The Joy of X: Math + Hands = Smiles

A year or so ago I had the great privilege of bringing my active maths program (AMP) to the academics  and masters of teaching candidates at the UBD ( university of Brunei Darussalum) . With ongoing support from the Director and staff of the OGDC ( the Shell Oil and Gas Discovery Center) I have been able to return again this year. Working closely with the academic leadership group at UBD we had time to develop a very strong development program. One designed to not only share new activities but also help candidates to become confident in using strategies to engage and entice students towards an enjoyment of mathematics, logic, and critical thinking.

The main part of the program ran over 4 days. It was designed specifically to achieve some lasting impacts, both on the participants and the educational systems. Brunei, like many countries understands the need for strong 21st century skills. Mathematics, logical thinking, resilience and a problem solving mindset are among the most import. Brunei's education system recognizes the value of participative learning, but in common with several such systems is still exploring how to achieve this in practice. The activation of mathematics has been sadly neglected, and is starting to receive much needed attention.



The first two days put masters candidates through a series of activities. some involved novel ways to bring the basic core skills of maths alive. Some provided activities that served dual purposes, to re-enforce the standard maths process skills, but also add in features to lift the students into higher order challenges. To see approaches in tackling problems, to visualize the maths which they saw as abstract and numerical to the level of pattern and rhythm and meaning. They did this while the teaching staff and academics observed. The approaches on display where also informing the faculty about how to incorporate these kinds of activities into future course work, and how to bring newly graduates teachers into an action research framework. This research component will serve to re-enforce the teacher's mindfulness about how to best integrate active maths learning. It will also close the loop for the faculty and myself - to help us understand how such approaches are finding places in the actual classrooms.

The program had a number of features that I feel have given the participants a great start. One that will soon be followed up on with some action research and hopefully extension of the development of activities.

The first 2 days of the program focused on exposing the masters of teaching candidates to various active maths program modules. This provided then with direct experiences of how such activities work. The mental processes they evoke, and how they can be facilitated and extended. the workshops are more than just a sharing of the mechanics of the activities. it is critical to have the educators experience the different mental challenges, the stages of problem discovery, exploration and group dynamics that help learners to find the bridged to deeper understanding.




For me, as always, the most important point to share is HOW such learning opportunities are facilitated. The content is important, but to gain deeper knowledge, real understanding requires skillful fascination, a change from direct instruction that is often hard. This is very true when the newly trained teachers only role model for learning, is one based on direct instruction.

If I tell you something - you never think.
If I ask u something, you may start to think.
If you ask yourself something - you may never stop thinking.

At the close of the second day, the candidates were given the task of taking the approaches they had experienced, and creating a lesson plan that would feature such active learning. They could chose to modify, or adapt the activities they had trialed, or apply the principles to areas of their teaching that they felt would benefit from such approaches. They had a few days to work up the active lessons, before bringing them back to share.

We switched at that point to run a similar workshop with the leaders and coordinators for STEM education from within the Ministry of Education. It also included and a number of experienced Science and Maths teachers from across Brunei
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For the learning environment of students to change - not only the individual teachers, but the school cultures, and the support from the ministries of education also need to understand and re-enforce the value of such approaches. Buy dedicating one of the days to this engagement, we were able to at least have the same ideas shared through the various levels of the education system. It was clear from their participation, and the discussions afterwards, it was received very favorably.

Early the next week, the masters of teaching candidates returned, ready, or nearly ready.. to share their ideas about how to activate their maths lessons.  It was a great day. The interest, joy and laughter that was a key part of their experience of my activities, had not abated. Their obvious passion for teaching using these approaches was clear from the start.


Activities which we ran as table based, became body in, group work. My prompt to think about battleships took over a spare classroom, and we used strategy and coordinate geometry to hold the groups attention for the afternoon. We evolved from some discussions about my work on encryption into a simple activity that combined cryptology and Cartesian plotting.

The best ideas are always your own. The candidates now had a bag full of their own, and ones they feel they own. I don't expect they will let go of these - but they will share, i'm certain.

Later this year and early next I may have the chance to return, and follow up with the faculty how the work, and action research has progressed.

I love all of my work. But I am especially fond of this ongoing project. It has helped me think deeper about how to apply a life long experience of hands on learning and inquiry to much neglected areas of education.. I feel we have developed a strong model for how support, funding and medium term commitment by an organisation such as SHELL, and OGDC, can find a way to support a critical sector in their community. Education. While change takes time, and this is yet a program in its infancy if see it has the features needed to make a real difference.

I little bit of specialized knowledge and passion from myself, mixed with a supportive industry partner (such as Shell - so dependent on  21st century minds sets), all working with a organisation with a clear capacity and commitment to education such as UBD.

Its a great team. and a model that can be reproduced in many countries.

Many countries, for example Mongolia, and several along the old silk road, have primary industries seeking to transform themselves into high value operations. They have emerging universities and educational communities, and citizens all in need of real innovation. With a little collaboration, and some long term strategic social investment, these communities can move forward and be helped to help themselves. The ingredients are there.