<?xml version="1.0" encoding="UTF-8"?><rss version="2.0" xmlns:content="http://purl.org/rss/1.0/modules/content/" xmlns:wfw="http://wellformedweb.org/CommentAPI/" xmlns:dc="http://purl.org/dc/elements/1.1/" xmlns:atom="http://www.w3.org/2005/Atom" xmlns:sy="http://purl.org/rss/1.0/modules/syndication/" xmlns:slash="http://purl.org/rss/1.0/modules/slash/" > <channel> <title>Teacher practices – SingTeach | Education Research for Teachers | Research within Reach</title> <atom:link href="https://singteach.nie.edu.sg/topic/teacher-practices/feed/" rel="self" type="application/rss+xml" /> <link>https://singteach.nie.edu.sg</link> <description></description> <lastBuildDate>Wed, 05 Feb 2025 04:25:50 +0000</lastBuildDate> <language>en-US</language> <sy:updatePeriod> hourly </sy:updatePeriod> <sy:updateFrequency> 1 </sy:updateFrequency> <generator>https://wordpress.org/?v=6.0</generator> <item> <title>Differentiated Instruction and Station Rotation in Science Lessons</title> <link>https://singteach.nie.edu.sg/2025/01/16/differentiated-instruction-and-station-rotation-in-science-lessons/?utm_source=rss&utm_medium=rss&utm_campaign=differentiated-instruction-and-station-rotation-in-science-lessons</link> <comments>https://singteach.nie.edu.sg/2025/01/16/differentiated-instruction-and-station-rotation-in-science-lessons/#respond</comments> <dc:creator><![CDATA[Teh Wei Lin]]></dc:creator> <pubDate>Thu, 16 Jan 2025 04:24:53 +0000</pubDate> <category><![CDATA[Virtual Staff Lounge]]></category> <category><![CDATA[Teacher practices]]></category> <category><![CDATA[Teacher voices]]></category> <category><![CDATA[Science]]></category> <category><![CDATA[Differentiated instruction]]></category> <category><![CDATA[Technology]]></category> <category><![CDATA[Curriculum design]]></category> <category><![CDATA[Science practical]]></category> <category><![CDATA[Blended learning]]></category> <category><![CDATA[Collaborative learning]]></category> <category><![CDATA[Secondary school]]></category> <guid isPermaLink="false">https://singteach.nie.edu.sg/?p=24120</guid> <description><![CDATA[Contributed by Mr Chan Sau Siong, Ms Norazlin Binte Normin, Mr Joseph Lim, Ms Synth-Di Tan and Ms […]]]></description> <content:encoded><![CDATA[<p><strong><i>Contributed by Mr Chan Sau Siong, Ms Norazlin Binte Normin, Mr Joseph Lim, Ms Synth-Di Tan and Ms Deborah Roshni Rajaratnam from <a href="https://www.rgs.edu.sg/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Raffles Girls’ School (Secondary)</a> for <a href="https://singteach.nie.edu.sg/virtual-staff-lounge/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">SingTeach Virtual Staff Lounge</a></i></strong></p> <p><b><i>Raffles Girls’ School (RGS) has embraced differentiated instruction for several years, recognizing its importance in accommodating diverse learning styles, abilities and interests within a classroom. With the rise of home-based learning and the increased use of personal devices during lessons, RGS seeks to further integrate blended learning with differentiated instruction to enhance student agency in learning.</i></b></p> <p><img loading="lazy" src="https://singteach.nie.edu.sg/wp-content/uploads/2025/01/SingTeach-Photo-1024x667.jpg" alt="" class="aligncenter wp-image-24121 size-large" width="640" height="417" srcset="https://singteach.nie.edu.sg/wp-content/uploads/2025/01/SingTeach-Photo-1024x667.jpg 1024w, https://singteach.nie.edu.sg/wp-content/uploads/2025/01/SingTeach-Photo-300x195.jpg 300w, https://singteach.nie.edu.sg/wp-content/uploads/2025/01/SingTeach-Photo-768x500.jpg 768w, https://singteach.nie.edu.sg/wp-content/uploads/2025/01/SingTeach-Photo-1536x1000.jpg 1536w, https://singteach.nie.edu.sg/wp-content/uploads/2025/01/SingTeach-Photo-2048x1333.jpg 2048w" sizes="(max-width: 640px) 100vw, 640px" /></p> <h1>Defining Differentiated Instruction and Blended Learning</h1> <p><i>Differentiated instruction</i> is a teaching approach that tailors teaching methods, content and assessments to meet the individual needs of students. By acknowledging that learners have varying strengths, weaknesses and preferences, teachers employ strategies like flexible grouping, personalized learning paths and varied assessment methods. The goal is to create an inclusive learning environment where each student can engage with the material at their own pace and level, fostering a more effective and supportive educational experience (Tomlinson & Mood, 2015).</p> <p><i>Blended learning</i> combines traditional face-to-face teaching with online learning tools and resources. This approach leverages digital platforms, such as video lectures and interactive modules, to complement classroom teaching (Graham <i>et al.</i>, 2019). Blended learning caters to diverse learning styles by offering opportunities for self-paced learning, individualized instruction and collaborative activities, ultimately enhancing engagement, accessibility and the overall quality of education.</p> <p>Both differentiated instruction and blended learning aim to cultivate student agency by providing a flexible learning environment that empowers students to take control of their educational journey.</p> <div class="message-box-wrapper white"> <div class="message-box-title"></div> <div class="message-box-content"> <p><b>Action Research Question </b></p> <p>The primary research question is: How can station rotation be leveraged for differentiated instruction? Secondary questions include exploring how students learn under this lesson design and their learning experiences.</p> </div> </div> <h6></h6> <h1>Creation and Implementation of Action Plan</h1> <p>Teachers from different disciplines and levels, including Lower Secondary Science, Chemistry, and Biology, designed diverse lessons using station rotation (Tucker, 2022). To understand students’ learning experiences, the following data collection tools were used:</p> <ul> <li>Evidence of learning: Pre-lesson and post-lesson quizzes.</li> <li>Focused group discussions (FGD): Small group discussions to gather qualitative insights.</li> <li>Field observations: Conducted by third parties to provide an external perspective.</li> <li>Teacher reflections: Teachers’ personal reflections on the lesson’s effectiveness.</li> </ul> <p> </p> <h1>Lesson Design & Results</h1> <h4><em>1. Paper Chromatography (Lower Secondary Science Year 1)</em></h4> <p><em>Objectives</em></p> <ul> <li style="list-style-type: none;"> <ul> <li style="list-style-type: none;"> <ul> <li style="list-style-type: none;"> <ul> <li>Theory Knowledge: Understand the theory behind paper chromatography, interpret chromatograms and calculate Rf values.</li> <li>Practical Skills: Correctly set up a paper chromatography experiment and avoid common mistakes.</li> </ul> </li> </ul> </li> </ul> </li> </ul> <p> </p> <p><i>Lesson Design</i></p> <p style="padding-left: 40px;">Lesson was designed using a station rotation model incorporating differentiated instruction (DI) strategies:<i></i></p> <p style="padding-left: 40px;">Teacher-led station: Teacher explains the theory and practical setup of paper chromatography based on the readiness of students.</p> <p style="padding-left: 40px;">Hands-on station: Small group, student-led scientific investigation task reinforcing, and extending learning. Tasks are scaffolded with optional/compulsory challenges based on readiness and interest.</p> <p style="padding-left: 40px;">Online station: Small group, student-led online station where students created presentations materials or learn further materials online. </p> <p><i>Results</i></p> <p style="padding-left: 40px;">The lesson was conducted for four Year 1 classes with a total of 136 students. Analysis of exit card scores showed a 44.9% increase in students scoring full marks at the end of the station rotation. Excluding those with full marks, 87.6% of students improved, with 48.8% showing significant improvement.</p> <p style="padding-left: 40px;">Student feedback indicated that hands-on learning experience, which improved understanding. The reduced scaffolding hands-on station encouraged students to recall and apply their knowledge independently. Group work allowed students to learn from peers, reinforcing understanding and clearing misconceptions.</p> <p><i>Recommendations for Improvement</i></p> <ul> <li style="list-style-type: none;"> <ul> <li style="list-style-type: none;"> <ul> <li style="list-style-type: none;"> <ul> <li>Align more closely with blended learning principles for greater student agency.</li> <li>Provide more meaningful online components for online station.</li> </ul> </li> </ul> </li> </ul> </li> </ul> <p style="padding-left: 40px;"> <h4></h4> <h4><em>2. Acid, Base and pH (Chemistry Year 3)</em></h4> <p><i>Lesson Design</i></p> <p style="padding-left: 40px;">The lesson used a station rotation model, with a pre-quiz to assess readiness and divide students into groups.</p> <p style="padding-left: 40px;">Teacher-led Station: Students observed color changes of a universal indicator and plotted a pH curve during a titration experiment using a wireless sensor. Questioning varied based on readiness.</p> <p style="padding-left: 40px;">Hands-on Station: Students tested pH with indicators and explored the role of water in ionization. Optional questions and success criteria provided differentiation by readiness and interest.</p> <p style="padding-left: 40px;">Technology Station: Students used an ICT simulation to investigate strength and concentration differences, sharing findings with peers. Questions varied in difficulty with optional challenges.