QED 530 Course Notes

7/25/2019 QED 530 Course Notes

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QED 530 THE SOCIAL CONTEXT OF TEACHING & LEARNING

(January 2016 Semester)

COURSE OUTLINE

The course introduces student teachers to the context of teaching and learning in Singapore

education and the current roles that you, as beginning teachers, are expected to assume

within it. It provides you with opportunities to reflect upon and discuss several challenges

and issues you are likely to face in the Singapore education system. The course covers

THREEmain topics:

1. Key Education Policy Initiatives

2. The Singapore Educational System: Issues of (in)equality

3. Stakeholders in Singapore Education

Each topic is covered through ONE set of lecture notes and ONE tutorial session. For

successful completion of this course, every student will participate inactively facilitating a

seminar on ONE chosen topic, andwrite ONE reflective essay on the given topic (See p.8).

a) The topics are available as Lecture Notes in this document as uploaded on

Blackboard*.

b) Each topic has Recommended Readings which students are expected to read before

class. These are available in the three main texts (see below) as well as various

weblinks included in each lecture. Please ensure you access these as part of yourlearning in the course.

*If you need help with Blackboard matters, please call the Academic Computing &

Information Services Helpdesk (Ph: 6790 3033).

Recommended Textbooks**

Tan, J. (Ed.) (2012). Education in Singapore: Taking stock, looking forward.

Singapore: Pearson Prentice Hall.

W. Choy & C. Tan (Eds.) (2011). Education Reform in Singapore: CriticalPerspectives.Singapore: Pearson Prentice Hall.

J. Tan & P. T. Ng (Eds.) (2008). Thinking Schools, Learning Nation:

Contemporary Issues and Challenges. Singapore: Pearson Prentice Hall.

**Limited copies of these books are available in the NIE Library as well as in the

Popular Bookshop in Basement 1 of Block 4 within the NIE canteen.

c) Each student is allocated to one tutorial class led by their respective tutor, and

meets for FOUR sessions within the space of THREE weeks. (See pp 17-19 for the

complete list of Tutorial Groups, Tutorial Rooms, Tutors and Class Schedules. Note:The teams will remain the same for the QED 531 seminars starting from Week 4).


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In the firsttutorial in Week 1 (wef Monday 11 January 2016), the tutor will cover

administrative matters as well as briefly introduce the course content. It is important

that youraise any queries you may have with your tutor during this first class. The

introductory session will allow students a clear understanding of the course

schedule, assessment requirements, and the formation of seminar presentation

teams. Do note that due to a tight timetable, we will kick off Topic 1 seminar inWeek 2. Please carefully scrutinize the details of the TIMETABLE for

QED 530 AND QED 531(See pp. 6-7) so that you are very clear about the scheduling.

d) Students in each seminar team will collaboratively prepare for their allocated topic

under the guidance of their tutor. Team preparation BEFORE you meet your tutor is

essential and will involve intensive reading/research as well as focused group

discussions. As a team, please first agree on clear seminar learning objectives as

well as effectiveways to facilitatethe session in order to meet these objectives.

Tutorial discussion topics are suggested at the end of each set of lecturenotes. These are meant to trigger your thinking and can be reshaped to suit

the teams areas of interest, concern and focus. As the seminar is intended to

be largely student-centred, it is highly recommended that the seminar teams

include a variety of interesting activities to engage classmates in generative

thinking and further reflection. Activities may include small-group discussions

of relevant news articles and artefacts, experiential learning through

interactive games (indoor and outdoor), impromptu role-plays and

simulations, and interviews with guest speakers (live and/or recorded).

Each seminar team should aim for active involvement of the classthroughout the seminar. This will help the class to generate more and

better ideas for learning as well as writing their reflective essay.

Given the rubrics in the Peer and Tutor Assessment Form for Seminar Presentation

(See p.11), do avoid delivering a one-way lecture for the entire seminar as this

pedagogy is likely to ensure a poor grade for the team.

e) Each seminar team meets with their tutor for ONE pre-seminar consultation (at a

mutually-agreed time, beginning in the later part of Week 1 and/or the early part of

Week 2). This is an essential part of seminar preparation. This meeting is assessable(20%) so all members must be present to receive their individual marks. (Refer to

p.10 Individual Assessment Rubric for Pre-Presentation Consultation).The team will

need to be well-prepared with a draft of the lesson plan (including focused seminar

objectives, relevant ideas for interesting activities, good questions, clear sequencing

and timing of each segment, etc.) and Powerpoint slides along with resources (eg.

newspaper articles, artifacts, and/or games etc.) that they plan to use. Good

teamwork and adequate group preparation will enable more constructive

conversations with the tutor so that the team can finalize a high-quality seminar

plan.


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f) An effective overall seminar would comprise all of the following components, with

some flexibility in timing according to the individual lesson design:

Introduction and tuning-in: 5-10 mins

In-depth and active discussion: 60-70 mins

*Peer evaluation of seminar (30%): 5 mins Concluding comments by tutor: 10 mins

Debriefing by tutor with seminar team: 10-15 mins.

(At this time, comments made by the class in their assessment of the seminar

may be shared with the team.)

*Peer ratings will be considered together with the tutors own evaluation

when finalizing the seminar mark to be shared by the team.

*Please support your rating withgood reasons and useful comments given

on a professional basis.

*Avoid giving extremely low or perfect scores without reasonablejustification.

NOTE: The total class duration is 1 hour 50 minutes (110 mins)to allow everyone to

leave the room in time for the next class. Please help to clear any trash and return

the furniture to their original layout where necessary.

g) At the START of each seminar, the team must:

Give a hardcopy folder of the finalized lesson plan and slides (includinglesson objectives, ideas, questions, activities, sequence/timing/duration,

newspaper articles, artifacts, handouts, etc.) and a copy of the Assessment

Form to the tutor. This will help your tutor to keep track of the seminar

sequence and content.

Give ONE Peer and TutorAssessment Form for Seminar Presentation (See

p.11) to EVERY student. Please ensure you prepare sufficient forms for this

purpose.

h) A successful seminar that stimulates professional learning for all is one that:

(i) Focuses on 1 or 2 importantlearning objectivesrelated to the topic;

(ii) Includes relevant and interesting activities for achieving the

key learning objectives;

(iii) Formsa coherent wholewith clear links between the various segments to

strengthen the key learning points;

(iv) Encourages elements ofcritical analysisof the key topic issues;

(v)

Keeps the entire class actively engagedthroughout; and(vi) Demonstrates effective team workon the part of the seminar team.


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i) ABSENTEEISM (From Class &/or Consultations)

1) Absences from tutorials and consultations need to be supported by a written

explanation submitted to the tutor within 48 hours. Please note that absent

members will not be given any marks if they miss the consultation sessions with

tutors. Unexplained absences may also result in salary deductions by the MOE forthe days of absence. Tutors are required to send a warning letter (see p 5) to

students who are absent without giving a satisfactory explanation to them (by email,

phone or in person) after 48 hours. This also applies to students who fail to submit

their assignments on time.

2) NIE Policy on Submission of Medical Certificates by Student Teachers

(For clarification, contact Mrs Tok-Tan Kok Mui, Asst Head/Admissions and Records,

Office of Teacher Education)

Student teachers who are absent from class are required to contactlecturers/tutors to explain the reasons for their absence not later than two

working days from the date of absence. If the absence is due to medical

leave, they are required to produce copies of their medical certificates for

submission to the lecturers/ tutors concerned.

Feedback has been received regarding the inconvenience faced by student

teachers in having to make multiple copies of their medical certificates for

different lecturers/tutors. It was also indicated that lecturers/tutors have, at

times, wondered about the authenticity of the photocopies submitted to

them.

In view of the feedback received, student teachers will not be required to

submit photocopies of their medical certificate to lecturers/tutors. Instead,

they will only need to show the original medical certificate to

lecturers/tutors before finally submitting it to the Foundation Programmes

Office (Block 1, Level 1) for filing.

Student teachers will be given up to two weeks to show the medical

certificate to lecturers/tutors. Beyond this deadline, lecturers/tutors should

issue a notice of absence to them (See p 5).


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Date:

Name

Programme/Specialisation

:

:

NRICNo.:

Year :

First/Second/Third NOTICE (delete as appropriate)

ABSENCE FROM CLASS/CONSULTATION/NON-SUBMISSIONOF ASSIGNMENT

1 As a student of the university, you are required to be present for all programme

commitments. For those who are employees of the Ministry of Education, salary deduction

and/or other disciplinary action may be taken against you if you are absent without valid

reasons. A valid reason would either be medical leave or approved leave.

2 For the course named below, you were absent for the tutorial/class/consultation or

you did not submit the assignment:

CourseTitle :

Date(s)ofAbsence :

Date for Submission

ofAssignment :

3 Please let me have in writing, within a week of the above date, the reason(s) for your

absence/non- submission of assignment. If you are explaining your absence from

tutorial/class, a copy of your letter must be extended to the Ministry of Education (Attn:

Manager/Recruitment Unit).

