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<title>Sustainability education – SingTeach | Education Research for Teachers | Research within Reach</title>
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<title>Engaging Minds through Games: Using Gamified Strategies to Teach Geography</title>
<link>https://singteach.nie.edu.sg/2025/02/10/engaging-minds-through-games-using-gamified-strategies-to-teach-geography/?utm_source=rss&utm_medium=rss&utm_campaign=engaging-minds-through-games-using-gamified-strategies-to-teach-geography</link>
<comments>https://singteach.nie.edu.sg/2025/02/10/engaging-minds-through-games-using-gamified-strategies-to-teach-geography/#respond</comments>
<dc:creator><![CDATA[Azleena]]></dc:creator>
<pubDate>Mon, 10 Feb 2025 08:40:32 +0000</pubDate>
<category><![CDATA[Virtual Staff Lounge]]></category>
<category><![CDATA[Geography]]></category>
<category><![CDATA[Pedagogical Content Knowledge]]></category>
<category><![CDATA[Secondary school]]></category>
<category><![CDATA[Game-based learning]]></category>
<category><![CDATA[Climate change]]></category>
<category><![CDATA[Sustainability education]]></category>
<category><![CDATA[Problem solving]]></category>
<guid isPermaLink="false">https://singteach.nie.edu.sg/?p=24343</guid>
<description><![CDATA[Contributed by Chua Wan Yu from Temasek Secondary School and Dr Tricia Seow from the National Institute of Education, for SingTeach Virtual […]]]></description>
<content:encoded><![CDATA[<p><b><i><span lang="EN">Contributed by Chua Wan Yu</span> from <a href="https://www.temaseksec.moe.edu.sg/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Temasek Secondary School</a></i></b><b><i> and </i></b><b><i><span lang="EN"><a href="https://dr.ntu.edu.sg/cris/rp/rp01539" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Dr Tricia Seow</a> from </span>the <a href="https://www.ntu.edu.sg/nie" target="_blank" rel="noopener">National Institute of Education</a></i></b><b><i><span lang="EN">, for </span></i></b><a href="https://singteach.nie.edu.sg/virtual-staff-lounge/" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><b><i><span lang="EN">SingTeach Virtual Staff Lounge</span></i></b></a><b></b></p>
<p><strong><i>Engaging students in climate change education can be challenging, particularly when its impacts are not immediately tangible. In Singapore, while students may relate to terms like “global warming” and “carbon dioxide,” fostering a deeper understanding and actionable responses often proves difficult due to the abstract nature of the topic and its overwhelming content. So, how can we make this critical topic more engaging and relatable? This study investigates the use of gamification as a pedagogical strategy to enhance conceptual learning about climate actions. It looks at how a climate-policy-focused card game, “<a href="https://sll.hsse.nie.edu.sg/resource/getting-to-zero/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Getting to Zero</a>”, has significantly improved students’ awareness of climate policies, comprehension of trade-offs in policymaking, and motivation to engage with climate solutions.</i></strong></p>
<div id="attachment_24356" style="width: 910px" class="wp-caption aligncenter"><img aria-describedby="caption-attachment-24356" src="https://singteach.nie.edu.sg/wp-content/uploads/2025/02/Figure-1_crop.png" alt="" class="wp-image-24356" width="900" height="395" srcset="https://singteach.nie.edu.sg/wp-content/uploads/2025/02/Figure-1_crop.png 1246w, https://singteach.nie.edu.sg/wp-content/uploads/2025/02/Figure-1_crop-300x132.png 300w, https://singteach.nie.edu.sg/wp-content/uploads/2025/02/Figure-1_crop-1024x450.png 1024w, https://singteach.nie.edu.sg/wp-content/uploads/2025/02/Figure-1_crop-768x337.png 768w" sizes="(max-width: 900px) 100vw, 900px" /><p id="caption-attachment-24356" class="wp-caption-text">Photos: The gameplay of the “GTZ” card game</p></div>
<h1>What Is Gamification?</h1>
<p>Deterding (2011) defines gamification as integrating game elements into non-game contexts to enhance engagement and motivation, emphasizing that thoughtful design, rather than superficial rewards, sustains long-term learning outcomes. Kapp (2012) explores practical applications, demonstrating how game mechanics can simplify complex concepts and foster active learning. Both researchers stress that effective gamification can be a powerful tool to motivate students’ learning. Their research underscores how gamification can promote active participation and knowledge transfer, making abstract concepts accessible and memorable. Together, their findings emphasize thoughtful gamification as a transformative educational tool.</p>
<p>In the context of using gamification to engage students on climate issues, researcher Carrillo-Nieves et al. (2024) explored gamification through designing station games, including escape rooms, and engaging undergraduates in combating climate change by fostering problem-solving and collaboration. Using gamification as a pedagogical strategy in Geography classrooms is an area that remains largely unexplored, especially within Singapore’s education landscape.</p>
<p>This begs the question of whether a climate-policy-focused card game such as “Getting to Zero” (GTZ) can significantly enhance students’ awareness of climate policies and lead students to develop a deeper understanding of the complexities faced by nations in climate policymaking. </p>
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<p>In particular, we were interested to determine whether such a climate-policy-focused card game can:</p>
<ul>
<li>Improve students’ knowledge of climate issues</li>
<li>Foster a deeper conceptual understanding, particularly regarding the trade-offs and constraints inherent in climate policymaking</li>
<li>Generate greater interest and motivation to explore the phenomenon further</li>
</ul>
</div>
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<h1>Using “Getting to Zero” in the Geography Classroom</h1>
<p>GTZ was introduced to a group of 36 Secondary Three students from the G2 level as part of their Geography lesson on climate action. It was intentionally used as a trigger to activate prior knowledge and engage students with the subject matter. A pre- and post-survey was administered to measure students’ knowledge, contextual understanding, and interests toward the topic on climate. Quantitative survey items used a Likert scale (1 to 5) for self-assessment, while qualitative questions encouraged students to articulate their learning experiences from the game.</p>
<h4><em>Analyzing Students’ Responses</em></h4>
<p>Students had a better understanding of climate policies after engaging with the card game. Their self-assessments highlighted increased awareness of “trade-offs”, a concept integrated into the game’s strategy for winning and a critical concept highlighted within the Geography curriculum. Additionally, students reported a greater understanding of how individual actions could contribute to reducing their climate impact. </p>
<p style="padding-left: 80px;"><b>Question: <i>“I am clear about what Getting to Zero means”</i>. </b>The positive response to this question demonstrated that students had a clear understanding the importance of achieving a net-zero carbon footprint as a climate action strategy. This mirrors real-life efforts, where authorities implement climate policies to balance emissions with reductions.<b></b></p>
<p style="padding-left: 80px;"><b>Questions: <i>“I know the purpose of implementing climate policies in Singapore”</i> & <i>“I know the constraints Singapore faces when implementing climate policies”</i>. </b>The positive responses to these questions demonstrated that students had a foundational understanding of why countries, including Singapore, take action through climate policies. Their grasp of the constraints highlighted an awareness that implementing climate actions is far from straightforward. Students recognized that numerous considerations and competing priorities—many of which they encountered during the game—can deter countries from taking immediate or extensive action.<b></b></p>
<p style="padding-left: 80px;"><b>Question: “<i>I know at least 3 climate policies</i>”. </b>This survey question revealed an increase in responses at the lower levels of understanding and a reduction in responses at the higher levels. This question, which required students to list three climate policies, appeared more demanding due to the specific and quantitative nature of the task. While this may signal the lack of retention for some students, it was also noted that some students overly strategized to win the game, neglecting the details presented in the card game.</p>
<p style="padding-left: 80px;">To address this, teachers need to facilitate effectively by ensuring sufficient time for students to consider and articulate their moves during the game. Additionally, providing opportunities for post-game discussions will allow students to reflect on their strategies and the climate actions they have taken, deepening their understanding of the decision-making process and facilitating the retention of content knowledge.</p>
<h4><i>Analyzing Students’ Reflections</i></h4>
<p> An analysis of the vocabulary used in students’ reflections indicated mastery of critical content, such as “carbon emissions,” a central element of the game’s mechanics where players aimed to reduce net emissions to zero. Many students articulated the complexities of trade-offs, describing balancing costs while achieving emission reductions as a “downside” in policymaking (see <a href="https://entuedu-my.sharepoint.com/:b:/g/personal/dptofrmysp_niestaff_cluster_nie_edu_sg/Ee7w15fZ2NxIjqsiEtA3g1gBzC2wKtwyx-fM62cuVXKALw?e=anPYMo" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Appendix A</a>). These findings underscore the game’s effectiveness in fostering both engagement and conceptual understanding.</p>
<p>Other qualitative feedback from students revealed insights into their self-assessed interest levels regarding climate-related issues. Many students expressed increased curiosity and a desire to contribute positively to reducing carbon emissions in Singapore. Comments highlighted an awareness of local efforts, such as the government’s use of solar panels, and a personal commitment to reducing their carbon footprint. One student commented “The game was very engaging and educational, and made me more curious on the different type of ways to reduce carbon emissions”.</p>
<p>On gauging the interest level of the topic, qualitative feedback from students expressed the fun element while playing the card game, making the topic more relatable. These responses illustrate how the gamified approach effectively captured the interest of most students, fostering a sense of individual responsibility and curiosity about climate actions.</p>
<h1>Limitations and Further Insights</h1>
<p>Overall, the card game proved effective in promoting the understanding of conceptual knowledge within the climate issues and fostering engagement which answers to our action research question. However, it is also important to recognize its limitations. The game is not a foolproof solution or a magical tool that can fully address all learning objectives. Certain aspects, such as the retention of specific content like climate policies, were less successful as some students struggled with the recall tasks or became overly focused on winning rather than absorbing detailed knowledge.</p>
<p>Additionally, the game’s design may not cater equally well to all students, particularly those who require additional scaffolding or alternative approaches to grasp complex concepts. These limitations highlight the need to view the card game as a complementary tool within a broader pedagogical strategy, rather than as a standalone solution.</p>
<p>The game can serve as both a trigger and a reinforcement tool in the learning process. As a trigger, it activates students’ prior knowledge while introducing new information, sustaining their attention and sparking interest at the start of the topic. As a reinforcement tool, students can engage with the game more consciously, leveraging their acquired knowledge to make more informed decisions during gameplay. Both approaches effectively use the cards to engage students, preserving the fun element and creating a memorable learning experience that integrates play with understanding.</p>
<h1>Strengthening Gamification in Singapore</h1>
<p>The findings reveal that gamification should be explored further by educators in Singapore, as it can facilitate deeper understanding of abstract concepts that are often difficult to convey through traditional frontal teaching methods.</p>
<p>One effective way to achieve this is through the use of interactive tools, such as card games like GTZ, which engage students in active learning and provide a fun entryway for understanding complex ideas. This approach allows students to actively construct their knowledge, making abstract concepts more accessible and memorable, as it encourages experiential learning rather than passive absorption of information.</p>
<p>To further advance this approach, future research could focus on incorporating intervention-control group studies to measure specific learning outcomes more rigorously. Such studies would provide concrete evidence of the impact on assessment performance, potentially convincing more educators and policymakers of its value.</p>
<p><strong>References</strong></p>
<p>Carrillo-Nieves, D., Clarke-Crespo, E., Cervantes-Avilés, P., Cuevas-Cancino, M., & Vanoye-García, A. Y. (2024). Designing learning experiences on climate change for undergraduate students of different majors. <i>Frontiers in Education, 9.</i> <a href="https://doi.org/10.3389/feduc.2024.1284593">https://doi.org/10.3389/feduc.2024.1284593</a></p>
<p>Deterding, S. (2011). <i>From game design elements to gamefulness: defining” gamification”</i>. Proceedings of the 2011 annual conference extended abstracts on Human factors in computing systems (pp. 2425-2428).</p>
<p>Kapp, K. M. (2012). <i>The gamification of learning and instruction: Game-based methods and strategies for training and education.</i> Pfeiffer.</p>
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<p><b>The Conceptualization of the “Getting to Zero” Card Game</b></p>
<p>Climate change education in Singapore’s secondary school’s classrooms often face challenges in student engagement due to the abstract, dynamic, cascading nature of its impacts and the diverse climate actions with varying degrees of successes. To address this issue, the card game “Getting to Zero” (GTZ) was developed by Ng Wen Xin—then an NIE undergraduate student. She further developed a card game originally conceived by environmental law research Eric Bea and energy policy researcher Melissa Low, in close collaboration with the <a href="https://www.ntu.edu.sg/nie/research-labs/sustainability-learning-lab">Sustainability Learning Lab</a> (SLL) at NIE NTU, Singapore. </p>
<p>In January 2025, all government-aided secondary schools in Singapore will receive 10 sets of these card decks to gamify learning about climate policies. Within Geography, this is particularly pertinent as climate actions, including national and international efforts, and the evaluation of their successes and limitations, are a key part of the syllabus.</p>
