MARCH 2011 No. 75 - NIE Digital Repository - National Institute of ...

MARCH 2011 No. 75ISSN 0218-4427

Contents02 Editor’s Say03 CORPORATE DEVELOPMENT03 The Secret of Finland’s Educational Success04 Urban Education Summit: NIE Dean Gives PanelAddress at New York City Hall05 NIE Faculty Honoured with Asia-Pacific EducationalResearch Association (APERA) Awards05 The Second Conference Of The Asia-Pacific Consortiumon Chinese Teaching06 NIE and SRI (International) Signs Refreshed MOU06 Nurturing Talent Through Value Creation07 E-Fiesta 201108 Renowned Golfer Adam Scott Visits NIE08 Makeover of NIE Library Website in 2011!09 Kudos to NIE’s Good Samaritans!09 Prominent Visitors10 SPECIAL FEATURE10 21 st Century Teachers Call for 21 st CenturyTeacher Educators12 RESEARCH12 Transforming Teaching, Inspiring Learning12 Dean’s Commendation for Research14 NIE Faculty Garners Renowned TESOL Award forDistinguished Research 201014 Through the Eyes of the Child15 Realising an NIE-Wide Research Agenda16 ALUMNI16 A Celebration of the Passion to Teach!18 Enhancing Pedagogical Skills for Teacher Trainers19 Learning Across the Land: My Fulbright Experience20 Keeping the Passion AliveNIE News is published quarterly by the Public, Internationaland Alumni Relations Department, National Institute ofEducation, SingaporeNIE News is also available at www.nie.edu.sg/nienewsIf you prefer to receive the online version of NIE News,and/or update your particulars, please inform:The Editorial Team, NIE News1 Nanyang Walk, Singapore 637616Tel: +65 6790 3034 • Fax: +65 6896 8874Email: nienews@nie.edu.sgEditorial TeamDr Christopher Ward, Patricia Campbell, Vivien Lee,Wendy GohPhotographerWilliam OhEditor’s SayThis issue of NIE News focuses on the 21st Centuryteacher and 21 st Century teacher educators. In his AnnualAddress at the TE 21 Summit, Professor Lee Sing Kong,Director, NIE, reminded us all of the central focus, theimportance of equipping teachers with the values, skills andknowledge that will equip our 21 st Century learners with 21 stCentury competencies.To help our learners, the 21 st Century teachers must havegood basic digital skills and be open to the adoption andlearning of new technologies that they can use to completetheir administrative work, develop their own knowledge andteaching materials, and inform and motivate their learners.They need to be innovative but focused on what will beuseful to them and their learners.By the time they leave school, our learners need to havedeveloped the right digital skills. Social networking mightbe fun but, on its own, it is insufficient. They also needgood word-processing skills, an ability to use spreadsheets,an eye for communicative layout and skills specific to theprofession they have chosen.Our learners also need to have the right values in theiruse of technology. A recent survey showed that manyyoung people in Singapore did not seem to understand thedangers associated with an online presence that opensthem to abuse. They need help in developing a suitable setof ethics that encompasses such things as a respect forother people’s privacy, a recognition of intellectual property,an avoidance of plagiarism and a distaste for gossip.Finally, our learners need to be discriminating regardingwhat they see or hear. The Internet is a wonderful resourcethrough which we can gather a lot of useful information.Unfortunately, it is also a source of just as muchmisinformation. Our students haveto learn how to recognise theuseful from the dangerous.Preparing learners in all theseareas has become part ofthe job of the 21 st Centuryteacher. It is a big task butnot one that they can avoid.As teacher educators, it isincumbent on us to prepare ourteachers in the same way.The technology is hereto stay. We all need toensure that it is usedsafely, wisely andappropriately.CORPORATEDEVELOPEMENTThe Secret of Finland’s Educational SuccessBy Office of Education ResearchNo examinations and hardly any homework for students.A decentralised school system with no inspectorate. Highstudent performance with few differences between schools.These qualities of Finland’s education system never fail toimpress educators each time they are recounted.Finnish Professor of Education, Professor Hannele Niemi,says she is often asked: “What is our secret?”Is it the free lunch that every student is entitled to each day?The free transport and provision of basic materials for school?Or the high level of autonomy given to schools and teachers?“The main reason for high quality learning outcomes is highquality teachers,” says Professor Niemi, who was invitedto give the fourth CJ Koh Professorial Lecture. The publiclecture was held at the NTU Alumni Club on 28 October 2010.Speaking to an audience of over 200 teachers and teachereducators, Professor Niemi shared insights on the successesand challenges of Finland’s education system. While thereis “a complex of practices” and “mutually interactive factors”,she noted that the trust invested by Finnish society in theteaching profession is vital.“We, as a society, see them as intellectuals and professionals,”she explains. “We support and respect them as role models.”The teachers, in turn, are highly committed and have a strongsense of responsibility to their stakeholders – students, parents,and society at large.