Tan, Oon Seng

This edited volume explores key areas of interests in Singapore math and science education including issues on teacher education, pedagogy, curriculum, assessment, teaching practices, applied learning, ecology of learning, talent grooming, culture of science and math, vocational education and STEM. It presents to policymakers and educators a clear picture of the education scene in Singapore and insights into the role of math and science education in helping the country excel beyond international studies such as PISA, the pedagogical and curricula advancements in math and science learning, and the research and practices that give Singaporean students the competitive edge in facing the uncertain and challenging landscape of the future.

Changes in the industrial world and society today far outpace the cycles of education reform in the curriculum. The digital age and social media have changed the nature of knowledge acquisition in mathematics and science. Complexity of problems, technological innovations, multi-disciplinary interfaces and the availability of big data analytics call for new ways of learning in mathematics and science education. PISA achievements in Singapore is a corollary of continuous incremental improvements plus quantum leap changes in the Singapore Math and Science curricula ecology. This chapter aims to provide the big picture of how mathematics education and science education in Singapore ride on waves of change to equip learners with the kinds of thinking needed for the future world of work. Beyond the rigor of well-planned and resourced syllabuses rich in fundamentals and heuristics are the pedagogical approaches of process thinking and applied learning. The aligning of learning with applications in an ecology of inquiry and authentic experiences at every level has been catalytic for the success of Singapore learners. In the light of all these is the teacher policy factor that brings about the Math and Science teachers who can bring about student engagement and agency in their pursuit of STEM aspirations.

The present study examined the psychometric properties of the Life Effectiveness Questionnaire - Version H (LEQ-H), an instrument for the assessment of life skills in project work (PW) context with Singaporean students. Specifically, we examined the internal consistency, as well as discriminant and convergent validity of the subscales in LEQ-H. Second, I've tested the proposed measurement model against four other alternative models and confirmed with a second sample. In addition, I've examined the invariance of the measurement tool across gender. A total of 1,264 secondary school students were recruited from nine typical government funded co-educational secondary schools in Singapore. All the subscales had adequate internal consistency but two subscales lacked convergent validity. Five competing models were compared using confirmatory factor analyses. The results provide evidence of a seven first-order measurement model of the LEQ-H. Multi-group analysis demonstrated invariance of the factor forms, factor loadings, factor variances, and factor covariances, error variances and disturbances across gender. In summa!)', the findings affirm that the LEQ-H, with the seven first-order measurement model, can be an appropriate measurement tool to assess the effects of PW on students' life skills such as time management, social competence, achievement motivation, task leadership, emotional control, active initiative and self-confidence.

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.

The advent of the knowledge-based economy calls for new paradigms in education. There has increasingly been a search for educational methodologies that emphasise areas such as real world challenges, higher-order thinking skills, multi-disciplinary learning, independent learning and entrepreneurship. According to Feuerstein these challenges relate primarily to the ability to adapt and confront change. How can educational psychology and cognitive theories contribute to these endeavours?

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.

This study examined the relationship between mathematics anxiety, locus of control and mathematics achievement; and looked at the differences in mathematics achievement, mathematics anxiety and locus of control between male and female students, and between Arts and Science students.

The data for this study were gathered from a sample consisting of 558 Secondary Four students from six secondary schools in Singapore.

The instruments used in this study were the Fennema-Sherman Mathematics Anxiety Scale (MAS), the Mathematics Locus of Control (MALOC) Scale and a Mathematics Achievement Test. Previous literature has pointed to the need to use locus of control measures that are specific to the domains of interest. A pilot study on a sample of 140 Secondary Four students was conducted for a newly developed 40-item locus of control scale in the domain of mathematics. Responses were factor analysed using Principal Components analyses with Varimax rotated solution. The final 18-item MALOC scale is made up of four subscales, namely, the Failure-Powerful-Others (FP), Success-Chance (SC), Success-Internal (SI) and Failure-Internal (FI) scales.

The major findings in the main research are as follow:

● A low and inverse correlation exists between mathematics anxiety and mathematics achievement.
● A moderately high correlation exists between locus of control and mathematics achievement.
● A moderately high correlation exists between locus of control and mathematics anxiety.
● The intercorrelations among the variables, mathematics anxiety, locus of control and mathematics achievement, are not significantly different for male and female students.
● The correlations between mathematics anxiety and mathematics achievement, and between locus of control and mathematics achievement, are significantly different for Arts and Science students.
● There are no significant sex differences in mathematics achievement, locus of control and mathematics anxiety.
● There are significant differences in mathematics achievement, locus of control and mathematics anxiety between Arts and Science students.

The major conclusions in this study are as follow:

● Low mathematics anxiety is associated with higher mathematics achievement. The presence of the mathematics anxiety phenomenon appears to warrant further attention.
● Greater internal control is associated with higher mathematics achievement. Locus of control appears to be an important predictor of mathematics achievement.
● Greater internal control is associated with lower mathematics anxiety. Locus of control appears to have an important link with mathematics anxiety.

● The variables, mathematics anxiety and locus of control, in relation to mathematics achievement, appear to be more important for Arts students than for Science students.

● Sex differences in mathematics achievement, mathematics anxiety and locus of control appear to be tenuous in the Singapore context.

● Differences between Arts and Science students in mathematics achievement, mathematics anxiety and locus of control are highly significant. Arts students appear to have lower achievement in mathematics, be more anxious toward mathematics and are more external in their perception of control in mathematics.

The study concluded with a discussion of the educational implications of the findings and recommendations for further research.

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.