Teaching Math 101: Design Thinking Module
Teaching Math 101: Design Thinking Module
____________________________________________________________________
MODULE 3
MATH 101
TEACHING MATHEMATICS in the
PRIMARY GRADES
____________________________________________________________________
This module will give you an overview of what it means to teach and learn
mathematics in the primary grades. It will provide you with basic information about the
curriculum, the learners, and the learning theory that governs mathematics.
In this module, you will also learn about how to plan, develop, and execute
lessons in mathematics for the primary grades. You will go over the learning cycle, the
things to consider in lesson planning, and the different instructional planning models.
____________________________________________________________________
Objective
Execute the empathize, define, ideate, prototype, and test stages of the design
thinking process.
Introduction
Students find learning mathematics most engaging when they are involved in a
thinking process that results in an output that can be applied to a relevant context. The
design thinking process engages the students in such a thought-provoking and
purposeful activity.
Think
Design thinking is a progressive teaching strategy that allows students to look for
real-world problems and finding creative solutions. Students do this by focusing on the
needs of others, collaborating for possible solutions, and prototyping and testing their
creations. This can be summarized in five stages: empathize, define, ideate, prototype,
and test. These stages are adapted from the Institute of design at standard University.
Empathize
The goal of design thinking is for students to respond to a particular need (a real-
word problem), so it is fitting that the first stage is empathy. In this stage, the teacher
needs to be explicit in guiding the students to put themselves in the shoes of others
through activities like immersed observation and interviews. According to the
developmental stages, it is not natural for children in the primary grades to be
empathetic toward others. It is a common observation by teachers that students at
these levels often do not realize that their actions affect others. So, applying design
thinking in the classroom gives the children the opportunity to cultivate empathy, and at
the same time, develop their problem-solving skills.
Define
The next is for students to define the specific problem or issue that they want to
address. First, the students will identify an audience – the future users of the product
they will develop. Their audience can be students, teachers, family members, or just
anyone in their community. Then the students will use the information they gathered
from the Empathize stage and focus on one aspect of the problem. It is important that
____________________________________________________________________
Ideate
The third stage of design thinking is the generation of ideas to solve the
identified problem. This involves brainstorming and research. The students are to be
encouraged to think out of the box and produce radical ideas. What sets this stage part
from the usual brainstorming is that all ideas must be written or illustrated. Ideas are
usually written or drawn on sticky notes and students, later on, organize them into a
mind map.
It is at this stage that the students will be able to apply their mathematical
knowledge and skills. Aside from being able to operate their problem-solving skills, they
will also be able to apply specific content knowledge like measurement, proportion,
geometry, and statistics.
Experience
Below is a template of a sample worksheet that will guide the students through the
design thinking process. This is a simplified version of Stanford’s sample template. In
this example, the students are to create a project about their playtime experience.
Empathize
Observe your classmates and teachers during playtime. Take time to casually
interview some of them about their usual playtime experience.
____________________________________________________________________
Discuss your observation and interview notes with your groupmates. Do you
have similar notes?
Define
Identify a user and define a problem that you want to address. Your group must come
up with one user and problem to address.
_____________________________
User
needs______________________________________________________________
user’s needs
because______________________________________________________________
____________________________________________________________________
Insight
Ideate
Idea 1: Idea 2:
____________________________________________________________________
Idea 3: Idea 4:
Share your ideas with your groupmates. Get feedback. As a group, generate a
unified solution that incorporates the ideas and feedback from the members. It is not
necessary that all ideas will be seen in the unified solution. What is important is that all
members agree that the necessary ideas are integrated in the solution. Sketch your
group’s unified solution below.
Unified Solution
Prototype
Create a prototype of your unified solution. Use readily available materials like
papers, cardboards, coloring materials, sticky tapes, popsicle sticks, etc. Be accurate
with your measurements by using a ruler, compass, and/or measuring tape.
Test
____________________________________________________________________
Assess
______________________________________________________________________
______________________________________________________________________
______________________________________________________________________
______________________________________________________________________
Challenge
Many teachers are not informed about design thinking because it is a new, if not
the newest, strategy in teaching mathematics. The following activity will challenge you
to convince a teacher about the benefits of using this strategy.
1. Make an infographic about design thinking for the teachers who have not tet heard
about it. Sketch a draft of your infographic below.