4 Note from lecturer/tutor:

Yours sincerely

Signature of Lecturer Name of Lecturer Academic Group

cc Head/Academic Group

Programme Associate Dean/Sub-Dean

Office of Teacher Education (Attn: Asst Head/ Admissions and Records)

*Manager/Recruitment Unit (MOE)


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COURSE TIMETABLE FOR QED 530 AND 531 (January 2016)

WEEK DATE COURSE & TUTORIAL AGENDA

Week 1

Session 1

Session 2

11 Jan to 15 Jan 2016Course Overview & Administration for both

QED 530 & 531: Taking attendance; briefing

on course requirements; forming seminar

teams and arranging consultation meetings

for both courses; initial team discussions for

seminars.

No class. Pre-Seminar consultation for Topic

1*

*Tutors & teams will make their ownarrangements for specific consultation times.

Week 2

Session 3

Session 4

18 Jan to 22 Jan 2016

No class. Pre-Seminar consultation for Topic

2*

Seminar for Topic 1: Key Education Policy

Initiatives.

Pre-Seminar consultations for Topics 2 & 3*

Week 3

Session 5

Session 6

25 Jan to 29 Jan 2016

Seminar for Topic 2: The Singapore

Educational System: Issues of (In)Equality

Seminar for Topic 3: Stakeholders in

Singapore Education

Student Feedback on Teaching (SFT) exercise.

[End of QED 530]Submission of Individual Reflective Essay

(with TurnitIn printout and Cover Page) at

the first session of QED 531 (Week 4).


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Week 4

QED 531

Session 1

Session 2

1 Feb to 5 Feb 2016

Submission of QED 530 Essays

QED 531 CCE Content Introduction by Tutor:

CCE Syllabus, CCE framework, CCE resources,

Seminar requirements, etc.

Seminar for Topic 1 ORTutor consultations

Week 5

Session 3

Session 4

8 Feb to 12 Feb 2016 *Chinese New Year*: 8 & 9 Feb

*Mon & Tues classes are affected so tutors will

arrange these 2 final weeks schedule at their

discretion*

QED 531 CCE Topic 1 OR 2

Week 6

Session 5

Session 6

15 Feb to 19 Feb 2016

Seminar for Topic 2 OR 3*

Seminar for Topic 3

*Submission of QED 531 Individual Essay

**Student Feedback on Teaching exercise

[End of QED 531]All the best for your Practicum!

COURSE ASSESSMENT FOR QED 530 and QED 531 (100%)

There are FOUR components of Assessment.

NOTE: Students must complete EACH component to pass the entire course.

1. Pre-Seminar Consultation : 20%All members of each seminar team must attend the consultation session. Absences

will incur no marks for the absent individual. Pre-consultation team preparation

requires: Active discussion of the lesson objectives and activities and drafting the

seminar lesson plan and slides. Each member should also be clear about his/her role

in the overall seminar. (Refer to p.10 Individual Assessment Rubric for Pre-

Presentation Consultation). This is an individual mark.

2. Seminar Presentation(Peer and Tutor Assessed) : 30%

Assessment is done at the end of the seminar and the tutor will collect the

completed forms from the class for collation of marks. (Refer to p.11 for seminar

rubrics as stated on the Peer and TutorAssessment Form for Seminar Presentation).This is a shared mark for the team.


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3. Class participation : 10%

Each student is expected to be an active participant in his/her tutorial group, and

constructively contribute to discussions. (Refer to p.12-13 forAssessmentCriteria for

Individual Participation). This is an individual mark.

4.

ONE Individual Reflective Essay : 40%

Students will submit a 1000 to 1500-word essay on the given topic (See pp.8-9).

The essay should integrate personal reflections on ONE other seminar that they

did NOT facilitate. For example, if you are in the seminar team for Topic 1, your

essay could draw upon ideas generated in the Topic 2 or Topic 3 seminars.

Similarly, if you are part of the Topic 2 seminar team, you could draw on Topic 1

and Topic 3 seminars.

Thereflective essay (size 12 font, with the TurnitIn and Name/Programme cover

page) is to be submitted to your tutor at the start of the first QED 531 tutorial

session in Week 4. This is an individual mark.

NOTE: Late submissions will NOT be accepted.All marked essays will be retained by

the tutor.Tutors may (or may not) let students know their letter grades for marked

essays but not the raw scores. Marked essays are not to be returned to students. (See

p.14 for the Marking Guide).

It is highly recommended that you jot down your reflections right after the

seminar for each topic while the ideas, insights and examples are still be fresh in

your mind. This will help you write your final essay later.

NOTE:The Peer Assessment Form(on p.11) will help you get started on flagging

some initial reflections in the comments section: My Key Learning from this

Seminar.

INDIVIDUAL ESSAY TOPIC:

In September 2015, Mr. Heng Swee Keat, Minister for Education, delivered his keynote

speech (and final address as Minister) at the Work Plan Seminar.

(Seehttp://www.moe.gov.sg/media/speeches/2015/09/22/keynote-address-by-mr-heng-

swee-keat-at-the-ministry-of-education-work-plan-seminar-2015.php)

Synthesize and integrate what you think are the key themes of the Work Plan Seminar

speech with your reflections on ONE class seminar presentation (OTHER THAN the one

you presented on) into a strong personal educational philosophy.

The essay should be 1000-1500 words long.
http://www.moe.gov.sg/media/speeches/2015/09/22/keynote-address-by-mr-heng-swee-keat-at-the-ministry-of-education-work-plan-seminar-2015.phphttp://www.moe.gov.sg/media/speeches/2015/09/22/keynote-address-by-mr-heng-swee-keat-at-the-ministry-of-education-work-plan-seminar-2015.phphttp://www.moe.gov.sg/media/speeches/2015/09/22/keynote-address-by-mr-heng-swee-keat-at-the-ministry-of-education-work-plan-seminar-2015.phphttp://www.moe.gov.sg/media/speeches/2015/09/22/keynote-address-by-mr-heng-swee-keat-at-the-ministry-of-education-work-plan-seminar-2015.phphttp://www.moe.gov.sg/media/speeches/2015/09/22/keynote-address-by-mr-heng-swee-keat-at-the-ministry-of-education-work-plan-seminar-2015.phphttp://www.moe.gov.sg/media/speeches/2015/09/22/keynote-address-by-mr-heng-swee-keat-at-the-ministry-of-education-work-plan-seminar-2015.php


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Each students essay must be submitted through Turnitin on Blackboard to

verify low (below 30%) or no plagiarized content. Students are to print out the

first page results from Turnitin for hardcopy submission to the tutor.

The hard copy of the essay AND results page from Turnitin together with a

Cover Page must be submitted at the start of the first QED 531 tutorial

session.

Please remember: Late submissions without a valid reason (based on the

tutors assessment) will NOT be accepted.


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QED 530: THE SOCIAL CONTEXT OF TEACHING AND LEARNING

QED 531: CHARACTER AND CITIZENSHIP EDUCATION

Individual Assessment Rubric for Pre-presentation Consultation (20%)

[Bring a copy with ALL names inserted and pass it to your tutor at the meeting]

Tutorial Group: _________ Seminar Topic : 1 / 2 / 3

ATTENDANCE (ATTNDN)

The team member is present punctually.

CONTRIBUTION (CONTBN)

The team member is able to add value to his/her part in the seminar presentation.

COHERENCE (COHRNC)

The team member demonstrates an understanding of the whole lesson plan and is able to draw links among the

different parts.

KNOWLEDGE & UNDERSTANDING (KNWL & UNDG)

The team member is able to respond appropriately to, or expand on, others points, questions and/or comments.

DOCUMENTATION

The team has prepared a hard copy of the lesson plan with clear objectives, relevant activities, use of appropriateresources, sequencing and timing, along with additional articles, handouts, and/or game rules, etc. (if used).

Names of

Team Members

Rating Scale

LOW 1 - 2 - 3 - 4 HIGH

[To be completed

by Tutor]

ATTNDN CONTBN COHRNC KNWL &

UNDG

DOCUMENTATION Additional Comments

1

2

3

4

5

6

7

TOTAL MARKS


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QED 530: THE SOCIAL CONTEXT OF TEACHING AND LEARNING

Peer & Tutor Assessment Form for Seminar Presentation (30%)

Tutorial Group: _______ Topic: 1 / 2 / 3 Date:_______ Assessor:____________________

Team members:_____________________________________________________________

Please carefully assess the team by circling your score for the 10 items below. Write the total below.

Item Rating Scale

A. CONTENT

Relevance

The ideas & activities in the seminar were relevant to the topic and

applicable to the local school context.

Low High

1 2 3 4 5 6

Cogency

The ideas & activities in the seminar were clearly presented, elaborated &

well-supported.

1 2 3 4 5 6

Coherence

The ideas & activities in the seminar were logically linked & made sense as awhole.

1 2 3 4 5 6

Originality

The teams approach towards, the conclusions drawn, & recommendations

made, about the topic were refreshing, innovative, and original.