<p><i>You can also read more about GTZ here: <a href="https://singteach.nie.edu.sg/2024/01/09/game-your-way-to-a-greener-tomorrow-sustainability-education/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">https://singteach.nie.edu.sg/2024/01/09/game-your-way-to-a-greener-tomorrow-sustainability-education/</a></i></p>
<p><em>If you’d like to purchase GTZ, visit: <a href="https://sll.hsse.nie.edu.sg/resource/getting-to-zero/">https://sll.hsse.nie.edu.sg/resource/getting-to-zero/</a></em></p>
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<title>Inquiry-Based Learning (IBL) for Geography Education in a Singapore School: Best Practices and Insights</title>
<link>https://singteach.nie.edu.sg/2024/07/21/inquiry-based-learning-ibl-for-geography-education-in-a-singapore-school-best-practices-and-insights/?utm_source=rss&utm_medium=rss&utm_campaign=inquiry-based-learning-ibl-for-geography-education-in-a-singapore-school-best-practices-and-insights</link>
<comments>https://singteach.nie.edu.sg/2024/07/21/inquiry-based-learning-ibl-for-geography-education-in-a-singapore-school-best-practices-and-insights/#respond</comments>
<dc:creator><![CDATA[Azleena]]></dc:creator>
<pubDate>Sun, 21 Jul 2024 02:03:23 +0000</pubDate>
<category><![CDATA[Virtual Staff Lounge]]></category>
<category><![CDATA[issue 89 jun 2024]]></category>
<category><![CDATA[Issues]]></category>
<category><![CDATA[Secondary school]]></category>
<category><![CDATA[Scaffolding]]></category>
<category><![CDATA[Inquiry-based learning]]></category>
<category><![CDATA[ICT]]></category>
<category><![CDATA[Climate change]]></category>
<category><![CDATA[Sustainability education]]></category>
<category><![CDATA[Redesigning Pedagogy International Conference]]></category>
<category><![CDATA[Geography]]></category>
<guid isPermaLink="false">https://singteach.nie.edu.sg/?p=23315</guid>
<description><![CDATA[Contributed by Frances Ong Hock Lin, Alethea Goh Min Yi, Jeremy Ong Zhen Wei from Mayflower Secondary School, […]]]></description>
<content:encoded><![CDATA[<div style="font-weight: 400;">
<p paraid="1775953921" paraeid="{b50fd3bd-0252-4d37-8ba2-39229c530971}{175}"><em><strong><span data-contrast="none" xml:lang="EN" lang="EN">Contributed by </span><span data-contrast="none" xml:lang="EN" lang="EN">Frances Ong Hock Lin</span><span data-contrast="none" xml:lang="EN" lang="EN">, </span><span data-contrast="none" xml:lang="EN" lang="EN">Alethea Goh Min Yi</span><span data-contrast="none" xml:lang="EN" lang="EN">, </span><span data-contrast="none" xml:lang="EN" lang="EN">Jeremy Ong Zhen Wei</span> <span data-contrast="none" xml:lang="EN" lang="EN">from </span><span data-contrast="none" xml:lang="EN" lang="EN"><a href="https://www.mayflowersec.moe.edu.sg/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Mayflower Secondary School</a></span><span data-contrast="none" xml:lang="EN" lang="EN">, for </span><span data-contrast="none" xml:lang="EN" lang="EN"><a href="https://singteach.nie.edu.sg/virtual-staff-lounge/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">SingTeach Virtual Staff Lounge.</a></span></strong></em></p>
<div id="attachment_23490" style="width: 510px" class="wp-caption alignnone"><img aria-describedby="caption-attachment-23490" loading="lazy" src="https://singteach.nie.edu.sg/wp-content/uploads/2024/07/ST89_VSL_MayflowerSec_Group-photo-300x225.jpg" alt="" class="wp-image-23490" width="500" height="375" srcset="https://singteach.nie.edu.sg/wp-content/uploads/2024/07/ST89_VSL_MayflowerSec_Group-photo-300x225.jpg 300w, https://singteach.nie.edu.sg/wp-content/uploads/2024/07/ST89_VSL_MayflowerSec_Group-photo-1024x768.jpg 1024w, https://singteach.nie.edu.sg/wp-content/uploads/2024/07/ST89_VSL_MayflowerSec_Group-photo-768x576.jpg 768w, https://singteach.nie.edu.sg/wp-content/uploads/2024/07/ST89_VSL_MayflowerSec_Group-photo-1536x1152.jpg 1536w, https://singteach.nie.edu.sg/wp-content/uploads/2024/07/ST89_VSL_MayflowerSec_Group-photo-2048x1536.jpg 2048w" sizes="(max-width: 500px) 100vw, 500px" /><p id="caption-attachment-23490" class="wp-caption-text">From left: Jeremy Ong Zhen Wei, Frances Ong Hock Lin and Alethea Goh Min Yi</p></div>
<h1 paraid="1775953921" paraeid="{b50fd3bd-0252-4d37-8ba2-39229c530971}{175}"><span data-contrast="auto" xml:lang="EN" lang="EN" class="TextRun SCXW10343160 BCX0"><span class="NormalTextRun SCXW10343160 BCX0">Geography Education for Sustainable Development</span></span></h1>
<p><span data-contrast="auto" xml:lang="EN" lang="EN" class="TextRun SCXW166871528 BCX0"><span class="NormalTextRun SCXW166871528 BCX0">Balancing the needs of a growing population with environmental protection is a major 21st-century challenge. Sustainable development addresses this by adopting practices that ensure human and ecological well-being without compromising future generations. This article advocates for integrating Education for Sustainable Development (ESD) into geography classes to teach the skills needed to tackle global issues like climate change.</span></span></p>
<p><span data-contrast="auto" xml:lang="EN" lang="EN" class="TextRun SCXW58605904 BCX0"><span class="NormalTextRun SCXW58605904 BCX0">Chang (2011) highlights that geography education is well-suited for promoting ESD, as it covers current sustainability issues and helps students understand the complexities of environmental changes. </span><span class="NormalTextRun SCXW58605904 BCX0" data-ccp-charstyle="cf01" data-ccp-charstyle-defn="{"ObjectId":"9a4c4fb7-16eb-4d9c-946b-c3085fab8aa9|23","ClassId":1073872969,"Properties":[469777841,"Segoe UI",469777842,"Segoe UI",469777843,"Arial",469777844,"Segoe UI",469769226,"Segoe UI",268442635,"18",469775450,"cf01",201340122,"1",134233614,"true",469778129,"cf01",335572020,"1",469778324,"Default Paragraph Font"]}">Singapore’s current geography </span><span class="NormalTextRun SCXW58605904 BCX0" data-ccp-charstyle="cf01">syllabus </span><span class="NormalTextRun SCXW58605904 BCX0">emphasizes</span><span class="NormalTextRun SCXW58605904 BCX0"> the importance of sustainable development. Students learn about sustainable practices at various scales, highlighting geography’s essential role in preparing future-ready learners. Geography education is thus crucial for ESD as it develops ideas and beliefs about sustainable practices.</span></span></p>
<h1><span data-contrast="auto" xml:lang="EN" lang="EN" class="TextRun SCXW111739428 BCX0"><span class="NormalTextRun SCXW111739428 BCX0">Inquiry-Based Learning in the Geography Classroom</span></span></h1>
<p><span class="NormalTextRun SCXW20636900 BCX0">Building on ESD in geography education, we explore the transformative potential of IBL. In Singapore, geographical inquiry is a “signature pedagogy” (Seow, Chang, & Neil Irvine, 2019). IBL engages students by activating prior knowledge, fostering critical </span><span class="NormalTextRun SCXW20636900 BCX0">thinking</span><span class="NormalTextRun SCXW20636900 BCX0"> and enhancing problem-solving skills. Unlike traditional teaching, IBL positions teachers as guides, encouraging students to ask questions, design solutions, conduct investigations and formulate explanations based on evidence, thereby creatively enhancing their learning experience.</span></p>
<p><span data-contrast="auto" xml:lang="EN" lang="EN" class="TextRun SCXW184962087 BCX0"><span class="NormalTextRun SCXW184962087 BCX0">IBL focuses on investigation and problem-solving. In contrast to traditional frontal teaching, IBL positions teachers as guides. It encourages students to: ask questions, design solutions, conduct investigations and formulate explanations based on evidence. This approach creatively enhances their learning experience.</span></span></p>
</div>
<h1><span class="NormalTextRun SCXW135218114 BCX0">The </span><span class="NormalTextRun SCXW135218114 BCX0">Mayflower Experienc</span><span class="NormalTextRun SCXW135218114 BCX0">e</span></h1>
<div id="attachment_23493" style="width: 300px" class="wp-caption alignright"><img aria-describedby="caption-attachment-23493" loading="lazy" src="https://singteach.nie.edu.sg/wp-content/uploads/2024/07/ST89_VSL_MayflowerSec_Figure-1-NBK202200000288-300x225.jpg" alt="" class="wp-image-23493" width="290" height="218" srcset="https://singteach.nie.edu.sg/wp-content/uploads/2024/07/ST89_VSL_MayflowerSec_Figure-1-NBK202200000288-300x225.jpg 300w, https://singteach.nie.edu.sg/wp-content/uploads/2024/07/ST89_VSL_MayflowerSec_Figure-1-NBK202200000288-1024x768.jpg 1024w, https://singteach.nie.edu.sg/wp-content/uploads/2024/07/ST89_VSL_MayflowerSec_Figure-1-NBK202200000288-768x576.jpg 768w, https://singteach.nie.edu.sg/wp-content/uploads/2024/07/ST89_VSL_MayflowerSec_Figure-1-NBK202200000288-1536x1152.jpg 1536w, https://singteach.nie.edu.sg/wp-content/uploads/2024/07/ST89_VSL_MayflowerSec_Figure-1-NBK202200000288-2048x1536.jpg 2048w" sizes="(max-width: 290px) 100vw, 290px" /><p id="caption-attachment-23493" class="wp-caption-text">Figure 1. Flowerpots created from recyclable materials.</p></div>
<div style="font-weight: 400;">
<p paraid="668527762" paraeid="{aa5c1214-a82f-4d1c-bc3a-32382a081a69}{34}"><span data-contrast="auto" xml:lang="EN-US" lang="EN-US"><span>Mayflower Secondary School’s Humanities Department envisions empowering students by putting students in the driver’s seat. They do this through IBL, fostering self-directed learning. They </span><span>utilize</span><span> ICT tools for this purpose. Three examples of IBL implementation will be highlighted.</span></span><span data-ccp-props="{"201341983":0,"335551550":6,"335551620":6,"335559739":192,"335559740":360,"335559746":80}"> </span></p>
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<div style="font-weight: 400;">
<p paraid="1405518600" paraeid="{aa5c1214-a82f-4d1c-bc3a-32382a081a69}{40}"><span data-contrast="auto" xml:lang="EN" lang="EN"><span>In Secondary 1, students begin IBL by posing questions and conducting investigations. They explore sustainability by creating </span><span>flowerpots</span><span> from recyclable materials like plastic bottles and cardboard found at school</span><span> (see Figure 1)</span><span>. These pots are used for planting Indian Borages, which they care for over a year and pass to the next cohort. Teachers guide them by asking questions such as how to ensure plants are watered during school holidays. This hands-on approach equips students with practical knowledge of sustainability in real-world scenarios. </span></span><span data-ccp-props="{"201341983":0,"335551550":6,"335551620":6,"335559739":192,"335559740":360,"335559746":80}"> </span></p>
<p paraid="1405518600" paraeid="{aa5c1214-a82f-4d1c-bc3a-32382a081a69}{40}"><a href="https://tinyurl.com/32c3zdj2" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><img loading="lazy" src="https://singteach.nie.edu.sg/wp-content/uploads/2024/07/ST89_MayflowerSec_online-link-300x54.png" alt="" class="alignnone wp-image-23482" width="250" height="45" srcset="https://singteach.nie.edu.sg/wp-content/uploads/2024/07/ST89_MayflowerSec_online-link-300x54.png 300w, https://singteach.nie.edu.sg/wp-content/uploads/2024/07/ST89_MayflowerSec_online-link-1024x186.png 1024w, https://singteach.nie.edu.sg/wp-content/uploads/2024/07/ST89_MayflowerSec_online-link-768x140.png 768w, https://singteach.nie.edu.sg/wp-content/uploads/2024/07/ST89_MayflowerSec_online-link-1536x279.png 1536w, https://singteach.nie.edu.sg/wp-content/uploads/2024/07/ST89_MayflowerSec_online-link-2048x372.png 2048w" sizes="(max-width: 250px) 100vw, 250px" /></a></p>
<p paraid="1405518600" paraeid="{aa5c1214-a82f-4d1c-bc3a-32382a081a69}{40}"><span data-contrast="auto" xml:lang="EN-US" lang="EN-US" class="TextRun SCXW102065077 BCX0"><span class="NormalTextRun SCXW102065077 BCX0">In Secondary 3, instead of creating a PowerPoint and giving a lecture about </span><span class="NormalTextRun SCXW102065077 BCX0">how </span><span class="NormalTextRun SCXW102065077 BCX0">the impact of climate change can affect the human system, students </span><span class="NormalTextRun SCXW102065077 BCX0">are </span><span class="NormalTextRun SCXW102065077 BCX0">divided into groups to research </span><span class="NormalTextRun SCXW102065077 BCX0">the different </span><span class="NormalTextRun SCXW102065077 BCX0">impact</span><span class="NormalTextRun SCXW102065077 BCX0">s</span><span class="NormalTextRun SCXW102065077 BCX0"> of climate change. Through a curated list of resources, students inquire about the impacts of climate change. They then </span><span class="NormalTextRun AdvancedProofingIssueV2Themed SCXW102065077 BCX0">have to</span><span class="NormalTextRun SCXW102065077 BCX0"> process the knowledge and present it as an infographic for the school</span><span class="NormalTextRun SCXW102065077 BCX0">’s</span><span class="NormalTextRun SCXW102065077 BCX0"> Open House exhibition. </span></span><span class="EOP SCXW102065077 BCX0" data-ccp-props="{"201341983":0,"335551550":6,"335551620":6,"335559739":192,"335559740":360,"335559746":80}"> </span></p>
<p paraid="1405518600" paraeid="{aa5c1214-a82f-4d1c-bc3a-32382a081a69}{40}"><a href="https://tinyurl.com/5eutkmch" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><img loading="lazy" src="https://singteach.nie.edu.sg/wp-content/uploads/2024/07/ST89_MayflowerSec_online-link-300x54.png" alt="" class="alignnone wp-image-23482" width="250" height="45" srcset="https://singteach.nie.edu.sg/wp-content/uploads/2024/07/ST89_MayflowerSec_online-link-300x54.png 300w, https://singteach.nie.edu.sg/wp-content/uploads/2024/07/ST89_MayflowerSec_online-link-1024x186.png 1024w, https://singteach.nie.edu.sg/wp-content/uploads/2024/07/ST89_MayflowerSec_online-link-768x140.png 768w, https://singteach.nie.edu.sg/wp-content/uploads/2024/07/ST89_MayflowerSec_online-link-1536x279.png 1536w, https://singteach.nie.edu.sg/wp-content/uploads/2024/07/ST89_MayflowerSec_online-link-2048x372.png 2048w" sizes="(max-width: 250px) 100vw, 250px" /></a></p>
<p paraid="1405518600" paraeid="{aa5c1214-a82f-4d1c-bc3a-32382a081a69}{40}"><span data-contrast="auto" xml:lang="EN-US" lang="EN-US" class="TextRun SCXW159664450 BCX0"><span class="NormalTextRun SCXW159664450 BCX0">For the lesson on climate action, students first played the game </span></span><span data-contrast="auto" xml:lang="EN-US" lang="EN-US" class="TextRun Highlight SCXW159664450 BCX0"><a href="https://singteach.nie.edu.sg/2024/01/09/game-your-way-to-a-greener-tomorrow-sustainability-education/" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><span class="NormalTextRun SCXW159664450 BCX0">Getting to Zero</span></a></span><span data-contrast="auto" xml:lang="EN-US" lang="EN-US" class="TextRun SCXW159664450 BCX0"><span class="NormalTextRun SCXW159664450 BCX0"> to spark their curiosity. Using the framework</span><span class="NormalTextRun SCXW159664450 BCX0"> of</span><span class="NormalTextRun SCXW159664450 BCX0"> </span><span class="NormalTextRun SCXW159664450 BCX0">“C</span><span class="NormalTextRun SCXW159664450 BCX0">reate, </span><span class="NormalTextRun SCXW159664450 BCX0">C</span><span class="NormalTextRun SCXW159664450 BCX0">onnect, and </span><span class="NormalTextRun SCXW159664450 BCX0">Contribute” </span><span class="NormalTextRun SCXW159664450 BCX0">students </span><span class="NormalTextRun SCXW159664450 BCX0">are </span><span class="NormalTextRun SCXW159664450 BCX0">provided with an opportunity to discover for themselves the type of climate actions that they can take to fight climate change</span><span class="NormalTextRun SCXW159664450 BCX0">. </span></span><span class="EOP SCXW159664450 BCX0" data-ccp-props="{"201341983":0,"335551550":6,"335551620":6,"335559739":192,"335559740":360,"335559746":80}"> </span></p>