______________________________________________________________________
______________________________________________________________________
______________________________________________________________________
______________________________________________________________________
Harness
The design thinking process is best learned when done. Go over the steps
yourself with a partner. Empathize, define, ideate, prototype, and test to redesign your
school’s lunch experience. This activity will be part of the learning portfolio which you
will compile at the end of this module.
____________________________________________________________________
Empathize
Discuss your observation and interview notes with your partner. Do you have
similar notes?
Define
Identify a user and define a problem that you want to address. You and your
partner must come up with one user and problem to address.
___________________________________
User
needs _______________________________________________________________
user’s needs
because _____________________________________________________________
____________________________________________________________________
insight
Ideate
Write/ Sketch at least four innovative ways to address your user’s needs. Be
specific with your measurements and/ or proportions, if needed.
____________________________________________________________________
Idea 1: Idea 2:
Idea 3: Idea 4:
Share your idea with your partner. Get feedback. Then generate a unified
solution. Sketch your unified solution below.
Unified Solution
Prototype
Test
Summary:
____________________________________________________________________
Lesson 12
GAME-BASED LEARNING
Objective
Introduction
Play is children’s work and they love it! Well-designed lessons using game-based
learning strategy takes advantage of children’s natural love for play to lead them toward
complex problem-solving.
Think
Children find games both motivating and enjoyable, so it is not a surprise that
teachers harness games to cater to learning. There are many ways in which games are
used in the classroom. Games are sometimes used as lesson starters to get the
students engaged. In some lessons, games are used to explore mathematical concepts
and processes or cater mathematical investigation. But most of the time, games are
used to practice mathematical skills.
Not only do games make the lesson engaging for young learners but the also create a
relaxed environment in a mathematics class. Games associate mathematics woth
positive feelings like excitement, victory, and fun competition. So, students who might
have developed mathematics anxiety, or those who simply hate math, might begin to
open up and be more receptive. The students love for play may translate to love for
math. Moreover, games give a venue for students to communicate and defend their
ideas while at the same time learning from each other in a fear-free environment. And
because in every game a goal has to be achieved, students naturally develop strategic
and creative thinking and problem-solving skills. Games that require students to work in
groups advance their social skills as well.
However, not all games that involve mathematical processes are considered to
have instructional value. For example, the game of monopoly involves computations
and strategies to maximize scores, but it is considered to have little instructional value.
According to Koay Phong Lee (1996) in his article “The Use of Mathematical Games in
Teaching Primary Mathematics,” a game that has instructional value has the following
characteristics:
____________________________________________________________________
2. The game has a goal and the players have to make a finite number of moves to
reach the goal stated. Each move is the result of a decision made.
The 4th characteristic is what separates mathematical games from other games.
This suggests that a good mathematical game is not only about “having fun” but also
about “doing math” in itself.
Experience
Topic:
Estimating weight.
Materials:
1. Weighing scale
Mechanics:
1. Before the game starts, let the students carry a 1 kg weight and a 500 g weight.
Providing this experience will give the students a basis for their estimates.
3. Each group will take turns to estimate the weight of a given object.
4. In each turn, the guessing team will announce their estimate then the other group will
say whether they think the actual object weighs higher or lower than their opponent’s
estimate.
5. If the non-guessing team’s answer is correct, they get the point. Otherwise, the
guessing team earns the point.
____________________________________________________________________
6. For the students to have a basis of their estimate, pass the object around before the
guessing starts in each turn.
Assess
______________________________________________________________________
______________________________________________________________________
______________________________________________________________________
______________________________________________________________________
______________________________________________________________________
______________________________________________________________________
Lesson 13
Using of Manipulatives
Objectives
Introduction
Mathematics is an abstract subject which is the reason why many students find it
difficult. One way to concretize mathematics for young learners is through the use of
manipulatives.
Think
Manipulatives are concrete concrete objects like blocks, tiles, and geometric
figures, that students can interact with ( touch and move) in order to develop conceptual
understanding of mathematics concepts. Use of manipulatives is not at all new;
manipulatives have helped people learn mathematics since ancient times. For example,
the early Chinese had the abacus and the Incas use knotted strings called quipo to aid
in counting. In modern times, educators Friedrich Froebel and Maria Montessori were
the ones who advanced the use of manipulatives in classroom instruction. At present in
the Philippines, the DepEd mathematics curriculum calls for manipulatives to be used in
teaching a variety of competencies.