1 2 3 4 5 6

Critical Analysis

The ideas & activities in the seminar opened up opportunities for critical

thinking about prior assumptions & possible implications for teachers.

1 2 3 4 5 6

B. PRESENTATION

Fluency

The team spoke fluently & clearly using an appropriate level of English.

1 2 3 4 5 6

Interest

The team presented their ideas & conducted the seminar in interesting ways

that I found engaging.

1 2 3 4 5 6

Creativity

The team presented their ideas & conducted the seminar in creative &

innovative ways.

1 2 3 4 5 6

Time Management

The team kept to schedule while allowing for flexibility during the seminar

when the need arose.

1 2 3 4 5 6

Team Work

The team collaborated well with one other & took into consideration their

individual strengths & attributes.

1 2 3 4 5 6

Total Score (60%)*:_______(Add up accurately!) *This will be halved to max 30% for the final mark.

Strengths & Areas for Improvement: (Comments below must justify the score given)

My Key Learning from this Seminar:


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Assessment Criteria for Individual Participation (10%)

[Note: The use and interpretation of these assessment criteria are at the tutors discretion.]

Grade A Contribution is consistently insightful, considered and original. Charitably

engages others ideas, demonstrates an outstanding understanding of issues,with many successful attempts to move discussions in a fruitful direction.

Points raised are highly relevant. Presentation is very clear and showcases

ideas attempting to develop cutting edge ideas in a defensible manner.

Grade B Contribution is generally considered and original. Charitably engages others

ideas, demonstrates a strong understanding of issues, with some successful

attempts to move discussions in fruitful directions. Points raised are

relevant. Presentation is clear and showcases ideas that are well thought out

and have potential to develop in original directions.

Grade C Contribution is generally considered. Charitably engages others ideas,

demonstrates an adequate understanding of issues, with some attempts to

move discussions in fruitful directions. Points raised are relevant.

Presentation is moderately clear and showcases ideas that are generally

defensible.

Grade D and below

Contribution is limited, thin or/and irrelevant. Unable to engage others ideas

in a charitable manner. Fails to direct discussion towards fruitful avenues.Presentation is unclear and very confused, signalling a lack of thought.

Useful Tips for Effective Class Participation

Here is a 9-step strategy for active participation and contributing to fruitful discussions:

(1) Try to understand what someone else is saying, picking up keywords

(2) Consider paraphrasing it in your own words(3) Ask for clarification

(4) Give reasons why you disagree with it

(5) Give reasons why you like the idea

(6) Explain how this connects up with some of your own ideas.

(7) Suggest what new questions arise or need to be answered

(8) Share where answers to these new questions can be found

(9) Share some answers you have yourself developed to these questions


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More Useful Tips for Effective Class Participation

Topic:____________________________________________

(Date:_____________)

1 Try to understand what others are saying. Jot down Keywords here:

2 Consider paraphrasing it in your own words:

3 Ask for clarification if you dont understand something:

4 Give reasons why you like or agree with an idea/s:

5 Give reasons why you disagree with an idea:

6 Explain how this connects with some of your own ideas or assumptions:

7 Share what new questions arise for you:

8 Share how answers to these new questions might be found:

9 Share some answers you have yourself developed to these questions:

10 Reflective Notes:


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Marking Guide for the Individual Essay (40%)

NOTE: These criteria for awarding grades are not exhaustive.

Tutors will have full latitude in interpreting the criteria while carefully evaluating each essay.

A A work of superlative quality meeting most of the following criteria: well-written and organized; strong evidence of independent thought and

judgment; rigorous analysis of issues; clear and cogent arguments; fully

relevant with elaboration and examples; interesting and original; discussions

have rare observations and sensitivity; judicious references to online

lectures and readings

B A very good piece of work meeting most of the following criteria: Well-

written; some evidence of independent thought and judgment; some

evidence of critical analysis; clear and coherent arguments; relevant with

elaboration and examples, some interest, reflection, and originality; generallywell-structured and balanced; appropriate references to online lectures and

readings

C A good piece of work meeting most of the following criteria: fairly well-

written; some evidence of critical analysis; demonstrates fairly good

knowledge/understanding of subject matter; mostly relevant with some

elaboration and examples; lacks interest, reflection and originality;

reasonable structure and balance; some appropriate references to online

lectures and readings

D An adequate piece of work meeting most of the following criteria: writing

quality fairly good but not consistent; adequate knowledge/understanding of

subject matter; little or no analysis of issues; relevant content not explained

in depth, irrelevant or weak examples; ideas fragmentary or vague; some

evidence of structure and balance; little or no appropriate references to

online lectures and readings

Fail* An inadequate piece of work that has most of the following weaknesses:

cursory attempt at assignment; poorly written, organized, and/or presented;

little or no analysis of issues; irrelevant material; no appropriate referencesto online lectures and readings

*Plagiarism: Essays found to have plagiarized content will immediately receive a Fail grade


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To : All Academic Staff

Date : November 2008

The policy guidelines attached is drawn up for staff whose courses were assessed, whetherwholly or in part, by means other than the written examinations at the end of a semester.

Foundation Programmes Office would like to remind staff that these policy guidelines first

circulated in February 2004 are still valid. Please take note of them and highlight them to

your staffand student teachersin all initial teacher preparation programmes.

Please note that the general principle to be upheld is that of consistency in adhering to the

guidelines so that all student teachers can be treated fairly. By making special concessions

for one student, for example, we might inadvertently be unfair to others who have faithfully

adhered to the submission timeline.

Finally, do note also that assessable components which have been spelt out at the beginning

of the course e.g. 20% assignment, 20% test, 60% examination should not be changed mid-

way through the course.

Thank you for taking note of these guidelines.

Professor Tan Oon Seng

Dean / Office of Teacher Education

POLICY ON LATE SUBMISSION OF WRITTEN ASSIGNMENTS AND

ABSENCE FROM TESTS


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NATIONAL INSTITUTE OF EDUCATION

1 Assignments and/or Projects

1.1 Deadlines (indicating the time and the date) should be clearly spelt out to the

student teachers and strictly adhered to.

1.2

Academic Groups (AGS) are to devise their own late submission penalties to

be applied consistently across all courses offered by the AG.

1.3 Because the assignments and/or projects are examinable materials, and

contribute towards the final mark and grade of the course assessed,

assignments and/or projects, once submitted for assessment (whether

before or by the deadline), cannot be returned to students for modification

and re-submission for the same assessment.

1.4

Marks for the assignments and/or projects will be considered as the finalmarks for that component of the assessment of that course, and should not

be revealed to the student teachers either before or after the Board of

Examiners (BOE) meeting. However, for the purpose of formative evaluation,

staff could give general comments and an indicative letter grade.

POLICY GUIDELINES ON

ASSESSMENTS OTHER THAN BY WRITTEN EXAMINATIONS


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QED 530: THE SOCIAL CONTEXT OF TEACHING AND LEARNING (JAN 2016)

Tutorial Groups, Tutorial Rooms, Tutors & Class Schedule

Course Leader: Dr. Lana Khong

Email:[email protected]/ Phone: 6790 3240

No. Tutorial Groups

& Rooms

Tutor Days & Times

1. TG 1 / TR 203 SEAN CHNG MON 3.30pm

WED 8.30am

2. TG 2 / TR 209 LANA KHONG MON 3.30pm

WED 8.30am

3. TG 3 / TR 211 JASON TAN MON 3.30pmWED 8.30am

4. TG 4 / TR 215 KUNAWATHY MON 3.30pm

WED 8.30am

5. TG 5 / TR 208 ESTHER LAI MON 3.30pm

WED 8.30am

6. TG 6 / TR 212 ZHANG YENMING MON 3.30pm

WED 8.30am

7. TG 7 / TR 208 CHOONG PEK LAN TUE 10.30amTHUR 8.30am

8. TG 8 / TR 209 LANA KHONG TUE 10.30am

THUR 8.30am

9. TG 9 / TR 211 JASON TAN TUE 10.30am

THUR 8.30am

10. TG 10 / TR 215 KUNAWATHY TUE 10.30am

THUR 8.30am

11. TG 11 / TR 213 ESTHER LAI TUE 10.30am

THUR 8.30am

12. TG 12 / TR 214 SEAN CHNG TUE 10.30am

THUR 8.30am

13. TG 13 / TR 208 CHOONG PEK LAN WED 3.30pm

FRI 2.30pm

14. TG 14 / TR 209 LANA KHONG WED 3.30pm

FRI 2.30pm

15. TG 15 / TR 211 JASON TAN WED 3.30pm

FRI 2.30pm
mailto:[email protected]:[email protected]:[email protected]:[email protected]