</p> <p><i>Results</i></p> <p style="padding-left: 40px;">Students found the lesson enjoyable due to its variety and hands-on approach. Observers noted high engagement without much teacher supervision. Collaborative learning allowed students to clarify misunderstandings with peers.</p> <p style="padding-left: 40px;">A challenge was the clarity of questions, especially when the teacher was unavailable at certain stations.</p> <p><i>Recommendations for Improvement</i></p> <ul> <li style="list-style-type: none;"> <ul> <li style="list-style-type: none;"> <ul> <li style="list-style-type: none;"> <ul> <li>Allow students to engage in all three stations during curriculum time.</li> <li>Invite students to present their learning.</li> <li>Refine questions for clarity and provide accessible hints.</li> <li>An online platform like <i>Padlet </i>could be used for students to seek help.</li> </ul> </li> </ul> </li> </ul> </li> </ul> <p style="padding-left: 120px;"> <p> </p> <h4><em>3. Consolidation of Gene Expression Processes (Biology Year 4)</em></h4> <p><i>Lesson Design</i></p> <p style="padding-left: 40px;">The lesson adopted a station rotation model with differentiated instruction:</p> <p style="padding-left: 40px;">Teacher-led Station: Teachers provided different activities to address students of different readiness</p> <p style="padding-left: 40px;">Online Station: Students chose between online articles or virtual experiments, further customizing their learning path.</p> <p style="padding-left: 40px;">Hands-on Station: Students created animations to demonstrate understanding, addressing scenario ambiguities with creative materials.</p> <p><i>Results</i></p> <p style="padding-left: 40px;">A total of 76% of students showed improved understanding of gene expression, with 19% maintaining their scores and 4% regressing. The lesson effectively supported student-centered learning, revealing misconceptions through collaborative animations.</p> <p style="padding-left: 40px;">Students appreciated the combination of hands-on and online learning, finding it memorable and engaging. Collaborative activities allowed for peer feedback and self-checking.</p> <p><i>Recommendations for Improvement</i></p> <ul> <li style="list-style-type: none;"> <ul> <li style="list-style-type: none;"> <ul> <li style="list-style-type: none;"> <ul> <li>Provide more freedom in station selection, offering recommendations rather than directed placement.</li> <li>Allocate more time for creating animations to enhance quality.</li> <li>Maintain differentiation to ensure all students have a basic understanding.</li> </ul> </li> </ul> </li> </ul> </li> </ul> <h1></h1> <h1></h1> <h1>Conclusion</h1> <p>In conclusion, the integration of differentiated instruction with blended learning has shown positive results in enhancing student engagement and understanding across various science disciplines. The lessons were well-received, with students appreciating the diverse activities and personalized learning paths. Recommendations for improvement focus on refining lesson designs to further support student agency and engagement, ensuring clarity and depth of content, and optimizing the balance between teacher-led and student-directed learning experiences.</p> <p><b>References</b></p> <p>Graham, C. R., Borup, J., Short, C. R., & Archambault, L. (2019). <i>K-12 blended teaching: A guide to personalized learning and online integration</i>. EdTechBooks. https://edtechbooks.org/k12blended</p> <p>Tomlinson, C. A., & Moon, T. R. (2015). <i>Differentiated instruction: The differentiated classroom, second edition & assessment and student success in a differentiated classroom</i>. ASCD.</p> <p>Tucker, C. R. (2022). <i>The complete guide to blended learning: Activating agency, differentiation, community, and inquiry for students</i>. Solution Tree Press.</p> ]]></content:encoded> <wfw:commentRss>https://singteach.nie.edu.sg/2025/01/16/differentiated-instruction-and-station-rotation-in-science-lessons/feed/</wfw:commentRss> <slash:comments>0</slash:comments> </item> <item> <title>Fostering Critical Thinking with Generative AI</title> <link>https://singteach.nie.edu.sg/2024/07/21/fostering-critical-thinking-with-generative-ai/?utm_source=rss&utm_medium=rss&utm_campaign=fostering-critical-thinking-with-generative-ai</link> <comments>https://singteach.nie.edu.sg/2024/07/21/fostering-critical-thinking-with-generative-ai/#respond</comments> <dc:creator><![CDATA[Azleena]]></dc:creator> <pubDate>Sun, 21 Jul 2024 02:10:47 +0000</pubDate> <category><![CDATA[issue 89 jun 2024]]></category> <category><![CDATA[Issues]]></category> <category><![CDATA[Redesigning Pedagogy International Conference]]></category> <category><![CDATA[Classroom Perspectives]]></category> <category><![CDATA[Digital literacy]]></category> <category><![CDATA[Teacher practices]]></category> <category><![CDATA[ChatGPT]]></category> <category><![CDATA[Generative AI]]></category> <category><![CDATA[AI in education]]></category> <category><![CDATA[Personalized learning]]></category> <category><![CDATA[Ethical AI]]></category> <guid isPermaLink="false">https://singteach.nie.edu.sg/?p=23385</guid> <description><![CDATA[The integration of Artificial Intelligence (AI) tools into classrooms has sparked a blend of enthusiasm, apprehension and debate […]]]></description> <content:encoded><![CDATA[<p><em><strong>The integration of Artificial Intelligence (AI) tools into classrooms has sparked a blend of enthusiasm, apprehension and debate among educators and policymakers alike. As students become more familiar with using technology-driven solutions, it is feared they may become overly reliant on AI, potentially diminishing their critical thinking and problem-solving skills. In her presentation at the <a href="https://www.ntu.edu.sg/nie/research/redesigning-pedagogy-international-conference-2024" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Redesigning Pedagogy International Conference 2024</a>, Ms Low Xin Yee from <a href="https://www.queenswaysec.moe.edu.sg/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Queensway Secondary School</a> shares insights into her study that seeks to explore how ChatGPT can be used to enhance critical thinking skills among students of different profiles. </strong></em></p> <p><img loading="lazy" src="https://singteach.nie.edu.sg/wp-content/uploads/2024/07/ST89_Classroom-Perspectives_Low-Xin-Yee_featured-image-300x180.png" alt="" class="alignright wp-image-23387" width="500" height="300" srcset="https://singteach.nie.edu.sg/wp-content/uploads/2024/07/ST89_Classroom-Perspectives_Low-Xin-Yee_featured-image-300x180.png 300w, https://singteach.nie.edu.sg/wp-content/uploads/2024/07/ST89_Classroom-Perspectives_Low-Xin-Yee_featured-image-768x461.png 768w, https://singteach.nie.edu.sg/wp-content/uploads/2024/07/ST89_Classroom-Perspectives_Low-Xin-Yee_featured-image.png 1000w" sizes="(max-width: 500px) 100vw, 500px" /></p> <h1>Empowering Students to Use AI Responsibly</h1> <p>Recent advancements in education technology have seen schools increasingly begin to integrate Artificial Intelligence (AI) tools in teaching and learning. In Singapore, generative AI tools are being used by students to source information, detect language errors in their own work and obtain personalized feedback.</p> <p>However, the increasing sophistication of generative AI tools such as ChatGPT has led educators to raise concerns that the tools may pose a risk to the development of students’ critical competencies as well as academic integrity.</p> <p>“When students simply pass off AI-generated content as their own work, this constitutes plagiarism,” Ms Low Xin Yee, a Senior Teacher/Chinese Language at <a href="https://www.queenswaysec.moe.edu.sg/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Queensway Secondary School</a>, notes. “Students are also less likely to apply their critical thinking skills and be fully engaged in the learning process if they use AI in an irresponsible manner.”</p> <p>With a focus on gaining a better understanding of how generative AI tools, more specifically, ChatGPT, can nurture students’ critical thinking skills and how different student profiles can affect student’s learning when using those tools, Xin Yee embarked on a research study that involved Secondary 3 Chinese Language students from a mix of Express and Normal (Academic) classes.</p> <p>“We hope to develop strategies that can nurture students’ critical competencies and at the same time, address pertinent issues such as plagiarism, educating students on the responsible use of AI tools, and developing students into critical thinkers,” she says.</p> <h1>Strategies to Foster Critical Thinking Skills</h1> <p>“The study was conducted during the students’ Chinese Language lessons,” Xin Yee shares. “They were told to get in groups of 3 and 4 and each group was assigned a research topic based on contemporary issues.”</p> <p>One of the key tasks the students had to do was to present their opinions and viewpoints using the “Point, Elaboration, Examples, Link (PEEL)” format. They were given a month to conduct web research using ChatGPT and other online resources and write a script before presenting their arguments to their classmates.</p> <p>The research study, she says, uses four strategies that aim to guide students in using ChatGPT responsibly. “The first step that teachers should take is to show students examples of PEEL paragraphs and the success criteria their written argument should meet. This can help them to key in effective prompts for ChatGPT and select the necessary information,” she explains.