____________________________________________________________________
1. Orient the students on how to use the manipulative. Give some time for the students
to play with the manipulative. Allow them to explore the object and what they can do
with it.
2. Give clear and specific instructions. State the goal of the activity and how the
manipulative can help them achieve the goal.
3. While the students are at work, pay attention to their mathematical talk. Use their
ideas to enhance the discussion that follows after the activity.
4. If some students are struggling, ask them “why” and “how” questions to scaffold their
way through the activity.
Many manipulatives are commercially available; the common ones are base 10
blocks (for learning value, place value, decimals, etc.), geoboards (for learning
properties of plane figures), play money, and paper clock. However, you may also
create manipulatives using readily available materials like popsickle sticks, buttons,
boards, fasteners, etc. Making your own manipulatives is much cheaper and it gives you
the benefit of customizing them according to your need.
EXPERIENCE
____________________________________________________________________
Assess
1. Give an analogy that involves the use of manipulatives and the use of games in
classroom instruction.
2. The first guideline in using manipulatives is to let the students play with the material.
Why do you think is this so?
______________________________________________________________________
______________________________________________________________________
______________________________________________________________________
Lesson 14
Values Integration
Objective
Introduction
You do not just teach math. You teach students_ with young and impressionable
brains. Primary teachers play an important role in developing young learners’ hearts
and minds. What students learn in primary years can mold the persons they will
become. Instilling good values in children early will help them grow into successful and
responsible citizens of the nation. Mathematics can be used as a tool for values
integration. Values such as honesty, patience, and resilience in facing failures are some
of the many values that can be developed through mathematics. In this lesson, you will
learn how to deliberately integrate positive values into your mathematics topics.
Think
____________________________________________________________________
Experience
The valuing part can be done before closing the lesson. Listed below are the
mathematical concepts vis-à-vis the sample questions and/or moral lessons that you
might want your learners to reflect on.
You may ask your students to reflect on and write about mathematical concepts
in relation to values or standards of behavior related to their lesson.
____________________________________________________________________
2. Equivalent Notice that despite the differences in form, color, ethnicity, gender,
fractions faith, socioeconomic status, mental health condition, etc., our life
is worth the same and worth saving. We are born equal, but not
the same.
4. Whole Numbers Connect the lesson to the concept of ‘Wholeness’ _ comprising the
full quantity, the start of forming a complete and harmonious
whole, the state of being unbroken and undamaged.
1. What were your experiences in the past that make you feel
‘whole’ or ‘complete’?
5. Order of Relate this lesson to the importance of obeying rules/ order for
Operations self-management and doing things one step at a time.
2. How do you deal with people who are having a hard time
organizing things?
____________________________________________________________________
7. Addition and Relate this to the idea that most of us tend to be attracted to
Subtraction of people who are similar to ourselves.
Fractions
1. What are the qualities would you like your friends to have? Do
you also possess these qualities?
Fractions that are dissimilar can still be combined. You just have
to do some modifications to the denominators to make them
similar. Just like in real life, you live in a very diverse world. Even if
two people are different (in faith, gender, socioeconomic status,
etc.), they can still work harmoniously. A key value that you need
to develop is modifying your attitude and genuinely respecting
other people.
1. What are the personal behavior patterns that you wish to break?
Why?
2. What are the personal behavior patterns that you wish to form?
Why?
10. Data Give examples where the use of bar graph or a pictograph can be
Presentation abused. You should not let your students be easily manipulated by
misleading statistics.
____________________________________________________________________
In our society, it is vital to educate people on the traditional values of our country.
There is a growing demand for teachers to deliberately teach values by setting a good
example and discussing/processing moral issues to learners. It is therefore crucial to
the formation of students that you deliberately use an eclectic mix of methods to convey
the important values that the students have to uphold.
Assess
Do the following to help you think creative ways to integrate values in your lesson.
1. Browse the DepEd mathematics curriculum guide. Choose a topic from Grades 1 to
3. Write the topic and grade level below.
_____________________________________________________________________
How would you inject values to this particular topic? Put it in a situation where the
students can relate to. Imagine you are talking to your students. Write your script below.