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No. Tutorial Groups

& Rooms

Tutor Days & Times

16. TG 16 / TR 215 KUNAWATHY WED 3.30pm

FRI 2.30pm

17. TG 17 / TR 213 ESTHER LAI WED 3.30pmFRI 2.30pm

18. TG 18 / TR 203 SEAN CHNG WED 3.30pm

FRI 2.30pm

19. TG 19 / TR 208 DOROTHY TAY THUR 10.30am

FRI 4.30pm

20. TG 20 / TR 209 CHOONG PEK LAN THUR 10.30am

FRI 4.30pm

21. TG 21 / TR 211 JASON TAN THUR 10.30amFRI 4.30pm

22. TG 22 / TR 215 KUNAWATHY THUR 10.30am

FRI 4.30pm

23. TG 23 / TR 213 ESTHER LAI THUR 10.30am

FRI 4.30pm

24. TG 24 / TR 202 JUDE CHUA THUR 10.30am

FRI 4.30pm

QED 531: CHARACTER AND CITIZENSHIP EDUCATION(JAN 2016)

*Denotes a CHANGE OF TUTORIAL ROOM for QED 531 lessons

No. Tutorial Groups

& Rooms

Tutor Days & Times

1. TG 1 / TR 208* SEAN CHNG MON 3.30pmWED 8.30am

2. TG 2 / TR 209 LANA KHONG MON 3.30pm

WED 8.30am

3. TG 3 / TR 215* JASON TAN MON 3.30pm

WED 8.30am

4. TG 4 / TR 214* KUNAWATHY MON 3.30pm

WED 8.30am

5. TG 5 / TR 207* ESTHER LAI MON 3.30pm

WED 8.30am


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No. Tutorial Groups

& Rooms

Tutor Days & Times

6. TG 6 / TR 203* ZHANG YENMING MON 3.30pm

WED 8.30am

7. TG 7 / TR 208 CHOONG PEK LAN TUE 10.30amTHUR 8.30am

8. TG 8 / TR 209 LANA KHONG TUE 10.30am

THUR 8.30am

9. TG 9 / TR 215* JASON TAN TUE 10.30am

THUR 8.30am

10. TG 10 / TR 214* KUNAWATHY TUE 10.30am

THUR 8.30am

11. TG 11 / TR 207* ESTHER LAI TUE 10.30am

THUR 8.30am

12. TG 12 / TR 213* SEAN CHNG TUE 10.30am

THUR 8.30am

13. TG 13 / TR 208 CHOONG PEK LAN WED 3.30pm

FRI 2.30pm

14. TG 14 / TR 209 LANA KHONG WED 3.30pm

FRI 2.30pm

15. TG 15 / TR 215* JASON TAN WED 3.30pm

FRI 2.30pm

16. TG 16 / TR 214* KUNAWATHY WED 3.30pm

FRI 2.30pm

17. TG 17 / TR 203* ESTHER LAI WED 3.30pm

FRI 2.30pm

18. TG 18 / TR 204* SEAN CHNG WED 3.30pm

FRI 2.30pm

19. TG 19 / TR 208 DOROTHY TAY THUR 10.30am

FRI 4.30pm

20. TG 20 / TR 209 CHOONG PEK LAN THUR 10.30am

FRI 4.30pm

21. TG 21 / TR 215* JASON TAN THUR 10.30am

FRI 4.30pm

22. TG 22 / TR 207* KUNAWATHY THUR 10.30am

FRI 4.30pm

23. TG 23 / TR 212* ESTHER LAI THUR 10.30am

FRI 4.30pm

24. TG 24 / TR 202 JUDE CHUA THUR 10.30amFRI 4.30pm


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QED 530: THE SOCIAL CONTEXT OF TEACHING AND LEARNINGSEMINAR PRESENTATION TEAMS

*Group Contact/Coordinator

TOPIC 1: KEY EDUCATION POLICY INITIATIVES

Name Email address Phone number

1*

2

3

4

5

6

7

TOPIC 2: THE SINGAPORE EDUCATION SYSTEM: ISSUES OF (IN)EQUALITY

Name Email address Phone number

1*

2

3

4

5

6

7

TOPIC 3: STAKEHOLDERS IN SINGAPORE EDUCATION

Name Email address Phone number1*

2

3

4

5

6

7


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LECTURE NOTES

TOPIC 1: Key Education

Policy Initiatives

(pp. 22-25)

TOPIC 2: The Singapore Educational

System: Issues of (In)Equality

(pp. 26-36)

TOPIC 3:Stakeholders in

Singapore Education

(pp. 37-45)


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TOPIC 1

Key Education Policy Initiatives

Jason Tan, PhD

This topic introduces you to key education policy initiatives and you will discover how

concerns for national economic development and social cohesion are translated into specific

policy initiatives.

In 1998 the Singapore Ministry of Education published a document entitled Desired

Outcomes of Education which listed expectations of students when they leave each of the

successive stages in the school system: primary, secondary, junior college, Institutes of

Technical Education, polytechnics and universities. It was supposed to serve as a guide for

education policies and programmes as well as a basis for evaluating these policies and

programmes Refer tohttp://www.moe.gov.sg/education/desired-outcomes/for more

information. The outcomes highlight the two key main thrusts of education policymaking in

Singapore: ensuring national economic competitiveness and fostering social cohesion.

Several key policy initiatives have been launched since the late 1990s. Probably the most

significant of these is Thinking Schools, Learning Nation (TSLN), which was officially launched

in 1997 by the then Prime Minister Goh Chok Tong. TSLN acts as a major umbrella housing

other initiatives such as The IT Masterplan Phase I (1997-2002), The IT Masterplan Phase II

(2003-2008), The IT Masterplan Phase III (2009-2014), Ability-Driven Education, Teach Less,

Learn More and National Education. More recently, an official committee reviewed the

implementation of National Education and published its recommendations in 2007. In 2009

the Primary Education Review and Implementation (PERI) Committee published its findings

and the corresponding Secondary Education Review and Implementation (SERI) Committee

published its report in 2010. You may find more information on National Education in J. Tan

(2008a), Teach Less, Learn More in Ng (2008) and on Ability-Driven Education in C. Tan

(2008). The PERI and SERI reports may be accessed through the Press Releases section of

the Ministry of Education website.

The government passed legislation in 2000 to make education in mainstream schools

compulsory for a six-year duration for each child (with provision for exemptions) from the

year 2003 onwards.

Yet more reform initiatives are currently underway. These include the attempted

diversification of the education landscape through: the introduction of integrated

programmes in various secondary schools and junior colleges; the establishment of

specialized independent secondary schools such as the National University of Singapore

High School of Mathematics and Science, the Singapore Sports School, Northlight School,

Assumption Pathway School, the Singapore School of the Arts, and the School of Science

and Technology; and the establishment of a few privately funded secondary schools such as

the Hwa Chong International School, the Anglo-Chinese School (International) and St

Josephs Institution (International). Kang (2008) provides a brief introduction to the

diversification of the education landscape.
http://www.moe.gov.sg/education/desired-outcomes/http://www.moe.gov.sg/education/desired-outcomes/http://www.moe.gov.sg/education/desired-outcomes/http://www.moe.gov.sg/education/desired-outcomes/


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Further major reforms include: changes to the streaming system at both primary and

secondary levels; the implementation of a revised General Certificate of Education

(Advanced) Level curriculum at the pre-university level, along with a new subject called

Knowledge and Inquiry (Wong, 2008); the introduction of the International Baccalaureate

Diploma in the Anglo-Chinese School (Independent) (Chew, 2008) and in the St Josephs

Institution from 2013 onwards; the revision of admission criteria to secondary schools (e.g.,the Direct School Admission scheme) and universities; and curricular changes in English

language, Tamil language, Malay language and Chinese language. More details of various

policy initiatives are available on the Ministry of Education website (www.moe.gov.sg).

All of these reforms are taking place against the backdrop of an education system

increasingly characterized by the use of terms such as choice, diversity, and competition.

The Ministry of Education has introduced quality assurance mechanisms such as the School

Excellence Model and the setting up of a system of annual awards in various domains such

as aesthetics, sports, uniformed groups, physical health, character development,

organizational effectiveness (J. Tan, 2008b).

The latest Education Minister, Heng Swee Keat, has pledged a continuing focus on what

were announced earlier in 2009 as 21st

century competencies, such as social and emotional

competencies (self-awareness, self-management, social awareness, relationship

management, and responsible decision-making); information and communication skills;

critical and inventive thinking; and civic literacy, global awareness and cross-cultural skills

(seehttp://www.moe.gov.sg/media/speeches/2011/06/28/keynote-address-by-mr-heng-

swee-keat-at-14th-oecd-japan-seminar.php). The same year these competencies were

announced, the Desired Outcomes of Education document was revised and classified under

four main headings: a confident person; a self-directed learner; an active contributor; and aconcerned citizen.

Other recent changes include PERI (Primary Education Review and Implementation) at the

primary school level and SERI (Secondary Education Review and Implementation) at the

secondary school level. Both of these reviews aim, among other things, to provide a greater

variety of after-care services to students from disadvantaged home backgrounds. These

moves come as the government comes under growing public pressure to ensure that

Singapores education system is in fact providing fair opportunities for all students to

succeed (see Topic 2 as well for a discussion of inequalities in Singapore education).

