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Towards excellence in home economics education : getting to the roots!
Author
Ang, Kai Ling
Supervisor
Chang, Agnes Shook Cheong
Abstract
Excellence has always been the motto for Singapore, education is not exception. More recently, producing 'thinking' students have been much stressed. Products of education, unlike mechanic products, need a lot of heartfelt care and time. We need to find out why our students are not 'thinking' or in other words why are they not active learners?
It has been found that most Diploma in Education Students in NIE (Lee S. K. 1993) and first/second years polytechnic students (Quah S.K. 1994, Tan L.G. 1994, Chan M.L. 1994) are surface learners. The author has this group of students and was therefore duly concerned about the fact and its implications. The author has also observed that her students taking Diploma in Education, specialising in Home Economics, to be anxious and lack of confidence.
Looking at the background of these students and the history of Home Economics, it is not surprising to have such students and final products.
Historically, Home Economics is not perceived as a 'prestigious' course as compared to the Medicine, Law or other Sciences. Students accepted for Home Economics, generally are regarded as 'inferior' to those pursuing a degree course, but they are expected to be able to teach secondary levels, though they are only diploma graduates. In addition, unlike all other teaching subjects, there were no examinable modules for Home Economics (seems to imply that the course is not important), until recently. Hence, it is not surprising to find many of them appeared to have limited self-esteem.
Besides, not only do these graduates of 'A' level students, have to cope with the sheer quantity of materials to be learned, they have to become independent, self discipline and organised. The studying method or strategies are also different for tertiary learning as they are no longer being 'spoon-fed'. Students themselves need to examine not only the subject content (both education and subject contents) but also acquire new processes of their learning itself. In just two years of diploma programme, are we being reasonable with them? Are we providing the necessary help and motivation they need?
It is not helpful to merely recognise these group of students to be surface learners and anxious students. Therefore, the author first tried to get to the root of the problem, i.e. to find out the students' thought processes and behaviours that may have caused them to be in such a state and then propose strategies to help them to overcome their weaknesses or to be active learners, and hopefully excel in their task at the end of the day.
It has been found that most Diploma in Education Students in NIE (Lee S. K. 1993) and first/second years polytechnic students (Quah S.K. 1994, Tan L.G. 1994, Chan M.L. 1994) are surface learners. The author has this group of students and was therefore duly concerned about the fact and its implications. The author has also observed that her students taking Diploma in Education, specialising in Home Economics, to be anxious and lack of confidence.
Looking at the background of these students and the history of Home Economics, it is not surprising to have such students and final products.
Historically, Home Economics is not perceived as a 'prestigious' course as compared to the Medicine, Law or other Sciences. Students accepted for Home Economics, generally are regarded as 'inferior' to those pursuing a degree course, but they are expected to be able to teach secondary levels, though they are only diploma graduates. In addition, unlike all other teaching subjects, there were no examinable modules for Home Economics (seems to imply that the course is not important), until recently. Hence, it is not surprising to find many of them appeared to have limited self-esteem.
Besides, not only do these graduates of 'A' level students, have to cope with the sheer quantity of materials to be learned, they have to become independent, self discipline and organised. The studying method or strategies are also different for tertiary learning as they are no longer being 'spoon-fed'. Students themselves need to examine not only the subject content (both education and subject contents) but also acquire new processes of their learning itself. In just two years of diploma programme, are we being reasonable with them? Are we providing the necessary help and motivation they need?
It is not helpful to merely recognise these group of students to be surface learners and anxious students. Therefore, the author first tried to get to the root of the problem, i.e. to find out the students' thought processes and behaviours that may have caused them to be in such a state and then propose strategies to help them to overcome their weaknesses or to be active learners, and hopefully excel in their task at the end of the day.
Date Issued
1997
Call Number
TX165 Ang
Date Submitted
1997