My First Blog

London, wait for me!

2011-08-25T14:24:00.000-07:00

The last time, I wrote in this blog, it was May, and now, august, so it was 3 months ago.
Now, I am busy, prepare to go to UK next month, for a 10 days visit.
Hopefully, things will be going according to my plan.

How about your plan this year?

2011-05-10T06:28:00.000-07:00

It has been May, and suddenly i realize that very few things I have done this year. Will my dreams come true?

keep yourself motivated, Rumi!
Remember, if you fail to plan, it means you plan to fail.

Where am I now???

2011-01-06T18:48:00.000-08:00

Today is Friday 7 January 2010
Then, I still have several important things to do
1. Finish my application to present at merga conference
Dr. Wright will be on traveling on 24 january
and Rumi wants to present 3 types of presentation: research paper, workshop and poster

2. Rumi have to finish the Qitep in math research report.
Rumi think to send a paper based on this research to RECSAM conference on 16-17 November

3. Rumi will takes
TOEFL test: mocking test in real english at 10th january, 9.00-11.30
ITP TOEFL at UGM on 31st January, 8.30-11.30

and Rumi plans to take IELTS test in REAL english on 16 January

Rumi! keep motivated! your education has not finished yet
You are still young and you have many dreams!

Curriculum....

2010-12-08T17:51:00.000-08:00

what is curriculum?
curriculum is a set of courses and their content offered by a school or university.

1.the aggregate of courses of study given in a school, college, university, etc.: The school is adding more science courses to its curriculum.
2.the regular or a particular course of study in a school, college, etc.

course?

1. a systematized or prescribed series: a course of lectures; a course of Medical treatments.
2. a program of instruction, as in a college or university: a course in economics.
3. a prescribed number of instruction periods or classes in a particular field of study.

syllabus?

an outline or other brief statement of the main points of a discourse, the subjects of a course of lectures, the contents of a curriculum, etc.

curriculum based assessment
curriculum based competence
school based curriculum
differentiate curriculum

and hidden curriculum, in general terms, is “some of the outcomes or by-products of schools or of non-school settings, particularly those states which are learned but not openly intended

collaborative research

2010-12-01T20:24:00.000-08:00

Rhonda has research about down syndrome children. I am thinking to do the same as her to gain international data. So, what can we learn from this?
Conducting research is not very easy. Fresh Idea....I dont know.

structuring my merga paper

2010-11-30T07:03:00.000-08:00

I had difficulty with literature review
now i have had an idea

this should be about assessment.
what is assessment?
why do we assessment? newer function, three kinds of assessment, to ask about where we are before we start, where we are while we are doing it, and after. People said pre-assessment, ongoing and also past assessmnet. have different purpose.

then the method of assesment. test are very common, written tests are the most common. it has been ackowledged as not sufficient. interview, studying students worksheet, every method of assessment has its own advantage and disanvatage. Written test are easlity administered, all pupil do the same test at the same time so saving time. then interview takes more time but can develop childrenn profile.

the question remain which one the best one...? easy answer, none of them are the best

method.

conclusion: highlight the need to do various assessment because one assessmeny method isnt sufficient to understand children ability.

Where am I now?

2010-11-24T17:46:00.001-08:00

1. I have finished my master degree
2. I am back to work in my office. (do the best her, Rumi!)
3. I still want to continue my education to Phd....
- write several papers
- improve english skill
- write excellent research proposal

Realising your dreams

2010-11-24T17:19:00.000-08:00

If you fail to make plans, it means you plan to fail...
remember this....so what is your nearest goal:

Just one: finish your paper for MERGA
sent your draft to your supervisor on 8th December. Today is 25th..so you still have 2 weeks.

Keep your spirit and Good work Rumi!

one by one:
draft for TCM
take TOEFL test in UGM in Januari, just ITP, my target 600

That iss all for now

commitment..

2010-11-23T17:43:00.000-08:00

a commitment is a promise or firm decision to do something. I have big commitment. That is to continue what I have started 5 years ago....It is not wise to stop in the middle of something. I will go all the way to find my way.

Sometimes, just as usual, i find myself in hesitate feeling. Research is a lonely activity. Most of the time, i will be just alone, wandering from idea to other idea. I know that whatever I have read, that will be no meaning for me, except i give that a meaning. And i am free to give the meaning.

So, how much this commitment mean to me? why do I want to continue this research? why.
Basically, i like to investigate, I was born with a high curiosity, looking for answers...is my hobby. and i will never..never stop until i find answer which satisfy me. Of course, this is not always a good trait, because there is so many things on this world which have to be left unanswered.

i know that I have to live with my questions.
what am I doing?
why do I want to do this?
How will do that?

There are questions i have to answer before i start my commitment, a Phd research degree.

My Plans, 2011-2016

2010-10-25T18:38:00.000-07:00

The following are the things I want to do..

2011, Apply for Phd trough Australian Development Scholarship
( Rumi needs more than 550 TOEFL score, a convincing research proposal, and recomendation from supervisor)
Attend Merga conference, 3-7 July 2010, Rumi needs to write a paper, and also want to present a poster

2012, Rumi wants to start her Phd, during 2012 will attend EAP course, hopefully only 6 weeks, and write the proposal in detail.
Attend ICMI conference in Korea and PME in Taiwan...Rumi needs to write a paper
Also attend praxis conference

2013, start the fieldwork in June

2014, back to aus, analysing the data with Nvivo, attend one conference in europe and in america (conference in special and inclusive education)

2015 write the thesis, attenc one conference again in europe or america (conference in special and inclusive education)

2016 finish Phd, dan go to mecca

The title of my Phd thesis...

2010-10-24T18:29:00.000-07:00

or my disertation...

Number and Arithmetic Development of a Down Syndrome, a slow learner and a typical developed children in an Indonesian Inclusive Education School

well..that is..

Dreams....

2010-10-19T19:50:00.000-07:00

research is always started by dreams....yes...you are right...by dreams
and you know, i have a dream...
that dream seems so impossible...i want to do Phd abroad...but what I want to be?
i want to be an expert in special and inclusive education....especially in number and arithmetic learning

why do I want this?
first of all, i believe that number and arithmetics are important part of everyday life. It is almost impossible to imagine current world without number. It is just everywhere. Quite different from 'letters' number has its own behaviour. Since it is free from emotion, and very consistent, numbers are used everywhere.

You want to call your mom this morning, you try to find her number..
You want to go to your friend house, you ask for her address and its contain number
You want to stay at hotel, and they give you room number
You want to buy food, and they give you bill, and its contain numbers....

Numbers is just everywhere..

then you might be simply just be ordinary people, you still need numbers to carry on simple everyday life.
They ask you how old are you? you have to tell numbers
They ask you how many orange do you need? you have to tell numbers
They ask you how many brothers and sisters do you have? you need numbers too

so, is that number important? yes

recommendation of award: M.Ed

2010-10-18T01:17:00.000-07:00

Something which I have been waiting for a month...
Thank God

-------------------------------------------------------
Dear Rumiati

The Higher Degrees Research Committee at its Meeting on Friday 15 October, has recommended that you be awarded the degree Master of Education. I am currently processing your completion letter and will forward to you when signed off by Director, Research Training Unit. Your name will be forwarded to the Examination Officer at Student Services and Graduation Office to commence graduation processing.

Kind Regards

Sue

Sue White
Secretariat, Higher Degrees Research Committee
Thesis Examinations Officer

Planning

2010-10-17T19:16:00.000-07:00

No success without planning...

October 2010...what things I have achieved?
well, almost all my plans is succeed, just one more thing this year, my master certificate. I am still waiting for that.
Hope it will be finished soon

Then...what next?
1. writing opini for newspaper, my work with him
- about values and character education in my country
- about inclusive education: obstacles and challenges

2. what is for TCM? chisanbop for reasoning?

3. what is for next merga conference? interviewing down syndrome children about their counting ability and their ability to identify and recognize number?
i will also present a poster, probably about teaching aids, one from math laboratory

and one again, from current qitep research, i will likely write about the classroom's video.

4. what is for national seminar in UNY? values in mathematics education for developing students personality

You should not forget to learn english in every occassion. Because you are taking Toefl test, and you want close to 600...

Do-able research question

2010-10-13T16:12:00.000-07:00

Step by step, I am planning my research. I am writing my research proposal.
Is this possible for a down syndrome child to learn in a inclusive classroom? Maybe yes, maybe not. Today, I am going to a special education school. To see what's happening there.

Where am I now?

2010-09-26T18:54:00.000-07:00

27 September 2010

do you dare to follow your dreams, Rumi? do you?
I cant live without dreams, I cant.
Dreams fuels my life, now, I have two purposes, just two
1. alice springs conference
2. an article in Teaching Children Mathematics-NTCM

but my dreams should be more than that:
actual thing i shall do: TOEFL test, should me at least 550...can I? should be....somewhere between 500 to 600. I will take IELTS too, with 7, i can go smoothly for Phd.

and then finishing my Phd research proposal, what is my keywords?

1. down syndrome, low attaining, typical development
2. concurent teaching experiments
3. observe how those children develop their number and arithmetical knowledge
4. what can we learn from those children?

is that good? what methods?

I have dreamt about Alice Springs

2010-08-03T17:21:00.000-07:00

I want to go to Alice Springs next year, 3-7 July
for merga34 conference, great conference with AAMT too
my supervisor will come too
Now, i am saving and making budget

It will be a long way from Yogya-Denpasar, Denpasar-Darwin, Darwin-Alice Spring
I need a cheap flight

so Yogya-Denpasar will be with mandala or lion
Denpasar-Darwin, i prefer airasia, hope there will be sale airticket. they will operate this route in October
Darwin-Alice Springs, no choice except qantas flight, but there is also train,the Ghan, maybe more economical and i will get new experience but it will be 12 hours.

I plan to stay at backbapcker there
and for a single traveller like me, i shall spend around $A60 a night, it will be $A240
my choice is: http://www.toddys.com.au/alice-springs-accommodation.php
or http://www.alicelodge.com.au/

then i will need to pay for conference registration and it will be around $A600

I need hotel in Bali and hotel in Darwin. Hotel in Bali will be the same cheap hotel I stayed before. how about in Darwin?
quite expensive here: http://www.elkesbackpackers.com.au/roomrates.html,
http://www.thecavenagh.com/rates.aspx

How much will I need?