If you plan to use materials, write a note about it.
______________________________________________________________________
______________________________________________________________________
______________________________________________________________________
______________________________________________________________________
______________________________________________________________________
______________________________________________________________________
2. What is the most memorable life lesson you have learned from your former teacher?
Explain why.
______________________________________________________________________
______________________________________________________________________
______________________________________________________________________
______________________________________________________________________
______________________________________________________________________
Challenge
____________________________________________________________________
______________________________________________________________________
______________________________________________________________________
______________________________________________________________________
______________________________________________________________________
______________________________________________________________________
______________________________________________________________________
______________________________________________________________________
______________________________________________________________________
______________________________________________________________________
Harness
This activity will test your skill in spontaneously integrating values in a math class
setting. This activity will be part of the learning portfolio which you will compile at the
end of this module.
Consider this situation. A student consulted with you and raise the following
points.
“Hi, Teacher! Our lesson now on addition is not that hard. But why do I need to
study addition? My gadget can actually add for me? Why do I have to do it on my own?
How will you tap into your student’s affective domain for him/her to understand
the relevance of your lesson in his/her life?
______________________________________________________________________
______________________________________________________________________
______________________________________________________________________
______________________________________________________________________
______________________________________________________________________
______________________________________________________________________
Summary
There is a growing demand for teachers to deliberately teach values and this is
possible even in the mathematics classroom. All teachers need to do is to be intentional
about it and reflect on ways to inject values in their lessons.
Lesson 15
____________________________________________________________________
Collaboration
Objective
Introduction
Think
In the zone of proximal development, the learner is close to developing the new
skill, but they need supervision and assistance. For instance, if a student has already
mastered basic addition of fractions, then basic subtraction may enter their zone of
proximal development, that is, they have the capacity to gain mastery of subtraction of
fractions with assistance. The assistance may not be directly provided by the subject
teacher. A child seek to understand the actions or instructions provided by any skillful
peer and internalizes the information, using it to guide or regulate their own
performance.
____________________________________________________________________
It is, therefore, necessary that learners should be given opportunities to work with
their peers in broadening their learning experience, allowing small groups of students to
work together to share knowledge, exchange ideas, and to solve problems together. As
learners collaborate with their classmates and teachers, they adopt some of the learning
heuristics and develop more skills in problem-solving.
When deciding whether or not to use group work for a specific task, reflect on the
following questions: What does the activity aim to achieve? How will that
objective be furthered by asking students to work in groups? Is the activity
complex enough that it requires group work? Will the project require true
collaboration? Is there any reason why the assignment should not be
collaborative? Are the objectives attainable within a given time frame?
How many students will be assigned to each group? The size you choose will
depend on the total number of students in your classroom, the size of the venue
where the activity will be held, the variety of students needed in a group, and the
task assigned. If you want to have a diverse, productive, active, and cohesive
groups, then try dividing your class into groups with four to five members.
Will you group them based on proximity? Will you group them according to their
own preference? The fastest way to group students is to divide the class based
on proximity. You might also want to randomly assign students to groups by
counting off and grouping them according to number. Another idea is to let
students get a piece of chocolate from a basket of different chocolates and group
students according to the flavor they chose. You may also strategically assign
them to groups instead of randomly assigning them. Prepare a list with names
vis-à-vis his/her prevailing attitude toward the subject. Divide the students
accordingly based on this list. Make sure that each group has a good mixture of
personalities. Other possible factors that you should consider include gender,
race, ethnicity, and behavior.
____________________________________________________________________
Give a preliminary task that will help each student establish a good rapport with
his/her group. These primer activities should be assigned in such a way that
positive relationships will be built and mutual respect between and among
members will be established. You may prepare a simple activity like asking each
member to answer questions about his/her favorite foods, books, places, or
hobbies. Students will be given the opportunity to find connections_things they
have been common with one another.
(Note: Feel free to remove this part if the class is already bonded and cohesive.)
How do you get students to participate in the task? Come up with a task wherein
different roles are assigned to group members so that they are all involved in the
process. Each member should feel responsible for the success of their
groupmates and realize that their individual success depends on the group’s
success. If a student feels that other people are relying on them, then he/she will
be motivated to accomplish his/her part excellently.