“What about Finnish policies?” asks a member of theaudience. “Education policies must constantly adapt tothe education landscape,” says Professor Niemi. Sheemphasised that it has taken over 35 years for Finland’sGuests present at the CJ Koh Professorial lectureeducation system to develop into what it is today. Thedecentralisation of control to individual municipalitiesand schools occurred gradually as their teachers becameincreasingly qualified.This has been due in large part to Finland’s teachereducation programme. All Finnish teachers undergo afive-year research-based Master’s level programme thatintegrates theory and practice. This not only ensures thatthey are grounded in the latest research on pedagogy, butalso equips them to seek and use evidence to analyse thecomplex situations that they face as teachers.Professor Niemi also spoke on the topic of “MultidisciplinaryResearch on Learning for Promoting Quality in Teaching andLearning” at a seminar for NIE staff on 27 October 2010. Sheexplored how learning environments and the very conceptof learning have changed radically, and what this means forteaching and learning today.The challenge, as Finland has discovered, is to see “life aslearning”. For teachers, this means equipping students withskills for “boundless learning” throughout their lives. Finland’ssuccess continues to challenge us to redefine the boundariesof teaching and learning.Professor Hannele Niemi is a Professor of Education atthe University of Helsinki. She is also Chair of the CrossdisciplinaryInitiative for Collaborative Efforts of Researchon Learning (CICERO) Network, which does multidisciplinaryresearch on learning. Over the past twenty years, she hasplayed a leading role in shaping education in Finland, andpublished widely in the area of educational research andteacher education.Professor Hannele Niemi giving the CJ Koh Professorial Lecture2 |NIE NIE |3

(From right) Dr Curt Carlson, SRI (International), Professor Lee Sing Kong, Director,NIE and Professor Looi Chee Kit, NIE, at the signing of the MOU between NIE andSRI (International)Professor Lee Sing Kong, Director, NIE, signed anupdated Memorandum of Understanding between NIE andSRI International (SRI) with Dr Curt Carlson, CEO SRIInternational, on 18th January 2011.Following the first MOU signed on 13 June 2007, SRI and NIEhave collaborated over three years with the following signatureaccomplishments:Launching the Math 180 project in which NIE facultycontributed mathematics education expertise to the designof an integrated mathematics intervention product forstruggling students.Nurturing TalentThe culture and mindset of the 21 st Century educationalinstitution is one that fosters students and staff in generatingnew ideas and developing strong process design skills inorder to develop innovations of value. NIE together withSRI International (SRI) formed a collaboration to addressa number of areas in education that impact 21 st Centurylearning. One of the areas is the Nurturing Talent Programmethat specifically addresses educators and learners. Withthis in mind, NIE and SRI have co-developed and started aworkshop programme that emphasises systematic processesand goals for innovation in education.The recent four-day workshop conducted in September 2010saw participants from the Ministry of Education, primaryand secondary schools coming together to glean insightson research-based practices that impact school practices,expose themselves to techniques in creating value andNIE and SRI (International)signs refreshed MOUBy Professor Looi Chee Kit,Centre of Excellence in Learning InnovationDelivering innovation workshops to teachers, schoolleaders and Ministry of Education officials.Further developing the GroupScribbles innovationand building a GroupScribbles scale-up program inSingapore schools.The updated MOU provides for a framework of furthercollaboration between SRI and NIE, with a view to ensuring aneffective and mutually beneficial co-operation while maintainingalignment with the overall goals, context and strategic aims ofSRI and NIE. Tapping on the strengths of SRI and NIE, bothparties agree to pursue continued joint activities, including:The joint development of a sustainable business model forinnovation workshops;Further research on innovation;Through Value CreationSeeking more funding opportunities to carry out researchon student learning; andIdentifying and exploiting new opportunities beyond Math 180.By Anwar Chan,Centre of Excellence for Innovationin Education (COELI)Nurturing Talent Workshop September 2010 Facilitators and Participantsdevelop a greater awareness in recognising opportunities thataid in creating and sustaining innovations in schools.Workshop programme facilitators from both SRI and NIEwere on-hand to share their knowledge and understandingon frameworks, tools and techniques and experiences withinnovation process tools that participants can use throughouttheir careers.This workshop programme is a fine example of how theCentre of Excellence in Learning Innovation at NIE bringstogether the core strengths of both organisations in order tobenefit Singapore’s educators.For more information on the Nurturing Talent Programme,please visit