</p> <p>The second step involves teachers explicitly teaching students how to process the ChatGPT output. This can include teachers keying in the prompts, selecting points relevant to the topic, and justifying the selection. Teachers then demonstrate how to structure the content into the PEEL format.</p> <p>“This involves guiding students on how to find areas for improvement in the AI-generated content, as well as how to corroborate the information found from other online sources,” she comments.<br /> For the third step, students are required to document their research process. “This is a strategy that not only makes student thinking visible, but is also a way to mitigate the problem of plagiarism,” she notes.</p> <p>The last step involves teachers checking the research documentation completed by students and conducting group consultations to give feedback and support.</p> <p>“The study culminates in students presenting their arguments while teachers evaluate each group’s presentation according to a rubric,” she shares. “The rubric includes assessment based on oral presentation, which forms the main component of the grade, research documents of all group members as well as peer evaluation.”</p> <h1>Students’ Response and Teacher Observations</h1> <p>A survey of the students involved in the study revealed that high progress learners have a more favourable perception of AI tools, recognizing their usefulness in idea generation and content preparation. These students reported heightened confidence in oral presentations and a more structured approach to crafting PEEL paragraphs.</p> <p>Conversely, more low progress learners responded that they faced challenges such as identifying relevant AI-generated content and grappling with complex texts.</p> <p>Teacher observations also show that students who have stronger language skills are able to understand the content generated by ChatGPT without much difficulty. “They are able to enhance the ChatGPT output and weave their own arguments into it, while low progress learners require additional assistance in processing and expanding upon AI-generated information,” Xin Yee elaborates.</p> <p>Teacher observations of students’ learning motivation reveal that students who are more diligent and motivated learn better with AI.</p> <p>“Though some of them are weak in the language, they put in effort to make sense of the content generated by ChatGPT with the help of translation tools. As a result, they can understand the content better and provide their own opinions,” she notes.</p> <p>Those who are less motivated, on the other hand, did not put much effort into making sense of the content generated by ChatGPT. To engage such students, she recommends that teachers demonstrate and provide more guidance on the process of using ChatGPT and documentation of ideas.</p> <p>“It is also important to let weaker students attempt the task given on their own before turning to AI. This will ensure that they think on their own first before getting direct answers from AI tools,” she says.</p> <h1>The Double-Edged Sword of AI In Education</h1> <p><span style="font-size: 11.0pt; font-family: 'Georgia',serif; color: #333333;"></p> <div class="shortcode-block-quote-right" style="color:#999999"></span></p> <p>“For those who are more diligent and have higher readiness in learning, technology and AI could enhance their thinking and deepen the depth of their understanding. However, those who possess lower motivation to learn may lack the drive to think independently”</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;"> Xin Yee</span></i></strong><em><span style="font-size: 11.0pt; font-family: 'Georgia',serif; color: #333333;">, on the relationship between readiness in learning and use of technology</span></em></p> <p><span style="font-size: 11.0pt; font-family: 'Georgia',serif; color: #333333;"></div> <p></span></p> <p>Reflecting on the study and its findings, Xin Yee opines that AI tools can be double-edged swords. She advises that teachers take student readiness and student motivation into consideration when planning the use of educational technologies and AI.</p> <p>“For those who are more diligent and have higher readiness in learning, technology and AI could enhance their thinking and deepen the depth of their understanding. However, those who possess lower motivation to learn may lack the drive to think independently,” she remarks.</p> <p>There is a risk, she says, that students rely completely on AI tools and engage in less critical thinking. It is crucial, therefore, that teachers know how to adapt their teaching strategies to the evolving landscape of AI in education.</p> <p>“Educators have the responsibility to nurture students so that they can thrive in an increasingly complex and interconnected world,” she asserts. “Through concerted efforts and strategic interventions, educators can pave the way for a future where all students, regardless of their proficiency levels, can reap the benefits of AI-driven learning experiences.” </p> ]]></content:encoded> <wfw:commentRss>https://singteach.nie.edu.sg/2024/07/21/fostering-critical-thinking-with-generative-ai/feed/</wfw:commentRss> <slash:comments>0</slash:comments> </item> <item> <title>Reigniting Joy in Learning through Classroom Pedagogy</title> <link>https://singteach.nie.edu.sg/2024/07/21/reigniting-joy-in-learning-through-classroom-pedagogy/?utm_source=rss&utm_medium=rss&utm_campaign=reigniting-joy-in-learning-through-classroom-pedagogy</link> <comments>https://singteach.nie.edu.sg/2024/07/21/reigniting-joy-in-learning-through-classroom-pedagogy/#respond</comments> <dc:creator><![CDATA[Azleena]]></dc:creator> <pubDate>Sun, 21 Jul 2024 02:08:39 +0000</pubDate> <category><![CDATA[issue 89 jun 2024]]></category> <category><![CDATA[Issues]]></category> <category><![CDATA[Teacher practices]]></category> <category><![CDATA[Redesigning Pedagogy International Conference]]></category> <category><![CDATA[Professional development]]></category> <category><![CDATA[Student engagement]]></category> <category><![CDATA[Research in Action]]></category> <category><![CDATA[Classroom engagement]]></category> <category><![CDATA[Innovation]]></category> <category><![CDATA[Pedagogy]]></category> <guid isPermaLink="false">https://singteach.nie.edu.sg/?p=23301</guid> <description><![CDATA[Recent research in educational neuroscience underscores the importance of emotional engagement in students to spark interest and nurture […]]]></description> <content:encoded><![CDATA[<p><em><strong>Recent research in educational neuroscience underscores the importance of emotional engagement in students to spark interest and nurture a lasting passion for learning across all subjects. How can we support teachers to have a better understanding of how students experience learning content in a subject area? Dr Tan Mei Ying, <a href="https://academyofsingaporeteachers.moe.edu.sg/our-master-teachers/Educational-Support/Dr-Muhammad-Nazir-Amir/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Dr Muhammad Nazir Bin Amir</a> and <a href="https://dr.ntu.edu.sg/cris/rp/rp02055" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Dr Tan Aik Lim</a> share their concept paper, which introduces a way to reshape teachers’ teaching practices, at the <a href="https://www.ntu.edu.sg/nie/research/redesigning-pedagogy-international-conference-2024" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Redesigning Pedagogy International Conference (RPIC) 2024</a>.</strong></em></p> <div id="attachment_23585" style="width: 530px" class="wp-caption alignnone"><img aria-describedby="caption-attachment-23585" loading="lazy" src="https://singteach.nie.edu.sg/wp-content/uploads/2024/07/ST89_Researchin-Action_Presenters-300x225.jpg" alt="" class="wp-image-23585" width="520" height="390" srcset="https://singteach.nie.edu.sg/wp-content/uploads/2024/07/ST89_Researchin-Action_Presenters-300x225.jpg 300w, https://singteach.nie.edu.sg/wp-content/uploads/2024/07/ST89_Researchin-Action_Presenters-1024x768.jpg 1024w, https://singteach.nie.edu.sg/wp-content/uploads/2024/07/ST89_Researchin-Action_Presenters-768x576.jpg 768w, https://singteach.nie.edu.sg/wp-content/uploads/2024/07/ST89_Researchin-Action_Presenters.jpg 1280w" sizes="(max-width: 520px) 100vw, 520px" /><p id="caption-attachment-23585" class="wp-caption-text">From left: Dr Tan Mei Ying, Dr Tan Aik Lim, Dr Muhammad Nazir Bin Amir</p></div> <h1>Fostering Intrinsic Motivation in Learning</h1> <div id="attachment_23587" style="width: 218px" class="wp-caption alignright"><img aria-describedby="caption-attachment-23587" loading="lazy" src="https://singteach.nie.edu.sg/wp-content/uploads/2024/07/ST89_ResearchinAction_Figure-1_Toy-2-208x300.png" alt="" class="wp-image-23587 size-medium" width="208" height="300" srcset="https://singteach.nie.edu.sg/wp-content/uploads/2024/07/ST89_ResearchinAction_Figure-1_Toy-2-208x300.png 208w, https://singteach.nie.edu.sg/wp-content/uploads/2024/07/ST89_ResearchinAction_Figure-1_Toy-2-711x1024.png 711w, https://singteach.nie.edu.sg/wp-content/uploads/2024/07/ST89_ResearchinAction_Figure-1_Toy-2-768x1107.png 768w, https://singteach.nie.edu.sg/wp-content/uploads/2024/07/ST89_ResearchinAction_Figure-1_Toy-2.png 857w" sizes="(max-width: 208px) 100vw, 208px" /><p id="caption-attachment-23587" class="wp-caption-text">Figure 1. A flying wheel toy.