutSystems will teach the students to quickly build applications with modern user interfaces and data.

The firm has been working with ITE students and staff on pre-trials since January to develop three mobile and Web applications for the healthcare sector. One of the student-developed applications can predict a user’s heart disease risk using artificial intelligence.

Education System: Singapore has learnt from the mistake that the Japanese made

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When Japan cut classroom hours and introduced more flexible learning from the 1980s, under a policy which it called the Yutori – which means “relax” – students’ scores dropped and parents sent them to cram schools to make up for the perceived decline in rigour in the regular classroom.

The government had to reverse this policy and restore the focus on academic achievement and rigour of learning.

Japan has put up with the global perception that its examinations are stressful, because it understands that swinging to the other extreme is even worse.

Singapore has learnt from the mistake that the Japanese made, says Mr Wong Siew Hoong, director-general of education at the Ministry of Education, even as it makes changes to reduce school-based assessments and move away from an overemphasis on academic results.

Singapore students can benefit greatly from digital media, and onus is on educators to exploit new technologies to the fullest extent

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28 July 2017

Technology is increasingly being employed in education. This is probably most apparent in the physical sciences and in mathematics, where computer software is used to render 3D visual effects to illustrate scientific and mathematical concepts, new sophisticated tools have revolutionized the way students learn science, and rapid advances in communication technology such as personal digital assistants and smartphones have increased the level of contact and enhanced communication between students and educators, and between students themselves, in order to improve the learning experience.

Traditional paper textbooks with printed words will remain relevant as no technology can replace them. Nonetheless, the use of digital media and digital textbooks in particular is on the rise. Digital textbooks are more than the electronic soft copies of printed textbooks. They have the potential to offer students a learning experience that paper textbooks cannot, by delivering content using illustrative videos, animations or 360-degrees visual images. They also provide interactive formats, like enabling students to search for relevant information or data when required, and putting huge online encyclopedias and dictionaries instantly at the students’ disposal. They also allow students to interact with each other and share learning experiences, as well as exchange ideas and information.

It is therefore imperative that both teachers and parents in Singapore learn to exploit the versatility of digital textbooks and digital media in general to enhance the learning process. Using appropriate technology coupled with an internet connection, students from a young age can search for information themselves and organize their work better using the tools at their disposals. Thus they not only benefit from the enhanced learning that technology has enabled, they also learn valuable skills and traits like being independent, self-directed learners.

Through bite-sized, self-accessed quizzes embedded in digital textbooks, students can also check their understanding in a safe environment, to discover and build on their areas of mastery and focus on subjects for improvement. Digital textbooks ensure that the information contained within is relevant to students and kept current, through the use of updated real-life examples. These can be far more engaging and resonant than paper textbooks, with knowledge and practical applications gleaned better remembered.

The onus and the challenge is now on educators to adapt and be able to utilize new technologies such as digital media and digital textbooks to the maximum extent possible. Educator have to play a key role in shaping learning outcomes, making sure that students are able to differentiate between truthful content and less honest content that may comprise propaganda, deliberate falsehoods, poorly researched materials, or sloppy writing. It is imperative that with the wealth of information at their fingertips, students learn to different between honest news and fake news, between dispassionate, factual reporting, and sensational, exaggerated reporting. This is an area where technology itself cannot replace the valuable role played by the educator.

Teaching science is sometimes an art

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25 August 2014
Summarized from the Straits Times

A National Junior College (NJC) chemistry teacher, Mr Harman Johll, adds creativity to his lessons by the use of card games.

Inspired by the Happy Family card game, Harman made his own version to teach students particle physics.

With his card game, he got students to group elementary particles according to their families, using the rules of physics.

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Ph.D. in Mathematics;
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