<p paraid="1405518600" paraeid="{aa5c1214-a82f-4d1c-bc3a-32382a081a69}{40}"><a href="https://tinyurl.com/3ynkf4xu" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><img loading="lazy" src="https://singteach.nie.edu.sg/wp-content/uploads/2024/07/ST89_MayflowerSec_online-link-300x54.png" alt="" class="alignnone wp-image-23482" width="250" height="45" srcset="https://singteach.nie.edu.sg/wp-content/uploads/2024/07/ST89_MayflowerSec_online-link-300x54.png 300w, https://singteach.nie.edu.sg/wp-content/uploads/2024/07/ST89_MayflowerSec_online-link-1024x186.png 1024w, https://singteach.nie.edu.sg/wp-content/uploads/2024/07/ST89_MayflowerSec_online-link-768x140.png 768w, https://singteach.nie.edu.sg/wp-content/uploads/2024/07/ST89_MayflowerSec_online-link-1536x279.png 1536w, https://singteach.nie.edu.sg/wp-content/uploads/2024/07/ST89_MayflowerSec_online-link-2048x372.png 2048w" sizes="(max-width: 250px) 100vw, 250px" /></a></p>
<h1 paraid="1405518600" paraeid="{aa5c1214-a82f-4d1c-bc3a-32382a081a69}{40}"><span data-contrast="auto" xml:lang="EN" lang="EN" class="TextRun SCXW239563365 BCX0"><span class="NormalTextRun SCXW239563365 BCX0">Challenges Encountered, Solution</span><span class="NormalTextRun SCXW239563365 BCX0">s</span><span class="NormalTextRun SCXW239563365 BCX0"> Implemented</span></span><span class="EOP SCXW239563365 BCX0" data-ccp-props="{"201341983":0,"335551550":6,"335551620":6,"335559739":192,"335559740":360,"335559746":80}"> </span></h1>
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<p paraid="132681943" paraeid="{aa5c1214-a82f-4d1c-bc3a-32382a081a69}{235}"><span data-contrast="auto" xml:lang="EN-US" lang="EN-US"><span>When using IBL, one constant fear we had was balancing curriculum coverage with student-driven inquiry. We addressed this by clearly defining learning </span><span>objectives</span><span> for each topic and designing inquiry-based activities aligned with these goals. Flipped classroom methods ensured students grasped fundamental concepts beforehand, allowing class time for deep exploration and critical thinking. This fosters comprehensive understanding of geographical concepts over rote memorization. Through meticulous planning and alignment with learning </span><span>objectives</span><span>, we aim to mitigate concerns about the breadth of content coverage while promoting meaningful student engagement and learning.</span></span><span data-ccp-props="{"201341983":0,"335551550":6,"335551620":6,"335559739":192,"335559740":360,"335559746":80}"> </span></p>
</div>
<div style="font-weight: 400;">
<p paraid="1831059073" paraeid="{aa5c1214-a82f-4d1c-bc3a-32382a081a69}{241}"><span data-contrast="auto" xml:lang="EN-US" lang="EN-US"><span>In addition, implementing IBL demands </span><span>significant time</span><span> and resources, which can tempt teachers with heavy workloads to revert to traditional frontal teaching. However, despite the </span><span>initial</span><span> investment, the long-term benefits of IBL outweigh </span><span>this.</span><span> Once IBL activities are designed and posted online, they can be reused in </span><span>subsequent</span><span> years, lightening the workload. Collaboration among teachers in developing IBL lessons further distributes the effort. Moreover, IBL enhances student engagement and motivation, </span><span>ultimately improving</span><span> learning outcomes. With experience, we have </span><span>integrated</span><span> IBL into our teaching practice without being overwhelmed, ensuring sustained benefits for both educators and students.</span></span><span data-ccp-props="{"201341983":0,"335551550":6,"335551620":6,"335559739":192,"335559740":360,"335559746":80}"> </span></p>
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<p paraid="388980507" paraeid="{aa5c1214-a82f-4d1c-bc3a-32382a081a69}{255}"><span data-contrast="auto" xml:lang="EN-US" lang="EN-US"><span>To address student reluctance with open-ended inquiry tasks, we scaffold their learning and build confidence gradually. We employ varied assessments like rubrics and peer evaluations throughout the process, shifting focus from just summative outcomes. Clear guidance on conducting mini-inquiries and </span><span>analyzing</span><span> </span><span>data equips students for these tasks. Using ICT tools, such as </span></span><i><span data-contrast="auto" xml:lang="EN-US" lang="EN-US"><span>Google Sites</span></span></i><span data-contrast="auto" xml:lang="EN-US" lang="EN-US"><span>, </span></span><i><span data-contrast="auto" xml:lang="EN-US" lang="EN-US"><span>Goggle Docs</span></span></i><span data-contrast="auto" xml:lang="EN-US" lang="EN-US"><span>, </span></span><i><span data-contrast="auto" xml:lang="EN-US" lang="EN-US"><span>Classroom</span></span></i><span data-contrast="auto" xml:lang="EN-US" lang="EN-US"><span>, </span></span><i><span data-contrast="auto" xml:lang="EN-US" lang="EN-US"><span>Canva</span></span></i><span data-contrast="auto" xml:lang="EN-US" lang="EN-US"><span>, and </span></span><i><span data-contrast="auto" xml:lang="EN-US" lang="EN-US"><span>Padlet</span></span></i><span data-contrast="auto" xml:lang="EN-US" lang="EN-US"><span>, enhances engagement and accommodates diverse learning styles. </span><span>Th</span><span>ese strategies</span><span> ensure students </span><span>are able to </span><span>develop skills in navigating inquiry-based activities.</span><span> </span></span></p>
<h1 paraid="388980507" paraeid="{aa5c1214-a82f-4d1c-bc3a-32382a081a69}{255}"><span data-contrast="auto" xml:lang="EN" lang="EN" class="TextRun SCXW8425267 BCX0"><span class="NormalTextRun SCXW8425267 BCX0">IBL as an Effective </span></span><span data-contrast="auto" xml:lang="EN" lang="EN" class="TextRun Highlight SCXW8425267 BCX0"><span class="NormalTextRun SCXW8425267 BCX0">Instructional Approach</span></span><span class="EOP SCXW8425267 BCX0" data-ccp-props="{"201341983":0,"335551550":6,"335551620":6,"335559739":192,"335559740":360,"335559746":80}"> </span></h1>
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<p paraid="986988033" paraeid="{e5e1fc00-7322-42a3-9e3e-e20c8da6f315}{52}"><span data-contrast="auto" xml:lang="EN" lang="EN"><span>This article explores integrating IBL into geography education in Singapore through the lens of ESD. By embedding IBL within ESD goals, the aim is to foster critical thinking, problem-solving and a profound grasp of sustainability issues among students.</span></span><span data-ccp-props="{"201341983":0,"335551550":6,"335551620":6,"335559739":192,"335559740":360,"335559746":80}"> </span></p>
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<p paraid="1747839645" paraeid="{e5e1fc00-7322-42a3-9e3e-e20c8da6f315}{58}"><span data-contrast="auto" xml:lang="EN-US" lang="EN-US"><span>Three examples shared in this article illustrate IBL implementation across different educational levels despite challenges such as curriculum coverage, time management and resource allocation. Solutions include aligning learning </span><span>objectives</span><span>, using technology effectively and scaffolding inquiry processes.</span></span><span data-ccp-props="{"201341983":0,"335551550":6,"335551620":6,"335559739":192,"335559740":360,"335559746":80}"> </span></p>
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<div style="font-weight: 400;">
<p paraid="388980511" paraeid="{e5e1fc00-7322-42a3-9e3e-e20c8da6f315}{64}"><span data-contrast="auto" xml:lang="EN-US" lang="EN-US"><span>Our experiences highlight that IBL enriches learning by equipping students with skills to tackle global challenges like climate change and biodiversity loss. This pedagogical approach not only enhances engagement and comprehension but also cultivates future-ready citizens capable of contributing positively to sustainability efforts. IBL </span><span>emerges</span><span> as a powerful method for nurturing informed, responsible individuals prepared to address complex issues and shape a sustainable future.</span></span><span data-ccp-props="{"201341983":0,"335551550":6,"335551620":6,"335559739":192,"335559740":360,"335559746":80}"> </span></p>
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<p paraid="388980512" paraeid="{e5e1fc00-7322-42a3-9e3e-e20c8da6f315}{70}"><b><span data-contrast="auto" xml:lang="EN" lang="EN"><span>References</span></span></b><span data-ccp-props="{"201341983":0,"335551550":6,"335551620":6,"335559739":192,"335559740":360,"335559746":80}"> </span></p>
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<p paraid="388980513" paraeid="{e5e1fc00-7322-42a3-9e3e-e20c8da6f315}{76}"><span data-contrast="auto" xml:lang="EN" lang="EN"><span>Chang, C.-H. (2011). Is Singapore’s school geography relevant to our changing world? </span></span><i><span data-contrast="auto" xml:lang="EN" lang="EN"><span>Review of International Geographical Education Online (RIGEO), 1</span></span></i><span data-contrast="auto" xml:lang="EN" lang="EN"><span>(2), 223-239. Retrieved from</span></span><a href="https://files.eric.ed.gov/fulltext/EJ1168710.pdf" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener"><span data-contrast="auto" xml:lang="EN" lang="EN"><span> https://files.eric.ed.gov/fulltext/EJ1168710.pdf</span></span></a><span data-contrast="auto" xml:lang="EN" lang="EN"></span><span data-ccp-props="{"201341983":0,"335551550":6,"335551620":6,"335559739":192,"335559740":360,"335559746":80}"> </span></p>
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<p paraid="388980514" paraeid="{e5e1fc00-7322-42a3-9e3e-e20c8da6f315}{89}"><span data-contrast="auto" xml:lang="EN" lang="EN"><span>Seow, T., Chang, J., & Neil Irvine, K. (2019). Field-Based Inquiry as a Signature Pedagogy for Geography in Singapore. </span></span><i><span data-contrast="auto" xml:lang="EN" lang="EN"><span>Journal of Geography, 118</span></span></i><span data-contrast="auto" xml:lang="EN" lang="EN"><span>(6), 227–237. https://doi.org/10.1080/00221341.2018.1561740</span></span><span data-ccp-props="{"201341983":0,"335551550":6,"335551620":6,"335559739":192,"335559740":360,"335559746":80}"> </span></p>
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<title>Education for Sustainable Development</title>
<link>https://singteach.nie.edu.sg/2024/01/09/education-for-sustainable-development-2/?utm_source=rss&utm_medium=rss&utm_campaign=education-for-sustainable-development-2</link>
<comments>https://singteach.nie.edu.sg/2024/01/09/education-for-sustainable-development-2/#respond</comments>
<dc:creator><![CDATA[Azleena]]></dc:creator>
<pubDate>Tue, 09 Jan 2024 02:48:14 +0000</pubDate>
<category><![CDATA[issue 87 dec 2023]]></category>
<category><![CDATA[Issues]]></category>
<category><![CDATA[Interdisciplinary approach]]></category>
<category><![CDATA[Environmental education]]></category>
<category><![CDATA[Editorial]]></category>
<category><![CDATA[Sustainability education]]></category>
<guid isPermaLink="false">https://singteach.nie.edu.sg/?p=22762</guid>
<description><![CDATA[Education for sustainable development is multifaceted and complex, encompassing economic, political, social, cultural and environmental dimensions. It requires […]]]></description>
<content:encoded><![CDATA[<p>Education for sustainable development is multifaceted and complex, encompassing economic, political, social, cultural and environmental dimensions. It requires us to think very carefully about the type of education system that can nurture individuals with the necessary skills and attributes to face the environmental and social challenges facing Singapore and the wider world in the years to come. The <a href="https://www.greenplan.gov.sg/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Singapore Green Plan</a> outlines a whole-of-nation approach towards advancing Singapore’s sustainable development goals, wherein the role of schools and educators has been outlined in the Ministry of Education’s Eco Stewardship Programme (ESP). This edition of <em>SingTeach</em> highlights the initiatives that schools like Commonwealth Secondary School, Tampines Secondary School and Mee Toh Primary School have taken to integrate ESP’s 4Cs (curriculum, campus, culture and community) to support sustainability education. The educators interviewed here recognize the importance of both interdisciplinary learning as well as the development of values in sustainability education <span>– </span>seeking a whole-of-school approach that blurs the boundaries between the academic curriculum and co-curricular programmes.</p>
<p>This move towards redesigning how sustainability education is experienced in our schools should be supported by research. To this end, the <a href="https://sll.hsse.nie.edu.sg/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Sustainability Learning Lab (SLL)</a> at NIE has a mandate to lead in sustainability and sustainability education research, searching for evidence-based understandings of the types of curriculum and pedagogies that support learning for sustainable societies. This issue features the work of two education researchers and members of SLL. <a href="https://dr.ntu.edu.sg/cris/rp/rp01472" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Associate Professor Tan Aik Ling’s</a> research demonstrates how an interdisciplinary team of collaborators has sought to understand the impact of immersive learning experiences on students’ motivation to learn and care about the environment, while <a href="https://dr.ntu.edu.sg/cris/rp/rp01485" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Dr Johannah Soo</a> has studied food sustainability from the consumer point of view. Both types of research have value in informing how sustainability education can be strengthened in the Singapore education system, with concrete recommendations for curriculum and pedagogy in schools. By extension, such research also implies that there is scope for re-thinking the ways in which we prepare new teachers and develop professional development courses for in-service teachers.</p>
<p>There is much work to be done, particularly in trying to move sustainability education beyond a narrow conception of learning about the natural and urban environment towards developing a sense of individual and collective responsibility towards the environment, ecosystems and societies. The examples in this issue showcase positive steps in the journey towards this goal.</p>
<p><a href="https://dr.ntu.edu.sg/cris/rp/rp01539" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Dr Tricia Seow</a><br />
Senior Lecturer<br />
<a href="https://www.ntu.edu.sg/nie/about-us/academic-groups/humanities-and-social-studies-education" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Humanities & Social Studies Education (HSSE)</a><br />
<a href="https://www.ntu.edu.sg/nie" target="_blank" rel="noopener">National Institute of Education</a></p>
]]></content:encoded>
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<item>
<title>Building a Sustainable Future Through Education</title>
<link>https://singteach.nie.edu.sg/2024/01/09/building-a-sustainable-future-through-education/?utm_source=rss&utm_medium=rss&utm_campaign=building-a-sustainable-future-through-education</link>