</p></div> <p>During the team’s paper presentation at the <a href="https://www.ntu.edu.sg/nie/research/redesigning-pedagogy-international-conference-2024" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Redesigning Pedagogy International Conference (RPIC) 2024</a>, they handed out a colourful flying wheel toy to every participant and encouraged them to play with it. As everyone grew excited with the toy in hand, <a href="https://academyofsingaporeteachers.moe.edu.sg/our-master-teachers/Educational-Support/Dr-Muhammad-Nazir-Amir/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Dr Muhammad Nazir</a>, Master Teacher/Educational Support at the <a href="https://academyofsingaporeteachers.moe.edu.sg/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Academy of Singapore Teachers</a>, shares how he and his colleagues capitalized on the appeal of this toy to teach Science content.</p> <p>“<span><span class="ui-provider a b c d e f g h i j k l m n o p q r s t u v w x y z ab ac ae af ag ah ai aj ak" dir="ltr">When I was teaching Science at a secondary school, I experienced that using a single pedagogy (which may be boring) did not always engage all students</span></span>,” Nazir shares. He saw this as an opportunity to collaborate with other teachers who were facing similar difficulties. Rather than thinking about “fixing” the students, they focused on “fixing” their lessons through exploring a variety of teaching approaches. “As toys usually appeal to students, we decided to experiment with using the flying wheel toy (see Figure 1) in the classroom to demonstrate scientific concepts,” he adds.</p> <p>Such a move not only led to academically less-motivated students being more enthusiastic about learning but also brought joy and rigour in learning to students across all profiles. He emphasizes that the toy is used as a teaching tool to help create in the students an emotional connection to the content.</p> <p>He reminds us that learning is both a cognitive and emotional process, and enjoyment is an important aspect of the learning process. In other examples, he demonstrated how several preschool teachers used a simple magic colouring book to enthuse children in learning about “pretend play”, and fondly recalls an unforgettable experience where his university lecturer used a drone with colourful lights in a dark lecture theatre to enthuse his students to learn coding as part of an engineering course.</p> <p>“Teachers play an important role in bringing about the joy of learning through our teaching and these teachers have prioritized their students’ learning experiences at the heart of their teaching. They showed that interest in a subject matter can be injected in an entire class through teaching that is situated within a universally appealing context <span>– </span>one that evokes a high level of emotional engagement,” he says.</p> <p>The examples shared by Nazir illustrate how joyful teaching ideas can come alive in the classroom by using the Relevant, Appealing and Personal (RAP) pedagogical guideline. Developed through his research, this guideline aims to foster intrinsic motivation and engagement in students’ learning in Singapore classrooms (Amir, 2022).</p> <p>“Using the RAP pedagogical guideline, teachers are able to develop creative and joyful teaching ideas to deliver subject content, which moves students’ motivation from ‘having to learn’ to ‘wanting to learn’, and further develops students’ positive attitudes towards learning,” he remarks.</p> <div style="font-weight: 400;"> <p><img loading="lazy" src="https://singteach.nie.edu.sg/wp-content/uploads/2024/07/ST89_Researchin-Action_Online-content-2-1024x720.png" alt="" class="alignnone wp-image-23581" width="800" height="562" srcset="https://singteach.nie.edu.sg/wp-content/uploads/2024/07/ST89_Researchin-Action_Online-content-2-1024x720.png 1024w, https://singteach.nie.edu.sg/wp-content/uploads/2024/07/ST89_Researchin-Action_Online-content-2-300x211.png 300w, https://singteach.nie.edu.sg/wp-content/uploads/2024/07/ST89_Researchin-Action_Online-content-2-768x540.png 768w, https://singteach.nie.edu.sg/wp-content/uploads/2024/07/ST89_Researchin-Action_Online-content-2-1536x1080.png 1536w, https://singteach.nie.edu.sg/wp-content/uploads/2024/07/ST89_Researchin-Action_Online-content-2.png 1997w" sizes="(max-width: 800px) 100vw, 800px" /></p> <p><a href="https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLgBw4fHUtzK1d0dcF1xxgSYIYAFvEwNl2" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><img loading="lazy" src="https://singteach.nie.edu.sg/wp-content/uploads/2024/07/ST89_ResearchinAction_PPR_online-content_2-300x56.png" alt="" class="alignnone wp-image-23570" width="450" height="84" srcset="https://singteach.nie.edu.sg/wp-content/uploads/2024/07/ST89_ResearchinAction_PPR_online-content_2-300x56.png 300w, https://singteach.nie.edu.sg/wp-content/uploads/2024/07/ST89_ResearchinAction_PPR_online-content_2-768x143.png 768w, https://singteach.nie.edu.sg/wp-content/uploads/2024/07/ST89_ResearchinAction_PPR_online-content_2.png 790w" sizes="(max-width: 450px) 100vw, 450px" /></a></p> <h1>Emotional Arousal as An Indicator of Student Engagement</h1> <p>How can teachers determine the level of student interest? Instead of focusing on facial expressions (i.e., smiling) and overt emotions (i.e., laughing), the team, led by <a href="https://dr.ntu.edu.sg/cris/rp/rp02055" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Dr Tan Aik Lim</a>, a Research Fellow with NIE’s <a href="https://www.ntu.edu.sg/nie/research/office-of-education-research" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Office of Education Research</a>, introduces a novel perspective on how to look at determining students’ emotions.</p> <p>“To better understand our students’ emotions, we propose using the framework developed by James Russell – the Circumplex model of affect (Russell, 1980) (see Figure 2). It maps different emotions onto a two-dimensional space of valence and arousal; the horizontal axis measures the valence (i.e., the type of emotion), while the vertical axis measures the arousal (i.e., the magnitude of emotion),” Aik Lim explains.</p> <p>One way to measure the intensity or magnitude of emotions is through electrodermal activity (EDA), which refers to the varying electrical properties of the skin in response to sweat secretion by the eccrine sweat glands (Benedek & Kaernbach, 2010).</p> <p>“Studies have shown that changes in electrical conduction of the skin are an indicator of arousal, attention, engagement and emotional responses. From my research, these changes also indicate triggers of interest as well,” he adds. (For more information, refer to the paper by Tan et al., 2023.)</p> <p>To detect and monitor students’ EDA and heart rate, the team utilized physiological sensors that are found in new wearable technology. He points out how the physiological data derived directly from the wearer’s body can pinpoint the specific instances where there are peaks in the wearer’s emotions. This is more helpful and objective than just receiving lesson or activity feedback from students, which might be in the form of a general response such as “It was interesting” or “It was fun” and be subjected to external influences such as peer influence.</p> <p>“The EDA data can provide us with a more nuanced and accurate view of parts of the activity that engaged the students or caught their attention. You can also discuss the data with the students or among other teachers,” he notes.</p> <div id="attachment_23586" style="width: 460px" class="wp-caption alignnone"><img aria-describedby="caption-attachment-23586" loading="lazy" src="https://singteach.nie.edu.sg/wp-content/uploads/2024/07/ST89_ResearchinAction_Figure1_Circumplex-300x217.png" alt="" class="wp-image-23586" width="450" height="326" srcset="https://singteach.nie.edu.sg/wp-content/uploads/2024/07/ST89_ResearchinAction_Figure1_Circumplex-300x217.png 300w, https://singteach.nie.edu.sg/wp-content/uploads/2024/07/ST89_ResearchinAction_Figure1_Circumplex.png 727w" sizes="(max-width: 450px) 100vw, 450px" /><p id="caption-attachment-23586" class="wp-caption-text">Figure 2. The Circumplex model of affect.</p></div> <h1>What Does It Mean for Educators?</h1> <p>When attempting to apply what they learnt at professional learning sessions about promoting student motivation in learning into practice, teachers may find it challenging to do so as there are conflicting findings in this topic. Furthermore, most of the studies measure the impact of motivation and engagement using a cognitive or behavioural lens.</p> <p>“This is one of the pressures educators face when they are in the classroom, especially if they want to engage students in joyful learning experiences,” Dr Tan Mei Ying explains.</p> <p>The team is hopeful that educators can begin to story or narrate teaching and learning in terms of these joyful learning experiences. “When different teachers come together to narrate and discuss their students’ peak moments of learning, they can strengthen their understanding of and hone their expertise in emotional engagement,” Mei Ying says.</p> <p>“We are confident that the education fraternity can build teachers not only as narrators who can situate pedagogical innovation within the professional landscape, but also as innovators in teaching and learning across multiple layers of the education eco-system,” she adds.