Suggested Tutorial Discussion Topic

Try and make links between the 21st

century competencies on the one hand, and the other

two topics in QED 530 as a focus for class discussions. For instance, what sorts of inequalities

exist in our classrooms, schools and homes that might promote or hinder the success of

teaching these competencies? Who are the stakeholders that need to be involved in making

the teaching of these competencies a success? Are all stakeholders supportive of the

teaching of these competencies?
http://www.moe.gov.sg/http://www.moe.gov.sg/http://www.moe.gov.sg/http://www.moe.gov.sg/media/speeches/2011/06/28/keynote-address-by-mr-heng-swee-keat-at-14th-oecd-japan-seminar.phphttp://www.moe.gov.sg/media/speeches/2011/06/28/keynote-address-by-mr-heng-swee-keat-at-14th-oecd-japan-seminar.phphttp://www.moe.gov.sg/media/speeches/2011/06/28/keynote-address-by-mr-heng-swee-keat-at-14th-oecd-japan-seminar.phphttp://www.moe.gov.sg/media/speeches/2011/06/28/keynote-address-by-mr-heng-swee-keat-at-14th-oecd-japan-seminar.phphttp://www.moe.gov.sg/media/speeches/2011/06/28/keynote-address-by-mr-heng-swee-keat-at-14th-oecd-japan-seminar.phphttp://www.moe.gov.sg/media/speeches/2011/06/28/keynote-address-by-mr-heng-swee-keat-at-14th-oecd-japan-seminar.phphttp://www.moe.gov.sg/


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What then are teachers specific roles and challenges in trying to teach these competencies?

Are there other policy initiatives, e.g., streaming, that might promote or hinder the success

of the teaching of these competencies?

Reflection Question:

What do these policy initiatives mean for you as a beginning teacher? What kinds of skills or

abilities will you need? Please support your reflection with relevant insights and ideas gained

from the seminar and your personal observations.

Recommended Readings

Chew, A. (2012). The International Baccalaureate Diploma programme: SupplyingSingapores missing link. In J. Tan (Ed.), Education in Singapore: Taking stock, looking

forward. Singapore: Pearson.

Deng, Z. Y. (2012). Teach Less, Learn More: Reclaiming a curricular idea. In J. Tan (Ed.),

Education in Singapore: Taking stock, looking forward. Singapore: Pearson.

Hew, K. F., & Cheung, W. S. (2012). ICT in education. In J. Tan (Ed.), Education in Singapore:

Taking stock, looking forward. Singapore: Pearson.

Kang, T. (2012). Experiencing integration: Student views on the integrated programmes. In J.Tan (Ed.), Education in Singapore: Taking stock, looking forward. Singapore: Pearson.

Lim, L. (2012). Elitism, egalitarianism and meritocracy: The PERI and SERI reports. In J. Tan

(Ed.), Education in Singapore: Taking stock, looking forward. Singapore: Pearson.

Tan, J. (2008b). The marketisation of education in Singapore. In J. Tan & P. T. Ng (Eds.),

Thinking Schools, Learning Nation: Contemporary Issues and Challenges(pp. 19-38).


Other Relevant Readings

Chew, A. (2008). The International Baccalaureate Diploma programme and TSLN. In J. Tan &

P. T. Ng (Eds.), Thinking Schools, Learning Nation: Contemporary Issues and Challenges(pp.

206-230). Singapore: Pearson Prentice Hall.

Kang, T. (2008). Integrated programmes in Singapore: Choices and challenges. In J. Tan & P.

T. Ng (Eds.), Thinking Schools, Learning Nation: Contemporary Issues and Challenges(pp.

191-205). Singapore: Pearson Prentice Hall.


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Lin, T. B. (2011). Literacy in digital era: discourse of media literacy and its role in Singapore

education. In W. Choy & C. Tan (Eds.). Education Reform in Singapore: Critical Perspectives.


Ng, P. T. (2008). Teach less, learn more: Seeking curricular and pedagogical innovation. In J.

Tan & P. T. Ng (Eds.), Thinking Schools, Learning Nation: Contemporary Issues and

Challenges(pp. 61-71). Singapore: Pearson Prentice Hall.

Tan, J. (2008a). Whither national education? In J. Tan & P. T. Ng (Eds.), Thinking Schools,

Learning Nation: Contemporary Issues and Challenges(pp. 72-86). Singapore: Pearson

Prentice Hall.

Tan, J. (2008b). The marketisation of education in Singapore. In J. Tan & P. T. Ng (Eds.),

Thinking Schools, Learning Nation: Contemporary Issues and Challenges(pp. 19-38).


Wong, B. (2008). Knowledge and Inquiry. In J. Tan & P. T. Ng (Eds.), Thinking Schools,

Learning Nation: Contemporary Issues and Challenges(pp. 231-245). Singapore: Pearson

Prentice Hall.


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TOPIC 2

The Singapore Educational System: Issues of (In)Equality

Trivina Kang, PhD

In the Topic 1, you were introduced to the dynamics that have shaped Singapores

educational system and key initiatives implemented to prepare our students for the

economic and social challenges of the 21stcentury. Understanding how Singapores social

context has shaped and continues to shape our education system is crucial.

This lecture builds on what you have learnt as it highlights the importance for teachers to

appreciate and pay attention to the people (teachers, parents, students) within the system

and how they experience education. Even within an ostensibly meritocratic educational

system, students from different backgrounds (racial/ethnic, social class, gender)

systematically experience learning and teaching in different ways. As a result, for effectivelearning to take place, it is critical that teachers take time to consider and reflect on a) the

ways they promote equality or inequality of learning among various groups of students in

their classrooms, b) the reasons they use to justify their actions, and c) the construction and

implications of such beliefs.

Education and Meritocracy

Before proceeding, please click:

http://www.moe.gov.sg/media/speeches/2000/sp24112000.htm

This is a classic speech by Dr Aline Wong in 2000 that gives an overview of how the

Singapore education system was designed explicitly to support equality of opportunity for

all students, regardless of social, racial or religious background.

A more recent speech (2011) by then Minister of Education Ng Eng Hen also emphasizes

how the Ministry of Education is committed to providing educational opportunities to all.

http://www.moe.gov.sg/media/speeches/2011/03/07/fy-2011-committee-of-supply-de-

1.php

How has Singapore promoted equality in education over time?

a. Integrated schools

o Did you know?

Under colonial rule separate language medium schools existed and government

kept their involvement in education to a minimum. These segregated schools

not only prevented students from different racial backgrounds from interacting,

they also differed greatly in terms of breadth and depth of instruction andresources. The English medium mission schools and clan supported Chinese
http://www.moe.gov.sg/media/speeches/2000/sp24112000.htmhttp://www.moe.gov.sg/media/speeches/2000/sp24112000.htmhttp://www.moe.gov.sg/media/speeches/2011/03/07/fy-2011-committee-of-supply-de-1.phphttp://www.moe.gov.sg/media/speeches/2011/03/07/fy-2011-committee-of-supply-de-1.phphttp://www.moe.gov.sg/media/speeches/2011/03/07/fy-2011-committee-of-supply-de-1.phphttp://www.moe.gov.sg/media/speeches/2011/03/07/fy-2011-committee-of-supply-de-1.phphttp://www.moe.gov.sg/media/speeches/2011/03/07/fy-2011-committee-of-supply-de-1.phphttp://www.moe.gov.sg/media/speeches/2000/sp24112000.htm


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medium schools were largely better funded than the Malay medium schools and

Tamil medium schools.

b.Heavily subsidised education that makes education available to all citizens

c.

Standardised curriculum, textbooks and common examinations (Primary School LeavingExamination, General Certificate of Education Ordinary Level Examination and General

Certificate of Education Advanced Level Examination).1

o Examinations provide a standard yardstick that all students regardless of social

background are measured by. Since examinations measure ability, examinations are

seen to be a primary mechanism that encourages meritocracy.

o Do you know where the term meritocracy came from?

A British sociologist Michael Young coined this word in 1958. A meritocracy wasa social system that was the opposite of an aristocracy. In the former, success is

obtained through educational attainment and competitive examinations, not by

way of birth, social status or wealth.

d.Educated and trained teachers and centralised distribution of resources.

o Did you know?

In some countries, salaries of teachers vary not only according to their credentials

but also by how much property tax is collected in the school district they teach in.As a result, schools in more affluent districts have more funds from tax monies and

are able not only to offer higher salaries to attract better-qualified staff but also to

run more programmes for their students.

Positive Results of Singapores Efforts in Education

Please refer to Appendix A for details on how educational attainment has increased for

a. The general populationb. Chinese, Malays, and Indians

c. Women

1This has changed recently due to the introduction, beginning in 2004, of the Integrated Programme (IP) in

some schools. Students in this through train programme may sit for the General Certificate of Education

Advanced Level examination without taking the General Certificate of Education Ordinary Level examination.