I will only get some help from Graduate Research Bursary, and that is for registration only. So, I will need at least 2000 aud for this traveling.

can I afford that? why not?

What's next....?

2010-07-22T00:49:00.000-07:00

what's next...of course revise your thesis! you havent graduated yet. You havent gotten your master degree. How can you do your Phd? How can?

Yea, i am quite crazy, coz I am already thinking about what after my master degree.
1. I will graduated on September 2010, I have to!
2. Then I will join IELTS course, during november to december to January
3. Then taking IELTS test in February, yes, I need at least 7, will look good in my Phd application.
4. then how about write for a Journal? I am thinking 2 journals and 1 newspaper.
The Journal will be teaching children mathematics from US and journal of mathematics behaviour from europe.
5. Then attend MERGA conference in alice spring. apply for a graduate bursary, and alsi bantuan diknas, and also ask some help from Bob. Other conference will be CosMed in Penang malaysia.

So what topic for CosMed? about structuring number 1-20
What for journal of mathematice behaviour? language,number, SS, DD, TT, etc
What is for KR? jarimatika
What is for teaching children mathematics? differences between results from written test and results from interview, especially about traditional methods and subtract smaller from larger bug
What is for next MERGA conference?
dont know yet, it will be a review about down syndrom and numerical development. a literature review....I will be able to use it to support my proposal for Phd...

Rumi...Rumi...you want too much things! can you do this? i can..i can...and remember...with all the happiness you can get after this...remember!

what are you doing now, Rumi?

2010-07-15T19:54:00.000-07:00

Today is 16 July 2010. I have been back from Australia for 4 months...oh God...4 months? what have you been doing so far Rumi?

okay, until 3 June, you didnt do anything except waiting for the results of your thesis examination. and now, it has been more than one months...or exactly 1 month 15 days, so you just have 15 days, Rumi. To finish your thesis revision. You have to face the truth that your thesis needs to be revised.

Rumi, what's wrong with you? you need to be more....better in time management. Do you really want to finish this. This is just a type of work you need to do...and this will be not difficult.

JUST DO IT. SEE THE LIST
read that, just a small thing???

what's wrong with me? am I just to happy with my current achievement? that my papers are accepted for publication here and there. I have to move on..to climb this mountain.
I am just a master now...and it also havent finished yet. Stop being someone who like to start something but reluctant to finish. This is everybody problems...like to start but forget to finish.

If you are like this, you will not finish your thesis.

RUMI...wake up!!!!!!!!!!!!

learning from youtube about presentation skills

2010-06-25T01:00:00.000-07:00

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EumXWYSCbE4&feature=related

I have to answer several key questions:
1. who are you talking to?
I am talking to experts from my area, even though there might be also students who never heard about MR, count me in too, etc. Those people, few or many, are people who are interested in early number learning.

2. why are you talking to them?
I am talking to them to share about my research and its results.

3. How long have you got?
30 minutes

4. what story are you going to tell?
the story of my research, about what i did, why did i do that, what method did I used, and what results are...

Other key points:
1. eye contact
2. voice projection
3. voice intonation
4. clarity of message
5. enthusiasm

I need practice on that four area, especially because english is my second language.

there are two important things: believe about what you are saying and ability to read audience.

Rumi's preparation to Fremantle

2010-06-21T19:46:00.000-07:00

everything is OK
just one thing need:
presentation rehearseal, powerpoint is Ok, rumi will deliver 30 minutes presentation
will Rumi show the video, if yes, Rumi will need to edit the video
the video is not must, but better to prepare, if someone ask about this in question and answer session, Rumi will ready to show.

Then what else?
Rumi wants to take pictures as much as can, Rumi wants to explore fremantle to perth...
Rumi have to go to post office, that is near pakenham street, so no worries
Rumi needs to close her ANZ account, thats also near

Rumi wants to visit:
Fremantle harbour
Notre Dame university
Capuccino strips
Chocolate factory, buy some gifts for office friends
kepeg, computer, urp, labmat, and mba sri

in perth, rumi wants to go to swan river, kings park and try the ferry along swan river...

okay?

Dont be so scare about the presentation, dont be overconfident, this is just a sharing experience, no need to be perfect, but dont be so nervous..okay?
you just need to share your research...this is just about learning....
remember that
you will meet your friends
they are not your enemy
they are there to help you
they are there because they are interested
you dont need to care about how many people attend your conference
because Rumi
you know....
you are preparing yourself for something different
you want to do research about disability
that...really something....noble?
i dont know
i just want to do something in this area
i know this is not a glamour area
this is not area about happiness
about winning
about something you can proud
this is about
fighting
about try to accept yourself the way it is
it might be about despair
about sadness
about feeling helpless
but
the good thing is
i will never give up
i will never give up
and i can still see the light
very small light
but still light
about trying to be optimist
and always positive

you can do this, Rumi

I need to think...

2010-06-21T19:37:00.000-07:00

I need to think about where i am now
what i am going to do
what my plans is

Okay, today is 22 June 2010
i have been in Indonesia
i have submitted my thesis
i have had the result and i need to revise my thesis
my plans about conferences is going well
I am going to fremantle 3-7 July
and then to Japan 17-23 august
then what next?

I am preparing for Phd
what is needed?
of course there is no Phd if i dont finish my master degree
so I have to finish my master thesis first
I have time until July...to send my revised thesis
then in august I should graduate
then in september already receive my master certificate

and then what preparation is needed for Phd

1) research proposal: i have had the topic, should discuss this with my supervisor
2) english language proficiency: need to take IELTS test, and hope to get at least 7.5 and my reading should be 8, my writing et all should be at least 7
3) make my CV look better, publish more articles in magazine and journal
what journal:
PPPPTK journal
limas magazine
teaching children mathematics
Kedaulatan rakyat

conference: 2 is enough.

but Rumi..Rumi...remember 2 things you should do now:
prepare for your presentation in Merga33
and then
Your thesis

How about your thesis Rumi?

2010-06-09T20:54:00.000-07:00

why do i feel so lazy to revise my thesis?

The criteria for the written papers and the conference presentation

2010-06-09T20:45:00.000-07:00

• Criteria for the written papers
o Does the paper address a clearly articulated research question/issue?
o Is this question/issue significant to mathematics education (teaching practice, policy, research, theory)?
o Is there a potential for contribution to advancement of the field of mathematics education?
o Are theories informing the work explicitly recognised and critically discussed?
o Where the paper is based on empirical research, are the data collecting methodologies clear and appropriately chosen?
o Where the paper is directly based on empirical research, is data proficiently analysed and discussed in relation to the relevant scholarly literature?
o Where the paper engages a theoretical discussion or canvasses alternative perspectives relating to teaching practice, policy or theory, are concepts proficiently analysed and discussed in relation to the scholarly literature and does a distinctive, conceptually coherent view, emerge?
o Does the paper have conclusions appropriate to its treatment of themes and/or research findings and discussion?
o Does the paper exhibit: coherence, readability and clarity of expression, accuracy, well chosen grammar, standard spelling, an academic style of presentation?

• Criteria for paper presentations
o Does the presentation fit within the time available?
o Does the presentation: present a clear exposition of the written paper?
o Does the presentation: promote communication by using presentation technologies (e.g., overheads, videos, PowerPoint presentation, etc.) in a thoughtful and creative way?
o Does the presentation:provide good illustrations and respond helpfully to questions?
o Does the presentation: demonstrate a grasp of the topic?
o Does the presentation:encourage the interest and thoughtful engagement of delegates in the content and topic of the presentation?

source: MERGA

Conferences Rumi wants to attend

2010-06-08T01:11:00.000-07:00

I will attended the following conferences in 2010:

1. mathematics education research group of australia33 (MERGA33)on 3-7 July 2010 in Fremantle WA
2. East Asia Regional Conference on Mathematics Education in Tokyo, 18-22 August 2010

I want to attend other conferences:

http://einspem.upm.edu.my/icmer2010/
15-16 December 2010, Malaka, malaysia

http://www.merga.net.au/conferences
3-7 July 2011 di Alice spring, Northern Teritory, Australia(merga)

http://www.icme12.org/
8-15 July 2012 di Korea selatan (International Congress On Mathematics Education)

http://igpme.org/view.asp?pg=conferences&str=con_future
di Taipei, Taiwan 18-21 July 2012 (PME)

Free writing earcome5

2010-05-06T05:29:00.001-07:00

In this earcome paper I want to show that videotaped-interview is very useful to capture children;s strategies in solving number problem. But how to express this idea?
I want to share my experience in which in the first time I heard about recording children’s interview I feel skeptic and don’t impressed until I see by myself. During my research I found out that using videotaped is especially useful when we don’t exactly understand about chilrden’s strategies at the time we interview him/her. The best example is Raihan and then …..?

Brainstroming: what is the advantage to use videotaped to capture children's strategis in solving number problems?

2010-05-02T21:13:00.000-07:00

see teaching children mathematics (Ellemor-collins & Wright, 2008)

How to write a paper?

2010-05-02T20:54:00.000-07:00

I am trying to write the full paper for EARCOME 5, is it so difficult, what am I going to tell in here?
lets me try to clarify that, keep it simple and easy, Rumi!
your topic study group is assessment for excellent.
you know that assessment mean judge...value...consider..of some situation or some process. To assess we use tools. You know that in the mathematics teaching assessment is very important, because once we know where we are, and then what we want to achieve, it will be easier to determine what you should do to achieve that goals.

So, how to assess. Traditional assessment? we know it, using paper and pencil, observation, testing, etc. Then there is videotape, people in mathematics education used videotaped in various ways...they use that to record math lesson, as in the lesson study, then they watch the video together with other teachers to understand and to make an improvement. In my paper i will explain about using videotape to assess children's strategy in solving numbers problems.

i am sure that this is very interesting, I am just not able to express this now. still blurry!

My achievements

2010-05-02T20:42:00.000-07:00

It is nice to write about your achievements, isnt it? yes, i am so happy now. I was back from Australia on 14 March 2010, and today is 3 May 2010, and everything is going according to my plans.