Establish how group members should interact with one another. Make them sign
an agreement that explicitly states their expectations of one another. The
contract should also include the behaviors that you want them to avoid and the
values that you want them to observe and uphold.
The reason for doing collaboration has to be clearly articulated to your students.
Students must understand the benefits of collaborative learning. Explicitly
connect these activities to larger class themes and learning outcomes whenever
possible.
Giving instructions is not something that you take for granted. Giving clear set of
instructions contributes to the good performance of students in an activity. Failing
to do so can lead to a huge waste of time. If the students do not understand the
____________________________________________________________________
given task, then this will result to a lot of interruptions. As a facilitator of the
activity, you should tell exactly what your students have to perform and describe
what the final output of their group task will look like.
As students accomplish their group task, go around and answer questions about
the task. Make sure to keep your ears open. Listen to their collaborative
dialogue. Pay attention to the interesting points that will surface from the
discussion. Talk about these interesting points during the subsequent closing /
processing of activity. Try not to interfere too much with the group’s way of
proceeding; give your participants the time to think about their own problems
before getting involved. Consider leaving the venue for a few minutes. Your
absence can increase students’ willingness to share uncertainties and
disagreements. If you find a group that is experiencing some sort of uncertainty
or disagreement, refrain from giving the answers or resolving the disagreement.
Allow your participants to feel some stretch/to experience struggle_ within
reason_to accomplish the task.
Conclude the activity by having a session wherein students give a report. You
can ask each group to give a oral report or submit a written report. The reporting
should revolve around their insights. You may also ask them to reflect on how
they performed in the group. This will also give you an idea of their perceptions
about group work. Relate the points raised to your current lesson and the
objectives of the activity.
Experience
The following are sample collaborative activities that you might want your
learners to engage in.
Activity: Jigsaw
As in Jigsaw puzzles, each student holds a vital piece of the puzzle. They need
to assemble in order to complete the whole puzzle. In this collaborative activity, each
member of the group will be given a task to perform. The goal of the group is to gather
every member’s input to come up with a final output.
Objective: To work cooperatively with other students to ensure the attainment of your
group goals
____________________________________________________________________
Task: Divide the class into groups. Ask each group to think of a question they would like
to survey their fellow classmates on. For instance, they might want to ask their
classmates about their favorite pizza flavor. Allot enough time for students to walk
around the room buzzing with each other to gather data. Instruct them to write down the
responses of their classmates.
Once they are done collecting data, ask them to represent their results graphically.
Remind them to label their graphs. Take a photo of each student’s graph, which you can
later print out to create a class collage to display.
Assess
1. What are the possible drawbacks to collaborative activities? What can you do to
address these issues?
Drawback Response
2. Consider the activity given in the Experience unit. How do you plan to divide the task
equally among the members if this activity is to be accomplished by a group with five
members?
______________________________________________________________________
______________________________________________________________________
______________________________________________________________________
______________________________________________________________________
______________________________________________________________________
Challenge
The Snowball Technique is a way for students to teach each other important
concepts and information. Students begin by working individually. Next, they collaborate
with a partner. After that, partners form groups of four. Groups of four join together to
form groups of eight. This snowballing effect continues until the entire class is working
together as one large group.
Educ 4- Assessment in Learning 1 by Marites G. Polizon Page 24
Republic of the Philippines
Surigao del Sur State University
Tagbina Campus, Tagbina, Surigao del Sur 8308
Email Address: sdssutc2010@[Link]
Website: [Link]
____________________________________________________________________
______________________________________________________________________
______________________________________________________________________
______________________________________________________________________
______________________________________________________________________
______________________________________________________________________
Harness
Design your own collaborative activity. Explain the mechanics of this activity
succinctly. This activity will be part of the learning portfolio which you will compile at the
end of this module.
______________________________________________________________________
______________________________________________________________________
______________________________________________________________________
______________________________________________________________________
______________________________________________________________________
______________________________________________________________________
______________________________________________________________________
______________________________________________________________________
Summary
Group activities can foster collaborated when thoughtfully designed and carefully
facilitated. Group size and composition are some of the considerations in designing
group activities. It also helps to explain to the students why doing the activity as a group
is essential in learning the lesson where it is applied.