</p> <p><strong>References</strong></p> <p>Amir, N. (2022). Fostering Student Motivation and Engagement Through the Relevant, Appealing, and Personal (RAP) Pedagogical Guideline: Tech Stories From Singapore. In Bonk, C. J. & Zhu (Eds.), <em>Transformative Teaching Around the World: Stories of Cultural Impact, Technology Integration, and Innovative Pedagogy</em>, 87-91.</p> <p>Benedek, M., & Kaernbach, C. (2010). <em>Decomposition of skin conductance data by means of nonnegative deconvolution. Psychophysiology, 47</em>(4), 647-658.</p> <p>Russell, J. A. (1980). A circumplex model of affect. <em>Journal of Personality and Social Psychology, 39</em>(6), 1161-1178.</p> <p>Tan, A. L., Gillies, R., & Jamaludin, A. (2023). Psychophysiological methods to study the triggers of interest: A Singapore case study. <em>Current Psychology, 42</em>, 28298-28308.</p> </div> ]]></content:encoded> <wfw:commentRss>https://singteach.nie.edu.sg/2024/07/21/reigniting-joy-in-learning-through-classroom-pedagogy/feed/</wfw:commentRss> <slash:comments>0</slash:comments> </item> <item> <title>Embracing Future-Ready Teaching</title> <link>https://singteach.nie.edu.sg/2024/07/21/embracing-future-ready-teaching/?utm_source=rss&utm_medium=rss&utm_campaign=embracing-future-ready-teaching</link> <comments>https://singteach.nie.edu.sg/2024/07/21/embracing-future-ready-teaching/#respond</comments> <dc:creator><![CDATA[Azleena]]></dc:creator> <pubDate>Sun, 21 Jul 2024 02:04:14 +0000</pubDate> <category><![CDATA[issue 89 jun 2024]]></category> <category><![CDATA[Issues]]></category> <category><![CDATA[Tecaher learning]]></category> <category><![CDATA[Professional development]]></category> <category><![CDATA[In Their Own Words]]></category> <category><![CDATA[Teacher practices]]></category> <category><![CDATA[Teacher voices]]></category> <category><![CDATA[Redesigning Pedagogy International Conference]]></category> <category><![CDATA[Future-Ready]]></category> <guid isPermaLink="false">https://singteach.nie.edu.sg/?p=23328</guid> <description><![CDATA[The role of a teacher extends well beyond the transmission of knowledge, encompassing the development of students’ critical […]]]></description> <content:encoded><![CDATA[<p><em><strong>The role of a teacher extends well beyond the transmission of knowledge, encompassing the development of students’ critical thinking and emotional growth. Today, teachers also need to possess future-ready skills, and actively embrace technology, innovative teaching strategies and continuous professional development. Three teacher–participants from the <a href="https://www.ntu.edu.sg/nie/research/redesigning-pedagogy-international-conference-2024" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Redesigning Pedagogy International Conference 2024</a> share their insights on being a future-ready teacher as well as key takeaways from the conference.</strong></em></p> <p><img loading="lazy" src="https://singteach.nie.edu.sg/wp-content/uploads/2024/07/ST89_ITOW_online-content-3-300x131.png" alt="" class="aligncenter wp-image-23525" width="600" height="262" srcset="https://singteach.nie.edu.sg/wp-content/uploads/2024/07/ST89_ITOW_online-content-3-300x131.png 300w, https://singteach.nie.edu.sg/wp-content/uploads/2024/07/ST89_ITOW_online-content-3-768x336.png 768w, https://singteach.nie.edu.sg/wp-content/uploads/2024/07/ST89_ITOW_online-content-3.png 1014w" sizes="(max-width: 600px) 100vw, 600px" /></p> <div class="message-box-wrapper yellow"> <div class="message-box-title">Mr Seck Hon Meng, School Staff Developer, Saint Anthony’s Canossian Secondary School</div> <div class="message-box-content"> <p><img loading="lazy" src="https://singteach.nie.edu.sg/wp-content/uploads/2024/07/ST89_ITOW_SeckHonMeng-222x300.png" alt="" class="alignright wp-image-23536 size-medium" width="222" height="300" srcset="https://singteach.nie.edu.sg/wp-content/uploads/2024/07/ST89_ITOW_SeckHonMeng-222x300.png 222w, https://singteach.nie.edu.sg/wp-content/uploads/2024/07/ST89_ITOW_SeckHonMeng.png 595w" sizes="(max-width: 222px) 100vw, 222px" /></p> <p>A) I believe that a future-ready teacher is one who shapes the holistic character and moral development of students, designs and facilitates learning experiences by co-constructing students’ knowledge in content, pedagogy and technology, and continues to reflect and grow in the teaching profession as a lifelong and adaptive learner. Future-ready teachers should also focus on fostering emerging 21st century competencies (e-21CCs) in our students as they are essential for success in our rapidly changing world.</p> <p>B) The RPIC allows me to be updated with the emerging research, trends and best practices in education. It was a valuable opportunity for professional development and leadership growth to broaden my perspective and drive positive change in school. I appreciated the insightful sharing on the key components of metacognition (metacognitive knowledge, experiences and skills) from one of the symposium sessions. In terms of classroom implementation, metacognition may not be explicitly addressed in terms of our current practices. As metacognition is a key competency of future learners, I will read up more and share with fellow colleagues about the various metacognitive instructional approaches and strategies that enable our students to think, learn and self-regulate.</p> </div> </div> <div class="message-box-wrapper yellow"> <div class="message-box-title">Mr Ng Joon Yong, HOD Craft and Technology, Peirce Secondary School</div> <div class="message-box-content"> <p><img loading="lazy" src="https://singteach.nie.edu.sg/wp-content/uploads/2024/07/ST89_ITOW_NgJoonYong-225x300.jpg" alt="" class="alignright wp-image-23542 size-medium" width="225" height="300" srcset="https://singteach.nie.edu.sg/wp-content/uploads/2024/07/ST89_ITOW_NgJoonYong-225x300.jpg 225w, https://singteach.nie.edu.sg/wp-content/uploads/2024/07/ST89_ITOW_NgJoonYong-768x1024.jpg 768w, https://singteach.nie.edu.sg/wp-content/uploads/2024/07/ST89_ITOW_NgJoonYong-1152x1536.jpg 1152w, https://singteach.nie.edu.sg/wp-content/uploads/2024/07/ST89_ITOW_NgJoonYong-1536x2048.jpg 1536w, https://singteach.nie.edu.sg/wp-content/uploads/2024/07/ST89_ITOW_NgJoonYong-scaled.jpg 1920w" sizes="(max-width: 225px) 100vw, 225px" /></p> <p>A) A future-ready teacher is one who can envision the future beyond his worldview. The different parts of the world at different developing stages allow some countries to take reference and envision what the future will be. More advanced countries will continue to take the lead in creating a “new” future. Singapore education has been looked upon by others based on measurable outcomes such as PISA and TIMSS. A future-ready teacher envisions and creates a future in his classroom. Be it transforming his classroom into a knowledge-creation community or an inclusive community, he plays an important role in creating the future of Singapore.</p> <p>B) One key takeaway from the conference is how human competency can evolve with machine learning. The keynote speaker Professor Mutlu Cukurova reminded me of the responsible use of Artificial Intelligence (AI) so that I will not be over-reliant on AI, resulting in lowering my competencies while AI gains capabilities. The concept of confirmation bias in AI, where we tend to seek out, favour and interpret AI-generated outcomes that confirm what we think is right, is also intriguing. With actionable knowledge such as the PAIR framework to integrate AI into teaching and learning, this conference extends my worldview about the future I can create for my students in the classroom.</p> </div> </div> <div class="message-box-wrapper yellow"> <div class="message-box-title">Ms Chan Jia Yu, Teacher, New Town Primary School</div> <div class="message-box-content"> <p><img loading="lazy" src="https://singteach.nie.edu.sg/wp-content/uploads/2024/07/ST89_ITOW_ChanJiaYu_2.png" alt="" class="alignright wp-image-23548 size-full" width="225" height="300" /></p> <p>A) To me, being a “future-ready teacher” means staying abreast of technological advancements like AI that influence teaching and learning. It also means to role-model open-mindedness and embrace diverse perspectives during interactions with students. A future-ready teacher nurtures self-directedness through inquiry-based learning, encouraging students to explore and discover independently. This approach not only prepares students for future challenges but also develops their critical thinking and a lifelong love for learning.</p> <p>B) One key takeaway for me is to continue experimenting with strategies to engage my students in the formative assessment and learning process. From the conference, I learnt how it is important to involve students metacognitively as that will eventually develop them into more independent learners. To do that, I need to adopt a process-oriented mindset that provides students the time and space to reflect and reattempt. It is through this empowering process that students can grow to be future-ready learners.