Chua, Bee Leng

General self-efficacy represents the global sense of personal capability across various situations and tasks. The aim of the present study was to develop and validate a single-item general self-efficacy scale which balances practical demands and psychometric concerns. The psychometric properties of the proposed Single-Item General Self-Efficacy Scale (GSE-SI) were examined among 231 Singaporean adults. Results based on three statistical methods demonstrated good reliability (.594 .607 and .726, respectively, M = .642), as compared with the reliability scores from other single-item scales. It also showed satisfactory criterion-related validity evidence (i.e., correlation with a multiple-item general self-efficacy scale, r = .795). Validity evidence based on relationships with other constructs was supported by the correlations between the scores of general self-efficacy and the scores of six relevant constructs (i.e., positive correlations with life satisfaction and positive emotions, negative correlations with negative emotions, task and perceived stress, and illness symptoms). More importantly, the GSE-SI and multiple-item scale scores showed consistent correlation patterns with their relevant constructs. Both GSE-SI and multiple-item scale scores significantly discriminated between the three clusters in a similar pattern. The present results show that the GSE-SI is a reliable and valid measure of general self-efficacy and can be recommended in future research to complement the constraints of multiple-item scales.

"The rapidly changing environment of today requires students to possess both content knowledge and the ability to adapt to novel situations. Students need to be driven by an intrinsic mindset of inquiry, coupled with the curiosity and willingness to learn and change. Dr Ruth Wong recognised the importance of such critical thinking skills in students, and the role of teachers in developing this mindset. In today's classroom, both students and teachers are required to embody the principles of inquiry. Students have to apply inquiry to their content knowledge and to situations beyond the classroom, whilst teachers apply it to expand their knowledge of their learners and use the best pedagogies to engage them."

Problem-based learning (PBL) is an inquiry-based approach to learning that requires students to be engaged with a real-world problem. PBL is underpinned by constructivist learning principles whereby learners will be intrinsically motivated as they are challenged and given autonomy to direct their own learning. In the COVID-19 pandemic teaching and learning landscape, there is an increasing need to harness the affordances of technology to engage students in their learning. In this chapter, preservice teachers are immersed in either a traditional PBL environment (tPBL) or an technology-enhanced PBL environment (ePBL). The focus of this study is to examine the effects of PBL (tPBL and ePBL) on preservice teachers’ motivational orientations. The understanding of the changes in preservice teachers’ motivational orientations after PBL (tPBL and ePBL) will inform teacher educators on how to improve on its implementation to enhance preservice teachers’ motivation to learn. An understanding of how a constructivist pedagogical approach impact on preservice teachers’ motivation to learn is pivotal as teachers role model and design learning environment to inculcate in their learners the motivation and passion to learn and become lifelong learners.

MOE and MCCY have been working on a National Outdoor Adventure Education (NOAE) Master Plan since 2014. The NOAE Master Plan intends for the entire cohort of secondary 3 students to experience a capstone 5-day expedition-based programme at Outward Bound Singapore (Ubin / Coney campuses). This programme aims to strengthen our youths’ self resilience and social cohesion, where students from different schools will be mixed together. Shared common experiences will be created through team-based challenges and expeditions around our island. There is currently a lack of valid and reliable instruments that allows educators to assess learners’ values and dispositions such as confidence, resilience, independence and inter-dependence during the expedition-based camping experiences. Thus, there is a need to develop and validate instruments to collect information on the different aspects of the secondary three students during such adventure-based camp experiences, as well as to inform future refinement for outdoor education for all students.