Wong Hwei Ming

“This LES report is a synthesis of 14 Instructional Core (IC) studies that fit the inclusion criteria. $3,655,921 was awarded to the studies through the NIE Education Research Funding Programme (ERFP) in the 3rd tranche (2013–2017) of funding from MOE. Six of the 14 selected studies were Tier 1, 7 were Tier 2, and 1 was Tier 3 (Figure 3) (See Annex A for a detailed explanation of the selection criteria).”--Introduction.

This study investigated the effects of project work on learning and teaching in a primary school in Singapore. Students in three Primary 5 classes worked together on an inter-disciplinary project work in Term 2 and Term 3. A total of 109 students consisting of 37 from EM 1 class, 36 from EM 1/2 class and 36 from EM 2 class participated in the study. In each class, the students were randomly assigned into groups of five. Data was collected using a Project Work Questionnaire consisting of 40 items in which the students reported their perceptions of achievements in the four domains of Cooperation/ Collaboration (10 items), Communication (10 items), Knowledge Application (10 items) and Independent Learning (10 items). These 40 items were selected based on reliability estimates. The reliability estimates for each of the domains ranged from 0.71 to 0.77.

The results show that the students from the three classes perceived themselves to have gained in the four domains. Class composition had an impact on student achievement. The students from the more heterogeneous EM 1/2 class whose composition were make up of high-ability and average-ability students showed higher achievement than the other two more homogeneous classes which were make up of only high-ability students and only average-ability students respectively. Through project work, the teachers saw themselves as more of a facilitator and a resource person rather than one dictating to the students. As a result, the teachers also became more aware of the students' capabilities and needs.

This study investigated how student implicit theories of math ability relate to their homework behavior and the mediational role of homework behavior in the relationship between implicit theories and math achievement. A large sample of Singapore secondary students took measures of entity (i.e., ability is fixed) and incremental (i.e., ability is modifiable through effort) theories of math ability as well as homework effort and distraction during the second term of a school year. They then took a math assessment about 3-5 months later. We did structural equation modeling and found that homework behavior partially mediated the relationships between implicit theories and math achievement. After controlling for gender and previous math achievement, an entity theory of math ability was positively associated with homework distraction, while an incremental theory of math ability was positively associated with homework effort and negatively with homework distraction. Homework effort in turn positively and homework distraction negatively predicted math achievement. An entity theory of math ability predicted negatively math achievement both directly and indirectly through homework distraction. In contrast, an incremental theory of math ability predicted positively math achievement through the mediation of homework effort and distraction. The findings and implications for homework practices are discussed in the academic context of Singapore.

Since the launch of the Thinking Schools, Learning Nation (1997) and Teach Less, Learn More (2004) initiatives, the CORE Research Programme has aimed to provide a systemic description and measurement of curriculum and reform initiatives. CORE 1 (2004-2007) focused on lesson observations and surveys in English, Mathematics, Science, Social Studies and Mother Tongue classrooms at the Primary 5 and Secondary 3 levels. The study however, was unable to examine specific classroom pedagogical and assessment practices centred on epistemic, cognitive, metacognitive, disciplinary and domain-specific intellectual work. CORE 2 (2009-2014) focused on pedagogical beliefs and practices, classroom practices and assessment practices (Hogan, Towndrow, Kwek, & Chan, 2013). Currently, CORE 3 is centrally focused on the questions: “How do teachers teach?”and“Why do they teach the way they do?” The project in focus is a baseline investigation of science pedagogy (2015-16).