Alternatively, they may sit for the International Baccalaureate Diploma instead of the General Certificate ofEducation Advanced Level Examination if they are enrolled in the Anglo-Chinese School (Independent). Seehttp://www.moe.gov.sg/media/press/2002/pr15102002.htmfor more information.
http://www.moe.gov.sg/media/press/2002/pr15102002.htmhttp://www.moe.gov.sg/media/press/2002/pr15102002.htmhttp://www.moe.gov.sg/media/press/2002/pr15102002.htm


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In addition, Singapore students currently have an international reputation for their results in

international tests like TIMSS and PISA.

See

http://www.moe.gov.sg/media/press/2014/04/singapore-students-excel-in-thinking-

flexibility.php

http://www.straitstimes.com/breaking-news/singapore/story/singapore-students-again-

emerge-world-beaters-international-assessment

Equal Educational Outcomes in Singapore?

Singapore has in general terms provided excellent opportunities in education for her

students. As we have seen above, students from various backgrounds have similar access toschools, teachers, etc., and over the years educational attainment and achievement.

Furthermore, compared to many of their peers in other countries, our students perform

better in international tests.

However, despite equality of educational opportunities, there appears to be still variation in

educational outcomes within Singapore. For example,

Some groups (i.e., the Chinese) in society appear to be still more highly educated than

others.

http://www.singstat.gov.sg/publications/publications_and_papers/GHS/general_household_survey_release1/chap2.pdf

It is also not clear if education provides the same returns in the economy for all segments of

the population. You may want to check the OECDs findings regarding gender at

http://www.oecd.org/employment/50423364.pdf

Thinking Points

Do you think we have complete equality of opportunities or outcomes in Singapore? To

what extent do you think equality of educational opportunities and outcomes has beenachieved in Singapore? Do you think these two equalities can co-exist? What are some of

the implications when these inequalities persist?

In the next section we will consider some arguments that have been used to explain why

some groups perform better than others in school.

However, at this point, it is useful to remember that although there may be inequalities in

outcomes withinSingapore, it is crucial to keep these inequalities in perspective. Even

though Malay students as a group may not have performed as well as their Chinese

counterparts in TIMSS, they still outperform students in other countries in this internationalstudy.
http://www.moe.gov.sg/media/press/2014/04/singapore-students-excel-in-thinking-flexibility.phphttp://www.moe.gov.sg/media/press/2014/04/singapore-students-excel-in-thinking-flexibility.phphttp://www.moe.gov.sg/media/press/2014/04/singapore-students-excel-in-thinking-flexibility.phphttp://www.oecd.org/employment/50423364.pdfhttp://www.oecd.org/employment/50423364.pdfhttp://www.oecd.org/employment/50423364.pdfhttp://www.moe.gov.sg/media/press/2014/04/singapore-students-excel-in-thinking-flexibility.phphttp://www.moe.gov.sg/media/press/2014/04/singapore-students-excel-in-thinking-flexibility.php


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Why does Inequality of Outcomes exist?

(When there is supposedly equality of opportunity)?

1. Biological Destiny

People who subscribe to this argument believe that there are inter-group

(racial/ethnic, male/female, rich/poor) differences in intelligence. Some groups are

innately superior and thus it is natural that some groups perform better than

others.

However, consider the following

Do IQ tests measure what is innate or what is learnt?

For example, would knowing the answer to the following question measure

ones intelligence?

Tennis is to racquet as baseball is to

a. Club c. Bat

b. Strike d. Home-run

(Note: The right answer is c.)

From this example, which incidentally was found in an American IQ test, it is

clear that tests often measure specific pieces of knowledge that is learned. Is itfair to conclude that someone has a lower IQ just because he/she was aware of

the equipment needed to play baseball?

It is also difficult to reduce thinking, reasoning, and other complex processes to

a single score. If one is believed to have multiple intelligences, can a single

score capture these intelligences?

Studies have shown that instead of being consistent, IQ scores for certain

racial/ethnic immigrant groups have risen over the years in the United States as

they integrated into society, get educated and move into the middle class.

2. Cultural Deprivation

According to this argument, some groups of people (usually individuals from a

certain racial/ethnic group, or from the lower social classes) are culturally inferior.

They are seen to hold cultural values (i.e., lazy, child rearing methods, inability to

delay gratification) that are the cause of their own failures in life.

However consider this


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In Japan, there is a group of people of Korean origin that are considered

culturally deprived. They seen to be dumb and violent and are found at the

bottom of the social ladder. However at the other end of the world, in

America, Korean immigrants, like most other Asian Americans, are in the

spotlight as the model minority. Their children do well in school and they are

constantly praised for their cultural values.

Why the difference between these two groups of Koreans? Shouldnt they be

the same since they are of Korean origin?

The difference is the social context. In Japan, the Koreans were inducted into

society when Korea was a Japanese colony. These Koreans were slave labour,

and if they received education, it was in segregated schools. This is in sharp

contrast to the positive experience of Koreans immigrants in the United States.

Thinking Point

Think about yourown beliefs about innate intelligence and cultural superiority in explaining

group differences. To what extent do you subscribe to them in how you interact with social

groups (racial/ethnic, gender, social class, people with intellectual or physical disabilities)

that are different from yours?

What other explanations could account for inequalities in outcomes among groups?

The Role of Teachers and School in Education

There is no simple explanation for inequalities in educational outcomes and it is not possible

to arrive at any definitive conclusion as to why they exist. However, the good news is that intheir classrooms, teachers can help to promote equality of outcomes by ensuring that all

students, regardless of their social backgrounds, are able to learn to the same extent. Put

differently, teachers can help to make their classrooms equitable (i.e., fair) for all students.

Tips for Teachers from Education Research

1. The influence of cultural capital

o Teachers may unintentionally value students who possess middle class cultural

capital, e.g., they are well-travelled, well-read, and visit museums, sometimes tothe extent of valuing them and their opinions even before objective assessment

is made. This could put students who are less fortunate at a disadvantage.

o Teachers need to be aware that parents come from different backgrounds and

working class parents often face language and time constraints that impede

parent-teacher interaction.

o Teachers also need to understand that all parents want their children to do well

even if sometimes their approaches are not always aligned to the middle class

cultural capital that schools value.


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2. Teacher Expectations

o In a now classic study Rosenthal and Jacobson (1968) identified to teachers

certain students as likely to have a mental growth spurt that year after

administering an IQ test. However, unknown to the teachers, the names of

students were randomly selected. At the end of the year, another test wasadministered and it was found that those that had been labeled as the

spurters made greater gains than the non spurters, especially at the first and

second grade (Primary 1 and 2) levels.

o Their conclusion (which has been confirmed by numerous later studies) was that

if teachers expect children to make more gains and treat them so, they are likely

to do so. This is a self-fulfilling prophecy in action.

o Teachers call on those of whom they have higher expectations. This means that

some students (possibly the students who need it most) may get neglected.

3. Treatment of Males and Females

o Boys receive more harsh punishment but also more praise from teachers. In

total they receive more of teachers attention and interact more with them. As a

result, girls may not obtain as much teacher attention.

o Girls often get praised for being obedient and helpful. As quietness is

encouraged, compared to boys, girls often do not feel comfortable making noise

and requesting for teachers attention. As a result, girls may remain silent evenwhen they need teachers help.

o Teachers may reinforce sex-role stereotypes in textbooks such as asking boys to

carry books while girls are responsible for cleanliness or care of plants.

Thinking Point

Have you experienced or observed differential treatment taking place in classrooms? What

are some examples? How did this affect the process learning that took place?

As a beginning teacher, what are some practices that you could introduce to make your

classrooms more equitable?

Conclusion

Singapore has no doubt made great progress in providing equality of opportunities to all her

citizens; although you can probably come up with examples where there still exist a few

avenues where some would argue that some groups are advantaged. However, because

there were already pre-existing social-structural inequalities that were inherited from Britishcolonial times (in terms of the education system and which groups had a head start in


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education), equality of outcomes has not been achieved. One may also argue that in a

meritocracy, where winners are rewarded due to their merit, inequality of educational

outcomes is inevitable.

The social reality is that students are embedded in a social context that is stratified on

numerous dimensions. When they come to schools, even though they might be of the sameage, they are not identical but are Chinese, Malay, Indians, males, females, being in the

middle class or upper class, etc. Given the salience of these social markers, it is also

tempting for teachers to classify and even account for students educational performance

based on these social groupings. However, as we have seen, this could unintentionally

hinder the learning of some groups.

Teachers are in a position to create a more equitable social context for teaching and

learning. Through this lecture, it should be clear that through classroom practices, teachers

could make a difference by ensuring that all of their students, regardless of racial/ethnic

background, social class, learning abilities or gender, can learn and maximise their ability ina meritocratic environment.

Recommended Readings

Lim, L. (2012). Elitism, egalitarianism and meritocracy: The PERI and SERI reports. IN Tan, J.

(ED.), Education in Singapore: Taking stock, looking forward(PP. 3350). Singapore:

Pearson.