Objective
Introduction
____________________________________________________________________
with the lesson and those with more advanced skills through questioning. It is through
questioning that a teacher gets to know the misunderstandings of the learners. If a
teacher is knowledgeable about the misunderstandings of the learners, then the teacher
will have the greatest understanding of his/her learners.
It is, therefore, necessary that teachers deliberately frame questions that will
keep the class discussion moving. The goal of this strategy is to keep the learners’
voices at the forefront of every classroom session. The challenge for you now is to think
of questions that you could ask that would get your students engaged.
Think
Art of Questioning
Not all questions are created equal. Some questions can be answered by a
simple yes or no. Some questions would require students to think more meaningfully.
Asking the right questions will help you understand what your learners know, do not
know, and need to know. Asking questions is an art. As with most arts, no specific
formula will work in all situations all the time. This lesson will enumerate general ideas
for your careful consideration when framing essential questions.
Refrain from asking questions which only require a yes or no answer. In general,
questions that would require one-word answers do not provide much information to
check your learners’ thought processes. This type of questioning may not stretch the
mental muscles of your learners. Questions are posed to help students articulate
themselves, clarify concepts, challenge known assumptions, examine reasons, and
make significant connections to mathematical concepts.
Make sure that your learners feel comfortable to express his/her ideas and/or ask
questions at any time. Some students are reluctant to speak up because they are
afraid of what the teacher or classmates might think if they give an incorrect
response.
____________________________________________________________________
Do not answer your own question. If you are not able to elicit responses from
your students, try rephrasing your questions. Do not rust learners to give responses
instantly.
Remind your students that the question is for all members of the class. Try not to
label the degree of difficulty of a question. Avoid saying: “I expect my fast
learners/challenged ones to answer this question”.
Objectives
Introduction
Principles of Assessment
Objective
Introduction
____________________________________________________________________
1. The purpose of the assessment and whether the task fulfills that purpose.
2. The validity and reliability of the assessment that you are constructing.
Objective
Introduction
The criticisms of the traditional assessment measures and the new focus of
learning standards of acquiring the complex and essential skills needed in today’s
society pushed the need to rethink the criteria and nature of the learning assessment.
The proposal was to use open-ended problems, hands-on problems, computer
simulations of real-world problems, and the use of portfolio in learners’ work. These
types of measures are called authentic assessment where learners are asked to
perform real-world tasks, and the criteria are based on actual performance in the field of
work (Wiggins, 1989; Archbald & Newman, 1988).
Think
____________________________________________________________________
1. Authentic mathematics requires essential skills which can be measured by the ability
to communicate and ask questions, to assimilate unfamiliar information, and to work
cooperatively with the team- the mathematical skills for lifelong learning with the
computer literacy. Part of the mathematics literacy is the ability to learn and assimilate
new information, hence there is a need for essential skills of flexibility and adaptability.
Related to communication is the ability of learners to articulate what they understand
and do not. Communication can be fostered in school if learners learn and use the
language of mathematics, activities provide opportunities to make conjectures and
reasons. Adaptability will be developed if learning provides multiple contexts that
promote the value of mathematical interpretation in a variety of interrelated experiences.
5. Authentic assessment uses the dynamic and adaptive form of feedback. This is also
called scaffolding feedback where the learner can identify the skills to model and reflect
and connect on their performances. Thus, assessment becomes learning opportunities
and assessment aims to measure not only the actual performance but more important
the potential.
6. Authentic assessment must take place in the context of the learning process.
7. It must consider both the learner and the situation in which the learner is assessed.
8. It must provide information on what the learner knows, what he/she does not know,
and on the development of changes in such learning.
____________________________________________________________________
10. Indicators must include cognitive and conative abilities to capture different
perpective.
11. Authentic assessment will require instruments that provide in-depth perspective on
learning. The use of at least three different mediums in assessment to obtain
Objective
Introduction
Think
The portfolio assessment can measure a variety of skills that is not measurable
by single testing of traditional assessment. The portfolio can be written, oral, and
graphics outputs set and developed by learners themselves. These outputs have some
degree of quality that cannot be measured by traditional test.
A portfolio develops awareness of one’s own learning. Knowing the criteria of the
content and assessment, learner can always refer to these in each stage to verify the
progress in achieving the set of objectives and goals. Further, it also aims to develop
independent and active learning.