I want to attend at least 1 conference this year and now I plan for 2. First is MERGA conference at Fremantle on 3-7 July and second EARCOME 5 at Tokyo on 18-22 August. My paper paper for both conferences are accepted. I have bought the tickets and booked for accomodation there. I am waiting for passport renewal and will apply for the visa soon. Fremantle and Tokyo, I am coming!

Now, i still have one problem. I need to write the full paper for EARCOME 5, but my brain feels frozen, how do to make this work again? i hope writing in my blog will help me to overcome my writing block.

I am in my office

2010-04-04T21:42:00.000-07:00

This is my first monday in my office. I havent written anything in here for more than one month. Today, i choose to restrict the permission to read this blog. The reason is quite childlike, i find comments in my blog written in language I dont understand. And i will make this blog private until I find out who wrote comments in this site and who they are.

Quite frustating that you dont dont understand something, do you?

the end of my study program

2010-02-27T21:29:00.000-08:00

according to my contract, 28th January 2010, or today is the end of my master degree study, and yes, I have finished, and ready to submit my thesis.
It is finally 258 pages, complete with glossary and appendices. And the end of of scolarship is 14 March 2010, but then I will have been in my own country on 13 March. Start to do my job there, i am so happy to submit and finish on time.

And I have had some plans...
but dont want to write about my plans here and now.
Maybe in next post.

Thesis Editing

2010-02-10T15:17:00.000-08:00

I have sent my whole thesis for editing on Monday 8 February 2010. Now, I am just waiting for the result while reading this and that, and planning what I will do in the next two year.

Finally, my thesis is 148 pages including reference and 64 pages appendix, and around 52.000 words. It consists of 7 chapter.

so, what next Rumi? maybe you need to think about something else, and you will get fresh look to your thesis once it back.

http://www.correctionalservices.com.au/

Chapter 6: Ok

2010-02-01T16:44:00.000-08:00

my thesis so far...

preambule 7 pages 760 words
content 4 pages 748 words
abstract 1 pages 355 words
chapter 1 6 pages 1.893 words
chapter 2 27 pages 8.739 words
chapter 3 14 pages 4.663 words
chapter 4 45 pages 16.602 words
chapter 5 22 pages 7.595 words
chapter 6 19 pages 5.317 words

total up to now: 133 pages and 44.809

It is time to write the last chapter, chapter 7, conclusions

Chapter 2: finish

2010-01-25T19:58:00.000-08:00

how my thesis look like now:

chapter 1: introduction 1937 words
chapter 2: literature review 8737 words
chapter 3: method 4684 words
chapter 4: Profile of arithmetical learning and number knowledge of the first and second graders based on the interview results 16.595 words
chapter 5: The first- and second-graders’ arithmetical learning and number knowledge 7614 words

39.567 words

so for chapter 6 and 7 still 10.000 words space..maximum
chapter 6: Use of Fingers, Chisanbop and Standard Written Algorithm in Children’ Strategies. 8763 words

chapter 7: conclusions 874 words

well not much space left, now think about quality Rumi!
not just quantity, but what you really want to tell! especially in chapter 6 and 7.

7 chapters, how many words left?

2010-01-17T21:45:00.000-08:00

chapter 1: Introduction 2036
chapter 3: method 4581
chapter 4: Profile of the first and second graders based on the interview results 16.603
chapter 5: arithmetical learning and number knowledge of the first and second grade classes
7.757

30. 977

Chapter 2: literature review 6169
chapter 6: discussion 8398
chapter 7: conclusion 820

15.387

46.364, why is it too much now?
maybe I have reduce the chapter 5??

my plan literature review 7000
discussion 10000
and conclusion 2000

Chapter 4 and 5 completed

2010-01-16T01:53:00.000-08:00

chapter 4: Profile of the first and second graders based on the interview results 16.603
chapter 5: arithmetical learning and number knowledge of the first and second grade classes
7.757

also complete

chapter 1: Introduction 2036
chapter 3: method 4581

need to re-check and maybe add some words:
Chapter 2: literature review 6169

Discussion

chapter 6: use of chisanbop technique by five first graders 2864
chapter 7: use of fingers in children strategies 3112
chapter 8: use of traditional written algorithm 2454

conclusion
chapter 9: conclusion 820

Total now: 46.396

well I just have 3604 more word, i need to use that carefully.

thinking about quality

2010-01-13T16:19:00.001-08:00

quantity of words is ok, how about quality of this thesis?

http://www.uq.edu.au/student-services/phdwriting/fr_phfaq.html
this link is helpful. but can I answer the following questions?

Why did I do this research?
Introduction
Significance

What was known?
What was unknown?
Review of research
Identifying gaps

What did I hope to discover?
Aims

How did I discover this?
Methodology

What have I found?
Results

What does my finding mean?
Discussion

So what? What are the possible applications or recommendations?
What contribution does it make to knowledge? What next? Conclusions

headache

Nine chapters

2010-01-13T16:08:00.001-08:00

chapter 1: Introduction 2036
Chapter 2: literature review 6169
chapter 3: method 4581

Results
chapter 4: Profile of the first and second graders based on the interview results 15.472
chapter 5: arithmetical learning and number knowledge of the first and second grade classes
5470

Discussion

chapter 6: use of chisanbop technique by five first graders 2864
chapter 7: use of fingers in children strategies 3112
chapter 8: use of traditional written algorithm 2454

conclusion
chapter 9: conclusion 820

42978 words.

The number of words is ok, but then how about the contents?????????

Quantify my writing

2010-01-12T03:13:00.000-08:00

Chapter 1: 2036 Ok
Chapter 2: 6169….add but no more than 7000
Chapter 3: 4581 Ok
Chapter 4: 14.458…the content is almost done but need editing
Chapter 5: 5524…need to write more but no more than 7000 too
Chapter 6: 1256…need to write more, maximum 3000
Chapter 7: 767…need to write more, maximum 3000
Chapter 8: 905…need to write more, maximum 3000
Chapter 9: 796…conclusion….maximum 2000

Thesis will be around 40.000 words not including the preamble and reference

Thesis progress: so far

2010-01-09T13:20:00.000-08:00

Four weeks left, my own due date to send thesis to the proof-reader/editor is 8 FEBRUARY 2010.

Then, how's my progress so far? I have made my mind to present all data I have gathered from the interview (6 parts), written test (3 types)and children's questionnaire. and then how;s my thesis so far?

1. i m happy with the chapter 1 (2036 words)
2. i am happy with the chapter 3 (4582 words)

and then what I should do now is:
1. finalising chapter 4, write the description of each table (there are 73 tables). so far there are 16.892 words

2. complete the chapter 2, especially the section about learnig framework in number and revise the part about MR program so it is not merely repetition of the chapter 1. so far chapter 2 are 6169 words.

3. chapter 5, already compile the discussion notes with my supervisor, the important points he has discussed with me, but i need to edit all of that in a logical arguments. so far 2021 words

4. final chapter: need to think about further research. so far it is: 728 words

So my thesis now is: 32.428 words.

how about the abstract: already sent!

compare the solution for 23-11 and 21-13...

2010-01-04T14:32:00.000-08:00

using standard written algorithm how to solve 23-11..
teacher will say..it is very easy..put that in column, subtract the ones 3-1=2 and then the tens 2-1=1, the results is 12.

and then how to solve 21-13, yea this is quite difficult, you can not subtract 1-3, because 1 is smaller than 3 (remember someday if you are in higher class 1-3 will be -2). and then you have to borrow one tens from the 2 tens, and add it to 1, so it is 11, and 11-3=8...and then...because you have borrowed the 1 ten from 2 tens, no there...ohhh. so long..

compare to this jumping strategy:
23-11 is 23-10=13...and then 13-1=12
21-13 is 21-10=11...and then 11-3=5

no differences in strategies between no-borrow and borrow subtraction problems...

but how can children facile in 23-10, and 21-10...the answer is they should be able to do incrementing and decrementing tens...
after they are able to count by ones...they should learn about count by tens..or in indonesian language...menghitung lompat 10...

and according my research, most children in the first grade are able to do this...and our language support them...
they are easily to know that 10+10=20,20+10=30...
they also know that 14+10=24, 24+10=34...etc (incrementing)
and then decrementing...24-10=14...
but if then we teach them to use standard written algorithm
their ability to see ten as a unit composed of ten ones and then to do 'jump counting by ten' is not useful anymore, wasted...
and end up by dealing with units which lead them to employ an erroneus algorithm lead to an incorrect answer.

21-13 vs 23-11

2010-01-04T13:50:00.000-08:00

I give these task to 150 children, their means age is 7 years old and they are in the end of their first grade.

their responses?
only 3 or 2% children give incorrect answer for 23-11, but 93 children or more than half of them give incorrect answers?
compared those 2%, the 62% children who gives incorrect answer to these subtraction is interesing.

among those 96 children 26 or more than 25% says that the answer is 12, 15 or around children says that it is 10, whole while other give answer such as
18,11,9,13, 30, 98, 91,34, 43, 15.

For next task: ask 49 minus 25, only 1 children gives incorrect answer.

Why is this?

1. we have to have a look to the way we teach children two digits addition and subtraction in the early years. Formally in the class, those children have learnt standard written algorithm for no-carry addition and no-borrow subtraction problems,but not yet about carry-addition and borrow-subtraction problems

2. we have to have a look to what the subtraction means?

3. Is the way we teach children two digits addition and subtraction destroy the meaning of 'subtraction' itself? The teaching of standard written algorithm has made them give up their own thinking and prefer to choose incorrect procedure they have not taught yet.

Oh, i almost cry...

2010-01-03T20:08:00.000-08:00

why is it so difficult, why? what the core of my problem is? inferior?
okay, after 2 years of my study, start will a hesitant, and now, i am still feel hesitant. Is the results of my study important? I believe yes, it is a proof that we should reform how we should teach number to young children. It is a proof about some practice in number teaching which never done with proper research. But how to write about all of this?

I write and edit, write and edit, my problem is...whenever i write, before I continue the next sentence, i always edit the previous sentences...never done. I almost cry.

