2008 Volume 11 Number 1/2
Missing Learning Opportunities in Classroom Instruction: Evidence from an Analysis of a Well-Structured Lesson on Comparing Fractions

Ida Ah Chee Mok
University of Hong Kong, Hong Kong

Jinfa Cai
University of Delaware, USA

Agnes Tak Fong Fung1,
Education Bureau, Hong Kong

Abstract: This paper analyzed a well-structured lesson to examine the opportunities and missing opportunities for students’ learning in terms of developing basic skills and higher-order thinking skills. The instructional activities in the lesson that show a very systematic choice of variation and clear focus, may serve well the goal of teaching a specific basic skill. However, the type of engagement the teacher created in the lesson is less ideal for fostering students’ higher-order thinking skills. While both basic and higher-order thinking skills are important and it is not necessary to sacrifice basic skills for higher-order thinking, nor higher-order thinking for basic skills, this paper calls for research and design classroom instruction to develop both basic skills and higher-order thinking.

Key words: Higher-order thinking skills; Basic skills; Fractions; Mathematics learning and teaching

1Agnes is working in the Education Bureau and what is presented in the paper is only her personal view.


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