TIGER METHODOLOGY IN MATHEMATICS TEACHING

            In this modern age learning plays an important role.  Mathematics has derives role in building up our civilization.  It is more important for the common man also.  Mathematics has not only been useful; in its own right but it has also enriched this world by helping in development of other fields of knowledge.  So it is important to learn mathematics and develop the skills  Active learning methodology make the students as intelligent participants in knowledge creation.  The format used for mathematics teaching in Active learning Methodology is TIGER FORMAT.  It is skill oriented.

Introduction

            Today's children are tomorrow's heroes.  So teachers and schools are taking important role in moulding the future buds of our nation.  so in order to create interest in learning, the method of teaching is very important.  Active learning Methodology is one of the teaching method.  Active learning is involving students directly and actively in the learning process itself.

Active Learning Methodology

            Activities that involve students in doing things and thinking about what they are doing may be called active learning. Active learning refers to techniques where students do more than simply listen to a lecture. Students are doing something including discovering , processing  and applying information.

According to Meyers and Jones,

"Active learning derives from two basic assumptions

1. that learning is by nature an active endeavour.

2. that different people learn in different ways".

            Active learning is involving students directly and actively in the learning process itself.  ie., Instead of simply receiving information verbally and visually, students are receiving, participating and doing. Thus Active learning is:

Ø   Engaging students in doing something other than listening to a lecture and taking notes.

Ø   Students may be involved in talking and listening to one another. 

Ø   Or writing, reading and reflecting individually or in small groups.

The active learning methodology Pyramid

            The diagrm shows the recall rate of different teaching strategies.

            Students are not attentive to what is being said in a lecture 49% of the time.  They retain 70% of the information in the first 10 minutes of a lecture.  But only 2 % in the last 10 minutes.

Through the Active learning Method, students are increasingly active and challenged.

Aims of Active Learning Methodology

            How Mathematics learning should occur inorder to capture the mind of every pupil? How it should reinforce their learning?  are the two aims which is focused today. So to achieve these aims it is necessary to introduce the TIGER FORMAT of Active Learning Methodology.

The following are some of the methods adopted in Active Learning Methodology

• Self-study, Group study, Co-operative learning with teacher and Programmed learning
• Learning by understanding
• Meaningful learning
• Self-learning by the students
• Self designing of learning by the students.

Time duration for Active Learning Methodology is 90 minutes. Of this 90 minutes teacher should think of how to solve the problem? Why the solution should be found? The ‘TIGER FORMAT’ gives a clear picture of how to use each and every seconds of the class effectively.

Importance of Active Learning Methodology in Mathematics

            Normally teachers explain the problems by writing it on the black board. Students copy it in their note book. Some problems related to what was taught is given as Home Work. In the class room students do not get any opportunity to analyse and concentrate more on the problems.  When they are doing it as home work, they find it difficult to overcome their doubts if any. There is also no opportunity to discuss with the peer group. So mathematics will be bitter for them as they do not understand it.

            So inorder to overcome this bitterness Active Learning Methodology has been introduced in Mathematics. Here the students get opportunities to discuss with the peer group as well as the concerned teacher.

            We Indians introduced ‘0’ but after India produced a very few  Mathematicians like  Ramanujan and Sivasankaran Pillai. We can also introduce new great mathematicians in our schools too by using Active Learning Methodology in our class rooms.

TIGER FORMAT

Expansion of this format is as follows:

T-Teacher as a facilitator

I-Individual work

G-Group work

E-Evaluation

R-Reinforcement

Steps in TIGER FORMAT

Introduction  

Main features of TIGER :

When the students are learning Mathematics through TIGER FORMAT

v  They realize the happiness of learning mathematics.

v  They realize that mathematics is not only with formulas and theorems.

v  They could speak about mathematics as well they could speak through mathematics.

v  They could solve even the tough problems by their own.

v  They realize the relationship among each topics.

v  They learn to generalize the knowledge of mathematics only by learning TIGHER FORMAT

Steps in TIGER FORMAT

            It has some steps to follow.

1.       Introduction

            In this step the teacher should introduce the topic under three heading.

Evocation:

            The teacher should evocate the students by giving puzzles, mathematical games, life history of mathematicians, interesting incidents in their life etc. Care should be taken whether it is related to the topic.

Recall :

            The teacher ask some questions to check the previous knowledge of the students. The teacher develops the thinking capability of the students which leads to the topic of the day.

Survey:

            The teacher directs the students to check the page number and the topic to be taken. The students have a glance on the main headings, sub headings, diagrams and definitions. The teacher should confirm that all the students have the text book with them.

2.       Understanding

            It gives importance to the knowledge of concept and the development of problems solving skills.

Concept

            The teacher should clearly explain the definitions and formulas needed to the class and write it on the black board.

Teacher Solving Problem

            The teacher direct the students to analyse what is given? What is to be finding out in the problem? By giving   step by step explanation, the teacher should develop the following skills among the students:

·         Conceptual skill

·         Sequential skill

·         Arithmetic skill

Individual Solving Problem

            The teacher ask the students to do the similar problem in the exercise done by  him individually.

3.       Group Work

            Group work is an important one for mathematics learning.  Discussions always help us to proper understanding of the problem.

Challenging Problems

            The teacher gives the challenging problems to the students in group wise.

            A group contains five to six students only.  The problem should develop the thinking ability of the students.  The teacher clear their doubts by orally or writing on the black board.

Group Activity

            The group activity given should be related to the topic.  The teacher supervises the groups whether they are doing the work correctly. After finishing, the small groups present their activity to the large group.

Presentation

            An average student from each group presents their problem on the black board.  After finishing the problem, all students are asked write it on their note book.

4.       Evaluation :

            Evaluation is an important task in the teaching-learning process.

Large Group Reinforcement

            The teacher writes the formula and concepts on the black board.  The teacher makes the pupil to draw mind map and flow chart.

Home work

            The simple problems in the exercise are given as home work.  If needs the teacher gives hints also.

Merits of Active learning methodology

Ø    Students are involved in more than learning.

Ø    Less emphasis is placed on transmitting information.

Ø    Greater emphasis on developing students skills.

Ø    Students are involved in higher order thinking ie, analysis, synthesis and evaluation.

Ø    Students are engaged in activities.

Ø    Greater emphasis is placed on students exploration of their own attitudes and values.