68 days..less than 10 weeks

2010-01-03T11:29:00.000-08:00

You have to wake up from your dream. Now, its time to make decision. Your thesis have to be finished. There is only 68 days left, and there is so many things you do.
Focus and sustain your motivation.

Let's see:
chapter 1: 1453 words
chapter 2: 6414 words
chapter 3: 4135 words
chapter 4: 14.810 words
chapter 5: 1308 words
chapter 6: 319 words

total: 28.439 words
appendix 64 pages

Link: EARCOME 5th

2009-12-12T22:07:00.000-08:00

http://www.sme.or.jp/conp/conp_06_14e.html

Fingermath

2009-12-02T18:09:00.000-08:00

fingermath/chisanbop/Jarimatika

fingermath is not a replacement for classroom work in arithmetic, in your child's school. It is designed to suplement that work and, among other advantages, remove the pressure that somec hildren experience when they must memorize tables and other numerical facts (from Edwin M.Lieberthal, The complete book of fingermath, simple accurate, scientific, McGraw-Hill Book Company: 1979)

Assessing my own paper

2009-12-01T12:57:00.000-08:00

Publishing is not easy. To write a paper with good standard. I am trying to assessing the quality of my own paper by answering the following questions:
1. did I say why it was important to do this research?
2. is there reference to work in which similar study has been conducted?
3. is that clear how the data being analyzed and how I get the results presented in the table?
4. Is the results appropritely discussed?
5. is the conclusion relate to the study?

and this one..is this paper will attract interest to the readers? Is this worthty enough? or maybe, this is has out of date for them?
Its not out of date in my own country...but in other places...(answer this question later)

Now, I really want to publish my research

2009-11-28T13:14:00.000-08:00

After I attended a praxis conference, a multidiciplinary conference held by postgraduate association of my university, I found that I enjoyed giving presentation in english language. Something which I feel worried before.
As a full time on campus student, I have spent so much time in my own country, to do my fieldwork and to collect data. I almost forget how to speak in english language.
Then, in that conference I met with another attendee who was very supportive, he told me
'when i was in japan, many times those people says 'sorry about my bad english' and you know...I dont know even one word in Japanese language'
yea...he is correct. I dont need to be shy and sorry with my english language 'strange accent'...because that's how I am. I also dont need to be very shy about my 'imperfect grammar', coz i am thinking in languages with different grammar. So, if its mix up sometimes, it is just something natural.

I remember what my academic advisor says, 'yea, we know that your english speaking is not perfect, but you are willing to communicate with people, and this is one of your strength'.
Yea, she is right. What is language for actually? this is just a communication tool. I think, i keep using this i will be more and more proficient.

Now, i really want communicate with people in my area about my research. I want to discuss with them about the results...about things I have found. And english language wont be my obtstacle....and wont held me back...

Chapter 4

2009-11-25T12:44:00.000-08:00

In this chapter I will describe the results of my research, that is the children's profile in early arithmetical learning, base ten arithmetical strategy, structuring numbers 1-20, and everything about numerals...
okay, they are 6 pages results which i need to transfer to 40 pages results. And..my core problem is:
motivation!!!!

I need motivation

2009-11-25T12:33:00.000-08:00

I need motivation to finish, why is it so difficult to write up my idea? why?
Chapter 4 has to be finished soon. Why my chapters are only outline and outline? can I finish this chapter by the end on this week? on sunday?
i hope that all my draft have been finished before 18 december, before my supervisor going for holiday, so then I will spend the whole january for correction, and then send it to proofreader before submitting on 14 March.
I have to finish the abtract on the middle of January...oh..oh..before choosing the examiners.
can I do this? can I reach my goals?

Thesis...thesis...thesis...will not done if i am only thinking..thinking..and thinking

My mind has stuck

2009-11-23T16:53:00.001-08:00

I am trying to move my mind, so difficult. How are you my thesis? what have i had written? Fourteen pages results, and how will I report this?
what is the story of my thesis?

There are 6 chapters in my thesis:
1. Introduction
2. literature review
3. Methods
4. Results and Finding
5. Discussion
6. Conclusion

well i need to read a book about how to write a thesis, and looking for motivation there.
Sixteen weeks left, and actually I have had the draft...but i am not happy yet with my own writing. My style looks not academic, its like a child writing, not professional. can I finish 2 chapters in each weeks? can I? can I?

Why is it so difficult?

2009-11-22T19:38:00.001-08:00

Writing thesis? why is it so difficult. sometimes my brain just doesnt want to work. where I am now? where I am?
Today is 23rd November 2009. What? 2009. I started my degree in January 2008, so it has been almost 2 years and i have to be finished. I have to finish on 14th March 2010. less than 16 weeks from now. Owww.

and then What have I achieved all this time. What?
I am so...I dont know, I need something to make me wake up from this long...long sleeping. Sleeping among my data...my results. And wake up in the real world of mathematics education area.

yes, I have had the results. Now, how to write my results. Oh my dear, why is it so difficult? Sometimes I just read this...and read that..write this and write that. And delete this and delete that. I feel a writing block. How does to overcome this block?

chapter 1, 2,3,4,5,6...i have the outline..but brain feel so.....exhausted. I dont know again what i know...and feel that i know nothing.

I went to praxis conference on 13th november, in some level it made me wake up...it helps me to improve my spirit. I should say...if you are just alone..here...no communication, no support group, its so easy to forget about your thesis. You need something....to improve your motivation, and conference really helps you to keep in track. To get a feel that you are doing important thing and its interesting too for other people. Sometimes, just a self-motivation is not enough.

So, in the middle of low motivation: I prefer to write a paper for Merga. hopefull, it will help me to enhance my motivation. At least, i will have a feedback, a review, about my work.

bursary and financial aid

2009-11-18T12:03:00.001-08:00

want to attend conference?
let's look for financial assistant:
http://www.merga.net.au/node/31
and
http://bantuan.diknas.go.id/english/index.php

Conferences

2009-11-16T11:44:00.000-08:00

1.Praxis conference:multidislinary, 13-14 Nov 2009, Coffs Harbour, Australia
2. Merga Conference 33, paper due 5 february 2010, conference in 3-7 July 2010, Fremantle, WA, Australia
3. PME 34, July 2010, Brazil
4. Recsam Conference, November 2010, Penang Malaysia
5. Merga Conference 34, 2011, Alice Spring, Australia
6. ICME conference 2012, Korea Selatan

Journals

2009-11-16T11:35:00.000-08:00

MATHEMATICS EDUCATION

Journal EstScore
J. for Research in Mathematics Education
Mathematics Education Research J.
Educational Studies in Mathematics: An international J.
For the Learning of Mathematics: An international J. of mathematics
J. of Mathematical Behavior, The
Mathematics Teacher Education & Development
J. of Mathematics Teacher Education
Mathematical Thinking & Learning: An international J.
Australian Primary Mathematics Classroom
Teaching Children Mathematics
International J. for Mathematics Teaching & Learning
International J. of Mathematical Education in Science & Technology
Focus on Learning Problems in Mathematics
J. of Statistics Education
International J. for Technology in Mathematics Education, The
Hiroshima J. of Mathematics Education
Statistics Education Research J.
Teaching Mathematics & Its Applications: An international J. of I
Mathematics & Computer Education
Issues in the Undergraduate Mathematics Preparation of School Tea
British Society for the History of Mathematics. Bulletin
N C S S S M S T J.
T M E Online: The mathematics educator

EARLY CHILDHOOD EDUCATION

Journal EstScore
Australian J. of Early Childhood
Australian Research in Early Childhood Education
Contemporary Issues in Early Childhood
Early Childhood Research Quarterly
Early Child Development & Care
YC - Young Children
International J. of Early Years Education
Early Years: An International J. of Research & Development
J. of Early Childhood Research
Early Childhood Research & Practice: An internet J. on the develop
European Early Childhood Education Research J.
Early Education & Development
Early Childhood Education J.
J. of Early Childhood Literacy
J. of Early Childhood Teacher Education
NHSA Dialog: A research-to-practice J. for the early intervention
Canadian Children

TEACHER EDUCATION
Teaching & Teacher Education
Asia-Pacific J. of Teacher Education
Teachers College Record: A professional J. of ideas, research & i
Australian J. of Teacher Education, The
J. of Teacher Education: The J. of policy, practice, & research i
Asia-Pacific J. of Teacher Education & Development
J. of Education for Teaching: International Research & Pedagogy
Pedagogy, Culture & Society
Teachers & Teaching: Theory & practice
Educational Practice & Theory
Teacher Education & Practice
Teacher Education Quarterly
The Teacher Educator
European J. of Teacher Education
Teaching Education
J. of In-Service Education
Childhood Education
Canadian J. of Science, Mathematics & Technology Education
Action in Teacher Education
Pedagogies: An international J.
Teacher Development
Learning Environments Research
Studying Teacher Education: A J. of self-study of teacher education
Education 3-13: The professional J. for primary education

(from mba sitti's blog)

Well, its time to be honest

2009-11-16T11:03:00.000-08:00

about what? writing thesis is not easy. I re-read my own writing, i feel that it really lack of analyis. My sentences and words are no interesting. Too much description and where are my own opinions? What my point it?

Chapter 1: in this chapter I should clearly introduce what I am doing, why I do this, how i do this and what my purpose are.
Okay, I am trying to understand Indonesian children's number knowledge in the first and second grade elementary school.
why I do this: because i think the most important part to teaching children number well is to first understand the solution methods they are already using and to know whether they have somed degree of arithmetical strategies.

what I mean by number knowldege is quite broad, it involves their strategies in early aritmetical learning and base ten arithmetical strategies. It also about their ability to structuring numbers 1-20, about doubles, ten plus facts, teens minus facts, makes 5, makes 10, partition, commutative properties, and using known facts. It is also their facility with numbers and numeral, such as their ability to identify numbers, to produce forward/backward number word sequence and number word after and before.

and how my method is? I interviews children and i videotaped the interviews session. The reason to use videotaped is because its will record subtle clues..young age children are not always easy to explain their strategies, so their body language could be very important to be noted.. I can use the videotaped for later analysis and if I feel not clear with children's strategies I will be able to re-play the videotapes as many as needed.

