An educational durian? Issues in teacher education in international collaboration

This paper looks at an international collaborative project in teacher education between Malaysian Institutes of teacher training and an Australian university from the perspectives of four of the participants. Two of the stories are from participants who are co-ordinating aspects of the collaboration, and two stories come from participants who were involved closely in the curriculum and teaching aspects of the program. These personal stories reveal that international collaborative projects are indeed like the durian: there are both good and bad aspects. Our differing roles in the program allow us to provide rich insights into such an international collaboration that we believe will be of benefit to others attempting similar projects.

A problem-based learning project supported by the internet

This case study looks at how bank sites with interactive calculators can be used to enhance directed investigations of students in a Mathematics Studies course. In the course of these investigations, students access simulated contexts which enabled them to have a feel of how they would spend money in the real world. This case study reveals the confidence of students in carrying out searches and transferring data, learning about bank calculators and their role in real life, how hidden costs are incorporated into loans and being able to validate what is presented in these calculators with their own calculations. This case study also highlights the perceptions of the teacher regarding this strategy in teaching this topic and the areas that need improvement. This paper analyses what has happened in the teaching and learning process and endeavours to shed some light into how the Internet can be used to promote a quality mathematics education.