http://www.nie.edu.sg/research-centres/centreexcellence-learning-innovation.By Eric Yeo, Office of Teacher Education and Pratima Majal, Centre for E-LearningThe way people access information, communicate andcollaborate online has changed due to easy access to theInternet and a wide range of mobile devices. It is crucial tounderstand the implications of these developments on theway learners interact online. NIE’s e-Fiesta theme providedthe opportunity to consider these challenges in the context ofteaching and learning with technology that encourages social,open and mobile learning environments.The e-Fiesta 2011 was jointly organised by the Office ofTeacher Education (OTE), the Centre for e-Learning (CeL)and the Bachelor of Science Club (BSc Club). Each year, theevent strives to provide an opportunity for student teachersand lecturers to see what trends are emerging in e-learning inSingapore and beyond.This year the event took place on the 26 January. Theceremony was graced by the presence of Professor LeeSing Kong, Director, NIE. In his opening address, ProfessorLee reiterated that 21 st Century teachers call for 21 st Centuryteacher educators.The profile of students in schools and the newer generation ofstudent teachers are changing. Students and student teachers,being “digital natives”, are technologically savvy and fluentwith the use of technology in their everyday lives. Teachersand teacher educators, being “digital immigrants” need tokeep pace with new technologies or risk being disconnectedfrom the new generation if they do not move out of the20th Century mindset. NIE, as the sole teacher preparationinstitute in Singapore, has to play its part in keeping abreast ofeducational technology.Mr Lim Boon Tat from the Singapore Google Educators Group,and Mr Yee Jenn En, Solutions Engineer from Blackboard Inc,gave interesting keynote presentations during the openingceremony. Mr Lim’s presentation on “A New Paradigm: Openand Social Learning” gave a fresh perspective on how socialnetworking has changed the way people interact and work,Professor Lee Sing Kong, Director, NIE,said, “Nobody will blame us if we do notknow everything but people will blame usif we do not tap on the potential (of usingtechnology in education).”2011highlighting that this was an opportunity to connect withand engage learners. He also espoused the idea of openlearning and the spirit of sharing, so as to optimise creativityand innovation. Mr Yee followed with a showcase of the latestin Blackboard functions that allowed easy communicationwith students through mobile technology. The showcaseillustrated that learning could happen anytime and anywherewith mobile technology.With lively panel discussions, best practice demonstrationsand hands-on workshops, participants got the chanceto experience a diverse range of e-learning tools andtechnologies specifically focused on social, open and mobilelearning. These included learning in virtual environments suchas Second Life, learning through video games, sharing andlicensing materials under Creative Commons and using mobileaugmented reality applications.The participants found the concurrent sessions highlyengaging and stimulating. Here is a Wordle that summarisedtheir experiences.The organising committee would like tothank all speakers for their time and effort inmaking this annual e-Fiesta a success!NIE looks forward toseeing staff andstudent teachersin 2012 for thenext e-Fiesta!6 |NIE NIE |7

SPECIALFEATURETE 21 Summit featuring Director’s Annual Address:21 st CenturyTeachers Call for 21 st CenturyTeacher EducatorsBy Strategic Planning and Corporate Services DepartmentOn 2 November 2010, Professor Lee Sing Kong, Director,NIE, delivered his Annual Address to staff which also kickstartedthe one-day TE 21 Summit event. The TE 21 Summit wasconceived as a platform to share and showcase teaching andresearch initiatives that will be instrumental in keeping NIE atthe forefront of 21 st Century teacher education.In his address, Professor Lee shared NIE’s key achievementsunder the five-year strategic plan, better known as the 3:3:3Roadmap, and the significantstrides that have been madein teaching, researchand enabling corporatesupport over the lastthree years. The listof accomplishmentscovered the spectrumof new programmes, theimpact of NIE’s leadershipin the internationaleducation fraternity,the growing inroads made by our research endeavours, thestrengthening of our relationships with key stakeholders, andthe international awards and accolades bestowed on NIEfaculty by their peers.With NIE at the midway point of the 3:3:3 Roadmap, ProfessorLee emphasised that more needs to be done to realise thevision of “an institute of distinction”. He outlined the four keyinitiatives that will drive our strategy in the next two to threeyears: TE 21 implementation; Research Development andInnovation Masterplan; Enterprise Architecture in tandem withthe Human Capital Masterplan; and LIBRIS21.The theme of this year’s Annual Address was “21 st CenturyTeachers Call for 21 st Century Teacher Educators.” With theTE 21 initiative at the core of NIE’s teaching strategy, ProfessorLee reiterated its importance in enabling NIE to play a strategicrole in meeting the changing needs of Singapore’s educationsystem. He reminded all staff that in