How I interview children? i used the assessment interviews schedule used in the mathematics recovery program, a program developed by my supervisor, Bob Wright. I used the procedure from this program which was based on the strong theoritical foundation about how children learn mathematics, by Steffe, Cobb and Wheatley. Is that all?

nope, i also get several results...but...how to write all of these, in 30.000 words but not in a boring way!
a challenge.

Self-confident

2009-11-08T21:40:00.000-08:00

what is self-confident, the dictionary says that it means 'sure of oneself; having no uncertainty about one's own abilities, correctness, successfulness, etc'. Do I have enough self-confident?

Maybe i need to read some article about how to be confident.
http://www.wikihow.com/Be-Confident

what do I do today (7/10)

2009-10-06T16:58:00.000-07:00

okay, i need to check the diagrammatic for determinaion of SEAL and BTS. Is that clear enough?
I also need to review my decisions in each child's stage and level again using that diagram. I need to be clear in how i analyze my data, so the result will be convincing.

Tomorrow, i will have meeting with my supervisor, in order to be effective i should be clear about what i want to do in that meeting. three agenda: about my analysis methods, my time schedule and possible examiners.

what is my problem now? I should finalize this videotapes results, once i finish and happy with this, i will just need to 'narrate' that in the chapter 4.

what do I today?(6/10)

2009-10-05T16:11:00.000-07:00

okay, long weekend because of labour day has been passes, today is tuesday, and i am back to office.
Suddenly confused, where am I now?
I re-read the abstract and questioning myself: is it the finding of my research? what is the most important thing I should tell here? so what does it mean for indonesian context?
what does it mean that most children develop erroneouse algorithm? what does it mean to teach jarimatika technique to children? what does it mean to encourage thme to use fingers instead of mental strategies?

Back to my data, today i need to re-arrange data again..in order to be easy to be read.

what did I do today (2/10)

2009-10-05T16:09:00.000-07:00

review the children stage in SEAL and level BTS...why am I still hesitate?

what did I do today? (01/10)

2009-09-30T23:30:00.000-07:00

these coding take times
but all are needed for overal discussion.
tomorrow?
continue coding and counting and categorizing

what did I do today (30/9)

2009-09-29T23:22:00.000-07:00

all the copy and paste under 3 headings: the use of fingers, the use of chisanbop technique and the use of standard algorithm.

Tomorrow: c
1. oding and counting the frequency
2. re-read the transcriptions and the descriptions and hightlight interesting events which happened during interview.

go home now:
*drop in the library to copy some papers
*drop in st.vincent hospital, take some medical form.

what did I do today (29/8)

2009-09-29T16:23:00.000-07:00

*review the Base ten strategies of each children
*review the chapter 3: not yet happy with the interview procedure section and data analysis section.
I need to be more detail in that sections, remember that i am writing thesis for examiners, people who dont know what I am doing and why i do it.
and Remember, it should different from write for supervisors, they know what i am doing, so they has no many questions...
have to keep in mind: Clarity!

what will I do tomorrow?
copy and paste relevant words, sentence, observations, events under each phenomena emerged:
1. the use of fingers in children strategy
2. the use of standard algorithm
3. the use of jarimatika technique

what i did today (28/09)

2009-09-27T23:44:00.000-07:00

review the stage of early arithmetical learning of each child
receive feedback on chapter 3
sent emails to supervisor to review each dhil strategies.

plan for tomorrow.
review the level of each child in base ten strategies

The last 24 weeks...

2009-09-27T16:05:00.001-07:00

Its time to take control..make schedule, write diary.
and count down...

My scholarship wil be ended on 14 March 2010, and I will have to back to work in my office on that day, I plan to back home on 12 March..so i have to submit my thesis before that.
Now, I have result in my hand...and stil write..and re-write...
WANT TO FINISH ON TIME

Week Note Plan
28 Sept-2 Oct Chapter 4
5 Oct-9 Oct Chapter 5
12 oct-16 Oct Chapter 2
19 Oct-23 Oct 23 Oct = operation date Review Chapter 1,2,3
26 Oct-30 Oct Review the whole thesis
2 Nov-6 Nov Review the whole thesis
9 Nov-13 Nov Coffs Harbour conference Review the whole thesis
16 Nov-20 Nov Review the whole thesis
23 Nov-27 Nov Review the whole thesis
30 Nov-4 Dec Choose examiners
7 Dec-11 Dec Paper Merga Choose examiners
14 Dec-18 Dec Paper Merga Notify DoR to Submit
21 Dec-25 Dec Christmas Paper Merga Edit thesis
28 Dec-1 Jan New Year Paper merga Edit thesis
4 Jan – 8 Jan Holiday Paper merga Edit thesis
11 Jan-15 Jan Paper Merga Edit thesis
18 Jan -22 Jan Tri semester starts Paper merga Edit thesis
25 Jan-29 Jan Paper merga Edit thesis
11 Feb-6 Feb Due date Merga
8 Feb- 12 Feb Thesis Proof Reading
15 Feb- 19 Feb Thesis Proof Reading
22 Feb-26 Feb Thesis Proof Reading
1 Mar-5 Mar Thesis Proof Reading
8 Mar-12 Mar Submit and go home
12 March fly to home hooray!

Now...start working.

Run out ideas or just lazy?

2009-08-30T16:37:00.001-07:00

It is so difficult to describe where I am now. I have been in one and half year my master degree research, but it is always time when I need to look back about what I have been done, what I am doing now, and what I want to do next.
Let’s say that I already had my result in hand, I already analyse my results. Now, how to present those in a thesis?
Why is it always very difficult to start writing? Why? Why?
I already wrote the content of my thesis, and now…I should write my thesis chapter by chapter…but….why… it is so difficult to start. I have no idea. I think I need guidance about how to write a thesis. I need this.

Chisanbop technique

2009-07-09T21:33:00.000-07:00

Not only that teaching standard algorithm too soon may make children give up their own thinking but also teaching chisanbop technique. Is that not sad that a child tells that 94+10=34 after she is able to add 4+10, 14+10, 24+10, until 84+10, but confuse to add 94+10 just coz the chisanbop technique is only work for number under 100? is that not concerful that a child need 15 second to solve 11-1? hmm..food for thought.

Co-supervisor

2009-06-11T17:03:00.000-07:00

I have finished my data collection, and i think it was quite success. I will be back to my Uni on 25th June to start writing on my thesis. I had only one principal-supervisor before. Now, as suggested by my principal supervisor, I will have co-supervisor too. I sent email to my tutor when I took UER course, and now I receive the reply that he is happy to be my co-supervisor. I think he is never as happy as me.

Honestly, before, i felt a little bit sad when I received email from my principal supervisor that he will travel much during June to September. Then after I knew that he has proposed a co-supervisor for me, my spirit was back. I am happy to back to my uni since..i wont be lonely there.

Now, start packing!
2 weeks to go.

teaching standard algorithm: can be harmful

2009-05-31T17:49:00.000-07:00

even though most of my children are able to do add tens like this: 10+10=20, 20+10=30, 30+10=40, etc....they also are able to do add like this: 14+10=24, 24+10=34, 34+10=44...etc. but it doesnt mean that they use this knowledge to work addition 14+12 like this: 14+12 as 14+10=24, then add 2 more=26. They will work addition 14+12 as 4+2=6 and then 1+1=2.

why is that? it is because they already been taught standard algorithm and according to their teacher, it is much more easier to work from the unit. the teacher is not totally wrong since it is easier for any 2 digits addition in which the sum of the units is not excess than 10, but it is not thateasy if the unit excess than 10, such ass addition 15+17, some children are just guess that the answer is 312...she only add 5+7 and 1+1.

Looking the result of my research, i think that I should support the opinion that 'teaching standard algorithm can be harmful' while children has not have strong number sense to understand that it is impossible 15+17=312

One by one...my problems are solved

2009-05-28T01:58:00.000-07:00

I didnt write anything in here...that on 23 march i got laptop accident. I accidentally spilled drink water to my laptop...i was silly coz i didnt directly turn off my laptop until it was turn off by itself. I prefer to save my DVDs data first, i didnt know that the water has been spread widely to the table and it ruined my mainboard of my laptop. I took my laptop to the service centre in my city....but they gave up..they told me there was nothing they could do. The only way if i want fix my laptop was...sent it service centre in Jakarta. It took time, 2 months or so. actullay it is 3 months. I was not very worried about my data since i save my data in DVD, and i also have the copy of my proposals in USB. I feel luckier since the hard disk is fine. Yep, they exchange my toshiba mainboard and today I pick up it...and it looks fine now. My work was not interupted so much since i direclty buy a new desktop.

So, one more my problem is solved...and then I still need to:
1. wait several books from the library
2. buy an external hard disk
3. administer confirmation written tests and questionaire
4. say 'thanks' to the schools

packing..and packing and prepare my accomodation in Lismore..

need to count back, still have 4 weeks to finish all..

Exhausting

2009-05-26T02:32:00.000-07:00

If you ask me this question, "how does it feel to be a research student?". Among several other possible asnwers, I definetely will include this answer, "it is Exhausting".

My research questions

2009-05-24T20:04:00.000-07:00

Just want remind myself about my research questions:

1. What strategies are used by children in the first grade and the second grade to solve addition and subtraction problems in the range 1-20?
2. Is there any advantage in the Indonesian system of number words for the acquisition of structuring numbers 1-20?
3. What strategies are used by children in the first and the second grade to solve two-digit addition and subtraction problems?
4. How facile are children in the first and the second grade in the following aspects of early number knowledge:
a. Numeral identification
b. Forward and Backward Number word sequence
c. Number word after and before

Please, stick on those...you dont need to make it wider and out of control

My white board

2009-05-18T06:51:00.000-07:00

Now

Two months ago

Can you see the differences?
Just once or two?
Two months ago, the content of this whiteboard is: my interview schedule..
nad now: my analysis schedule.

Two months ago, it about buying land and now it is about building a house..

and the same thing is: my master degree time table. Keep you schedule, Rumi.

How am I, today?

2009-05-15T16:48:00.000-07:00

I...
I am in tense mode...

March: finish my data collections, doing interview and administer written tests (open and bare number task test)

April:analyze the written test results, watch my own video interviews and write a rough categorization about children strategies........all the work with excel worksheet..

