This presentation was made to Education Minister Brunei Pehin Orang kaya Seri ratna Dato Seri Setia Awang Haji Abu Bakar bin Haji Apong and Deputy Permanent Secretary (Core Education) Dr Hajjah Romaizah bte Haji Mohd Salleh

1. Success Factors in Improving Achievement
and Attitude in Mathematics
Yeap Ban Har, Ph.D.
Principal
Marshall Cavendish Institute

2. Critical Role of Mathematics Learning

3. | Hanusek, Jamison, Jamison & Woessmann 2008

4. Student Outcomes: Now

5. Source|PISA 2012

6. Source|PISA 2012

7. Source|PISA 2012

8. Source|PISA 2012

9. Student Outcomes: Then

10. “Upon separation from Malaysia in 1965, Singapore
was faced with … high levels of unemployment and
poverty. 70% of Singapore’s households lived in badly
overcrowded conditions, and a third of its people
squatted in slums on the city fringes. Unemployment
averaged 14%, GDP per capita was less than $2,700,
and half of the population was illiterate.”

11. 1980
Curriculum Development Institute of Singapore
1992
Introduction of Problem Solving Curriculum in
Mathematics

12. 1997
Thinking Schools, Learning Nation
2004
Teach Less, Learn More
2012
Student Centred, Values Driven

13. Score
1960-1970s
1980s
1990s
2000s
500’s
Japan
Hong Kong
Japan
Korea
Hong Kong
Japan
Korea
Singapore
Hong Kong
Japan
Korea
Singapore
400’s
Thailand
Philippines
Singapore
Thailand
Malaysia
Thailand
Malaysia
Thailand
Indonesia
Philippines
Indonesia
Philippines
300’s
| Hanusek, Jamison, Jamison & Woessmann 2008

14. Critical Success Factors

15. Country
% of Low
Performers
% of High
Performers
Mean
Singapore
8.3
40.0
573
Vietnam
14.2
13.3
511
Thailand
49.7
2.6
427
Malaysia
51.8
1.3
421
Indonesia
75.7
0.3
375
OECD
23.1
12.6
494
| PISA 2012

16. Country
% of Low
Performers
% of High
Performers
Mean
Shanghai
3.8
55.4
613
Singapore
8.3
40.0
573
Hong Kong
8.5
33.7
561
South Korea
9.1
30.9
554
Japan
11.1
23.7
536
Finland
12.3
15.3
519
OECD
23.1
12.6
494
| PISA 2012

17. Directions
Relevant Curriculum

18. Push Factor
Assessment Focuses on
Higher-Order Thinking

19. Support Factor
Professional Development

20. Support Factor
Curriculum Leadership

21. Features of Teacher Training: What

22. Lesson Structure
Three-Part Format
to facilitate problem-solving approach

23. Pedagogical Tools
Model Method

24. Content Knowledge
Meaning of Denominator

25. Pedagogical Content
Knowledge
Assessment & 1  3  4
2 4 6
Remediation

26. Features of Teacher Training: How

27. changing mindsets
constructing knowledge
enhancing capacity to learn

28. Teachers as Learners
Teachers as Observers of Learning
Teachers as Reflective Practitioners

29. Success Factors in Improving Achievement
and Attitude in Mathematics
Yeap Ban Har, Ph.D.
Principal
Marshall Cavendish Institute