order to transform teachereducation, NIE’s faculty must put the 21 st Century learner atthe heart of our educational goals and equip teachers with theAre they teaching or goofing around? Staff from the Physical Education and SportsScience Academic Group’s sharing session show you can do both using smart gamesas a pedagogical toolvalues, skills and knowledge that will equip our 21 st Centurylearners with 21 st Century competencies. In calling on allfaculty to adopt the mantle of 21 st Century teacher educators,he shared his thoughts on the key attributes that make up a21 st Century teacher educator - one who strives for continuousimprovement in teaching and research; is open to learningand sharing; and more importantly, is a role model to studentteachers. He also encouraged staff to apply relevant andinnovative pedagogies. To move the TE 21 initiative forward,he stressed that a culture of sharing and learning must beestablished within NIE. Platforms need to be created forAcademic Groups (AGs) and faculty members to shareand learn about best practices. NIE must also leverage oninformation from research to improve our programmes.The TE 21 Summit which followed Professor Lee’s Addressexemplified the kind of sharing platform that hopefully willbecome an integral feature of the academic landscape withinNIE. The programme comprised a line-up of presentations,workshops and sharing sessions by NIE staff, MOE policyofficers and external trainers. Professor David Hogan, PrincipalResearch Scientist, Office of Education Research, presenteda session on “Current and Future Pedagogies in SingaporeSchools”, which was followed by sharing by the e-PortfolioHands up if you’re having fun! NIE’s management and corporate services officers getinto the swing of things at a workshop tailored for themproject team on the pilot and its anticipated impact on NIE’sITP programmes. Three MOE divisions were invited to sharethe latest developments on key initiatives for 21 st CenturyCompetencies, ICT in Schools and Holistic Assessmentunder PERI. All AGs mounted sharing sessions on their goodpedagogies which were as varied as using games, videos andother alternative approaches to teaching and learning.Management and corporate services officers (MCSO) hada programme specially tailored to encourage them to tapinto their creativity and unearth their innovative talents.Recognising that MCSOs play a crucial role in supportingNIE’s teaching and research strategy goals, they too must beequipped with the right skills and tools to achieve higher levelsof performance.In an evaluation survey conducted after the Summit,respondents gave an enthusiastic ‘thumbs up’ for the event.They appreciated Director’s Annual Address for the insightit provided on NIE’s achievements and ongoing strategicinitiatives as well as the opportunity to play a role, as membersof the NIE community, in contributing to its success. Manyideas and suggestions were also forthcoming in how futureevents could shape up.Professor David Hogan, PrincipalResearch Scientist, Office ofEducation Research (OER)addressing the audience on OER’sresearch findings on “Current andFuture Pedagogies in SingaporeSchools”Professor Looi Chee Kit, Head, Centre of Excellence for Learning Innovation, sharingresearch-based innovations in schools, highlighting mobile-learning projectsCentre for e-Learning staff showcasing how iPads could be the next big thing inclassroom learningProfessor Lee Sing Kong, Director, NIE, sharing NIE’s key achievements under the3:3:3 Roadmap in his address to staff10 |NIE NIE |11

TRANSFORMINGTEACHING,INSPIRING LEARNINGBy Office of Teacher EducationCome join us at the fourth Redesigning Pedagogy InternationalConference from 30 May to 1 June 2011, based on the themeTransforming Teaching, Inspiring Learning.Organised and hosted by NIE, this series of conferences providesa global forum for practitioners, researchers, educational leadersand policy makers to interact and share leading-edge research andbest practices across schools and cultures.This year’s conference features eminent scholars, who will bedelivering these keynote addresses:Learning Through Doing: The Practices of ImprovementResearch by Dr Anthony Bryk, President, The Carnegie Foundation for the Advancement of Teaching, USAAssessment and Teaching of 21 st Century Skills by Professor Patrick Griffin, Director of Assessment Research Centre,Associate Dean Strategic Projects, Chair of Education (Assessment), The University of Melbourne, AustraliaSameness and Differences in Learning by Professor Ference Marton, Professor Emeritus, University of Gothenburg, SwedenTeaching as a Clinical Practice: Using Data But Not Blinkered By It by Professor Barry McGaw, Chair, Australian Curriculum,Assessment and Reporting Authority, Melbourne Graduate School of Education, The University of Melbourne, AustraliaThe Strategic Education Research Partnership: A New Approach to Educational Research by Professor Catherine Snow,Patricia Albjerg Graham Professor of Education, Harvard Graduate School of Education, Harvard University, USADetails and updates are available at http://conference.nie.edu.sg.Dean’s Commendation for ResearchBy Office of Graduate Studies and Professional Learning(Front row, third from left) Associate ProfessorKoh