May: start to write 2 version of transcriptions: indonesian and english language, what a bloody work..(40 interviews, the duration of interviewz range between 1/2-1hour..and one transcription can be 10 pages..)

and I...
I am in tense mood now, anxiety, i should finish those transcriptions in June...
because i should keep my time table, i have to ontime
and according to my time table...thesis writing should start in JULY...

ok, make it worst, i still want to do CONFIRMATION TESTS!

oh goody...goody, i hope i can delay my travel to Lismore.

Translation problem

2009-05-14T18:43:00.000-07:00

I have made trial and error during my effort to transcript my interviews. I did the interviews in Indonesian language. During April I watched the videos and wrote the transcription directly by watching and translate to English language, so I didn’t have Indonesian language transcription. While I am trying to categorize each children strategy, I didn’t feel satisfied since I didn’t read what the child actually says or do. So, I wrote other transcriptions in Indonesian language.

Now, I am still reviewing my Indonesian language transcriptions and translate those to English language. I know that sometimes my English transcriptions don’t follow English grammar rules. It is because during interviews, we used daily simple language. It is very rare that children answer my question in a complete sentence. Sometimes, I should add some words in the transcription so it is possible to be understood. It looks like that first, I should understand the meaning of what the child say or do before I translate it to English language. I can not just translate it ‘word’ to ‘word’, because if I translate it word by word, the sentence will be very awkward

everything is becoming clearer...

2009-05-10T08:46:00.000-07:00

When I started my research journey one year ago, everything looked very complicated for me. I felt that I don’t know what I am looking for and what to do. I feel so worry about so many things. I need months just to develop my confident in interviewing children. In fact, I felt comfortable about seeing myself in the camera after I interview more than 50 children from kindergarten, first and second grade second. In the initial interviews, I hide myself from the camera by sitting in front of children or sitting in the other edge of L position. When I did my real data collection, all my ‘shy’ feeling has been gone; I always include myself in the picture.

I was also very ambitious. I wrote very long and complicated assessment interview schedule. I want to include so many tasks…then step by step, after the 14th version…my assessment interview schedule has become simple. Then I only uses tasks which is suggested by my supervisor books.

What else is becoming focused? The research questions are reduced from teens to only 4, the number of schools was reduced from 3 to only one school; the number of interviwes was reduced from 100 to only 40 participants. But the numbert of participants for written test is increased to 320 students. However, I feel that…the question I picked up are the most important questions to be answered now…and the number of participants are sufficient to help me to give a proper answer.

Now, I see my study is becoming simple…everything is becoming clearer than before…I am able to see the horizon, the landscape around me…I can recognize colors, lines, border….and I am ready to write all of those. Can I write it in good English language?

the result

2009-05-03T18:14:00.000-07:00

the data suggest:
1. in the first grade, children strategies seems more affected by home or previous education, while in the second grade seems more affected by class's instruction
2. fingers plays important roles in children strategies
3. two digits subtraction with borrowing is the most difficult problem from most children, and only 19% first grader give correct answer for this task: 43-21. The incorrect answer range from 'buggy algorithm (take larger to smaller), guessing answer, and misread subtraction with addition)

Autoethnography

2009-05-01T18:42:00.000-07:00

There are 5 approaches in qualitative research design (creswell, 2007): narrative research, phenomenology, grounded theory, ethnography, and case study.
Among those i am very interested with autoethnograpy. It might be because i like to write about small things, events...unimportant occasion..but yeah..it is so difficult to write critiques and reflection..
but you know, i am using case study approac now..
maybe later..i will have oportunity to use autoethnography..for my further education

busy...busy..busy

2009-04-28T16:09:00.000-07:00

2 months from now, i shoud be back to Lismore...i am so busy finishing all my works here and also preparing for my next temporal residing in Lismore.
1. I should renew my pasport, it will expire on 7 may
2. I should think about my accomodation in Lismore: on campus or off campus? i have decided to live off campus, for different experience.
3. I should solve my problems about my laptop, i dont have laptop now: waiting for the call for center service
4. renew my driving licence
5. sell the DVD camcorder; the interview has been finished, i will not need this DVD, there is no reason to keep this thing, the value will be decreased next year
6. still need to borrow some books from library, especialy book bu Miles and Huberman
7. packing, what will i need to bring to Aussie? souvenirs?
8. Financial matter: bank..bank..bank
9. My house? will it be finish...ooh

and:
the last written test? a confirmation test??? what should i call it?

I will finish all..i will...

Mental calculation v.s calculation with tools v.s written calculation

2009-04-14T08:21:00.000-07:00

This is very interesting, while I was read much about mental v.s written, now in my country I find that many children are taught to do calculation with tools. When I talked about tools I can say that it can be divided in two: made tools (abacus) or fingers. There are so many technique offered…about how to use your ten fingers to do calculation. I think there is different assumption about the reason we encourage children to do calculation in hand or in brain.

They who support to teach children to do calculation in their hand assume that children are still not able to do abstraction. Young children still need concrete material. (Even though some technique also require symbolization such as 1 thumb=5). According to them, by using the fingers, the children’ memory doesn’t need to be work so hard. It is quite different from mental calculation which children is encourage to not depend on tools or their fingers.

If I compare between using abacus and using mental calculation, I think in using abacus children also have to be able to ‘break’ 2 digits numbers to tens and unit, but they represent it in abacus. Doing abacus will be useful to do long addition or subtraction because they don’t need to memorize the last result.

So far mental calculation is not encouraged in Indonesian curriculum (maybe it was encourage in 1984 curriculum….i need to check this).

Computation, is not as easy as I think

2009-04-12T20:53:00.000-07:00

Okay, this is a new view, i found that computation: addition, subtraction, multipilcation and division has become a focus by many people and publisher too. I have heard about computation using abacus, it was so popular in several big cities in Indonesia several years ago. It was believed that learn abacus will improve the work of right brain..and it makes it balance between right and left brain. I dont very understand what that mean. I should read more about this.

then abacus has becoming out of date, some people, range from parents to educator offers other way to compute, compute using the fingers. So there are: Jarimatika, jarimagic, finger-mathic, etc. Children are taught some technic which involve symbolization about how to use their 10 fingers to do computation. Then, some writers also offers other trick, such as column method, matema-trik, jang-ka method....oh.i didn't know about this before. After all i found that some people have admitted that standard algorithm using carrying or borrowing which is taught in school are difficult..and they offer alternative ways.

Okay, now i can divide the computation methods/technique used by teacher, parents, or other educationalist:
1. paper and pencil, using standard algoritm carrying and borrowing (taught in school)
2. using fingers, can be divided into to with or without symbolization. Using the symbolization are usually taught in course: jarimatika, jari-magic, finger-mathic
3. using tools: abacus, calculator
4. mental arithmetic which emphasised children awareness about the structure of number. This has not yet given attention in here.

Taking research degree has several stages…

2009-03-17T15:18:00.000-07:00

I am worried about different thing in every stage.

In the very early stage, I was worried that I was not focus. I have chosen an area, but the landscape seemed so wide, and I was confused about my research questions. I made a list of my research questions….and then on the way I dropped questions one by one…and end up with the most important questions

Then I wrote a proposal…and I felt worried…would I be able to carry out my plan? I was going to involve many people, how should I deal with them, ethically….? Not mention that I used guidance from different country, would it be work in my country too? My worried about my own skills…etc. Now, after the data collection finish…I am not worried again about those things…I am success, the key of my success is: open communication with headmaster and teachers.

Now, the time to look up on the data I collected. How to present my findings? How to write a thesis? I already read several examples, but there is still a worry in the corner of my heart…will I be able to handle this? Will I be able to write my thesis in acceptable academic English?

Ok, not become excessive, worried is necessary. Worried help me to keep working.

Anyway, there will be other stages after submission: examination and publication. Those have its worried too. So, enjoy this journey!

My findings

2009-03-09T17:07:00.000-07:00

In the middle of my data collection: interviewing children. Today, I will interview 2children. during the last 4 weeks, I have interviewed 31 students. I still need interview more 9 elementary children and 20 kindergarten children. I find 2 important things: 1) students show very various strategies range from purely counting mentally, counting with the help of fingers, counting with uttering number words, using the ‘jarimatika’ and employ facile mental strategy when they possess considerable knowledge about number structure 1-100 and imagine written algorithm on paper and pencil. 2) As the result of interview with teacher and class observation, children show strategies which are not merely impact from the class lesson, but also the result of parents, previous and additional lesson.

PS: Oh, I really need help to express this in acceptable academic language.

Reflexive researcher

2009-01-27T04:27:00.000-08:00

I heard this word when I took UER course. For me, reflexive is almost the same with reflective, just because the two words are almost similar. I know the meaning of reflective is thinking carefully and quietly, but I am not so sure about the meaning if reflexive. I always remember ‘mirror’ when I hear the word ‘reflex’. The image in the mirror should reflex I. May I give meaning to reflexive as the ability to see myself? Of course, there should be an imaginative mirror available, a mirror which I create in my mind.

So, being reflexive researcher I also observe myself, and I aware that my background, my thought, my belief, my feeling will affect my way to conduct research.

After read: Becoming a Reflexive Researcher : Using Our Selves in Research
Etherington, Kim (Author)

my mental calculation

2009-01-09T06:42:00.000-08:00

As an adult, I don’t have difficulty at all to addition and subtraction 1-20 in my mind. When I have to add one digit numbers, such as 7+8, I know that 7+3 is 10 so 7+8 will be 5 more so it is 15. I am very sure about that. When I have to subtract 15-8, I will subracy 15-5 and then 10-3…that the result is 7.

To do addition of two digits number I get used to grouping to ten, so if I add 28+19, I will add 20 and 10 and then 8 and 9 and then I add all. How if I have to subtract 32-17, I will subtract 32 to20 and add 3 more.

I also able to add 376+245, just break the number 370+200 will be 570 then 40 more will be 610 and the add with 11 so it is 621

Why can I do that? It is because I have understood the ‘structure of numbers’ in the range 1 to 100. Do I learn this in school? Not all, I don’t remember when I know that…but I did use it when I was forced to count while no calculator available.