</p> <p> </p> </div> </div> ]]></content:encoded> <wfw:commentRss>https://singteach.nie.edu.sg/2024/07/21/embracing-future-ready-teaching/feed/</wfw:commentRss> <slash:comments>0</slash:comments> </item> <item> <title>A School’s Journey in Bringing AI to the Classroom</title> <link>https://singteach.nie.edu.sg/2024/04/29/a-schools-journey-in-bringing-ai-to-the-classroom/?utm_source=rss&utm_medium=rss&utm_campaign=a-schools-journey-in-bringing-ai-to-the-classroom</link> <comments>https://singteach.nie.edu.sg/2024/04/29/a-schools-journey-in-bringing-ai-to-the-classroom/#respond</comments> <dc:creator><![CDATA[Azleena]]></dc:creator> <pubDate>Mon, 29 Apr 2024 02:52:41 +0000</pubDate> <category><![CDATA[issue 88 mar 2024]]></category> <category><![CDATA[Issues]]></category> <category><![CDATA[AI in education]]></category> <category><![CDATA[Personalized learning]]></category> <category><![CDATA[Ethical AI]]></category> <category><![CDATA[Classroom Perspectives]]></category> <category><![CDATA[Digital literacy]]></category> <category><![CDATA[Artificial Intelligence]]></category> <category><![CDATA[Teacher practices]]></category> <category><![CDATA[AI]]></category> <category><![CDATA[Human-machine synergy]]></category> <guid isPermaLink="false">https://singteach.nie.edu.sg/?p=23204</guid> <description><![CDATA[The emergence of Artificial Intelligence (AI) and its gradual integration into the classroom has reshaped the traditional classroom […]]]></description> <content:encoded><![CDATA[<p><em><strong>The emergence of Artificial Intelligence (AI) and its gradual integration into the classroom has reshaped the traditional classroom experience. <a href="https://www.rosyth.moe.edu.sg/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Rosyth School</a>, one of the schools known for its innovative approach in Singapore’s education sector, has implemented the AI-enabled Adaptive Learning System (ALS) in its classrooms. Two teachers from the school, Mr Victor Chew and Mr Edmond Lee, provide insights on the use of the ALS as well as other AI tools in the school.</strong></em></p> <div id="attachment_23261" style="width: 650px" class="wp-caption aligncenter"><img aria-describedby="caption-attachment-23261" loading="lazy" src="https://singteach.nie.edu.sg/wp-content/uploads/2024/04/ST88-Classroom-Perspectives-1-1024x614.jpg" alt="" class="wp-image-23261 size-large" width="640" height="384" srcset="https://singteach.nie.edu.sg/wp-content/uploads/2024/04/ST88-Classroom-Perspectives-1-1024x614.jpg 1024w, https://singteach.nie.edu.sg/wp-content/uploads/2024/04/ST88-Classroom-Perspectives-1-300x180.jpg 300w, https://singteach.nie.edu.sg/wp-content/uploads/2024/04/ST88-Classroom-Perspectives-1-768x461.jpg 768w, https://singteach.nie.edu.sg/wp-content/uploads/2024/04/ST88-Classroom-Perspectives-1.jpg 1500w" sizes="(max-width: 640px) 100vw, 640px" /><p id="caption-attachment-23261" class="wp-caption-text"><em>From left to right: Mr Victor Chew and Mr Edmond Lee</em></p></div> <h1>Fostering Personalized Learning</h1> <p>The implementation of AI-enabled Adaptive Learning System (ALS) at Rosyth School has seen students being able to adjust the content and learning pace based on their own needs and performance. A key characteristic of the ALS is its ability to provide personalized learning experiences to students.</p> <p>“When students enter the ALS, they have the flexibility to choose their preferred amount of learning time as well as the number of concepts that they want to master within that timeframe,” Mr Victor Chew, Head of EdTech Department at Rosyth School, shares. “Upon selection of the topic that they want to work on, the ALS recommends differentiated learning pathways for the <br /> student to choose.”</p> <p>Mr Edmond Lee, Senior Teacher, adds that students are usually recommended the “Guided Learning” mode to build their mastery of the concepts. Those who deem themselves more ready can opt for “Challenge” mode to evaluate their learning.</p> <p>“Such decision-making on the pace and intensity of learning helps students to foster a sense of ownership and develop self-directed learning,” he remarks.</p> <p>As students engage with the ALS, the system learns from their responses to the various assessment questions embedded in the learning pathway. With these insights, the system starts surfacing appropriate learning content and questions that target the student’s zone of proximal development to help them achieve concept mastery.</p> <p>“Students appreciate that the content is moderated to their level of understanding to challenge them appropriately. These small successes actually spur them on to reach their final learning goal for the topic,” Edmond adds.</p> <p>In addition to benefiting students, the ALS serves as a valuable resource for teachers. By analysing ALS data, teachers can gain insights into student performance and identify areas of improvement. This enables them to design differentiated tasks and activities, catering to the diverse needs of their students.</p> <p>“Whether used as a pre-lesson resource to identify areas to focus on or as a post-lesson tool to assess effectiveness, the ALS empowers teachers to make informed instructional decisions that enhance student learning outcomes,” Victor comments</p> <p>While the ALS facilitates personalized learning experiences, he emphasizes the important and indispensable role of teachers in guiding and supporting the students’ learning journey. “Teachers provide invaluable mentorship and encouragement, complementing the ALS to create a dynamic and engaging classroom environment,” he adds.</p> <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>“Teachers provide invaluable mentorship and encouragement, complementing the ALS to create a dynamic and engaging classroom environment.”</p> <p><em><span style="font-family: 'Georgia',serif; color: #333333;">– </span></em><strong><i><span style="font-family: 'Georgia',serif; color: #333333;">Victor</span></i></strong><i><span style="font-family: 'Georgia',serif; color: #333333;">, on the invaluable role teachers play in the classroom</span></i></p> <p><span style="font-family: 'Georgia',serif; color: #333333;"></div> <p></span></p> <h1>Embracing AI Beyond the Adaptive Learning System</h1> <p>At Rosyth School, teachers are embracing AI beyond the use of the ALS. Victor and Edmond note how integrating generative AI tools into teaching practices allows for the creation of diverse learning resources, from text to videos, that are tailored to students’ needs. The school’s Special Education Needs (SEN) team, for instance, utilizes text and video generative AI tools to develop engaging visual social stories, fostering student expression and communication.</p> <p>“Teachers at our school are encouraged to leverage AI apps that can quickly generate lesson content and quizzes. For example, the Lead Teacher for the English Language was able to efficiently design and create lesson packages for her students to learn about grammar,” Victor shares.</p> <p>These good practices are shared with fellow colleagues through the EdTech Interest Group within the school, which then led to more teachers leveraging AI. “By harnessing AI, the lesson preparation process can be streamlined, enabling teachers to allocate more time to connect with students and deliver impactful lessons,” he points out.</p> <h1>Guiding Students on Using AI Ethically</h1> <p>Beyond technical skills, Rosyth School also guides students on the ethical use of AI. Both teachers point out that even though students are not able to use some AI tools directly due to age restrictions, the school takes the opportunity to start the conversation early.</p> <p>“We engage students during Form Teachers’ Guidance Period (FTGP) through our enriched Cyber Wellness curriculum,” Victor shares. “For example, we discuss deepfake technology and stress the importance of verifying information from multiple sources to combat misinformation.”</p> <p>The school also gives students varying levels of exposure according to their age. In Primary 5 and 6, students delve deeper into AI concepts through Computational Thinking and Machine Learning modules. During these lessons, they acquire the necessary skills on how to research, innovate and create with technology for the benefit of society.</p> <p>“They also engage in an Emerging Tech Module, where they learn about the affordances and challenges of using AI and how they can leverage it responsibly, when they are ready,” Victor adds.</p> <p>As the digital landscape continues to evolve, both teachers emphasize that the school remains committed to preparing students for the challenges and opportunities presented by AI and other emerging technologies.</p> <h1>Bridging the AI Knowledge Gap for Teachers</h1> <p>Integrating AI into the classroom presents educators with various challenges, ranging from technical complexities to ethical considerations. At Rosyth School, addressing these challenges is paramount to ensure the effective and ethical use of AI in education.</p> <p>“It is important for teachers to not just be familiar with new technologies but also to understand the pedagogical and ethical implications associated with using them,” Edmond says.</p> <p>The school’s EdTech Interest Group also acts as a platform where teachers come together as a community to learn and share about their experiences with using AI and other emerging technologies. Through knowledge-sharing and professional development opportunities within the group, teachers gain confidence and competence in integrating AI into their instructional practices, with the aim of enhancing student learning experiences.</p> <p>“Our teachers are also free to embark on differentiated learning experiences within the interest group, based on their readiness in embracing AI,” he notes.</p> <p>“Support from school leaders is a crucial factor too,” Victor says. “At Rosyth School, school leaders and the EdTech Committee work with teachers on flattening the learning curve and reinforce the point that we are taking a whole-school approach in learning and improving together.”