Chong Lek, Sub-Dean, Graduate Studiesand Professional Learning (GPL), ProfessorPaul Teng, Dean, GPL and Professor Lee SingKong, Director, NIE posing with winnersPhDName Academic Group Supervisor (s)1 MRS KOK ESTHER CORNELIA MRS JOOSA ECSE Dr Susan Kay Wright2 MS TAN SING YEE ECSE Dr Karen Philomena Nonis3 MDM LEE CHIEN CHING LST Dr Tan Seng Chee4 MDM YEO AI CHOO JENNIFER LST Dr Tan Seng Chee5 MR DENG FENG LST Dr Chai Ching Sing6 MR YEO BOON WOOI JOSEPH MME Dr Foong Pui Yee7 MISS LEE WAN YEN NSSE Dr Lee Peng Foo, PeterDr Yan Yaw Kai (Co supervisor)8 MISS OON PEY TEE NSSE Dr Subramaniam S/O Ramanathan9 MISS PAN ZHENYING NSSE Dr Rajdeep Singh RawatDr Lee Choon Keat, Paul(Co supervisor)10 MISS SHUMAILA KARAMAT NSSE Dr Rajdeep Singh RawatDr Lee Choon Keat, Paul(Co supervisor)11 MR ASHOOTOSH TRIPATHI NSSE Dr Tan Lik Tong12 MR TEO CHIN CHYE NSSE Dr Tan Swee Ngin13 MS YONG FUI FONG NSSE Dr Teo Yong ChuaDr Yan Yaw Kai (Co supervisor)14 MISS NIDHI GUPTA PESS Dr Govindasamy BalasekaranOn 20 January 2011, a group of proud NIE higher degreestudents were awarded the Dean’s Commendation forResearch. They were recognised for having excelled intheir research by publishing papers in peer-reviewedinternational journals or international refereed book chaptersduring their period of candidature. The ceremony was heldin NIE with Professor Lee Sing Kong, Director, NIE, as theGuest of Honour.The Dean’s Commendation for Research was instituted inJanuary 2008 to encourage publication of high quality articleson research done by higher degree students. The recognitionwhich takes the form of a certificate, is given every semesterto deserving students whose names are nominated by theirsupervisors. Their publications are then judged by a panelchaired by the Dean of Graduate Studies & ProfessionalLearning, Professor Paul Teng. The panel members consistof Heads of Academic Groups or their representatives,Associate Dean (Higher Degrees), and Sub Dean (HigherDegrees by Research).For the August 2010 semester, twenty-seven nominationswere received, and a total of twenty-four commendationcertificates were presented to nineteen recipients, some ofwhom had multiple publications. (see facing page.)MSc (by Research)Name Academic Group Supervisor (s)1 MISS GISSELLA BAHOYO LEBRON NSSE Dr Augustine Tan Tuck Lee2 MR PEH YI CHING, SHAWN PESS Dr Chow Jia YiMA (by Coursework & Dissertation)Name Academic Group Supervisor (s)1 MDM LAWRENCE CHRISTINE ANNE PS Dr Chong Wan Har12 |NIE NIE | 13

Associate ProfessorLawrence Zhang from theEnglish Language andLiterature Academic Grouphas won the prestigiousTESOL Award forDistinguished Research2010. Associate ProfessorZhang, who joins an illustrious list of eminent linguists andrenowned language educators, is the first and only scholarfrom Singapore to be conferred the award. TESOL selectsonly one paper for this prestigious award each year.Associate Professor Zhang is selected as the sole awardrecipient by the largest international English languageteaching professional body, Teachers of English to Speakersof Other Languages, Inc. (TESOL), for his seminal paper“A Dynamic Metacognitive Systems Account of ChineseUniversity Students’ Knowledge About EFL Reading”. Thispaper was published in the international refereed journal,TESOL Quarterly, a leading journal in the field of Englishlanguage teaching and research, which is ranked by theSSCI-Index and the Journal Citation Reports (JCR).“I am deeply honoured and humbled to have been chosento receive such an important award for my research,” saidAssociate Professor Zhang.RESEARCHNIE Faculty Garners RenownedTESOL Award for DistinguishedResearch 2010By Public, International and Alumni Relations DepartmentIn his research, Associate Professor Zhang highlighted theimportance of metacognition in language learning. He arguedthat metacognition as a set of dynamic systems has beenrecognised as an important area of inquiry in TESOL/appliedlinguistics. Nonetheless, he noted that literature on students’metacognition about second language (L2) reading is stillcursory. Since globalisation has resulted in many Chinese-asa-first-languagestudents becoming transnationals pursuingacademic studies in English, predominantly in Westerncountries, and the increasing importance of metacognition inapplied linguistics research from both theoretical and practicalperspectives has been emphasised, his study significantlycontributes to researchers’ and teachers’ understanding of L2learners from such backgrounds.Reporting findings from an interview study of twenty L2learners’ reading experiences framed within a dynamicmetacognitive systems perspective, Associate ProfessorZhang has found that there is a strong relationship betweenmetacognition and successful L2 reading comprehension, andthat the successful and the less successful L2 students aredifferent in the amount and the quality of the metacognitiveknowledge they possess. His research findings areexpected to provide significant insights into research by, andpedagogical practices of English educators working with suchlearners around the world.Realising an NIE-Wide Research AgendaBy Lin Ai-Leen, Office of Education ResearchA strategic Research, Development and Innovation (RD&I)framework has been developed to guide NIE’s researchagenda