<comments>https://singteach.nie.edu.sg/2024/01/09/building-a-sustainable-future-through-education/#respond</comments>
<dc:creator><![CDATA[Azleena]]></dc:creator>
<pubDate>Tue, 09 Jan 2024 02:47:10 +0000</pubDate>
<category><![CDATA[issue 87 dec 2023]]></category>
<category><![CDATA[Issues]]></category>
<category><![CDATA[Climate change]]></category>
<category><![CDATA[Sustainability education]]></category>
<category><![CDATA[Community involvement]]></category>
<category><![CDATA[Interdisciplinary approach]]></category>
<category><![CDATA[Environmental education]]></category>
<category><![CDATA[Inventive thinking]]></category>
<category><![CDATA[The Big Idea]]></category>
<category><![CDATA[Innovation]]></category>
<guid isPermaLink="false">https://singteach.nie.edu.sg/?p=22759</guid>
<description><![CDATA[Singapore is not immune to the effects of climate change such as rising temperatures, sea-level rise and more […]]]></description>
<content:encoded><![CDATA[<p><em><strong>Singapore is not immune to the effects of climate change such as rising temperatures, sea-level rise and more extreme weather events. While the science of climate change is still evolving, it is important that we take urgent and necessary steps to mitigate and adapt to these challenges. Education plays a critical role, not only in raising awareness and knowledge on environmental and sustainability issues, but also in encouraging students and communities to think of innovative solutions that can drive more sustainable ways of living. Guest editor of this </strong></em><strong>SingTeach </strong><em><strong>issue, <a href="https://dr.ntu.edu.sg/cris/rp/rp01539" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Dr Tricia Seow</a>, Senior Lecturer and Assistant Head of the <a href="https://www.ntu.edu.sg/nie/about-us/academic-groups/humanities-and-social-studies-education" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Humanities & Social Studies Education Academic Group</a> at NIE, shares more about sustainability education as well as its future direction in schools today.</strong></em></p>
<h1>Sustainability Is a Global Issue<img loading="lazy" src="https://singteach.nie.edu.sg/wp-content/uploads/2024/01/ST87_TheBigIdea_TriciaSeow-300x300.jpg" alt="" class="alignright wp-image-22870" width="320" height="320" srcset="https://singteach.nie.edu.sg/wp-content/uploads/2024/01/ST87_TheBigIdea_TriciaSeow-300x300.jpg 300w, https://singteach.nie.edu.sg/wp-content/uploads/2024/01/ST87_TheBigIdea_TriciaSeow-1024x1024.jpg 1024w, https://singteach.nie.edu.sg/wp-content/uploads/2024/01/ST87_TheBigIdea_TriciaSeow-150x150.jpg 150w, https://singteach.nie.edu.sg/wp-content/uploads/2024/01/ST87_TheBigIdea_TriciaSeow-768x768.jpg 768w, https://singteach.nie.edu.sg/wp-content/uploads/2024/01/ST87_TheBigIdea_TriciaSeow-1536x1536.jpg 1536w, https://singteach.nie.edu.sg/wp-content/uploads/2024/01/ST87_TheBigIdea_TriciaSeow-2048x2048.jpg 2048w" sizes="(max-width: 320px) 100vw, 320px" /></h1>
<p>“Sustainability issues affect all of humanity, though the exact nature of the issues may differ due to the context of each place,” Dr Tricia Seow, who is also the co-chair of the <a href="https://sll.hsse.nie.edu.sg/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Sustainability Learning Lab</a> at NIE, says.</p>
<p>Taking the example of climate change, she highlights how a small tropical island state like Singapore is affected directly and indirectly by climate-related risks.</p>
<p>“Warming global temperatures will see Singapore experiencing changes in weather patterns with more intense rainfall. Rising sea levels due to melting ice caps and the thermal expansion of sea water will also mean potential loss of low lying land as well as floods,” she says.</p>
<p>Events that occur in one part of the world will have a ripple effect felt and seen by other parts of the world too, including Singapore. Singapore’s reliance on food imports, for instance, will mean that the resilience of farming in places like the Mekong Delta is of importance.</p>
<p>“Threats to agricultural areas such as droughts and saltwater incursion caused by climate change and changes to river systems due to dams and riverbed mining, have an impact on farmers who might decide to stop farming and move to cities in search of alternative livelihoods <span>– </span>an act that will affect global and regional food supplies,” she explains.</p>
<p>There is an urgency to understand what is happening to other people in countries across the globe, as well as the need to search for solutions to the problems they are facing.</p>
<p>“These solutions may mean the need to help others mitigate and adapt to climate change even though they are not in Singapore, as we live in a hyper-connected world,” she adds.</p>
<h1>The Evolution of Sustainability Education</h1>
<p><span style="font-family: 'Georgia',serif; color: #333333;"></p>
<div class="shortcode-block-quote-right" style="color:#999999"><o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p><span style="font-family: 'Georgia',serif; color: #333333;">“Most importantly, the scope of issues that can be addressed in sustainability education has also broadened such that it is relevant to most aspects of education/subjects.”<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p><span class="st"><b><i><span style="font-family: 'Georgia',serif; color: #333333;">–</span></i></b></span><strong><i><span style="font-family: 'Georgia',serif; color: #333333;"> Tricia</span></i></strong><em><span style="font-family: 'Georgia',serif; color: #333333;">, on sustainability education</span></em></p>
<p><span style="font-family: 'Georgia',serif; color: #333333;"></div>
<p><o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p>Tricia shares that concern for preserving the physical environment (e.g., protecting forests and nature spaces, as well as preventing pollution of the natural environment) began as early as the late 1800s. However, in the 1970s and 1980s, environmental education gained traction, with the Belgrade Charter (UNESCO, 1975) recognizing that to conserve the physical environment, the social, cultural and political dimensions had to be addressed as well.</p>
<p>“Over time, the nomenclature changed to sustainability education as there was more recognition of the importance of integrating the complex inter-relationships among the physical environment and social, cultural and political aspects of societies into environmental education,” she explains.</p>
<p>An international resolution adopted by the United Nations (UN), the “Decade of Education for Sustainable Development (2005-2014)”, emphasized the need to integrate sustainable development issues like climate change, biodiversity and disaster risk reduction into all aspects of education and learning (UNESCO, 2005). In 2015, the UN adopted the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) which not only broadened the scope of sustainable development issues, but also continued the emphasis on sustainable development through education (UN, 2015).</p>
<p>“In short, there has been a progression from environmental to sustainability education over time, given the increasing attention to inter-relationships among the physical and social worlds. Some might even argue that environmental education is a subset of sustainability education,” she remarks. “Most importantly, the scope of issues that can be addressed in sustainability education has also broadened such that it is relevant to most aspects of education/subjects.”</p>
<h1>Integrating Sustainability into Education</h1>
<p>“Schools indubitably play an important role in developing the knowledge and skills that young people need to participate in sustainability issues and work towards those UN sustainable development goals,” she affirms.</p>
<p>She notes how Geography was a natural fit during UNESCO’s Decade of Education for Sustainable Development as it is a discipline that addresses issues like climate change, biodiversity and disaster risk reduction. However, with the breadth of sustainable development goals today, all subjects have the capacity to tackle and engage students on sustainability issues.</p>
<p>“Science subjects can engage students around the science of climate change, impacts of development and climate change on ecologies. Social Studies is a key subject that educates students about governance <span>– </span>surely sustainable development and climate issues involve governance and how we as individuals can engage with the state on these matters. Languages and Art subjects can focus on how we communicate about sustainability issues too,” she explains.</p>
<p>She also emphasizes the importance of adopting a holistic and interdisciplinary approach to sustainability education and highlights how the Ministry of Education’s Eco Stewardship Programme (ESP) is one of the important building blocks in this endeavour.</p>
<p>“The implementation of ESP in local educational institutes has seen schools and institutes of higher learning integrating sustainable development into their curriculum, campus infrastructure, institutional culture and practices, as well as partnerships with the community,” she comments.</p>
<p><span style="font-family: 'Georgia',serif; color: #333333;"></p>
<div class="shortcode-block-quote-center" style="color:#999999"><o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p><span style="font-family: 'Georgia',serif; color: #333333;">“Schools indubitably play an important role in developing the knowledge and skills that young people need to participate in sustainability issues and work towards those UN sustainable development goals.”<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p><em><span style="font-family: 'Georgia',serif; color: #333333;">– </span></em><strong><i><span style="font-family: 'Georgia',serif; color: #333333;">Tricia, </span></i></strong><em><span style="font-family: 'Georgia',serif; color: #333333;">on the role schools play</span></em><span style="font-family: 'Georgia',serif; color: #333333;"><o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p><span style="font-family: 'Georgia',serif; color: #333333;"></div>
<p><o:p></o:p></span></p>
<h1>Navigating the Future</h1>
<p>Reflecting further on the future direction of sustainability education, Tricia acknowledges the good work done in schools in this area. However, she notes that it is also important for school leaders and teachers to think ahead and develop more innovative pedagogies in their approach to sustainability education.</p>
<p>“If we teach about these issues in a technocratic and factual way, then students will treat them just like any other topic they are required to learn for assessment,” she states. “We should try to get students to understand how people in other parts of the world are already impacted by issues like climate change. For example, how do people without air-conditioning or stable water supplies cope with heatwaves and droughts, and who are the people who are losing their homes to rising sea levels?”</p>
<p>Not only that, she points out how it is also important that students are provided with positive examples of what people are doing to overcome these problems.</p>
<p>These could be in the form of innovations, community initiatives and partnerships among individuals, business and government.</p>
<p>“Students should be nudged to realize that problems the world is facing are not necessarily insurmountable, and that they have the power to make informed decisions and take individual and collective action,” she says with much conviction. “It would be best if students are empowered to apply these insights into felt and lived issues they themselves have witnessed and want to address.”</p>
<p><strong>References</strong></p>
<p>
UNESCO. (1975). <em>The Belgrade Charter: A Framework for Environmental Education.</em> https://unesdoc.unesco.org/ark:/48223/pf0000017772?posInSet=1&queryId=ca05e781-a295-4956-a7c2-f356c2647188</p>
<p>UNESCO. (2005). <em>UN Decade of Education for Sustainable Development, 2005-2014.</em> https://unesdoc.unesco.org/ark:/48223/pf0000141629?posInSet=14&queryId=17d8b3bf-d48f-4039-a954-7eea84d602c3</p>
<p>United Nations. (2015). <em>Sustainable Development Goals.</em> https://sdgs.un.org/goals</p>
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<title>A Multidisciplinary Approach to Sustainability Education</title>
<link>https://singteach.nie.edu.sg/2024/01/09/a-multidisciplinary-approach-to-sustainability-education/?utm_source=rss&utm_medium=rss&utm_campaign=a-multidisciplinary-approach-to-sustainability-education</link>
<comments>https://singteach.nie.edu.sg/2024/01/09/a-multidisciplinary-approach-to-sustainability-education/#respond</comments>
<dc:creator><![CDATA[Azleena]]></dc:creator>
<pubDate>Tue, 09 Jan 2024 02:43:38 +0000</pubDate>
<category><![CDATA[issue 87 dec 2023]]></category>
<category><![CDATA[Issues]]></category>
<category><![CDATA[School culture]]></category>
<category><![CDATA[Sustainability education]]></category>
<category><![CDATA[Classroom Perspectives]]></category>
<category><![CDATA[Community involvement]]></category>
<category><![CDATA[Experiential learning]]></category>
<category><![CDATA[Curriculum innovation]]></category>
<category><![CDATA[Environmental education]]></category>
<category><![CDATA[Fieldwork]]></category>
<guid isPermaLink="false">https://singteach.nie.edu.sg/?p=22754</guid>
<description><![CDATA[Selected as one of the pilot schools for the Eco Stewardship Programme, Commonwealth Secondary School (CWSS) has adopted […]]]></description>
<content:encoded><![CDATA[<p><em><strong>Selected as one of the pilot schools for the Eco Stewardship Programme, <a href="https://www.commonwealthsec.moe.edu.sg/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Commonwealth Secondary School (CWSS)</a> has adopted a dynamic approach that aims to seamlessly weave sustainability into the very fabric of its academic and cultural life. </strong></em><strong>SingTeach</strong><em><strong> talks to three teachers from CWSS who share about the school’s various sustainability initiatives that include the STEM elective as well as the “Farm to Table” programme.</strong></em></p>
<h1>Integrating the 4Cs<img loading="lazy" src="https://singteach.nie.edu.sg/wp-content/uploads/2024/01/ST87_ClassroomPerspectives_CWSS_2_crop-169x300.jpg" alt="" class="alignright wp-image-22862" width="300" height="533" srcset="https://singteach.nie.edu.sg/wp-content/uploads/2024/01/ST87_ClassroomPerspectives_CWSS_2_crop-169x300.jpg 169w, https://singteach.nie.edu.sg/wp-content/uploads/2024/01/ST87_ClassroomPerspectives_CWSS_2_crop-576x1024.jpg 576w, https://singteach.nie.edu.sg/wp-content/uploads/2024/01/ST87_ClassroomPerspectives_CWSS_2_crop-768x1365.jpg 768w, https://singteach.nie.edu.sg/wp-content/uploads/2024/01/ST87_ClassroomPerspectives_CWSS_2_crop-864x1536.jpg 864w, https://singteach.nie.edu.sg/wp-content/uploads/2024/01/ST87_ClassroomPerspectives_CWSS_2_crop-1152x2048.jpg 1152w, https://singteach.nie.edu.sg/wp-content/uploads/2024/01/ST87_ClassroomPerspectives_CWSS_2_crop-scaled.jpg 1440w" sizes="(max-width: 300px) 100vw, 300px" /></h1>
