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Asia-Pacific
Forum on Science Learning and Teaching, Volume 6, Issue 2, Article 7
(Dec., 2005) Tin -Lam TOH On in-service Mathematics teachers' content knowledge on kinematics
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|
|
Asia-Pacific
Forum on Science Learning and Teaching, Volume 6, Issue 2, Article 7
(Dec., 2005) Tin -Lam TOH On in-service Mathematics teachers' content knowledge on kinematics
|
Background
The topic Relative Velocity was incorporated into the Pure Mathematics component of the GCE O-Level Additional Mathematics syllabus in 2001. This topic is compulsory for all candidates studying the subject. Hence, no students are allowed to skip this topic.
Before the implementation of the new Additional Mathematics syllabus in 2001, this topic of Relative Velocity was subsumed under the Particle Mechanics section in the Additional Mathematics syllabus. As the entire Particle Mechanics section was optional, practically every school in Singapore chose to ignore this entire option in order to focus exclusively on Pure Mathematics.
A closer examination of some of the past year questions in the new Additional Mathematics syllabus (starting from the year 2001) reveals that, not only must the candidates have a thorough knowledge of Relative Velocity, the related concepts on kinematics are crucial even for examination purpose to answer some of the questions. For example, one must have a clear perception that when a particle travels with constant velocity, there is no change in direction of motion; hence it must be traveling along a straight line path.
Copyright (C) 2005 HKIEd APFSLT. Volume 6, Issue 2, Article 7 (Dec., 2005). All Rights Reserved