for the period 2008–13. This framework representsNIE’s commitment to a policy-driven and evidence-basedresearch agenda.Led by the Office of Education Research, the RD&I agendacorresponds with the second tranche of funding providedby the Ministry of Education to conduct research andimplement sustainable pedagogical andorganisational innovations thatwill impact on policy formulationand pedagogical practices inSingapore schools.The formulation of thisframework was influenced byfour sets of considerations:Government policy settings;the changing educationallandscape and strategicchallenges in Singapore;findings from NIE’sresearch activities between2004 and 2006; and NIE’sresearch capacities.The RD&I agendafocuses ourresearch efforts on four niche areas: pedagogy (curriculum,assessment, teaching, technology, instructional design);leadership (and organisational change); domain-specific/disciplinary research; and teacher learning (pre-serviceeducation and in-service professional development).Specifically, NIE commits to the following RD&I agenda:to undertake detailed research on classroom pedagogy,encompassing knowledge and the curriculum,assessment, technology and learning environments,teaching and instructional design, and classroomorganisation and management;to measure and map student outcomes, both academicand non-academic, and model the impact of pedagogy onstudent outcomes;to design technology-rich learning environments and tools;to develop and carry out a programme of evidence-basedinterventions designed to build teacher capacity, improveclassroom practice, and enhance student outcomes in linewith government policy; andto facilitate evidence-based policy and programmedevelopment and implementation.To date, NIE has a total of 102 funded research projects ledby Principal Investigators across NIE’s academic groups andresearch centres. Over 60% of these projects focus on thearea of pedagogy and classroom practice.Through the Eyes of the ChildBy Associate Professor Rita Silver, English Language and Literature Academic GroupOn 17 January 2011, an exhibit entitled Through the Eyes ofThree projects were represented in the exhibit:The exhibit was a unique opportunity to showcase ways that artcan be usedthe Child opened at the NIE Art Gallery. Organised by NIEstaff, Esther Joosa and Professor Susan Wright from theEarly Childhood and Special Needs Education AcademicGroup and Associate Professor Rita Silver from the EnglishLanguage and Literature Academic Group, the exhibit broughttogether work of children (in school and out of school) andof Masters level students in our professional developmentprogramme. The exhibit was held from 17 to 28 January withArtwork by children of NIE staff, commemorating the 60thAnniversary of NIE (facilitated by Esther Joosa);Drawings and stories of, fifty Primary Two children involvedin a research project funded by the Office of EducationResearch, Curriculum Implementation in Early PrimarySchooling in Singapore (facilitated by Associate ProfessorRita Silver and Professor Susan Wright); andin educational contexts to facilitate learning, as representationsand of children’s voices in educational contexts, as part of moreholistic education and to latch on to MOE initiatives such asPERI. In addition, the exhibit was unique in bringing togethersponsorships from Early Childhood and Special NeedsEducation, English Language and Literature, and Visual andPerforming Arts Academic Groups, and Office of EducationResearch/Centre for Research in Pedagogy & Practice.of learningan associated seminar for teachers, Raising the Profile of Arts-Masks made by pre-service teachers in NIE MastersThis was an exciting showcase of institutional collaboration,Based Research and Practice in Singapore, led by Joosa andlevel course, Teachers as Arts Researcher (facilitated bypedagogy-research linkage and the possibilities of integratingProfessor Wright on 17 January.Professor Susan Wright and Esther Joosa)arts-based practices in education.14 |NIE NIE |15

By Wendy Goh,Public, International and Alumni Relations DepartmentA total of 452 newly-qualified teachers received their NIEdiplomas at the Teachers’ Investiture Ceremony, graced by thepresence of Mr Masagos Zulkifli, Minister of State, Ministry ofEducation and Ministry of Home Affairs, at the NTU NanyangAuditorium on 15 February 2011. Some 21% of the graduandsare mid-career switchers aged 28 years and older who held atleast a first degree.The Valedictorian for this cohort, Wong Shing Kit, is one suchmid-career switcher. “It may sound like a cliché, but to me,being a teacher is really a calling. It is true that the accountingindustry rewards me better in monetary terms, but theintangible rewards and the sense of satisfaction that teachingALUMNIA Celebration of thePassion(From left) Associate Professor Steven Tan, Associate Dean, Office of Graduate Studiesand Professional Development, NIE; Professor Tan Oon Seng, Dean, Office of TeacherEducation, NIE; Professor Er Meng Hwa, Senior Associate Provost, NTU; Dr Koh NoiKeng, Humanities and Social Studies Education Academic Group, NIE; Mr Marcel Lee,Principal, St Gabriel’s Secondary School and Professor Lee Sing Kong, Director, NIEto Teach!offers are what I value the most,” said Mr Wong, who gave upan accounting career to become a teacher.