<p><a href="https://www.commonwealthsec.moe.edu.sg/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Commonwealth Secondary School’s (CWSS)</a> <a href="https://sites.google.com/view/cwssclimateactionweek/cwss-green-plan" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Green Plan</a> plays an integral role in the school’s effort to build and maintain a culture of sustainability.</p>
<p>“The Green Plan outlines CWSS’ vision to make sustainability a core value of the school,” Mr Jacob Tan, a Senior Teacher/Biology and teacher-in-charge of the Eco Club at CWSS, says. “The plan is driven by the 4Cs of Campus, Curriculum, Culture, and Community.”</p>
<p>He highlights the interconnected relationships between the 4Cs. For instance, the school’s various eco habitats, such as the wetland and rainforest, are deeply rooted in what students are learning in geography lessons <span>–</span> an important factor in developing student’s interest in conserving the environment.</p>
<p>“Students have the opportunity to be outdoors and observe the different canopy layers of the rainforest as well as experience collecting water for water quality testing at the wetlands. Not only that, there is also a plant nursery where students can be involved in germinating seeds of endangered forest trees,” he shares.</p>
<p>The school has also seen the introduction of 1744 solar panels around the campus, which meets 50% of the school’s monthly energy demand, as well as six food digesters which recycle food waste. The culture of sustainability embedded in the school has meant the elimination of plastic straws and selling bottled drinking water too.</p>
<p>“Sustainability has become a top principle when designing any programme or activity,” Mr Simon Lew, Subject Head/Citizenship and Character Education at CWSS, adds.</p>
<p>Jacob remarks that CWSS has been consistently striving to improve its efforts in integrating the concept of sustainability across subjects, disciplines, departments and even school culture. The school’s STEM elective and Farm-to-Table programmes are two examples of how the school is adopting a multidisciplinary approach to sustainability education.</p>
<h1>The STEM Elective</h1>
<p>Serving as one of two non-examinable elective choices for students in Secondary 3 onwards, CWSS’ unique STEM elective allows students to explore modern issues, including biodiversity conservation, food resilience and climate change, beyond traditional textbooks.</p>
<p>“The STEM elective is conceptualized as a hotbed for nurturing future scientists and innovators who are passionate about addressing and solving environmental challenges,” Ms Vinodhini M Selveindran, Subject Head of Science and Research and co-teacher of the STEM elective, explains.</p>
<p>The STEM elective is introduced during the subject option briefing at the beginning of the year for Secondary 3 students and taken in place of the eighth O-level subject. By selecting this elective, students focus on a portfolio-based approach which culminates in a capstone project during Secondary 4.</p>
<p>“The capstone project sees students tackle real-world problems such as those related to the UN sustainability development goals or it could be any environmental issue that that a student is passionate about,” she shares.</p>
<p>She gives an example of how students have worked on a recent project that explored ways of converting urine into energy and have attempted to develop a prototype turbine fixed onto the urinal area. Another student is collaborating with National Junior College on a research project that studies the relationships between light conditions, photosynthesis and nutrient absorption when growing hydroponic green spinach.</p>
<p>The elective, she notes, works in partnerships with other organizations such as the National Environment Agency, Singapore Food Agency and the Mandai Wildlife Group too.</p>
<p>“We have linked up with A*STAR in which a researcher from the organization guides our students in their projects. This is rather unique because the students have the opportunity to be exposed to real-life research work,” she remarks.</p>
<p>Elaborating on the benefits of the programme, she highlights how the elective is able to break down subject silos and cultivate multidisciplinary thinking that fosters critical and informed thinkers.</p>
<p>“The challenge of individual subjects is that we tend to frame whatever we have learnt according to a single lens. The beauty of this STEM elective is that we are not bound by these single lenses. Instead, we see how all the knowledge we have learnt fits together into one bigger picture,” she describes.</p>
<p>Jacob echoes this sentiment. “The STEM elective allows students to gain hands-on experience without overloading them, providing depth that may not be found in other existing subjects. The richness lies in connecting different subjects to address real-world sustainability challenges,” he says.</p>
<p><span style="font-family: 'Georgia',serif; color: #333333;"></p>
<div class="shortcode-block-quote-center" style="color:#999999"><o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p><span style="font-family: 'Georgia',serif; color: #333333;">“The STEM elective allows students to gain hands-on experience without overloading them, providing depth that may not be found in other existing subjects. The richness lies in connecting different subjects to address real-world sustainability challenges.”<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p><em><span style="font-family: 'Georgia',serif; color: #333333;">– <strong>Jacob</strong></span></em><strong><i><span style="font-family: 'Georgia',serif; color: #333333;">, </span></i></strong><em><span style="font-family: 'Georgia',serif; color: #333333;">on the benefits of CWSS’ STEM elective</span></em></p>
<p><span style="font-family: 'Georgia',serif; color: #333333;"></div>
<p><o:p></o:p></span></p>
<h1>The “Farm to Table” Programme</h1>
<p>CWSS’ “Farm to Table” programme, an initiative under the Eco Stewardship Programme, integrates indoor and outdoor farming experiences into the lower secondary science curriculum. Starting with conventional soil farming in Secondary 1, students progress to high-tech indoor farming in Secondary 2.</p>
<p>“The programme, spanning 6 to 8 weeks, allows students to learn about farming practices,” Simon, who is also the programme coordinator, explains.</p>
<p>“During the course of the programme, students learn about photosynthesis and are exposed to the whole process of growing a plant, including germinating, transplanting and harvesting. Not only that, they also learn about the role technology plays in urban food production,” he shares.</p>
<p>He notes how the programme is closely linked to the science curriculum as well as the UN sustainable development goals. Teachers, for instance, regularly engage students in discussing global issues of hunger and food insecurity, and the importance of supporting local produce, making sustainable food choices, and tackling food waste.</p>
<p>“The harvested produce is not put to waste. Students and teachers find ways to celebrate the harvest together, and the produce is used for activities such as in-class cooking during Food and Consumer Education classes, making salads as well as a food source for canteen stalls,” he adds.</p>
<p>He makes the observation that due to Singapore’s highly urbanized environment, where only 1 percent of land has been allocated to food production, students may have had less opportunities to witness the hard work that goes into planting, cultivating and harvesting crop.</p>
<p>“We want them to think, ‘Where does the food on my plate comes from?’” he states. “We want them to think about the different innovative and sustainable approaches to food production, and how urban farming and urban agriculture can play a role in ensuring food security.”</p>
<h1>Charting the Sustainability Path Ahead</h1>
<p><span style="font-family: 'Georgia',serif; color: #333333;"></p>
<div class="shortcode-block-quote-right" style="color:#999999"><o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p><span style="font-family: 'Georgia',serif; color: #333333;">“We aim to cultivate individuals who not only lead successful lives but are also mindful of how their actions can impact the environment, and can actively contribute to a sustainable future.”<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p><span class="st"><b><i><span style="font-family: 'Georgia',serif; color: #333333;">–</span></i></b></span><strong><i><span style="font-family: 'Georgia',serif; color: #333333;"> Simon</span></i></strong><em><span style="font-family: 'Georgia',serif; color: #333333;">, on his hopes for CWSS students</span></em></p>
<p><span style="font-family: 'Georgia',serif; color: #333333;"></div>
<p><o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p>What does the future hold for CWSS’ STEM elective and its Green Plan?</p>
<p>For Vinodhini, she hopes the STEM elective can leverage on the school’s partnerships with various organizations.</p>
<p>“We want to leverage our strength in working with our industry partners so that our students can have more opportunities to co-create with researchers in research and development,” she shares. “We also have plans to create a repository where all the student STEM projects can be stored and accessed for future reference.”</p>
<p>Jacob is encouraged to see students adopting sustainability actions on their own without much nudging from teachers.</p>
<p>“We are on the right track,” he affirms. “CWSS’ Green Plan mirrors closely to national sustainable initiatives, such as the OneMillionTrees movement by the National Parks Board, the ‘City in Nature’ vision, which is one of the five pillars under the Singapore Green Plan 2030, and the ‘30 by 30’ goal, which aims to produce 30 percent of local food needs by 2030.”</p>
<p>“This gives our students the opportunity to experience those national goals at a micro level and be ready to participate as active citizens in the near future,” he adds.</p>
<p>Simon too hopes that the values instilled in students will act as guiding principles as they move on to tertiary education and beyond.</p>
<p>“We aim to cultivate individuals who not only lead successful lives but are also mindful of how their actions can impact the environment, and can actively contribute to a sustainable future,” he says.</p>
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<title>Cultivating Students’ Interest for the Environment</title>
<link>https://singteach.nie.edu.sg/2024/01/09/cultivating-students-interest-for-the-environment/?utm_source=rss&utm_medium=rss&utm_campaign=cultivating-students-interest-for-the-environment</link>
<comments>https://singteach.nie.edu.sg/2024/01/09/cultivating-students-interest-for-the-environment/#respond</comments>
<dc:creator><![CDATA[Azleena]]></dc:creator>
<pubDate>Tue, 09 Jan 2024 02:42:37 +0000</pubDate>
<category><![CDATA[issue 87 dec 2023]]></category>
<category><![CDATA[Issues]]></category>
<category><![CDATA[Authentic learning]]></category>
<category><![CDATA[Climate change]]></category>
<category><![CDATA[Sustainability education]]></category>
<category><![CDATA[Geography]]></category>
<category><![CDATA[Environmental education]]></category>
<category><![CDATA[Research in Action]]></category>
<category><![CDATA[Science education]]></category>
<guid isPermaLink="false">https://singteach.nie.edu.sg/?p=22750</guid>
<description><![CDATA[To cultivate the next generation of environmental stewards, it is important that we first gain a better understanding […]]]></description>
<content:encoded><![CDATA[<p><em><strong>To cultivate the next generation of environmental stewards, it is important that we first gain a better understanding of how learners develop interest and knowledge towards the environment. How can an immersive informal learning experience help learners build that interest? <a href="https://dr.ntu.edu.sg/cris/rp/rp01472" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Associate Professor Tan Aik Ling</a> from NIE’s <a href="https://www.ntu.edu.sg/nie/about-us/academic-groups/natural-sciences-and-science-education" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Natural Sciences & Science Education Academic Group</a> shares about her <a href="https://sll.hsse.nie.edu.sg/projects/learning-about-the-environment-understanding-development-of-interest-and-knowledge-through-immersive-informal-learning-experiences/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">research project</a> that looks at how schools can nurture every student to develop a lifelong commitment to eco-stewardship through immersive informal learning experiences, while also integrating concepts from the geography and science curriculum.</strong></em></p>
<h1><img loading="lazy" src="https://singteach.nie.edu.sg/wp-content/uploads/2024/01/ST87_ResearchinAction_DrTanAikLing_crop-300x200.jpg" alt="" class="wp-image-22853 alignright" width="450" height="300" srcset="https://singteach.nie.edu.sg/wp-content/uploads/2024/01/ST87_ResearchinAction_DrTanAikLing_crop-300x200.jpg 300w, https://singteach.nie.edu.sg/wp-content/uploads/2024/01/ST87_ResearchinAction_DrTanAikLing_crop-1024x682.jpg 1024w, https://singteach.nie.edu.sg/wp-content/uploads/2024/01/ST87_ResearchinAction_DrTanAikLing_crop-768x512.jpg 768w, https://singteach.nie.edu.sg/wp-content/uploads/2024/01/ST87_ResearchinAction_DrTanAikLing_crop-1536x1024.jpg 1536w, https://singteach.nie.edu.sg/wp-content/uploads/2024/01/ST87_ResearchinAction_DrTanAikLing_crop-2048x1365.jpg 2048w" sizes="(max-width: 450px) 100vw, 450px" /></h1>
<h1>Learning Activities at St John’s Island</h1>
<p>Associate Professor Tan Aik Ling’s research project, a 3-day non-residential programme involving three secondary schools, was carried out at St John’s Island. The island, located at the southern coast of Singapore, is known for its vast biodiversity.</p>
<p>“St John’s Island is an ideal place as its natural habitats are preserved. We wanted to find out if students do think that various eco-systems on the island, such as mangroves, coastal forests and coral reefs are worthy to be conserved,” she says.</p>
<p>She explains how six activities were carried out every day, with each day divided into two blocks <span>– </span>one in the morning and another in the afternoon. </p>
<p>“In the morning, we will typically bring them outdoors to interact with nature and with one another. In the afternoon, we will usually be indoors in the <a href="https://sjinml.nus.edu.sg/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">St John’s Island National Marine Laboratory</a>, which is managed by the <a href="https://www.tmsi.nus.edu.sg/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">National University of Singapore (NUS) Tropical Marine Science Institute</a>,” she describes.</p>
<p>Some of the outdoor activities include going to the coastal front to learn about wave energies and exploring the mangrove swamp to study the organisms found there. Students also had the opportunity to learn about land reclamation and coral restoration at the marine laboratory.</p>
<p>“We created models of St John’s Island and Kias Island and had students re-enact the process of land reclamation. Through this activity, they realized how land reclamation impacts marine ecosystems such as coral reefs. The scientists in the marine laboratory then walked them through the coral restoration process as well,” she says.</p>
<h1>Are Students Interested?</h1>