</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>“It is important for teachers to not just be familiar with new technologies but also to understand the pedagogical and ethical implications associated with using them.”</p> <p><em><span style="font-family: 'Georgia',serif; color: #333333;">– </span></em><strong><i><span style="font-family: 'Georgia',serif; color: #333333;">Edmond, </span></i></strong><em><span style="font-family: 'Georgia',serif; color: #333333;">on what teachers should be proficient in</span></em></p> <p><span style="font-family: 'Georgia',serif; color: #333333;"></div> <p></span></p> ]]></content:encoded> <wfw:commentRss>https://singteach.nie.edu.sg/2024/04/29/a-schools-journey-in-bringing-ai-to-the-classroom/feed/</wfw:commentRss> <slash:comments>0</slash:comments> </item> <item> <title>A Teacher’s Reflection on Blended Learning for Higher Chinese Language Learners</title> <link>https://singteach.nie.edu.sg/2024/01/09/a-teachers-reflection-on-blended-learning-for-higher-chinese-language-learners/?utm_source=rss&utm_medium=rss&utm_campaign=a-teachers-reflection-on-blended-learning-for-higher-chinese-language-learners</link> <comments>https://singteach.nie.edu.sg/2024/01/09/a-teachers-reflection-on-blended-learning-for-higher-chinese-language-learners/#respond</comments> <dc:creator><![CDATA[Azleena]]></dc:creator> <pubDate>Tue, 09 Jan 2024 02:20:00 +0000</pubDate> <category><![CDATA[Virtual Staff Lounge]]></category> <category><![CDATA[Home-based learning]]></category> <category><![CDATA[Teacher practices]]></category> <category><![CDATA[Teacher voices]]></category> <category><![CDATA[Blended learning]]></category> <category><![CDATA[Bilingualism]]></category> <category><![CDATA[Chinese language]]></category> <category><![CDATA[ICT]]></category> <guid isPermaLink="false">https://singteach.nie.edu.sg/?p=22882</guid> <description><![CDATA[Contributed by Dr Yeo Leng Leng, a Chinese Language teacher at the School of Science and Technology, Singapore, […]]]></description> <content:encoded><![CDATA[<p><b><i><span lang="EN-GB"><span lang="EN">Contributed by Dr Yeo Leng Leng, a Chinese Language teacher at the<a href="https://www.sst.edu.sg/" target="_blank" rel="noopener"> School of Science and Technology, Singapore</a>, for </span> <a href="https://singteach.nie.edu.sg/virtual-staff-lounge/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">SingTeach Virtual Staff Lounge</a></span></i></b></p> <p><img loading="lazy" src="https://singteach.nie.edu.sg/wp-content/uploads/2024/01/Photo-Yeo_Leng_Leng_crop-300x300.png" alt="" class="wp-image-22888 alignnone" width="250" height="250" srcset="https://singteach.nie.edu.sg/wp-content/uploads/2024/01/Photo-Yeo_Leng_Leng_crop-300x300.png 300w, https://singteach.nie.edu.sg/wp-content/uploads/2024/01/Photo-Yeo_Leng_Leng_crop-150x150.png 150w, https://singteach.nie.edu.sg/wp-content/uploads/2024/01/Photo-Yeo_Leng_Leng_crop.png 712w" sizes="(max-width: 250px) 100vw, 250px" /></p> <p><span lang="EN">The unprecedented challenges posed by the COVID-19 pandemic and the current endemicity have led us educators to re-evaluate our teaching methods and necessitated the paradigm shift to the hybridization of school- and home-based practises, commonly referred to as “blended learning”. In this essay, I reflect on having to adapt to blended learning models and share how that has impacted my teaching practices.</span></p> <h1><span lang="EN">Singapore’s “Blended Learning” During the Pandemic</span></h1> <p><span lang="EN">With the nation’s transition to COVID-19 endemicity, </span><em><span lang="EN">blended learning</span></em><span lang="EN"> models have become more commonplace in schools and educational institutions</span><span lang="EN">. When we first experienced home-based learning in April 2020, my classroom became a <i>Google</i> classroom, students’ attendance were taken through <i>Google Meet</i>, and students as well as teachers collaborated on <i>Google Workspace</i>. <span style="text-decoration: line-through;"></span></span></p> <p><span lang="EN">With blended learning being a key feature of the schooling experience for developing self-directed and life-long learners, it came as no surprise to me when I was tasked to plan a unit from a Secondary One Chinese Language textbook, and had to carry out the blended learning activity in even weeks for Term 2 of 2021.</span></p> <h1><span lang="EN">Designing Blended Learning for Higher Chinese Language Lesson </span><span lang="EN"> </span></h1> <p><span lang="EN">Apart from the short time frame, another challenge that I faced was the implementation of a revised mother tongue language syllabus starting from the Secondary One cohort. It called for greater integration of ICT for interactive and customized lessons, as well as the emphasis on digital resources, fostering collaboration, and enriching learning experiences. Hence, there was a need to manage the content, pedagogy and technology when designing such lessons. </span></p> <p><span lang="EN">In one of the lessons, although the students were not able to visit the museum, they were able to go on a virtual learning journey and learn art appreciation through the Student Learning Space (SLS). When I had to teach this unit again in 2023 but to Higher Chinese Language learners, the experience of blended learning during the pandemic made me reflect and refine the design process according to an odd week plan (see Figure 1).</span></p> <div id="attachment_22883" style="width: 610px" class="wp-caption alignnone"><img aria-describedby="caption-attachment-22883" loading="lazy" src="https://singteach.nie.edu.sg/wp-content/uploads/2024/01/Picture1.png" alt="" class="wp-image-22883" width="600" height="90" srcset="https://singteach.nie.edu.sg/wp-content/uploads/2024/01/Picture1.png 936w, https://singteach.nie.edu.sg/wp-content/uploads/2024/01/Picture1-300x45.png 300w, https://singteach.nie.edu.sg/wp-content/uploads/2024/01/Picture1-768x116.png 768w" sizes="(max-width: 600px) 100vw, 600px" /><p id="caption-attachment-22883" class="wp-caption-text">Figure 1. The Design Process for Home-Based Learning Activities</p></div> <p><span lang="EN">In terms of <i>knowledge</i>, I created a video on <i>Edpuzzle</i> to guide the Higher Chinese Language students in understanding the content. I also monitored their home-based learning (HBL) based on their responses on Edpuzzle and clarified their questions in class. </span></p> <p><span lang="EN">On the language skills, students were required to learn how to provide numbers and use examples to elaborate a point. The resources found on the SLS have been useful for me in guiding and deepening their understanding in class. Students were also tasked to complete assignments on SLS to see if they were able to apply what they have learnt during their HBL. In class, I tried to assess and engage them with designed online game activities. </span></p> <p><span lang="EN">The next step was to get the students to form groups of three, to design a three-day itinerary – a task that was stated in the textbook. They had to extend their learning, and each group had to discuss and decide on their respective research areas. In their collaborative efforts, they had to design a brochure for the three-day itinerary and prepare for a gallery walk presentation. Finally, they reflected on their learning and shared their opinions on the areas they could possibly explore in the future.</span></p> <h1><span lang="EN">Students’ Voices</span></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;">“<span lang="EN">Given the dominance of English in Singapore, there is a need to create more opportunities for students to use Chinese and boost their confidence</span>.”<o:p></o:p></span></p> <p><span style="font-family: 'Georgia',serif; color: #333333;"></div> <p><o:p></o:p></span></p> <p><span lang="EN">Based on their reflections, students understood the requirement of the language skills in this unit and were able to apply what they have learnt. In other words, they understood the concepts but needed to work on their sentence construction and build up their vocabulary. Most of them expressed challenges with collaborating with one another and time management. Some students found it difficult to find a common time slot during their HBL day for discussions, hence they had to make use of their break time in school. One student pointed out that he had to request his mother to cancel his after-school lesson in order to complete his work with his teammates, while another commented that the other teammates had different things to do and hence, it was difficult to meet on the HBL day.</span></p> <p><span lang="EN">Despite the challenges, some had expressed their interest to further explore topics such as animals and the Olympic Games, as well as the history of fast-food restaurants in Singapore. In view of this, students were tasked to select their own areas of research interest for their HBL in Term 3 and share their findings with their peers. </span></p> <p><span lang="EN">Students were also very engaged during the gallery walk. The gallery walk was divided into two sessions. In the first session, students took turns to present to their peers and in the second session, they had to switch roles. At the beginning of the first session, the voice level was low and gradually became louder as they gained more confidence and comfortability. As one student said, “I felt shy and scared, but it was ok after a while” while another student said, “I could try presenting to the class in Chinese.” Given the dominance of English in Singapore, there is a need to create more opportunities for students to use Chinese and boost their confidence. Most of the students expressed the fun of being able to walk around and listen to the presentation from other groups and learn from them.