“NIE has equipped these teachers with the Skills, Valuesand Knowledge to bring about relevance in our 21 st Centuryenvironment. To inspire and be inspired is what I believe yourpassion will do for you to meet the challenges in your teachingcareers,” said Professor Lee Sing Kong, Director, NIE.The Teachers’ Investiture Ceremony not only celebratesgraduands’ achievements in completing the initial teacherpreparation programme but, more importantly, it marks thebeginning of their journey as qualified teachers in the educationservice. The event ended with the graduands reciting theTeachers’ Pledge, led by Ms Ho Peng, Director-Generalof Education, Ministry of Education. The Pledge serves toreinforce their commitment to uphold the values of the teachingprofession, which is to Lead, Care and Inspire students.NIE congratulates all newly graduated teachers!Why did youchoose toteach?“I chose to join teaching because I had a lot of good memories of my secondary school daysand wish to create the right environment for my students to create their own good memoriesof their school days.”Tan Han Yu Melvin, PGDE (Secondary/Junior College), Winner of Singapore Association forthe Advancement of Science Prize, currently teaches in Victoria SchoolWhat qualities shoulda 21 st Century Teacher possess?“An undying passion, a lot of patience, unlimited creativity and a short attention span.These are the ‘survival’ qualities that I believe have to be ingrained into the 21 st Centuryteacher ... An “undying passion” is more crucial to sustain a teacher in today’s teachingfield. We are in a day and age where information on almost everything can be found witha simple click of the mouse, hence teaching is not just letting students learn knowledge butit’s a matter of truly being able to ignite a real interest in them for the subject matter. “Justina Ang, winner of Geography Teachers’ Association ofSingapore Book Prize, currently teaches in Pioneer Secondary School“Students in the 21 st Century are the “Digital Natives” who grew up surrounded bycomputers and electronic gadgets. As they have access to almost any kind of informationvia the Internet, the traditional way of “chalk-and-talk” teaching can no longer capture theirattention. Teachers in the 21 st Century have to be equipped with the knowledge in ICTand be able to leverage on it to make lessons more engaging and interesting. Personally,I would also expose myself to the activities that students are engaged in, so that we canspeak the same language …”Wong Shing Kit, winner of London Chamber of Commerce and Industry (LCCI) Prize,currently teaches in East View Secondary SchoolHow would you motivatea 21 st Century student?“To motivate a 21 st Century student, we have to learn to relate the teaching subject totheir experiences and what they are familiar with. Constant encouragement, couplewith focus on self-improvement rather than grades, has also proved to be effective instimulating positive instrinsic motivation within students.”(From left) Professor Lee Sing Kong, Director, NIE; Guest of Honour, Mr Masagos Zulkilfi,Minister of State, MOE; Mrs Tan Ching Yee, Permanent Secretary, MOE and NIE CouncilChairperson; Mr Khoo Chin Hean, NIE Council Deputy Chairman and Professor Er MengHwa, Senior Associate Provost, NTU are all robed and ready for the Academic ProcessionPrize winners of the January 2010 cohort: (from left) Wong Shing Kit, Tan Chin Guan,Kam Li Ying, Lin Minglei and Justina Tan with Profesor Lee Sing Kong, Director, NIEand Ms Ho Peng, Director-General of Education, MOE.Who saysteachersare notfunpeople?Lin Minglei, winner of Association of Mathematics Educators Book Prize, currentlyteaches in Xinmin Secondary School16 |NIE NIE |17

ALUMNIEnhancing Pedagogical Skillsfor Teacher TrainersBy Bryan Ang, NIE Internationaleducators. The participants gained the necessary skills toenhance their teaching practice and essential concepts andtechniques for promoting and assessing creative thinking in alearning environment. They participated in interactive lecturesand discussions, discovering different pedagogy approaches.Based on their specialisations, primary teacher trainers madea visit to Rivervale Primary School while secondary teachertrainers visited Greenridge Secondary School. The participantsexperienced ‘on-the-ground’ Singapore Education, or, as whichone participant succinctly put it, ‘theories in practice’.As part of Singapore’s continuous engagement with the restof the world, the Enhancing Pedagogy Skills for TeacherTrainers course was a success. NIE would like to thankIn January 2011, NIE welcomed twenty-three participants from the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Singapore, for funding thedifferent countries who attended the Enhancing Pedagogy teaching programme and the participants under the SingaporeSkills for Teacher Trainers course. This train-the-trainer course Cooperation Programme (managed by the Technicalwas conducted from 10 to 21 January 2011 at the NIE Campus. Cooperation Directorate).School leaders and senior teachers were selected from adiverse range of schools, training institutes and ministries, withteaching backgrounds spanning from early childhood studiesto tertiary subjects. Their roles were