I just read the Number words and Number symbols by Menninger. He clearly stated that according to the history, the spoken number language was developed before the written language. If that so, why don’t we also do that in the education. Very young children learn to recite number sequence long before they earn about number, why don’t let the children learn standard written form of addition and subtraction after they mastered the mental calculation? Mental calculation doesn’t need paper and pencil; this could be merely about spoken number and doing calculation in your mind.

Encoorage children to do mental calculation seems very important and more useful todays than practice on the paper and pencil

The meaning of ‘quite’

2009-01-08T06:19:00.000-08:00

This word makes me confuse and when I check the dictionary, it doesn’t make me more understand:

Quite could be: 1) a little or a lot but not completely, 2) very, 3). completely. Do you see that there is contradictive in the meaning number 1) and number 3)?

In this sentence: I am quite tired, but I am happy to walk a little further, quite means not completely
While in this sentence: are you quite sure that you want to go? Quite means completely
While in the sentence: I and my sister is quite different, quite means very.

So, if someone says that ‘this is quite interesting’ what does quite means in this sentence: not completely, very or completely?

how to do calculation today?

2009-01-07T19:02:00.000-08:00

Imagine that you go to the shop and you want to buy two items: the price of one item is 29.99 and the other is 45.50, how much money do you need?

In the reality, what you will do next is either:
1. doing mental calculation to calculate the price
or
2. take your calculator or using cell phone to calculate the price

In the past most of us calculate by:
1. paper and pencil
2. traditional devices such as abacus, Napier rod, counters, etc
3. calculate using your own fingers

Which one do you prefer? Which one does give the fastest and inconvenient way?
Paper and pencil calculation has to compete with the widespread of calculator.
Paper and pencil calculator is something we did in the past…so mental calculation and how to use calculator seems as the most important skills need nowadays.

Is the column addition and subtraction better? Is the carrying and borrowing method still useful and easy….is doing calculation from the ones is the best way?

There are other strategies, which I didn’t know before last year: jumping and splitting strategy.

I am a novice researcher

2009-01-07T18:11:00.001-08:00

What does it mean? I am learning to do research. I am a new person in the research in mathematics education area. I was a practitioner before.

When I start my thesis, I don’t know so much about the area I selected. Considering my background as a teacher in the senior high schools and as a facilitator in mathematics teachers training, the mathematics education for the early year’s students is a new area for me.

When I started working for my degree last years, I am still confused about the focus of my research. I gradually have become focused after I learn more and more about the Mathematics Recovery Program. Then I choose to use the assessment technique, theory and tools which are used by this program to examine children number knowledge in several classes in my country.

What I know so far is: it is not easy to get insight children strategy in solving number problem. The interview is the key success of my thesis, and unfortunately, I still feel that….I need to do more and more practice to become skilful and fluent.

I don’t know what I will write in my thesis, will it be just a ‘piece of writing’ about my efforts to be a researcher. To describe and explain my interpretation about my experience, including the rejection and my failure to gain access to a site, and the reason of my failure.

Will I include the pilot project result in my thesis?

Why after one year, I don’t feel that I have become more knowledgeable, I only know that I have more and more question..!

Interviewing children

2009-01-03T19:57:00.000-08:00

What did I have learn from interviewing children? I become aware about my own traditional perspective in teacher-children relationship. While doing interview, I find that it is difficult for me to change myself from the position as a traditional teacher to a dialog partner. I still have a strong belief that I know much more than children and I still show that I know exactly the correct answer. I feel uncomfortable to let the child make mistakes without give them some warning.

Watching my own video, I know that I have talked too much. I feel uncomfortable with quietness; I talk many unrelated things which might be counter productive. Such as, ‘ask the child about the colour of counter’ while it is unnecessary. I feel that the child will be nervous if I talk nothing to him/her. I also give too much reinforcement. I can not control myself to show ‘neutral’ gesture, I will show that I am happy if the child gives the correct answer and I show unhappy face if the child gives the wrong answer.

It was difficult to change my ‘judgment mind’. I have been grown up with a belief that ‘there are a certain rules or statements’ which are right and the other are wrong. I have to accept the ‘right ones’ without doubts and I have duty to remind people who do the wrong thing. I don’t know that there is a grey area as alternative.

Even though I write in the proposal that I plan to do ‘semi structured interview’ it seems for me now, probably, it is better to stick on the ‘interview schedule’ rather than to follow my own wish, having unrelated and unnecessary conversation. Interview in the pilot project took so much time, it was because I did several useless conversations.

What is number?

2009-01-03T16:00:00.000-08:00

My mom doesn’t care what number is: when she goes to the market to buy apple for us she think about the amount of her money, the number of her family, how many apple one person may eat, for how many days, and if there will be a visitor who might visit us and will also eat the apples, and she decide how many kilograms she will buy the apple.

My father doesn’t care what number is: when he needs to change the broken door of our bathroom, he takes the measurement tape. He measures the length and the wide of the door. He goes to the shop and asks the shopkeeper a piece of wood match to his door wide.

My sister also doesn’t care what number is, but she has an address books full of her friends phone numbers, and she always care about the amount of her pocket money.

And I, I take the psychology of learning mathematics, probably I have to care what number is.

Ps: after reading this book:
Skemp, R. R. (1971). The psychology of Learning Mathematics. Great Britain: Penguin Books.

What did I believe when I was a senior high school teacher?

2009-01-02T06:38:00.000-08:00

I believe that mathematics is important to all children. I believe that mathematics is useful for them. I was not always able to explain the usefulness when I explain about matrix, set theory, statistic, probability, but I know that solving mathematics problems is good exercise for brain. I used to say that it is ‘brain exercise’. Just like we need physical exercise, we also need brain exercise, thinking. Thinking to solve mathematics problems is a good exercise to develop children ability to think.

Sometimes, I told children who say that they got headache when they solve the math problems, that it is just a sign that they are thinking. I compared to the people who do physical exercise, they feel tired after exercise, and the brain exercise could be also exhausting.

Ok, deep in my heart I also asked myself, what for all of this for them. Is this really useful? Sometimes, I felt like I wasted my time, especially when I had to teach children who are not interested in mathematics at all. The best way is to forget my own question and back to my belief and what ordinary people belief that mathematics is important. At least the curriculum says so. I told my students that they might not recognise how important my lesson in that day, but it will be useful for the future. Which future? Easy, when there is exam, if they fail, they will disappoint the parents and they will feel shy. That’s reason is enough to justify my action, to give them the mathematics lesson and to force them to learn material which they don’t interested. That was actually what I did. I taught in the sake of exam.

How did I teach my students mathematics? easy, i taught them the same as my math teacher taught me, because, I didn't know the other way.

I do have problems

2009-01-01T18:18:00.000-08:00

Second day of 2009, and I do have problems, I have been almost 1 years in my master degree, and my spirit about research is in the lowest point. The last communication with my supervisor happened on 15 December and it is about my problem accessing the library books. I did not write anything about my topic, and I didn’t read anything about my topic during the last two weeks. I do have compiled several important research articles, and I read those only in a glance when I received it from the documents supply. Why is it very difficult to start again?

I confess that my mind was occupied by other thing during the last couple months. I want to buy a small land and build a small house on that land. I have been living in a rent house for long…long time. I am still living in a rent house until now, and there is money which I got from the scholarship which I want to spend to buy a house. And I am busy searching the suitable house, looking the advertisements in the newspaper, net, and visiting housing agency, comparing the price, etc. I am also busy learning legal matter about owning property. Crazy, that’s matter really occupied my mind. Buying a house is important for my future and doing research is also important for my future. I should do those two concurrently, the bad thing is: I am a kind of person who only able to take care one thing in one moment. Once I have a goal, my mind will be so absorbed in that goal, and I have difficulties to think anything else anymore. I usually succeed to achieve my goal once I make up my mind. That is my weakness, difficult to think two matters in once time.

How do i start again, i do have several problems:
1. I have not formally applied for the master degree by research, and my offer will be expire on 3 March. If I have not satisfied yet with my own proposal, is it possible that my supervisor satisfied with that?
2. I do have ‘interesting findings’ from the pilot project, but my mind stuck, I can not write that in good academic style. I feel so inferior with my own writing…i write and delete, rewrite and delete again…how can i finish my paper if i keep doing that? Should I let my dream away to send the result of the pilot project to a conference proceeding or to a journal? If i want to send it to the MERGA conference, the due that will be on 9 March. Ask yourself Rumi, do you really want that?
3. The books I order from the library, where are those books? Crazy, one month has been elapsed, and i have not receive those 8 books. I should inform the library about this, i hope they sent to books trough register post, so there is recipe number…and i can track where the books are…
4. I feel shy with my supervisor, I feel that i have been waste my time since the last couple months (after the pilot project finished)…..I feel that I virtually make progress in my research…I should have finish my proposal and I have not…how should I tell him about this? There are 3 sections left and also the plan for the data analysis…
5. I have gained access to the schools for the main project, and also discussed the schedule for the main data collection, it will be start on 12 January…but deep in my heart, i still asking about my own skills in interviewing children. (the good things are: equipments, material, and the interview schedule have been ready to be used and those are better than the previous once)

Is it normal to have this feeling? That in one point, I feel very difficult to concentrate in my topic even though I have made up my mind? Or am I just a lazy student?

I write it in this web-blog since I feel shy to tell my feeling to my supervisor, since I think I should be an independent learner, I should be able to solve my problems by myself. Writing in this blog is my way to solve my problems….

What do I know about teaching and learning arithmetic?

2008-12-23T02:57:00.000-08:00

If you asked me this question six years ago, I will have certain answer, if you asked me this question one year ago, I felt confused and not sure about the answer, and if you asked me now, I tell you that I have several answers, I know the advantage and the disadvantages of each answer, but I have not known yet, which one will worked in Indonesian context.

Six years ago, i was a mathematics teacher in several senior high schools, how a child should be taught to do arithmetic is not my business. I just think that they should know about that and able to produce the correct answer. I don’t care whether they do it in paper and pencil, do it mentally, or just follow the answer from their peers. I always assume that all the children have already facile in that, of course. But the reality is not like that. I found a significant number of students who are not facile yet. They feel hesitate to their own answer, using finger to help or covertly using the calculator without my permission. I can tell that I just think that the children who is not facile in the calculation because they are too lazy to practice or they don’t follow the teacher instruction. I used to encourage the use of paper and pencil even in a small calculation such as 16+15.

