How can academic research shape the everyday teaching and learning in classrooms? After three years of studying the pedagogical practices in Singapore, CRPP is set to tackle this question. Acting Dean David Hogan shares findings on the current state of our education system and how CRPP is taking a step from research to intervention.

What do we do with what we learn?

We all know that students and teachers ask themselves this question every day. What we don’t realise is that researchers and education experts tackle the very same problem as well.

Hundreds of studies on teaching and learning are published daily, yet very little of this “knowledge” is actually used in the classroom. As a result, the gap between “what we know” and “what we actually do about it” is glaringly obvious.

Linda Roberts, a keynote speaker at the International Conference on Learning Sciences, said it best when describing a 500-page compilation of papers presented at the conference: “This is fabulous, relevant, and meaningful work… The only problem is: no one who needs it is going to read it.”

Getting to know ourselves

This is an important issue for CRPP as well. For the past three years, our research has focused on the need to describe and explain the pattern of pedagogical practices in Singapore. This was in order to know what policies, theories and solutions would be effective for us. After all, the only way to overcome a challenge is to understand what it is in the first place.
So, what do we know about the current pedagogic practices in Singapore? Below is a short summary of the strengths and challenges of our current situation:

1. Singapore has a strong curriculum framework that focuses on transmission of factual knowledge and the development of basic skills.
   BUT: Knowledge is strongly classified into distinct subjects. There is limited focus on conceptual depth, problem solving, and knowledge manipulation. This means that students are not given sufficient opportunity to see the relationship among different subjects or thinking critically about the lessons they learn. They know their facts but are not skilled enough at using these understandings to analyse and solve problems.
2. Assessment and assignment tasks are clear and well organised with a strong focus on basic knowledge and skills.
   BUT: Assignments and assessments too rarely focus on students’ problem-solving skills or their ability to apply the knowledge that they learn.
3. Teachers are disciplined and “curriculum-focused”, relying on traditional teaching techniques like lectures, whole-class question-and-answer and worksheets. Classroom management is also very strong.
   BUT: Teachers rarely elaborate beyond what is stated in the curriculum, so there isn’t enough opportunity for more discussion or debate in the classroom.
4. The Singaporean pedagogy yields a strong repertoire of basic skills and knowledge among students.
   BUT: This has unintentionally created a threshold on creativity and “higher order” thinking capacity.

The next step

Now that we have an informed background of the strengths and challenges of the education system, it is time to use this research to aid the actual practice of teaching. Building on our research findings, the next phase of our research endeavours will focus on working with teachers on a number of targeted interventions to help schools review and trial new instructional and assessment practices.

This year, CRPP has outlined the following priorities:

• Curriculum design and implementation
• Promote student engagement
• Develop deep understandings
• Develop valued social competencies among students
• Build skills in formative and authentic assessment
• Develop teacher capacities for reflective practice

In this issue of SingTeach, we feature a few schools where our research teams have begun interventions. If you like to be involved in our research, do get in touch with us.

David Hogan
Acting Dean*, CRPP
*Professor Hogan will assume the position of Dean, CRPP with effect from 1 July 2006.