to train and superviseteachers, looking after the quality of their pedagogy. Theseparticipants came from different areas of specialisation as well,such as English Language, Natural Sciences, Mathematicsand Humanities.Even though the participants came from diverse backgroundsand cultures, the common trait was their passion to learn asmuch as they could and share their experiences with otherParticipants of the Enhancing Pedagogy Skills for Teacher Trainers on NIE Campus (top photo) and on one of their school visits to Greenridge Secondary School (middle and bottom photo)(From left) Dr Ayelet Baram-Tsabari (visiting scholar from the Techion University in Israel), Ms Maya Patel (doctoral candidate),Mr Daniel Capps (doctoral candidate), Associate Professor Barbara Crawford and Assistant Professor Tan Aik LingLearning Across the Land:My Fulbright ExperienceAssistant Professor Tan Aik Ling, Natural Sciences and Science Education Academic GroupI was privileged to be attached to Cornell University towork with Associate Professor Barbara Crawford fromSeptember to November 2010. This attachment was madepossible by the Fulbright Association under the FulbrightResearcher Programme.During my attachment, I taught Cornell students who werepursuing their teaching certification. We had many hours ofintellectual sparring and debates about science as inquiryas well as the different strategies for creating an inclusiveclassroom for students from diverse backgrounds.I also spent time in middle school classrooms observingschool life in the United States. As part of my research, ICalendar of Eventsinterviewed middle school students about their knowledgeand attitudes toward the environment they lived in. I will bereplicating the study in Singapore so that a comparison canbe made.In my three months in Ithaca, I had the opportunity to interactwith Cornell graduate students, faculty, teachers, students,bus drivers and many others and developed a betterunderstanding of American culture and wayof life. It was a meaningful and fruitfulexperience for me and I am gratefulto the Fulbright Associationand NIE for making thispossible for me.EventDateVenueContact PersonCurriculum Forum13 MayNIE, SingaporeDr Jasmine Sim, CTLEmail: jasmine.sim@nie.edu.sgRedesigning PedagogyInternational Conference 201130 May – 1 JuneNIE, SingaporeMs Shirley SeetEmail: Shirley.seet@nie.edu.sg18 |NIE NIE |19

Keeping theALUMNIBy Teo Li Lian, Public, International and Alumni Relations DepartmentOn 24 February, 140 in-service teachers received theircertificates for completing the Management and Leadershipin Schools (MLS) programme. The MLS participants includedHeads of Department and teachers who are leaders in onearea or another in their schools.Managed by NIE’s Office of Graduate Studies and ProfessionalLearning, the MLS is a four-month programme that preparesmiddle-level leaders in schools to be exemplary leaders,people managers, and experts in teaching and learning.With the increasing demands placed on teachers by theirstudents, parents and Principals, how do these teacherssustain their passion for teaching through the years?Let’s find out how some of our MLS participantskeep their passion alive.Teachers are generally passionate in their work as educators to start with. Clarity incommunication, support in their work, and allowing them to develop in their areas ofinterest and strengths are important in keeping work meaningful. When they experienceautonomy in their work, and are given opportunity to do what they are interested in (ofcourse, aligned with school and departmental goals), they are able to keep their personalvision of education and work alive; and in doing so, remain passionate.Tom Chan, Bukit Panjang Government High School(From left) Sharifah Samirah Binte Syed Mohamad, Junyuan Primary School; OngChor Meng, Townsville Primary School; Loh Bin, Rivervale Primary School; MiriamWun, Unity Primary School and Ratni Suriyani Binte Saib, Hougang Primary SchoolFor Sharifah and team, “The desire to make a difference inour pupils’ lives as well as in our own lives is what keeps usgoing. Teaching is indeed a calling and it has to come fromthe heart. After all, the child is at the heart of all we do and weare tasked to mould them.”I find myself learning a lot from the students, especially in the useof information communication technologies and new media, and in turnseeing how I could also adopt some of the ideas that they have in myteaching as well. This dynamic exchange of ideas and mutual learninghelps me to understand the learning needs of my students better andsustains my passion and motivation to grow continuouslyas an educator.Shirley Ong, CHIJ Secondary (Toa Payoh)(From left) Shirley Ong, CHIJ Secondary (Toa Payoh), Tan Geok Hoon,Hua Yi Secondary School, Ho Su Siew, CHIJ Katong Convent and ZhouQian, CHIJ St Nicholas Girls’ School (Secondary)I enjoy the moments I have with my students and it is interesting to view life from their perspectives as we engage in discussionseither in the classrooms or after-lesson conversations. This rapport with my students has kept me going and their smiles andnods of greeting me and the tinkling sparks in their eyes when they learnt something new have always made my day.Ho Su Siew, CHIJ Katong Convent20 |NIE