Poon, K. (2012) The education of children with special needs: History, trends and futuredirections. In J. Tan (Ed.). Education in Singapore: Taking Stock, Looking Forward. Singapore:

Ministry of Education. (2013). Performance by ethnic group 2003-2011

http://www.moe.gov.sg/media/press/2013/11/10-year-trend-of-educational-performance-

2003-2012.php

Also read the recent Department of Statistics 2010 Census Key Findings, especially those

related to education.

http://www.singstat.gov.sg/statistics/browse_by_theme/education.html

Other Relevant Readings

Kang, T. (2011). Providing for Needy Students: Policies and initiatives. In W. Choy & C. Tan

(Eds.). Education Reform in Singapore: Critical Perspectives. Singapore: Pearson Prentice

Hall.

Kang, T. (2004). Schools and post-secondary aspirations among female Chinese, Malay and

Indian Normal stream students. In A.E. Lai (Ed.), Beyond Rituals and Riots: Ethnic Pluralism

and Social Cohesion in Singapore(pp. 146-171). Singapore: Eastern Universities Press.
http://www.moe.gov.sg/media/press/2013/11/10-year-trend-of-educational-performance-2003-2012.phphttp://www.moe.gov.sg/media/press/2013/11/10-year-trend-of-educational-performance-2003-2012.phphttp://www.moe.gov.sg/media/press/2013/11/10-year-trend-of-educational-performance-2003-2012.phphttp://www.singstat.gov.sg/statistics/browse_by_theme/education.htmlhttp://www.singstat.gov.sg/statistics/browse_by_theme/education.htmlhttp://www.singstat.gov.sg/statistics/browse_by_theme/education.htmlhttp://www.moe.gov.sg/media/press/2013/11/10-year-trend-of-educational-performance-2003-2012.phphttp://www.moe.gov.sg/media/press/2013/11/10-year-trend-of-educational-performance-2003-2012.php


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Kang, T. (2005). Creating Educational Dreams: The Intersection of Ethnicity, Families and

Schools.Singapore: Marshall Cavendish Academic.

This is a study of how female Normal Academic students from different ethnic backgrounds

negotiate their educational careers in the Normal stream, their families, and among their

peer groups. Through their quotes, you will get a vivid sense of how they experience

equality and inequality in schools.

Rosenthal, R. & Jacobson, L. (1968). Pygmalion in the Classroom. New York: Holt, Rinehart &

Winston.

Suggested Tutorial Discussion Topic

Singapore takes much pride in our meritocratic education system and the provision of

equality of educational opportunities for students. Yet, there have been ongoing discussions

about How meritocracy can breed intellectual elitism. (Chua, 2006) and how we need to be

careful of elitism in our system. What are your thoughts on this issue of meritocracy andelitism? Do you think there are grounds for such concerns? What do you think perpetuates

such elitism in the education system and what can you as teachers do about it?

How successful do you think our meritocratic educational system has been in closing the gap

between students from different social backgrounds? What are possible reasons for such

success or lack of success? How can teachers help create a more equitable environment in

classrooms/schools?

You can also consider how our education system caters for students with special needs and

challenges teachers face as they seek to create a more equitable environment inclassrooms/schools.

Reflection Question:

What do you consider as the most pressing concern with regard to inequalities within the

Singapore educational system? Give your reasons for why you think so. What can the

beginning teacher do to mitigate this inequality? Support your reflection with pertinent

examples and insights from the seminar as well as your own experience.


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Appendix A:

Increase in Tertiary Educational Qualifications among the General

Population, Women, Social Classes and Ethnic Groups

http://www.singstat.gov.sg/publications/publications_and_papers/education_and_literacy/

ssnmar13-pg1-7.pdf

The latest census data (2010) can be found at

http://www.singstat.gov.sg/publications/population.html#census_of_population

More historical statistics

Singapore Population with Tertiary Qualifications (in percent)

Year Polytechnic University1965 2% 4%

1995 37% 20%

Source: Census of the Population 1965, 1995.

Women in Tertiary Institutions in 1998 (in percent)

1998

University 51.6% (31.3% in 1960!)

NIE 70.9%

Polytechnics 47.1%

Housing Type of University Students (in percent)

Housing Type Year

1980 1990

Private Houses/

Private Flats

39.5% 23.0%

1-3 room HDB flats 27.9% 32.0%

Source: Cited in Chang, H. Y. (1995). Singapore: Education and Change of Class Stratification. Southeast Asian

Studies, 32(4):469.

Comments:

Data on the relationship between social class of students and their educational qualification

are considered sensitive and hence are not easily available. As a result, research often has to

utilize proxies like housing type. In his work, Chang (1995) focused on what he considered

the upper and lower end of social class by using housing type as a proxy. What we do see

from the table is that the percentage of students from the lower class in universities hasincreased 4.1 percentage points (from 27.9% to 32%) while those from the upper class has
http://www.singstat.gov.sg/publications/population.html#census_of_populationhttp://www.singstat.gov.sg/publications/population.html#census_of_populationhttp://www.singstat.gov.sg/publications/population.html#census_of_population


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fallen 16.5 percentage points (from 39.5% to 23%) from 1980 to 1990. These data also seem

to suggest that there has been an increase in students from 4-5 room HDB flats entering

university in the 10-year period.

Chua Mui Hoong, How meritocracy can breed intellectual elitism. The Straits Times,November 10, 2006. p. 37.


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Goh Chin Lian, 'Meritocracy works but beware of elitism: ESM Goh'

The Sunday Times, 21 July 2013. p. 1


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TOPIC 3

Stakeholders in Singapore Education

Lana Khong, PhD

Introduction

As student teachers and successful graduates of the Singapore system of education, you

will, after many years of schooling in Singapore, realise that education in Singapore occurs in

a dynamic global context of economic, political, and cultural change. These changes are

driven in part by ongoing developments in information and communications technology

(ICT) and other innovations, but primarily by a political will based overwhelmingly on the

economic imperative to keep Singapore successful in the global marketplace. What does

globalization refer to, and why does it matter for you, as beginning teachers? How does it

relate to this topic of working with school stakeholders such as parents and the wider

community?

Globalization is a multi-dimensional concept referring to complex processes of change

brought about by rapid flows of information, trade and financial investment, physical

movements and migration of people, international aid, social and territorial organization of

goods and technology, around the world. Singapores leaders continually seek to position

the nation as a vibrant, liveable, global city that is a hub of several of these desirable global

products and services. Several criteria and data are used to measure this, including

economic integration (trade and foreign direct investments), technological connectivity

(Internet users, hosts and secure servers), and international connectedness (telephone

traffic, remittances, travel and tourism), and many others. In using such indicators, the 2014

Global Competitiveness Index ranked Singapore 1stin the Asia-Pacific and overall 2nd among

144 nations (after Switzerland) as the most competitive economy in the world. It is ranked

1st for lack of corruption, government efficiency, as well as development of financial

markets. In terms of the Human Development Index which compares measures of life

expectancy, literacy, education, standards of living, and quality of life, Singapore is also

among the nations listed as attaining very high development, in fact, ranked 9th

in the

world (UNDP, 2014).

Regardless of which specific comparative globalization, or competitiveness indicators areused, Singapore is often mentioned as one of the best performers on the world stage, quite

an achievement for one of its tiniest nations in terms of physical size. Based on the results of

such international evaluations, it should be clear that the Singapore government has been

largely successful in its policy-making to constantly restructure Singapores physical, social,

economic, cultural and political landscape, maintaining this tiny dot of a nation as a highly-

competitive global player. Since the traditional sources of competitive advantage (natural

resources, land, capital and labour) are less important in the knowledge-based global

economy as compared to the generation and transmission of intellectual capital, education

is now more than ever the top priority for policy-makers. In fact, the close link between

education and the economy was noted by Minister of Education, Heng Swee Keat, whorecently declared in a speech entitled Education for Competiveness and Growth that


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education not only creates a virtuous circle to support and drive a countrys

competitiveness, but is a vital resource to be harnessed to improve economic outcomes.

This, therefore, has direct implications for our nations teachers, as a whole. (Reflect on

some of the policy initiatives covered in Topic 2).

Singapores strong focus on education, and the high quality of her teachers, is widely

recognised as key for the building of human capital, seen in the mastery of essential skillsand competencies for her people operating successfully in the global economy. Knowledge

(not just information) - its application to real-world situations and problems and the

generation of creative and innovative ideas and solutions - is widely accepted as the new

base for national wealth creation and economic competitiveness and clearly has direct

implications for schools and teachers, at all levels, across the island. You may be interested

in a report published by McKinsey (2007) that cited Singapore as one of the worlds best

performing school systems. (They also published a follow-up 2010 report that you may like

to read.) The 2007 report suggested that the 3 most important factors of Singapores

success related to getting the right people to be teachers, developing them into effective

instructors through continuous professional development, and ensuring that the systemdelivers targeted support to ensure the best possible instruction for every child. As one of

these future teachers, I hope you enter the teaching service committed to developing your

professional skills and competencies as fully as possible, and aligning your personal goals to

being the best teacher you can be.