<p>According to a study done by Hidi and Renninger (2006), interest can be conceptualized in four phases: triggered situational interest, maintained situational interest, emerging (less-developed) individual interest, and well-developed individual interest.</p>
<p>“One of our intentions in conducting this programme is to trigger situational interest related to the environment and observe how long this interest can be maintained,” she shares.</p>
<p>Triggered situational interest refers to a temporary form of interest that is elicited due to a specific situation or event. This first phase is important as it piques the learner’s interest and motivates them to look up and understand the topic or content more thoroughly.</p>
<p>Findings from her research study indicate that the programme has been successful in triggering the interest of students on environmental issues. However, the interest falters soon after the programme ended.</p>
<p>“It is important to maintain the situational interest (the second phase) among learners. Certainly, there is a need for periodic stimulus after the programme has ended to sustain the participants’ interest over time,” she comments. “Perhaps future studies can be conducted to map out the ideal frequency of activities as well as the types of activities that could be run such as online exercises.”</p>
<h1>Three Key Design Principles</h1>
<p>Findings from Aik Ling’s research study have also shed light on the key design principles a successful environmental learning experience should have. She shares with us three main design principles.</p>
<h4><em>Hands-on Experiences</em></h4>
<p>“Having students engage directly with the environment is essential in piquing their interest,” Aik Ling asserts.</p>
<p>She emphasizes the importance of giving students more opportunities to immerse themselves in learning experiences that allow them to use their sense of touch, sight and sound in outdoor spaces.</p>
<p>“One of the key insights from students was that when they are exposed to nature, they feel compelled to protect nature’s biodiversity,” she shares. “After attending the coral restoration workshop, for example, they felt uplifted that they can play a role in slowing down the rate of environmental degradation.”</p>
<div class="shortcode-block-quote-center" style="color:#999999">
<p>“One of the key insights from students was that when they are exposed to nature, they feel compelled to protect nature’s biodiversity.”</p>
<p><em>– </em><strong><i>Aik Ling, </i></strong><em>on the importance of having students connect with the outdoors</em></p>
</div>
<h4><em>Meaningful Facilitation</em></h4>
<p>She also advocates facilitating talks by specialists in the field that can open students’ minds to new ideas. The on-site programme, for example, was facilitated by marine scientists and students were able to learn and ask questions about their various conservation efforts.</p>
<p>“Having experts who are able to address their questions in a logical and non-judgmental manner is important because this encourages them to be more curious,” she comments.</p>
<h4><em>Discovery and Exploration</em></h4>
<p>“One of the activities curated for the students on the last day of the programme was a free exploration of the island to complete an envisioning exercise for the island’s future. This was something that students enjoyed doing a lot,” she shares.</p>
<p>Running creative sandboxing activities for the students, for instance, can be one of the ways to induce positive learning experiences and let learners discover new insights about spaces that they are visiting for the first time.</p>
<h1>Eco-Stewards for Life</h1>
<p>Aik Ling emphasizes how the immersive learning programme is aligned to the national science and geography curriculum.</p>
<p>“An informal learning experience such as this allows students to connect knowledge gained in classrooms to real-world environmental issues,” she says.</p>
<p>She hopes that when the project ends in 2024, it can be scaled to more schools.</p>
<p>“More than just wanting students to develop an appreciation and care for the environment, we also want to develop them as eco-stewards for life who are empowered to take personal and collective actions in tackling environmental issues,” she affirms.</p>
<p><strong>Reference</strong><br />
Suzanne Hidi & K. Ann Renninger (2006). <em>The Four-Phase Model of Interest Development. Educational Psychologist, 41</em>(2), 111-127. doi: 10.1207/s15326985ep4102_4</p>
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<title>Understanding Food Resilience in Singapore</title>
<link>https://singteach.nie.edu.sg/2024/01/09/understanding-food-resilience-in-singapore/?utm_source=rss&utm_medium=rss&utm_campaign=understanding-food-resilience-in-singapore</link>
<comments>https://singteach.nie.edu.sg/2024/01/09/understanding-food-resilience-in-singapore/#respond</comments>
<dc:creator><![CDATA[Azleena]]></dc:creator>
<pubDate>Tue, 09 Jan 2024 02:41:41 +0000</pubDate>
<category><![CDATA[issue 87 dec 2023]]></category>
<category><![CDATA[Issues]]></category>
<category><![CDATA[Food and Nutrition]]></category>
<category><![CDATA[Sustainability education]]></category>
<category><![CDATA[Food resilience]]></category>
<category><![CDATA[Education]]></category>
<category><![CDATA[Food and Consumer Education]]></category>
<category><![CDATA[People]]></category>
<category><![CDATA[Environmental education]]></category>
<guid isPermaLink="false">https://singteach.nie.edu.sg/?p=22748</guid>
<description><![CDATA[Renowned as a food paradise on an international scale, Singapore is home to countless cuisines ranging from street […]]]></description>
<content:encoded><![CDATA[<p><strong><em>Renowned as a food paradise on an international scale, Singapore is home to countless cuisines ranging from street food and heritage dining spots to glamourous celebrity restaurants. According to the Singapore Food Agency, <a href="https://www.sfa.gov.sg/food-farming/sgfoodstory/our-singapore-food-story#:~:text=Singapore%20currently%20imports%20more%20than,well%20for%20us%20thus%20far." target="_blank" rel="noopener">Singapore currently imports more than 90% of our food from more than 180 countries</a>. While this has placed us in first place in the Global Food Security Index for the second year running in 2019, we are also vulnerable to emerging threats such as climate change and biodiversity loss. <a href="https://dr.ntu.edu.sg/cris/rp/rp01485" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Dr Johannah Soo</a>, Lecturer of Food and Consumer Sciences at NIE’s <a href="https://www.ntu.edu.sg/nie/about-us/academic-groups/natural-sciences-and-science-education" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Natural Sciences & Science Education Academic Group</a>, shares with us her views and findings from her research project on food resilience in Singapore, as well as what more can be done to change society’s perspectives on living sustainably.</em></strong></p>
<h1><img loading="lazy" src="https://singteach.nie.edu.sg/wp-content/uploads/2024/01/ST87_People_DrJohannahSoo_crop1-169x300.jpg" alt="" class="alignright wp-image-22833" width="219" height="390" srcset="https://singteach.nie.edu.sg/wp-content/uploads/2024/01/ST87_People_DrJohannahSoo_crop1-169x300.jpg 169w, https://singteach.nie.edu.sg/wp-content/uploads/2024/01/ST87_People_DrJohannahSoo_crop1-576x1024.jpg 576w, https://singteach.nie.edu.sg/wp-content/uploads/2024/01/ST87_People_DrJohannahSoo_crop1-768x1366.jpg 768w, https://singteach.nie.edu.sg/wp-content/uploads/2024/01/ST87_People_DrJohannahSoo_crop1-864x1536.jpg 864w, https://singteach.nie.edu.sg/wp-content/uploads/2024/01/ST87_People_DrJohannahSoo_crop1-1152x2048.jpg 1152w, https://singteach.nie.edu.sg/wp-content/uploads/2024/01/ST87_People_DrJohannahSoo_crop1-scaled.jpg 1439w" sizes="(max-width: 219px) 100vw, 219px" />What is food resilience and why is it important especially for the younger generation?</h1>
<p>Food resilience looks at how communities and families adapt to food availability, as well as cope with food crises and uncertainties related to the global supply and demand of food. It is closely related to food security, which looks at the availability of food, where the food is sourced from, as well as the resilience and reliability of food distribution networks at a societal level. Food security also considers the consumers’ affordability of food, food quality and safety, as well as the country’s sustainability and adaptation to impact of climate change.</p>
<p>According to the <a href="https://www.sfa.gov.sg/publications/sgfs" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Singapore Food Statistics 2022 report</a> (Singapore Food Agency, 2022), Singapore imports 90% of our food and 40% of our water. Singapore’s local agri-food sector only produces about 29% of eggs, 8% of vegetables and 4% of seafood <span>– </span>far from being sufficient to support local demands. Since we demand food to be imported and are susceptible to external drivers such as the endemic COVID-19 and geopolitical unrest, we are not food secure. For example, food prices have increased sharply in the last few years, creating a lot of stress on consumers. Hence, this poses a threat to household or individual food resilience.</p>
<p>Household food resilience can be measured from two aspects, <em>Awareness</em> and <em>Preparedness</em>. Awareness refers to having the knowledge on food imports such as impacting factors that contribute to food availability and cost, and the environmental sustainability of the food we consume. Preparedness means the ability to adopt readiness in the event of a food crisis and having access to public and private assistance.</p>
<p>Having a good knowledge of what food resilience is and being ready are important, especially to the younger generation. With the fast depletion of resources and an increasing world population, we need to educate everyone to be cautious of our food consumption. This is especially challenging for Singapore given our limited land and resources for food production. Additionally, as a highly urbanized country with little local agricultural production, people in Singapore may have been less exposed to the agriculture industry. Thus, we also need to accelerate the process of finding new methods to mitigate the situation, such as by employing new agricultural technologies to improve the yield and health of animals and crops.</p>
<h1>What sparked your interest in this area?</h1>
<p>Being a Home Economist, I have a mission! We must be an ambassador to advocate sustainable living via the most critical consumption, which is food. Humans need to drink and eat as these are our basic needs and it is important that we consume wisely. My field of study and research revolve around consumers’ perception and behaviours, from sensory evaluations and perception of Genetically Modified Food to sustainable food consumption.</p>
<h1>Can you share some findings from your research in food resilience?</h1>
<p><span style="font-size: 11.0pt; font-family: 'Georgia',serif; color: #333333;"></p>
<div class="shortcode-block-quote-right" style="color:#999999"><o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p><span style="font-size: 11.0pt; font-family: 'Georgia',serif; color: #333333;">“Nothing is too little to be thrown away <span>– </span>every bit adds up. In 2022, Singapore generated 813,000 tonnes of food waste.”<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p><span class="st"><b><i><span style="font-size: 11.0pt; font-family: 'Georgia',serif; color: #333333;">–</span></i></b></span><strong><i><span style="font-size: 11.0pt; font-family: 'Georgia',serif; color: #333333;"> <span>Johannah</span></span></i></strong><em><span style="font-size: 11.0pt; font-family: 'Georgia',serif; color: #333333;">, on the urgency of reducing food wastage in Singapore</span></em></p>
<p><span style="font-size: 11.0pt; font-family: 'Georgia',serif; color: #333333;"></div>
<p><o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p>Before the COVID-19 endemic, I conducted a survey on 600 participants and the results showed that consumers generally want to consume more sustainably. However, they were not keen or able to do certain things such as growing their own food, engage in barter trade, or plan meals according to their dietary guidelines. Many also reported that they had expired food in their pantry and were not buying environmentally-friendly food.</p>
<p>Another study on food waste among secondary and tertiary students showed that the main reason for not finishing the food they ordered and throwing them away was because they did not like the food served. Some lower secondary students reported that they were concerned about their weight and hence refused to finish their serving. The students did not feel “guilty” nor responsible about throwing away unfinished food since only a small amount of food was left.</p>
<p>Nothing is too little to be thrown away <span>– </span>every bit adds up. In 2022, Singapore generated 813,000 tonnes of food waste (Statista Research Department, 2023). Additionally, by not consuming a balanced diet at growing ages, it may lead to health issues or disordered eating in the long run. More could be done to educate students on these misconceptions, including learning more about meal planning, proper food storage and how to eat in moderation, which in turn will help to reduce food wastage.</p>
<p>Another way that the public can help to reduce food waste is to utilize tap water. While many may opt to purchase and drink bottled mineral water, drinking from the tap is generally safe in Singapore. These purchased bottles will add to the amount of waste. Lastly, there is a lack of consumers’ knowledge on food storage. For example, “best-before” dates provide an idea of how long the food will last before they lose quality, and they may not necessarily indicate that the food has spoiled. If stored properly, most food products still can be consumed after the “best-before” date.</p>
<p>These results inform us of the urgency to correct misconceptions in consumption, nutrition and health, as well as a need to increase consciousness of their actions.</p>
<h1>How can we make society, including students, more aware of issues concerning food security?</h1>
<p>To increase awareness and in turn, improve preparedness, is more than giving sound information. It takes a lot of effort to change the mindset and habits of consumers. This is a matter of having the right values and beliefs towards sustainable consumption, which will influence their intention and posit actual behaviours.</p>
<p>Environmental studies are already integrated into multiple subjects across various levels and many schools are actively working on environment-related projects for their Applied Learning Programme (ALP). More specifically, sustainable consumption is already included in the upper secondary subject, “Nutrition and Food Science”. Additionally, starting 2024, a new subject titled “Food and Consumer Education” will be made compulsory for lower secondary students from almost all mainstream schools.</p>