My view about teaching and learning number was influenced mostly by my experience as a student in the elementary school rather than ‘theory’ which I got when I was a student teacher. Deep in the heart of each person who wants to be a teacher, it is likely that they admire one of their teachers during their schooling period. So, it is not strange that once they are being a teacher by themselves, all the memory of his/her admired teacher will comeback, and with or without awareness, she/he follows their examples. It happened to me.

I think it was very easy to ‘teach’ arithmetic. What children think is out of my consideration. If a child fails to produce the correct answer (according to my opinion), I will think that it is the child guilty not mine. I will think that the child is too lazy, or do not listen my advice. I always feel that I am a teacher and I always right.

So, how is ‘teaching arithmetic’ in my traditional view?
1. the easiest ways is: follow the guidance of the text book
2. I will ask the child to do practice and drill as much as possible.
3. Since the class consist many children, and it will difficult to ‘listen’ to all, the paper and pencil is the most practical way. It will reduce the noisy and it makes me easy to control inappropriate behavior.
4. in my view, i ask the children to memorize all the basic fact by drill: repeat and repeat again so they are able to produce it without thinking.
5. I will present the problem such as 12+14, 23+43, 71+15 before I present problem such as 12+8, 13+17, 23+18. My reason is that the previous problems are easier since those don’t involve carrying number.
6. I always tell children that it is easier to solve 2 digit numbers in columns. Even though the problem is presented in the horizontal form, i encourage them to use other paper as ‘oret-oretan’ to find the answer.
7. I also always tell them that the easiest way is to do it from the right, which is from the unit.
8. I didn’t ask the children to think, I don’t care whether they have other solution or not. Maybe I ask rarely, but I don’t do it seriously. Deep in my heart I assume that it is impossible that a child is know more than me.
9. In my opinion: class is the place when children learn from me. They should try to understand my lesson or they will fail. Outside class, it is their own business to do whatever they want to do. My assumption is: there is a certain collection of knowledge (curriculum) which is needed to be transferred to the children.
10. My function as teacher is to transfer those materials. I will feel safe once I have delivered all the material as written in the curriculum. I know that some children will perform better than other, and that are just natural.

a reflection about my master degree

2008-11-18T19:54:00.000-08:00

It has been 9 months I am doing my master degree. I have finished my pilot project, and now I am revising the proposal. I am doing fieldwork 6000 kilometers away from the campus and my supervisor, and i don't have any communication problems with them at all. It is very fascinating for me who comes from quite traditional background. I should say that it was the best choice i had made, changing my mode of study from master by coursework to master by research (thanks to Ruth, Dr. David Loyd, Michael, Dr. Skamp and Bob who support me to do this). The master by research gives me opportunity to do fieldwork in my own country and it is really fulfilling my need, to broaden my view about teaching and learning number for young children around the world, while trying to understand what is happening in my own country.

I would not as happy as this if there is no support from the library staffs of my university. They always service me the best they can, there is no reason to feel dissapointed. I may use the photocopy request and the document supply service in the same way a distance education use it, even though formally, i am an on campus student (for more information, read this post http://lol245.blogspot.com/2008/09/night-before-leaving-for-fieldwork.html. So, here I am, studying from the distance....without a problem at all. It is just very similar that I am near to the library and to the campus and with my supervisor....but i am in the place which i want to be...the community which i belong to...and i want to work for.

and at last, thanks to the technology...which make all of this possible to happen...

I will not finish my proposal if I only keep changing it...

2008-11-16T20:09:00.000-08:00

just after the online meeting I get conclution: I will not finish my revised proposal if i keep changing it without a due date.
I will always feel unsatisfied. So, i make decision, on 24 November i should send the revised version of my proposal and apply for the full master by research program (they give me 1 year though, so i may finish on March....but because my supervisor has been agreed so...that's ok.

Seven secrets

2008-10-29T19:13:00.000-07:00

I got this advice in the postgraduate orientation, I am still keeping this and I am trying to implement it. This is about the secret to be success in writing thesis and get a degree:
1. Care and maintenance of your supervisor
2. Write and show as you go
3. be realistic
4. Say no to distraction
5. it’s a job
6. Get help
7. You can do it

So let me explain about the first advice, and how I feel about it: Care and maintain of your supervisor.

It is advised to MEET REGULARLY with supervisor (even if they think it isn’t that necessary). Certainly, I communicate regularly with my supervisor, I send him email about every question or confusion I got in the field. However, I also like if we have regular meeting every 2 weeks just like when I am on campus. Since I am in the fieldwork 6000 km away, we use also use the internet, I call it regular online meeting. Even though there is no ‘urgent’ thing I should talk to my supervisor, I feel that I can have benefit from this kind of meeting:

1. It forces me to move on and to make progress, doesn’t care how little the progress is. On the other word, it helps me to stay on track. If I don’t make any progress, I will shy to meet online with my supervisor. You know, being far away, sometimes I feel so vulnerable to distraction. If I have regular meeting online, I always think: what should I say to my supervisor in the next meeting? It forces me to have a plan and a target. It’s really helpful.

2. I am studying in English as second language, I read English language text everyday, and write in English, but I have very few opportunities to speak in English. I would like to practice my speaking with my supervisor.

3. Research is a lonely job, even though I interview many children and talk to many people, but there are no people who understand what I am doing, why I am doing this, and what I am looking for more than my supervisor. When I get problem (often, my problem is about lack of confident), it is relieving to talk to someone who understand. If you are doing research, I think there is no one could be more understands your problem more than your supervisor.

My worried: do i communicate too much with my supervisor? if he is available, I usually ask so many details to him. Am i too dependent? but the secret number 2 told me to : SHOW and WRITE as you go, not hide and seek...
the problem is: my thinking is changing so fast....i write in one day only for change it in the other day

probably it is better than no write, if I write nothing, i will not have anything to be think about or to be edited.

Global financial crisis

2008-10-28T20:27:00.000-07:00

how this financial crisis affect me? easy, the american dollar is expensive now, 1 dollar = almost 12000, it means that electronics such as camera, computer, PC, CDs are becoming expensive. It is becoming difficult to find such a microphone for my camcorder and then also webcam. The electronic retail feels unsafe to new things...uh..
I want to order a microphone for my sony camcorder, and they tell me that they need 1 month to provide it and they feel confused about the price...uuh.

do i really need a microphone?
according to my experience, while I am interviewing children, if the headmaster let me to use their library, i will have quiet room, i don;t need a microphone, but is the voice will be better if i use microphone? the problem is: the price of microphone is about 20% compared to the price of camera, and i forget to think about this...

Then, today, I talk with my supervisor. I like to talk with him since he is the one who know what I am doing, from the beginning until now. He knows my difficulties and my efforts to overcome those. So, it's kind of relieve to have a scheduled online meeting with him, it helps me to move..to keep going...not to give up for every difficulties...not give up. I also like to practice my english language...in a conversation. I would like a meeting online every 2 weeks, one hour every time.

So, the next meeting will be on 17 november 2008, at 1 PM. between those time i should:
1. continue my literature review
2. revising the proposal
3. doing more pilot project: interview more children. I have not been satisfied yet with my own skills in interviewing children, i need more practice...i need that...

It's time for writing

2008-10-23T22:42:00.000-07:00

It's time for writing, Rumi. Or, in the more spesific words: it is time to revise your proposal, taking account the result of the pilot project.
Watch your own video, doing some reflection, think how to improve your performance in interviewing children

The pilot project has been done: 11 october to 22 october 2008. I interviewed 20 children, 10 from the first grade and 10 from the second grade.

Certainly, it is time for a reflection! and reporting and revising and writing again!

Why is it difficult to start write again?

2008-10-04T18:45:00.000-07:00

I mean, writing in structured and organized way. I always write but I am not sure what I am writing. I only write about what I am thinking in the time I am thinking about it. My writing is like a puzzle.

This is the week fifth of my fieldwork. What did I do so far?
5 september: reach home
6 september: buy a camera
7 september: learn about the camera
8 september: go to the office, talk with the head of office and colleagues.
9 september: learn about the camera
10 september: preparing material for interview practice
11 september: go to my hometown
12 september: interview practice in kindergarten (7 children)
13 september: interview practice in kindergarten (8 children)
14 september: back to yogya
15 september: documents for application
16 september: go to kindergarten to arrange interview practice
17 september: find for information about ethics to do research in sleman district
18 september: getting letter of permission to do research from the district and school approval for the pilot project
19 september: another interview practice in a kindergarten (8 children)
20 september: trial of the written test in elementary school
21 september: scoring the written test and making 5 groups to be interviewed
22 september: another interview practice in a kindergarten (10 children)
23 september: send response to HREC to Bob
24 september: waiting for Bob’s response and revise the assessment interview schedule
25 september: preparing material for the interview in elementary school.
26 september: send response to HREC secretary
29 september: receive notification from HREC
30 september: write a response to HREC and send to Bob

1-2 October : eid celebration
2 september: send email ask advice about the ‘need’ of parents consent in research involving children in Indonesia
3 October: receive response about parent’s consent and asking for other question

My plan on next week: go to office for eid celebration, visit USD library looking for Indonesian researches papers about number knowledge, finishing material for the interview (pilot project)., and visiting schools (don’t forget to check school academic calendar). Next week I will conduct the pilot project.

Is everything all right? I am experiencing ‘writing block’.

Revising my proposal

2008-09-29T03:05:00.000-07:00

I get another queries from ethics commitee. it has been helping me clarify my proposal. I feel that I am still lack of justification, whether in the aim and in the methods. Why should I do this research? I have several purpose, but how to convince myself that I am capable to do this research and how to convince people that my research is worth doing?

Being reflective, try to be stand up and take position, even give an opinion is new skill which i need to develop. I can tell that I didn't learn about that in my previous education. I am always hesitate to tell my opinion, include what I really think. I am afraid that i am wrong, that my opinion is not accepted by people. I am afraid that I'll stand alone if I find an evidence contrary to the majority opinion.

Being researcher should be honest and take a risk. can I be that?