Recent Developments in Education in Singapore

This analysis of recent developments and trends in education in Singapore attempts to show how a government through a pragmatic approach to education and nation-building has tried to resolve, within the framework of a number of unchanging parameters, some of the problems posed by constant social change and a rapidly changing national and global economy. The parameters are the multiracial and multilingual nature of Singapore society, the maximisation of the potential in all its young citizens through the provision of educational opportunities, and the maintenance of equality of treatment and opportunity for all, irrespective of ethnicity, religion and language. In the final analysis, the central tenets of an ideology underpinning the education system are identified.     

Bridging the gap: a longitudinal study of the relationship between pedagogical continuity and early Chinese literacy acquisition

This longitudinal study examined the relationship between pedagogical continuity in literacy education and early literacy development by comparing Chinese children in Hong Kong and Shenzhen. Stratified random sampling was used to select 24 preschool and Primary 1 classes in four communities catering to middle‐class families in each city. The 24 teachers were interviewed about their teaching methods and views on pedagogical continuity in individual sessions. Further, their teaching activities were videotaped over a period of a week. Their students (n = 758) completed a Chinese literacy attainment test at the beginning and at the end of the same academic year. Analyses indicated that Hong Kong students outperformed their Shenzhen counterparts in Chinese literacy attainment, at both preschool and primary levels, concurrently and longitudinally. This suggests that the holistic approach followed in Hong Kong might have a more positive impact on children's literacy development than the approach followed in Shenzhen. Implications of the findings for early childhood curriculum reform are discussed.     

Mundi: articulating a post-Umbrella common(s)

ABSTRACT

This paper shares the experiences of an emergent collective of young intellectuals in Hong Kong and its recent project, Mundi, which consists of publication, activist research and communal transmission of knowledge. The project negotiates the notion and practice of “common” at the limit, from within the historical experience of Hong Kong, between academia and public intellectuals, global universalism and local particularism, and colonial knowledge and everyday urban practice. Affected by an intense desire to analyse and theorise the reality of Hong Kong, Mundi engages in a long process of decolonising knowledge production. The paper also explores how Mundi responds to the demand of the present post-Umbrella Hong Kong situation by problematising and re-articulating the common.     

Functional Objectives in Language Learning Project: An Interim Report

The purpose of the Functional Objectives in Language Learning Project (FOLL) is two-fold:

? to identify what may be called “functional objectives” in language learning (in English, Chinese, Malay and Tamil) at three grade levels, viz. Primary 6 Normal (P6N), Secondary 4 Normal (S4N) and Secondary 4 Express (S4E), and

? to determine empirically how realistic or attainable these objectives are for pupils at each of the three grade levels.     

A flexible framework for online collaborative learning

This paper presents a framework for online collaborative learning, also known as telecollaboration. At the centre of this flexible framework are online collaborative educational experiences where knowledge creation and knowledge in action are the nexus of social, teaching and cognitive presence based on the Community of Inquiry model of Garrison, Anderson and Archers [Garrison, D.R., Anderson, T., and Archer, W. (1999). Critical thinking in a text-based environment: Computer conferencing in higher education. Internet and Higher Education, 2(2–3), 87–105]. The framework provided should guide educators as they design, develop and implement authentic educational experiences within local, national or international settings in partnership with other educational stakeholders.     

A Comprehensive Review of Educational Technology on Objective Learning Outcomes in Academic Contexts

Educational Psychology Review - Rapid advances in technology during the last few decades have provided a multitude of new options for teaching and learning. Although technology is being widely...     

Distance education: The future of library and information services requirements

This paper considers the role of library support for distance learning activities at the University of Surrey, with specific reference to the MA in Linguistics (TESOL) and the MSc in English Language Teaching Management. These courses represent a major challenge to support services for distance learners, as the students have no face‐to‐facc contact with staff, and most of them live and work overseas. Firstly the courses are described as operating along a number of clines that define a distance learning operation, and the issue of resource support is considered. We then turn to the role of the library in supporting distance learning students, and consider the ways in which the role of the library in distance learning programs is expanding and changing to meet the challenges of the future. The specific example of the Distance Learners’ Information Service (DiLIS) of the George Edwards Library (GEL) is presented as an example of good practice.     

Technology‐rich inquiry science in urban classrooms: What are the barriers to inquiry pedagogy?*

What are the barriers to technology‐rich inquiry pedagogy in urban science classrooms, and what kinds of programs and support structures allow these barriers to be overcome? Research on the pedagogical practices within urban classrooms suggests that as a result of many constraints, many urban teachers' practices emphasize directive, controlling teaching, that is, the “pedagogy of poverty” (Haberman, 1991 ), rather than the facilitation of students' ownership and control over their learning, as advocated in inquiry science. On balance, research programs that advocate standards‐based or inquiry teaching pedagogies demonstrate strong learning outcomes by urban students. This study tracked classroom research on a technology‐rich inquiry weather program with six urban science teachers. The teachers implemented this program in coordination with a district‐wide middle school science reform. Results indicated that despite many challenges in the first year of implementation, students in all 19 classrooms of this program demonstrated significant content and inquiry gains. In addition, case study data comprised of twice‐weekly classroom observations and interviews with the six teachers suggest support structures that were both conducive and challenging to inquiry pedagogy. Our work has extended previous studies on urban science pedagogy and practices as it has begun to articulate what role the technological component plays either in contributing to the challenges we experienced or in helping urban science classrooms to realize inquiry science and other positive learning values. Although these data outline results after only the first year of systemic reform, we suggest that they begin to build evidence for the role of technology‐rich inquiry programs in combating the pedagogy of poverty in urban science classrooms. © 2002 John Wiley & Sons, Inc. J Res Sci Teach 39: 128‐150, 2002     

Trait procrastination,self-efficacy and achievement goals: the mediation role of boredom coping strategies

Limited research has examined the mediational role of coping strategy in students’ motivation and procrastination. In this study, we examined the relationships among self-efficacy, achievement goals, boredom coping strategies and procrastination with 506 Chinese college students. Data were collected via questionnaires. Structural equation modelling results showed that both self-efficacy and approach goals significantly predicted approach-oriented coping strategies, and avoidance goals significantly predicted avoidance-oriented coping strategies. Among the different types of boredom coping strategies, only behavioural avoidance coping strategy significantly predicted procrastination. Hence, the mediating link was only found between avoidance goals, behavioural avoidance coping strategy and procrastination. Implications of the mediating role of behavioural avoidance coping strategy in the goal-procrastination relationship were further discussed.