<p><img loading="lazy" src="https://singteach.nie.edu.sg/wp-content/uploads/2024/01/ST87_People_DrJohannahSoo_crop2-300x200.jpg" alt="" class="alignnone wp-image-22834" width="450" height="300" srcset="https://singteach.nie.edu.sg/wp-content/uploads/2024/01/ST87_People_DrJohannahSoo_crop2-300x200.jpg 300w, https://singteach.nie.edu.sg/wp-content/uploads/2024/01/ST87_People_DrJohannahSoo_crop2-1024x683.jpg 1024w, https://singteach.nie.edu.sg/wp-content/uploads/2024/01/ST87_People_DrJohannahSoo_crop2-768x512.jpg 768w, https://singteach.nie.edu.sg/wp-content/uploads/2024/01/ST87_People_DrJohannahSoo_crop2-1536x1024.jpg 1536w, https://singteach.nie.edu.sg/wp-content/uploads/2024/01/ST87_People_DrJohannahSoo_crop2-2048x1365.jpg 2048w" sizes="(max-width: 450px) 100vw, 450px" /></p>
<h1>What is the role schools can play in educating our young learners about food security?</h1>
<p>Through subjects such as “Food and Consumer Education”, “Nutrition and Food Science”, as well as others, there is an urgent need to educate our young learners about food security. Schools are the most direct channel to reach out to our young ones, especially in their formative years and youth, so that they will get sound values and information. In turn, these values will lead them to be responsible adults and live sustainably.</p>
<p><strong>References</strong></p>
<p>Singapore Food Agency. (2022). <em>Singapore Food Statistics 2022</em>. Retrieved from: https://www.sfa.gov.sg/docs/default-source/publication/sg-food-statistics/singapore-food-statistics-2022.pdf</p>
<p>Statista Research Department. (2023). <em>Total volume of food waste generated in Singapore from 2013 to 2022</em>. Statista. Retrieved from: https://www.statista.com/statistics/961794/volume-food-waste-generated-singapore/</p>
]]></content:encoded>
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<title>A Whole-School Approach to Sustainability Education</title>
<link>https://singteach.nie.edu.sg/2024/01/09/education-for-sustainable-development/?utm_source=rss&utm_medium=rss&utm_campaign=education-for-sustainable-development</link>
<comments>https://singteach.nie.edu.sg/2024/01/09/education-for-sustainable-development/#respond</comments>
<dc:creator><![CDATA[Azleena]]></dc:creator>
<pubDate>Tue, 09 Jan 2024 02:37:27 +0000</pubDate>
<category><![CDATA[issue 87 dec 2023]]></category>
<category><![CDATA[Issues]]></category>
<category><![CDATA[Geography]]></category>
<category><![CDATA[Outdoor education]]></category>
<category><![CDATA[Learning environment]]></category>
<category><![CDATA[In Their Own Words]]></category>
<category><![CDATA[Lifelong learning]]></category>
<category><![CDATA[Sustainability education]]></category>
<guid isPermaLink="false">https://singteach.nie.edu.sg/?p=22739</guid>
<description><![CDATA[The Eco Stewardship Programme, developed by the Ministry of Education, aims to strengthen current environmental efforts in all […]]]></description>
<content:encoded><![CDATA[<p><em><strong>The Eco Stewardship Programme, developed by the Ministry of Education, aims to strengthen current environmental efforts in all schools through the 4Cs of Curriculum, Campus, Culture and Community. Two teachers from <a href="https://www.meetoh.moe.edu.sg/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Mee Toh School</a> and <a href="https://www.tampinessec.moe.edu.sg/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Tampines Secondary School</a> – both of which are pilot schools in the programme – speak of their experiences in adopting a whole-school </strong></em><em><strong>approach to environmental education and sustainability efforts.</strong></em></p>
<div class="message-box-wrapper yellow">
<div class="message-box-title">Eleanor Quek, Subject Head (Total Curriculum)/Environment Education Advisor (EEA), Mee Toh School</div>
<div class="message-box-content">
<p><img loading="lazy" src="https://singteach.nie.edu.sg/wp-content/uploads/2024/01/ST87_ITOW_Eleanor-Quek_crop-300x200.jpg" alt="" class="alignnone wp-image-22813" width="450" height="300" srcset="https://singteach.nie.edu.sg/wp-content/uploads/2024/01/ST87_ITOW_Eleanor-Quek_crop-300x200.jpg 300w, https://singteach.nie.edu.sg/wp-content/uploads/2024/01/ST87_ITOW_Eleanor-Quek_crop-768x512.jpg 768w, https://singteach.nie.edu.sg/wp-content/uploads/2024/01/ST87_ITOW_Eleanor-Quek_crop.jpg 889w" sizes="(max-width: 450px) 100vw, 450px" /></p>
<p><strong>What has been the biggest challenge in teaching students about environmental sustainability?</strong></p>
<p>One of the biggest challenges in teaching students about environmental sustainability is making the topic engaging and relatable to their daily lives. Environmental sustainability is a complex and sometimes abstract concept, which can be difficult for young students to fully grasp. They may not fully comprehend the urgency of environmental issues, the implications of environmentally unsustainable practices and the longer-term consequences of their actions. Overcoming these challenges requires helping them understand and relate to environmental causes in ways that resonate with them. In Mee Toh School, our school culture for environmental sustainability is built through our school-based environment curriculum, leveraging and engaging the wider community in environment efforts, and focusing our attention in curating an immersive environment within our school campus.</p>
<p>Our school’s Applied Learning Programme is called “Appreciation, Awareness and Action for Eco-Citizens@Mee Toh School”. We also have a programme called “Interdisciplinary Project Work and Values-in-Action (IPW-VIA)” which brings together related environmental topics from various subjects so that our young students can make meaningful connections and extensions to what they learn about the environment. We educate and challenge our students to empathize with real-life environmental issues and design sustainable solutions for the environment. For example, after learning about the challenges posed by urban living to the wildlife population, our students designed fauna hotels. After learning about our existential challenges in ensuring water sufficiency, our students designed ways to recycle water using the scientific principles they have learnt.</p>
<p><strong>How does the infrastructure at your school create an immersive learning environment and help to instil lifelong eco-conscious habits in students?</strong></p>
<p>Eco-stewardship starts from students’ advocacy for the environment. Our school, for example, adopts a whole-of-school and whole-of-community approach to recycling. On Wednesdays, also known as “recycling day”, Environment Ambassadors from each class, together with their form teachers, guide their fellow classmates to sort out their recyclables. Volunteers from the Parent Support Group also help to guide students in these weekly recycling efforts. Through such sustained practices, our students develop eco-conscious habits that they can practise both inside and outside of school, and are empowered to influence others, like their family members, to make simple adjustments for greater eco-friendliness. Environment Ambassadors who are keen to do more for the environment have the opportunity to become Environment Champions who advocate for environmental sustainability at their level and in the school in other ways. Students who are keen to learn more about the environment can also take part in co-curricular activities such as the Nature Lovers Club or the Environmental Science Club.</p>
<p>We are conscious in making environment-friendly decisions, such as the progressive installation of LED lights and the use of more energy-efficient models of electrical appliances, such as inverter air-conditioners and sensors for lights in the toilets. Sensors are installed at taps and water coolers to reduce the wastage of water. In 2021, solar panels were installed on the school’s rooftop <span>– </span>an effort supported by MOE. Green spaces and gardens dot the school landscape while eco-trails have been designed for students to appreciate nature and biodiversity. Our students, too, grow and harvest vegetables and mushrooms within the campus. In our most recent partnership with the Punggol Shore Urban Farm, our students were able to learn more about sustainable farming from the urban community farmers.</p>
</div>
</div>
<div class="message-box-wrapper yellow">
<div class="message-box-title">Preeti Sheri, Head of Department, Character and Citizenship Education, Tampines Secondary School</div>
<div class="message-box-content">
<p><img loading="lazy" width="225" height="300" src="https://singteach.nie.edu.sg/wp-content/uploads/2024/01/ST87_ITOW_Preeti-Bhart-Sheri-225x300.jpg" alt="" class="size-medium wp-image-23193 alignright" srcset="https://singteach.nie.edu.sg/wp-content/uploads/2024/01/ST87_ITOW_Preeti-Bhart-Sheri-225x300.jpg 225w, https://singteach.nie.edu.sg/wp-content/uploads/2024/01/ST87_ITOW_Preeti-Bhart-Sheri-768x1024.jpg 768w, https://singteach.nie.edu.sg/wp-content/uploads/2024/01/ST87_ITOW_Preeti-Bhart-Sheri-1152x1536.jpg 1152w, https://singteach.nie.edu.sg/wp-content/uploads/2024/01/ST87_ITOW_Preeti-Bhart-Sheri-1536x2048.jpg 1536w, https://singteach.nie.edu.sg/wp-content/uploads/2024/01/ST87_ITOW_Preeti-Bhart-Sheri-scaled.jpg 1920w" sizes="(max-width: 225px) 100vw, 225px" /></p>
<p><strong>How are environmental concepts integrated in the CCE curriculum?</strong></p>
<p>Our goal is for Tampinesians to be “<strong>T</strong>he <strong>P</strong>assionate <strong>S</strong>ustainability <strong>S</strong>tewards (<strong>T.P.S.S.</strong>)” who are role models for a zero-waste nation. Our CCE environment literacy programme uses the school’s “<strong>A</strong>uthentic, <strong>E</strong>xperiential and <strong>C</strong>ollaborative (<strong>ACE</strong>)” approach, and features a year-long project thematically aligned to Earth Day. For example, the theme for 2023 was, “Invest in Our Planet, Live Sustainably”.</p>
<p>Each cohort has a focused theme that is coherent with what they study in the academic year.</p>
<ul>
<li style="list-style-type: none;">
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li>Secondary 1: Positive Energy & Biodiversity</li>
<li>Secondary 2: Food Waste</li>
<li>Secondary 3: E-Waste</li>
<li>Secondary 4 and 5: Global Efforts in Sustainability</li>
</ul>
</li>
</ul>
<p> </p>
<p>Our pedagogies allow for student voice and agency through activities such as gamification, learning through the arts, talks by industry experts, partnerships with sustainable organizations and experiential activities. In addition, collaboration with the Music, Art, Literature and Geography units allow creative expressions in addressing environmental challenges.</p>
<p><strong>How does the school nurture a culture of sustainable habits so that those habits extend beyond the classroom into students’ daily lives, and may even influence the community? Perhaps you can highlight some successful projects/programmes that showcase these aspects.</strong></p>
<p>There are plentiful opportunities to promote “green” conversations and practices in our school. We focus on two pillars of the Singapore Green plan: “Sustainable Living” and “City In Nature” as well as the 4Cs of MOE’s Eco-Stewardship Programme as planning parameters.</p>
<p>1. Our Applied Learning Programme (ALP) exemplifies innovative, sustainable practices such as upcycling plastic waste into 3D printer filaments.</p>
<p>2. We organize an annual Green Week with activities such as:</p>
<ul>
<li style="list-style-type: none;">
<ul style="list-style-type: circle;">
<li>Eco-Warriors Amazing Race</li>
<li>A tote bag design competition that showcases “Tammy the Whale” and emphasizes messages such as “Buy Just Enough”</li>
<li>A “Sus-Fashion Booth” in which pre-loved items can be donated or collected</li>
</ul>
</li>
</ul>
<p> </p>
<p>3. Physical spaces become gathering places for experimentation. The Butterfly Lodge allows for nurturing biodiversity and smaller eco-gardens to grow food crops that are donated to seniors in the community. Students are taught how to rear caterpillars and release them as butterflies. They also learn about the challenges of growing vegetables such as <em>chye sim</em>.</p>
<p>4. Green Ambassadors armed with knowledge and advocacy skills contribute both within and beyond school.</p>
<p>5. A “Plant-a-Table” initiative by Mathematics teachers in which teachers role model upcycling possibilities.</p>
<p>6. Believing that teachers are key to culture building, all departments share their annual green initiatives. Every department has their own green initiative that they share during staff contact time. This includes the learning trail to Botanic Gardens by English teachers, as well as reflections on the closed loop ecosystem after an eco-farm tour to a black soldier fly facility organized by the Humanities Department.</p>
<p>7. Partnership with Temasek Polytechnic’s School of Design encourages students to critically address household waste. The theme for the Secondary 1 Values in Action (VIA) programme is “Sustainability”. Students learn about sus-fashion and recycling from Temasek Polytechnic lecturers and create their own products.</p>
</div>
</div>
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<title>Game Your Way to a Greener Tomorrow: Sustainability Education</title>
<link>https://singteach.nie.edu.sg/2024/01/09/game-your-way-to-a-greener-tomorrow-sustainability-education/?utm_source=rss&utm_medium=rss&utm_campaign=game-your-way-to-a-greener-tomorrow-sustainability-education</link>
<comments>https://singteach.nie.edu.sg/2024/01/09/game-your-way-to-a-greener-tomorrow-sustainability-education/#respond</comments>
<dc:creator><![CDATA[Radiah Belak]]></dc:creator>
<pubDate>Tue, 09 Jan 2024 02:29:30 +0000</pubDate>
<category><![CDATA[Virtual Staff Lounge]]></category>
<category><![CDATA[issue 87 dec 2023]]></category>
<category><![CDATA[Issues]]></category>
<category><![CDATA[Geography]]></category>
<category><![CDATA[Curriculum design]]></category>
<category><![CDATA[Game-based learning]]></category>
<category><![CDATA[Self-directed learning]]></category>
<category><![CDATA[Climate change]]></category>
<category><![CDATA[Sustainability education]]></category>
<guid isPermaLink="false">https://singteach.nie.edu.sg/?p=22712</guid>
<description><![CDATA[No textbooks, just cards! 🃏 ‘Getting to Zero’ dives into sustainability education through the power of play! 🌱 […]]]></description>
<content:encoded><![CDATA[<p style="display: none;">No textbooks, just cards! <img src="https://s.w.org/images/core/emoji/14.0.0/72x72/1f0cf.png" alt="🃏" class="wp-smiley" style="height: 1em; max-height: 1em;" /> ‘Getting to Zero’ dives into sustainability education through the power of play! <img src="https://s.w.org/images/core/emoji/14.0.0/72x72/1f331.png" alt="🌱" class="wp-smiley" style="height: 1em; max-height: 1em;" /></p>
<p><span lang="EN-MY"><b><i>Contributed by <strong><span lang="EN-SG"><span> </span><a href="https://dr.ntu.edu.sg/cris/rp/rp01539" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Dr Tricia Seow</a></span><span lang="EN-SG"><span> and Ms Radiah Maria Belak, </span></span>from the National Institute of Education, Singapore</strong></i></b><b><i>, for</i></b><b><span> </span></b><a href="https://singteach.nie.edu.sg/virtual-staff-lounge/"><b><i>SingTeach</i></b></a><a href="https://singteach.nie.edu.sg/virtual-staff-lounge/"><b><span> </span></b></a><a href="https://singteach.nie.edu.sg/virtual-staff-lounge/"><b><i>Virtual Staff Lounge</i></b></a></span></p>