Referring to earlier policy initiatives that led to structural and substantive changes in

education to help the younger generation keep up with real-world needs, a former

Minister for Education, Mr. Tharman Shanmugaratnam, stated the underlying rationale for

introducing a more broad-based and holistic education, and the role of teachers, as follows:

We have in recent years entered a new phase in education that promotes

diversity, choice and flexibility. These will be essential features of an

education system that seeks to groom new generations of Singaporeans

to take on new challenges, challenges that will be less defined than those

of the past, and always shifting.

We have to create diverse paths, give young Singaporeans more choices

in education and encourage them to run with their passions. That way, we

stand the best chance of nurturing a generation of diverse talents able to

create new opportunities for themselves and for Singapore Teachers arethe catalysts for this change, in education and ultimately in society.

Teachers Conference June 2004

Eight years later, with a focus on character education and citizenship coming to the fore, the

current Education Minister reiterated that not only are quality teachers necessary for

providing quality teaching, but they also need to understand and synthesise diverse

worldviews, while remaining grounded in local culture and context (Heng, 2012a). Thus,

one of the 5 essential qualities expected of todays teachers is to be community builders

who know how to collaborate with stakeholders to help students develop into concernedcitizens and active contributors to the nation. He reinforced this idea in his keynote speech


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at the 2012 Workplan seminar (Heng, 2012b) by emphasizing what I call the vision of the 4

Everys, namely:

Every Student, an Engaged Learner

Every School, a Good School

Every Teacher, a Caring Educator

Every Parent, a Supportive Partner.

This expectation that teachers need to work effectively with stakeholders to support all

students may cause you, as a student teacher, some anxiety, but it is definitely a

competency that will enhance and complement your core work of classroom teaching. This

topic will give you an opportunity to examine the ways Singapore-style education is

expanding beyond school walls, and understand that schools by themselves cannot do the

vital work of education today. Given this context, teachers will need to engage other

stakeholders in successfully carrying out the core business of teaching.

Changing Schools, Changing Teachers

You are entering the education profession at a very challenging time. Unlike when you were

in school as students, nowadays good teaching is much less about transmitting or

delivering facts, information and subject knowledge, and producing exam-smart,

academically high-achieving, students. While this is still important, the structure and

content of schooling has shifted focus from quantity to quality, efficiency to choice, from

preparing students for exams to preparing them for life and the world of work. Look up

and read MOE speeches and press releases for changes in the past decade; for example, the

Direct School Admission scheme, the Integrated Programme in selected secondary schools,specialized independent schools such as the Sports School, SOTA, and the NUS High School

for Mathematics and Science, alternative qualifications such as the International

Baccalaureate Diploma, and changes to the education of normal stream students, special

needs pupils and those with disabilities (eg. Enabling Masterplan 2012-2016). The Education

Ministry is also allowing a greater diversity and choice in the JC/Upper Secondary and

Normal stream curricula, as well as the tertiary levels of university and polytechnic

education, actively encouraging new pedagogies and teaching methods throughout the

system, and allowing schools to devise new curricula and new modes of assessment

according to their unique needs. Bottom-up initiatives and approaches are now expected to

bubble up from the ground-level, rather than the previous top-down, one-size-fits-all,mass fixes of the past (Topic 2 will also talk about these).

Education, and the nature of schooling, in Singapore is continually undergoing changes in

the ways teaching and learning take place, both in and out of school compounds. This has

direct implications for you as teachers and the ways you conduct yourselves in interacting

with your students, the main stakeholders of schools, and inspiring them to explore new

possibilities for themselves. Think, for instance, of the many hats teachers today are

required to wear: teacher, mentor, facilitator, coach, counsellor, just to name the main

ones. The changing educational and social landscape thus presents new challenges to

teachers in relating well to parents and other caregivers, and building synergisticrelationships for learning with other external stakeholders such as community agencies,


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private enterprises, business organizations, public sector bodies, and even international

schools and industry.

What does the term stakeholders mean?

In education (and also in government and business), this refers to persons, groups ororganizations that have an interest in and concern for education and its outcomes. Different

stakeholders may have very different agendas and priorities that may bring about tensions

that need to be managed well so that these become creative and productive, rather than

destructive, forces. School practitioners need to learn new skills to confidently, effectively,

and authentically engage their own particular pool of stakeholders to build useful

partnerships that support the learning of a diverse range of students with a diverse range of

abilities (not just the best or most capable ones). Read Khong (2012) for a short discussion

of the growth of strategic partnerships between schools and stakeholders. In addition, you

need to remember that students and families themselves are also undergoing many internal

and external pressures that directly impact on schooling and learning, another critical aspectof change that will challenge the work that teachers do.

Working with Stakeholders: Parents and Students

At the 2007 MOE Workplan Seminar, the then Education Minister Tharman

Shanmugaratnam highlighted the need in our education system to ensure equality of

opportunity for students from all backgrounds.

By investing in quality across the board, we make sure that Singaporeremains a place where it is your ability and effort that determine success,

not who your parents are or where you start off from. We must remain a

place where education is a path for social mobility, from one generation to

the nextWe have to keep a system in Singapore where every student is

motivated to put in his best effort, and is given the best opportunity to

move up through education.We have an ability-based system, but it is one

that opens up ladders all along the way, so that it is driven by each

students aspirations. We are not saying this is what you are capable of,

and this is as far as you can go. What we are saying is lets help you find

your strengths, and help you get to where you want to go.

I have pointed out elsewhere (Khong, 2008) that parents in Singapore are a formidable force

to be reckoned with. This is largely due to the fact that we have a meritocratic system that

rewards school success without accounting for family background (See Topic 2 for more on

this). It was recently pointed out by the Minister that local students who come from the

bottom 1/3 of home backgrounds (in terms of housing type and parents education levels)

have a 50% chance of making it into the top 2/3 of PSLE performers. They also have a 50%

chance of being in the top 2/3 of performers at the O-levels in our secondary schools

(Tharman, 2007), indicating that social mobility is taking place to some extent, unlike in

several other developed countries where there is a widening gap between public andprivate schooling. Education is thus seen by students and parents as a highly effective


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vehicle for long-term social and economic mobility. This adds to the pressure and climate of

competitiveness students and their parents work under in trying to ensure schooling

success. This also affects the way parents and students relate to new teachers like you.

Recall some of the horror stories you may have heard in the staff room, or from teachers

you know, about dealing with difficult parents and students.

In the following paragraphs extracted from the MOE Planning Document 2001 2005, the

strategic issue of parental involvement is highlighted as becoming a fundamental challenge

in the operating climate of schools in the next few years.

It is open to debate whether we can continue to achieve our educational ob-

jectives in the future without playing a more pro-active role in facilitating or

augmenting effective parenting. Given the existing trends in family structure,

there is a good possibility that more families in the future will not be able to

provide good home care and guidance. Under such circumstances, we may

have to review our role in this area, so as to ensure that we can continueto accomplish our mission.

Second, for a significant part of the population, we will see the opposite

trend of greater parental interest and involvement in the education of their

children. As parents become more educated, they will expect and demand

more of schools and teachers. Increasingly, they will want to have a greater say in

the running of schools and be more vocal in their views of the education their

children are receiving.

MOE must be prepared to manage the different expectations of this newgeneration of parents, and harness them as a force to uplift the quality of

education in our schools.

At the same time, students today are also changing with the times. As a member of

Generation Y (supposedly born between 1997-1994), you are somewhat different from your

own parents in terms of values and lifestyle. Similarly, your students from Generation M

(or Z, said to be born between 1995 to 2012)), may be quite different from you in these

respects. Rapid changes and the post-traditional social order which is a result of

globalization have brought about much loss of traditional, more conservative ways of doingthings, as well as the concurrent rise of alternative views and values. A simple but clear

example is the ease and familiarity of youths today with computers and technologically

mediated forms of communication. This gives them easy access to increasing, and vastly

different, sources of knowledge and ideas freely dispensed by both experts and non-

experts around the world. As a result, they are much more vocal and ready to challenge,

even defy, traditional authority figures such as their parents and teachers. An example is the

phenomenon of students flaming not only peers but also their teachers on their blogs and

posting classroom and school happenings on Facebook and other public Internet platforms.

Recent surveys also show a widening psychological and emotional gap between the current

generation of youths who are Internet-savvy digital natives and their parents (andteachers!) who are far less sophisticated users of IT. Another rising trend is that of the youth


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displaying much more willingness to explore and experiment with their sexuality, and at

much younger ages. There is also a rising trend for young people, both female and male, to

fall prey to online predators. These changes occurring in the current generation of youth

often leave parents and teachers at a loss as to how to guide and discipline them

appropriately.

Changes in family structures and stability through the increasing incidence of divorce and

the breakdown of parent-child relationships add a further challenge to teachers who want

to support their students learning and all-round development. Indeed, if you are a young

teacher, you may not be exempt from such challenges in your personal world. How do you

then, in

Documents

QED 530 Course Notes