____________________________________________________________________
The portfolio guides the learner and teachers to set and establish goals aligned
in the learning objectives.
The process of making a portfolio ensures the active participation of the learners
and helps learners examine growth and development over time.
The portfolio processes provide chances for self-evaluation and reflection.
The portfolio enhances the student’s learning and current achievement and
showcases and documents the development and growth in a more
contextualized manner.
The portfolio can evaluate teaching effectiveness. The portfolio provides flexibility
in curriculum and instruction planning because it considers the developmental
domains of the learners and content of the subject matter.
The portfolio can help evaluate and improve the curriculum.
The portfolio reinforces hands-on and concrete experiences.
The portfolio can motivate parents and other stakeholders to become involved in
the learner’s evaluation plan.
____________________________________________________________________
In deciding the type of portfolio, the teacher needs to consider the level of the
course, the age of the student, and the portfolio will be used and evaluated.
1. Portfolio is an assessment that is done together by the learners and the teacher. The
teacher guides the learner from planning, execution, and evaluation of contents of
learning portfolios, hence the interaction and discourse are important elements of the
process. They together formulate the objectives, which is based on the learning
standards. The teacher shall assist the learner in choosing the contents or items to be
included in the portfolio based on the objectives, but the learner has the final say on the
selection because the portfolio is supposed to be representing the unique and personal
preferences of the learner.
2. The portfolio should be an opportunity to exhibit the samples of work or outputs which
shows the growth, development, and achievement over time. In this purpose, the
learner shall reflect or do self-assessment of his/her own work to identify the strengths
and weakness, so that the weaknesses become improvement goals.
3. The criteria for selecting and assessing the portfolio especially the contents must be
clear both to the teachers and students at the outset of the process. The set of agreed
criteria can be referred by the learner in each step of the process to avoid inclusion of
unessential components and to avoid resorting to what is only available at the time. So
that necessary planning in each step of the process of portfolio development can be
done especially by the learner.
Experience
The table below presents the basic elements of learning portfolio which can be
given to students as a guide in creating a portfolio of their own.
____________________________________________________________________
be included
The Optional items will be included
Optional items are those based to show the uniqueness of the
on learner’s choice learner’s outputs, it may be the
“best pieces of work” or “the
trouble” or the less successful” with
respective explanation, but
ultimately shall be based on the
objectives set during the initial
stage.
Dates on all entries This is to document the proof of
development or growth over time.
Drafts of initial oral and written outputs The first drafts and the corrected versions-
and the revised versions to highlight the changes, identify
improvement, and explain the context.
Reflections The reflections can be at different stages
in the learning process, subjective
because it depends on the learners’
unique experiences.
For each item in the core and optional Provide a rationale for why the item is was
entries included as evidence of growth,
development, and learning. What did the
learner learn from it? What went well for
the learner? What needs to improve?
What were the problem areas? What is the
feeling of the learner on his/her
performance?
Assess
______________________________________________________________________
______________________________________________________________________
______________________________________________________________________
2. How does each part of a portfolio contribute to the assessment of student learning?
______________________________________________________________________
____________________________________________________________________
______________________________________________________________________
______________________________________________________________________
Challenge
The following questions will challenge your critical thinking skills as they raise
issues about the use of portfolio in assessing learning.
______________________________________________________________________
______________________________________________________________________
______________________________________________________________________
2. As a mathematics teacher, describe below the ideal portfolio for you. What are
the characteristics of a portfolio that you wish your students to submit?
______________________________________________________________________
______________________________________________________________________
______________________________________________________________________
HARNESS
The following activity will guide you in creating a rubric for checking a learning
portfolio. This activity will be part of the learning portfolio, which you will compile at the
end of this module.
Based on your answer in Challenge #2, create a rubric for checking a learning
portfolio in mathematics.
____________________________________________________________________
Summary
Final Activity
Compile all your HARNESS outputs into a learning portfolio. Remember to put a
date on each output. Your portfolio must also include the following:
A short reflection about each activity- how you felt about it, what challenges you
faced in doing it, what you like most about doing it? What did you learn from the
activity?
A final reflection about how you feel now that you have completed this module.
What are the changes in your belief about teaching and learning math?