Now showing 1 - 4 of 4
  • Publication
    Open Access
    A Singapore perspective on teacher education: The old man, the mountain, and the child
    (2012-04)
    Teacher development in Singapore is unique from the continuum approach from initial teacher education to life-long professional development where goal congruence and pragmatic policies and practices amongst university, schools and the Ministry of Education help steer the teaching profession towards high standards and commitment. Teaching is a calling and effective teachers have a unity of purpose in their personal aspirations, beliefs, interests and competencies with a view of impacting the next generation and a system of evaluation and accountability builds on (a) Learner-centred values, (b) Teacher identity values (c) The values of service to the profession and community. The challenges of diverse societal expectations, impact of rapid educational transformations and balancing accountability measures and autonomous professional trust will also be addressed. The Old Man represents the wisdom of traditions. In the case of Singapore the traditions are the fundamentals. In the case of teach education at the National Institute of Education, the fundaments include thing like teaching as calling, good content knowledge, the teacher symbol, values-based ideals, the university-based professional, apprenticeship model. The Mountain represents looking up and beyond, which means vision and viewing the big picture and long haul approach rather than politicised or quick fixes. The mountain reminds us of mould the teacher to mould the child for the future. Vision calls for the partnership of MOE, schools, NIE and the community. It calls for visionary professional building. Finally the idea of the Child is that it takes a village to prepare a child because teacher education is about the learner. It is preparing the teacher to care of even the most diverse and weakest child.
      283  1087
  • Publication
    Open Access
    A motivational analysis of project work in Singapore using self-determination theory
    (Time Taylor International, 2011) ; ; ; ;
    Ee, Jessie
    Our students today face a knowledge-based economy, which requires the ability to learn independently, to be innovative in using and synthesizing knowledge, and to adapt fast to the changing world. Project Work (PW) is introduced as one of the instructional models for a more student-centered approach of learning in Singapore. The purpose of this study was to examine the impact of project work (PW) and study the motivational processes of PW using a self-determination theory (SDT) framework. A total of 435 students from Normal Academic stream (NA) and Normal Technical stream (NT) were recruited from four secondary schools in Singapore. Students‟ perceptions of the values of PW, basic psychological needs, relative autonomy, enjoyment, and grades were measured across three time points. Results showed that students valued the PW experience. However, their enjoyment, needs, and relative autonomy decreased significantly in the 10 to 12 weeks of PW experience. Multiple regression analyses revealed that post-PW enjoyment negatively predicted PW grades, while psychological needs, relative autonomy and pre-PW enjoyment positively predicted post-PW enjoyment. After 6-month PW, post-PW enjoyment emerged as a stronger predictor than grades in predicting the perceived skills learned from PW. The study applies self-determination theory to the PW context and highlights the importance of facilitating the three psychological needs in the PW context to enhance students‟ motivation and achievement in PW.
      769  1426
  • Publication
    Open Access
    Flourishing creativity: Education in an age of wonder
    (Springer Nature, 2015)
    The 21st century is often described as an age of uncertainty and ambiguity with unprecedented challenges. Those with a creative mindset however might call this millennium an age of wonder. New technologies and digital media are facilitating imagination and inventiveness. How are we innovating education? Are schools and classroom fostering creativity? This chapter will discuss the understanding of the cognitive functions of creativity and relate these to curriculum and pedagogy. It will deal with issues such as tapping on the powers of psychological habits and novelty, contextualizing learning, providing for serendipity, imagination and play.
    WOS© Citations 7Scopus© Citations 12  237  288