<p>As climate change casts a long shadow over our future, the global spotlight is on sustainability, emphasising the crucial need for innovative sustainability education. At the National Institute of Education, Nanyang Technological University, Singapore (NIE NTU, Singapore), the <a href="https://sll.hsse.nie.edu.sg/">Sustainability Learning Lab (SLL)</a> stands as a cornerstone in addressing this imperative. Established on September 26, 2022, the SLL is a research centre committed to conducting and supporting studies and practices in sustainability education. Co-chaired by Dr. Tricia Seow, a prominent geography educator and researcher, the SLL actively fosters collaboration within a community of practice by engaging stakeholders.</p>
<div id="attachment_22717" style="width: 471px" class="wp-caption alignright"><img aria-describedby="caption-attachment-22717" loading="lazy" src="https://singteach.nie.edu.sg/wp-content/uploads/2024/01/Picture1.jpg" alt="" class="wp-image-22717" width="461" height="307" srcset="https://singteach.nie.edu.sg/wp-content/uploads/2024/01/Picture1.jpg 1007w, https://singteach.nie.edu.sg/wp-content/uploads/2024/01/Picture1-300x200.jpg 300w, https://singteach.nie.edu.sg/wp-content/uploads/2024/01/Picture1-768x512.jpg 768w" sizes="(max-width: 461px) 100vw, 461px" /><p id="caption-attachment-22717" class="wp-caption-text">Figure 1. Students entering the SSL at the NIE campus</p></div>
<p><span lang="EN-SG">Beyond its original goal of creating <a href="https://sll.hsse.nie.edu.sg/curriculum-materials-on-sustainable-development/">resources</a> for the Ministry of Education’s Geography curriculum, the SLL has expanded since its inception. No longer confined by subject lines, its scope now embraces the wider world of sustainability education. Since 2022, the SLL has partnered with sustainability advocates in Singapore and the ASEAN region, reaching diverse audiences through <a href="https://sll.hsse.nie.edu.sg/research-projects/">various initiatives.</a></span></p>
<p><span lang="EN-SG">On a more granular level, students and educators are also playing a pivotal role in championing sustainability education, ensuring its integration into the curriculum and its transmission to the next generation of leaders.</span></p>
<h1>“Getting to Zero” Card Game</h1>
<p><span lang="EN-SG">One instance is the development of the innovative card game on sustainability education <b>“Getting to Zero”</b> (GTZ) by Ng Wen Xin, a form teacher at Assumption English School</span><span lang="EN-SG">. Originally conceived by environmental law researcher Eric Bea and energy policy researcher Melissa Low, Wen Xin further developed it during her student days at NIE, NTU </span><span lang="EN-SG">in close collaboration with the SLL.</span></p>
<p><span lang="EN-SG">GTZ is tailored for secondary school geography students and anyone intrigued by Singapore’s energy options and sustainability as a whole. </span><span lang="EN-SG">True to its name, the game challenges participants to achieve net-zero emissions while efficiently managing financial resources— where bringing down carbon emissions the most without destroying the economy leads to victory.</span></p>
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<p><span style="font-size: 11.0pt; font-family: 'Georgia',serif; color: #333333;"><o:p></o:p></span><span style="font-size: 11.0pt; font-family: 'Georgia',serif; color: #333333;">“<span lang="EN-SG">I realise it is not easy to make climate policy decisions because there are differing needs and interests for each country, and trade-offs will be involved when a decision is made.”</span><o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p><em><span style="font-size: 11.0pt; font-family: 'Georgia',serif; color: #333333;">– <strong>Anonymous Secondary Three Student</strong></span></em><strong><i><span style="font-size: 11.0pt; font-family: 'Georgia',serif; color: #333333;">, </span></i></strong><em><span style="font-size: 11.0pt; font-family: 'Georgia',serif; color: #333333;">on the decision-making process in the GTZ card game</span></em></p>
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<p><span lang="EN-SG">Within the game, students encounter diverse human activities, each with varying carbon footprints, such as deforestation and coal mining. The game incorporates an in-game currency and a scoring sheet for competitive engagement. The broader aim of GTZ is thus to enlighten students about the national and institutional strategies required to reach net-zero emissions, along with the associated trade-offs.</span></p>
<div id="attachment_22722" style="width: 432px" class="wp-caption aligncenter"><img aria-describedby="caption-attachment-22722" loading="lazy" src="https://singteach.nie.edu.sg/wp-content/uploads/2024/01/scoresheet-e1704766686761.png" alt="" class="wp-image-22722" width="422" height="420" srcset="https://singteach.nie.edu.sg/wp-content/uploads/2024/01/scoresheet-e1704766686761.png 466w, https://singteach.nie.edu.sg/wp-content/uploads/2024/01/scoresheet-e1704766686761-300x300.png 300w, https://singteach.nie.edu.sg/wp-content/uploads/2024/01/scoresheet-e1704766686761-150x150.png 150w" sizes="(max-width: 422px) 100vw, 422px" /><p id="caption-attachment-22722" class="wp-caption-text">Figure 2. GTZ’s Gameplay Scoresheet</p></div>
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<p><span lang="EN-SG">GTZ has made its mark in <strong>secondary schools</strong> and<strong> junior colleges</strong>, receiving praise from both students and educators.</span></p>
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<p><span style="font-size: 11.0pt; font-family: 'Georgia',serif; color: #333333;">“The game was educational because I learned many new policies that I didn’t know existed in Singapore—for example, carbon tax and coastal restoration. It was very memorable.”<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p><em><span style="font-size: 11.0pt; font-family: 'Georgia',serif; color: #333333;">– <strong>Anonymous Secondary Three Student</strong></span></em><strong><i><span style="font-size: 11.0pt; font-family: 'Georgia',serif; color: #333333;">, </span></i></strong><em><span style="font-size: 11.0pt; font-family: 'Georgia',serif; color: #333333;">on the lasting impact of the game</span></em></p>
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<p>A junior college instructor lauded the game for its educational and engaging nature. </p>
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<p><span style="font-size: 11.0pt; font-family: 'Georgia',serif; color: #333333;">“My students learnt to strategise to achieve zero carbon emissions, navigate around carbon tax laws and understand the need for global cooperations, and the significance of environmental conservation. This game certainly serves as a good stimulus in enhancing students’ awareness of how they can play their role in achieving sustainable development.” <o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p><em><span style="font-size: 11.0pt; font-family: 'Georgia',serif; color: #333333;">– <strong>Anonymous Junior College Instructor</strong></span></em></p>
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<h1>Why “Getting to Zero” is Effective: The Science Explained (Ong, 2022)<o:p></o:p></h1>
<p><span lang="EN-SG">Gamification, also known as “game-based learning,” leverages game design elements and mechanics to engage users on cognitive, affective and behavioural levels, particularly in problem-solving scenarios. </span></p>
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<p><b><i><span lang="EN-SG">Multi-Sensory Engagement</span></i></b></p>
<p><span lang="EN-SG">GTZ ditches textbooks for vibrant cards and tactile gameplay. This multi-sensory experience caters to diverse learning styles, especially visual and kinaesthetic learners. The clear icons and descriptions guide players through complex concepts, making them more accessible and memorable.</span></p>
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<p><b><i><span lang="EN-SG">Self-directed learning</span></i></b></p>
<p><span lang="EN-SG">Unlike learning through passive instruction, physical games like GTZ throw players into simulated real-world scenarios. This can help to spark negotiation, trial-and-error learning, and critical thinking, all of which can help to foster self-directed learning and ownership of the learning process.</span></p>
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<p><span style="font-size: 11.0pt; font-family: 'Georgia',serif; color: #333333;"><span lang="EN-SG">“Being able to learn about these considerations through the game made it more digestible and engaging for the students as compared to if they had learnt it through direct delivery of content.”</span><o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p><em><span style="font-size: 11.0pt; font-family: 'Georgia',serif; color: #333333;">– <strong>Anonymous Secondary School Teacher</strong></span></em></p>
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<p><b><i><span lang="EN-SG">Self-Awareness</span></i></b></p>
<p><span lang="EN-SG">Game-based learning not only provides an enjoyable and attention-grabbing experience but also nurtures environmentally conscious actions. GTZ weaves in the environmental consequences of choices, prompting players to reflect on their actions and their impact.</span></p>
<p><span lang="EN-SG">For example, a card suggesting “car-free Sundays” prompts players to consider the collective carbon footprint of individual lifestyle choices and motivate climate action.</span></p>
<div id="attachment_22767" style="width: 614px" class="wp-caption aligncenter"><img aria-describedby="caption-attachment-22767" loading="lazy" src="https://singteach.nie.edu.sg/wp-content/uploads/2024/01/cardsss-e1704769933414.jpg" alt="" class="wp-image-22767 " width="604" height="383" srcset="https://singteach.nie.edu.sg/wp-content/uploads/2024/01/cardsss-e1704769933414.jpg 912w, https://singteach.nie.edu.sg/wp-content/uploads/2024/01/cardsss-e1704769933414-300x190.jpg 300w, https://singteach.nie.edu.sg/wp-content/uploads/2024/01/cardsss-e1704769933414-768x487.jpg 768w" sizes="(max-width: 604px) 100vw, 604px" /><p id="caption-attachment-22767" class="wp-caption-text">Figure 3. Some of the cards available in the game</p></div>
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<p><span style="font-size: 11.0pt; font-family: 'Georgia',serif; color: #333333;"><span lang="EN-SG">“It allows the students to exercise some form of decision-making where they are then able to weigh out and reason what is important to them, how to best balance the different aspects of sustainability.”</span><o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p><em><span style="font-size: 11.0pt; font-family: 'Georgia',serif; color: #333333;">– <strong>Anonymous Secondary School Teacher</strong></span></em></p>
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<p><b><i>Greater Comprehension</i></b></p>
<p>Simulation games like GTZ, which are inspired by real-world environmental issues, offer authentic learning experiences. These games simplify complex sustainability problems for better communication of ideas.</p>
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<p><span style="font-size: 11.0pt; font-family: 'Georgia',serif; color: #333333;"><span lang="EN-SG">“Upon introduction to the different cards throughout the game, the students also got to ask questions about what they mean and the reason behind the impact they hold.”</span><o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p><em><span style="font-size: 11.0pt; font-family: 'Georgia',serif; color: #333333;">– <strong>Anonymous Secondary School Teacher</strong></span></em></p>
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<p><span lang="EN-SG">Some of these concepts in GTZ include </span>cards that feature the ASEAN power grid, retrofitting buildings, coal gasification plans, and many more.</p>
<div id="attachment_22771" style="width: 709px" class="wp-caption aligncenter"><img aria-describedby="caption-attachment-22771" loading="lazy" src="https://singteach.nie.edu.sg/wp-content/uploads/2024/01/usethis-1-e1704769981513.jpg" alt="" class="wp-image-22771 " width="699" height="339" srcset="https://singteach.nie.edu.sg/wp-content/uploads/2024/01/usethis-1-e1704769981513.jpg 1191w, https://singteach.nie.edu.sg/wp-content/uploads/2024/01/usethis-1-e1704769981513-300x146.jpg 300w, https://singteach.nie.edu.sg/wp-content/uploads/2024/01/usethis-1-e1704769981513-1024x497.jpg 1024w, https://singteach.nie.edu.sg/wp-content/uploads/2024/01/usethis-1-e1704769981513-768x373.jpg 768w" sizes="(max-width: 699px) 100vw, 699px" /><p id="caption-attachment-22771" class="wp-caption-text">Figure 4. A card on retrofit buildings, accompanied by a detailed explanation</p></div>
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<p paraid="148301073" paraeid="{01cc46c0-094a-419e-8859-6a07358dee78}{134}"><b><span data-contrast="auto" xml:lang="EN-GB" lang="EN-GB"><span>How to Purchase the GTZ Card Game</span></span></b></p>
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<p paraid="924741988" paraeid="{01cc46c0-094a-419e-8859-6a07358dee78}{140}">The GTZ card deck is available at a nifty price of $12 To purchase the GTZ card game, teachers can <a href="https://docs.google.com/forms/d/e/1FAIpQLSdQ0oOEZOW9PQcEQPfPCjHkkFozEaAXNgVjv_huU-JyuJURUA/viewform">click here</a> or scan the QR code below.<img loading="lazy" src="https://singteach.nie.edu.sg/wp-content/uploads/2024/01/SSL-QR-CODE.png" alt="" class="aligncenter wp-image-22764" width="122" height="122" srcset="https://singteach.nie.edu.sg/wp-content/uploads/2024/01/SSL-QR-CODE.png 376w, https://singteach.nie.edu.sg/wp-content/uploads/2024/01/SSL-QR-CODE-300x300.png 300w, https://singteach.nie.edu.sg/wp-content/uploads/2024/01/SSL-QR-CODE-150x150.png 150w" sizes="(max-width: 122px) 100vw, 122px" /></p>
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<p><b><span lang="EN-SG">Available Resources for the GTZ Card Game</span></b></p>
<p><a href="https://sll.hsse.nie.edu.sg/wp-content/uploads/2022/08/Copy-of-Getting-to-Zero-How-to-Play.pptx.pdf">Getting to Zero: How to play</a><span> </span><br />
<a href="https://sll.hsse.nie.edu.sg/wp-content/uploads/2022/08/Copy-of-Getting-to-Zero-The-Explainer_with-logo.pptx.pdf">Getting to Zero: The explainer<br />
</a><a href="https://sll.hsse.nie.edu.sg/wp-content/uploads/2022/08/Lesson-Plan-GTZ_18Jan2023.docx">Getting to Zero: Lesson Plan<br />
</a><a href="https://sll.hsse.nie.edu.sg/wp-content/uploads/2022/08/GETTING-TO-ZERO-Facilitation-Prompts.pdf">Getting to Zero: Facilitation prompts<br />
</a><a href="https://sll.hsse.nie.edu.sg/wp-content/uploads/2022/08/Resources-for-Stakeholders_Lesson-Plan_GTZ_18-Jan-2023.docx">Classroom Debate Ideas on Sustainability<br />
</a><a href="https://hsseonline.nie.edu.sg/the-pedagogical-affordances-of-game-based-learning-getting-to-zero-and-pro-environmental-action/">Research Article on Gamification by Ong (2022)</p>
<p></a><b><span lang="EN-SG">Upcoming Card Game by the SLL – Habitat</span></b></p>
<p>While GTZ captivates players with its energy-focused challenges, Dr. Tricia Seow is in the process of developing another card game called “<strong>HaBEEtat.”</strong> Research for HaBEEtat is currently underway, and we will update this page with more details once it is complete. Stay tuned!</p>
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