</span></p> <h1><span lang="EN">Closing Thoughts </span></h1> <p><span lang="EN">The blended learning model highlighted during the pandemic and the current endemicity certainly had an impact on my teaching, and this was exemplified in my Higher Chinese Language lesson. I had taken the approach of incorporating digital tools, collaborative projects, and interactive platforms to enhance student learning experiences. The challenges faced by students, such as issues with collaboration and time management, provide valuable insights for ongoing improvement. However, getting parental support to help the child learn during HBL days is important too. Finally, the gallery walk session also reinforced the need for continuing efforts to create opportunities for students’ language use in Chinese. </span></p> <p><span lang="EN">This essay reflects my positive attitude towards an educational paradigm shift and the call for flexibility and adaptability as an educator. While the COVID-19 pandemic and the ensuing endemicity have necessitated the adoption of the blended learning model, an educator’s response should be more than just reacting to the challenges that arise; we should also focus on teaching in innovative ways that puts our students at the heart of education.</span></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;">“<span lang="EN">While the COVID-19 pandemic and the ensuing endemicity have necessitated the adoption of the blended learning model, an educator’s response should be more than just reacting to the challenges that arise; we should also focus on teaching in innovative ways that puts our students at the heart of education</span>.”<o:p></o:p></span></p> <p><span style="font-family: 'Georgia',serif; color: #333333;"></div> <p><o:p></o:p></span></p> ]]></content:encoded> <wfw:commentRss>https://singteach.nie.edu.sg/2024/01/09/a-teachers-reflection-on-blended-learning-for-higher-chinese-language-learners/feed/</wfw:commentRss> <slash:comments>0</slash:comments> </item> <item> <title>Using Virtual Manipulatives to Teach Math</title> <link>https://singteach.nie.edu.sg/2023/08/23/using-virtual-manipulatives-to-teach-math/?utm_source=rss&utm_medium=rss&utm_campaign=using-virtual-manipulatives-to-teach-math</link> <comments>https://singteach.nie.edu.sg/2023/08/23/using-virtual-manipulatives-to-teach-math/#respond</comments> <dc:creator><![CDATA[Azleena]]></dc:creator> <pubDate>Wed, 23 Aug 2023 06:01:03 +0000</pubDate> <category><![CDATA[Ask A Researcher]]></category> <category><![CDATA[Mathematics]]></category> <category><![CDATA[Pedagogy]]></category> <category><![CDATA[Teacher practices]]></category> <guid isPermaLink="false">https://singteach.nie.edu.sg/?p=22247</guid> <description><![CDATA[]]></description> <content:encoded><![CDATA[<div class="message-box-wrapper yellow"> <div class="message-box-title">Answered by Dr <span>Lee Ngan Hoe</span><span> </span>(<span>Associate Professor, Mathematics & Mathematics Education</span><span>, NIE</span>)</div> <div class="message-box-content"> <p><strong>Q: What are the feasibilities of replacing physical mathematics manipulatives with virtual mathematics manipulatives for mathematics teaching in the classroom? Will the students’ learning be affected if the teachers solely based on virtual mathematics manipulatives in their classroom mathematics teaching?</strong></p> <p><span lang="EN-SG">Research has demonstrated a positive impact of the use of virtual manipulatives on students‘ learning. The experience of students manipulating the on-screen objects to test hypotheses and experiment with ideas also promotes students‘ thinking and creativity. So the question, more importantly, is how does this fit into the local <b>C</b>oncrete to <b>P</b>ictorial to <b>A</b>bstract (C-P-A) approach in concept development? </span></p> <p><span lang="EN-SG">The C-P-A approach encourages teachers to use multiple forms of external representation to achieve the abstract conceptualisation of mathematics. The sequence in introducing these representations from concrete to pictorial to abstract ones helps the students to relate their concrete experiences with the abstract mathematical idea – narrowing the “cognitive gap” that exists between the two. The use of each of these three external representations further narrow the “cognitive gaps” that also exists between any two such representations in the sequence. </span></p> <p><span lang="EN-SG">The virtual manipulative, though not a concrete manipulative, behaves much the same way as the concrete counterpart. The dynamism of the representation afforded by the virtual manipulative is certainly unlike a pictorial representation, which is basically static. The external representation afforded by the virtual manipulatives thus lies between that of concrete and pictorial. Virtual manipulatives may be viewed as further narrowing the “cognitive gap” between the concrete and pictorial representations.</span></p> <p><span lang="EN-SG"> A possible revision to the C-P-A approach could be the C-V-P-A approach, where V refers to the external representation. However, the C-V-P-A approach would require teachers to use and make available the comparison of all these four representations, a situation that might further complicate the mess and logistic involved in the development of abstract concepts using three representations in the actual classroom situation. Instead, the alternative integrative C-V and V-P-A approach is advocated. </span><span lang="EN-SG"></span></p> <p><strong>References</strong></p> <p><span lang="EN-SG">Lee, N.H., & Ferrucci, B. (2012). Enhancing Learning Of Fraction Through The Use Of Virtual Manipulatives. <i>The Electronic Journal of Mathematics and Technology, </i>6(2),<i> 126-140 </i>(</span><a href="https://repository.nie.edu.sg/bitstream/10497/18915/1/TEJMT-6-2-126.pdf"><span lang="EN-SG">https://repository.nie.edu.sg/bitstream/10497/18915/1/TEJMT-6-2-126.pdf</span></a><span lang="EN-SG">) </span></p> <p><span lang="EN-SG">Lee, N. H., & Tan, B. L. J. (2014). The Role Of Virtual Manipulatives On The Concrete-Pictorial-Abstract Approach In Teaching Primary Mathematics. <i>The Electronic Journal of Mathematics & Technology</i>, 8(Special), 102-121. (</span><a href="https://repository.nie.edu.sg/bitstream/10497/18917/1/TEJMT-8-2-102.pdf"><span lang="EN-SG">https://repository.nie.edu.sg/bitstream/10497/18917/1/TEJMT-8-2-102.pdf</span></a><span lang="EN-SG">)</span></p> </div> </div> ]]></content:encoded> <wfw:commentRss>https://singteach.nie.edu.sg/2023/08/23/using-virtual-manipulatives-to-teach-math/feed/</wfw:commentRss> <slash:comments>0</slash:comments> </item> <item> <title>Effective Feedback Strategies for English Language & Literature Classrooms</title> <link>https://singteach.nie.edu.sg/2023/07/05/effective-feedback-strategies-for-english-language-literature-classrooms/?utm_source=rss&utm_medium=rss&utm_campaign=effective-feedback-strategies-for-english-language-literature-classrooms</link> <comments>https://singteach.nie.edu.sg/2023/07/05/effective-feedback-strategies-for-english-language-literature-classrooms/#respond</comments> <dc:creator><![CDATA[Azleena]]></dc:creator> <pubDate>Wed, 05 Jul 2023 05:30:57 +0000</pubDate> <category><![CDATA[Issues]]></category> <category><![CDATA[issue 85 jun 2023]]></category> <category><![CDATA[Education research]]></category> <category><![CDATA[Assessment feedback]]></category> <category><![CDATA[Teachers' Conference]]></category> <category><![CDATA[Classroom engagement]]></category> <category><![CDATA[Teacher practices]]></category> <guid isPermaLink="false">https://singteach.nie.edu.sg/?p=21744</guid> <description><![CDATA[How can teachers implement a pedagogy of feedback in their English Language and English Literature classrooms? After working […]]]></description> <content:encoded><![CDATA[<p><strong><em><span data-contrast="auto" xml:lang="EN-US" lang="EN-US" class="TextRun Highlight SCXW54102153 BCX0"><span class="NormalTextRun SCXW54102153 BCX0">How can teachers </span><span class="NormalTextRun SCXW54102153 BCX0">implement </span><span class="NormalTextRun SCXW54102153 BCX0">a pedagogy of </span><span class="NormalTextRun SCXW54102153 BCX0">feedback </span><span class="NormalTextRun SCXW54102153 BCX0">in their English Language and English Literature classrooms? </span><span class="NormalTextRun SCXW54102153 BCX0">After working with a team of NIE researchers </span><span class="NormalTextRun SCXW54102153 BCX0">to design</span><span class="NormalTextRun SCXW54102153 BCX0"> </span><span class="NormalTextRun SCXW54102153 BCX0">a pedagogy of </span><span class="NormalTextRun SCXW54102153 BCX0">feedback</span><span class="NormalTextRun SCXW54102153 BCX0">, three teachers from </span></span><span data-contrast="auto" xml:lang="EN-US" lang="EN-US" class="TextRun Highlight SCXW54102153 BCX0"><a href="https://www.edgefieldsec.moe.edu.sg/" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><span class="NormalTextRun SCXW54102153 BCX0">Edgefield Secondary School</span></a></span><span data-contrast="auto" xml:lang="EN-US" lang="EN-US" class="TextRun Highlight SCXW54102153 BCX0"><span class="NormalTextRun SCXW54102153 BCX0"> </span><span class="NormalTextRun SCXW54102153 BCX0">and </span></span><span data-contrast="auto" xml:lang="EN-US" lang="EN-US" class="TextRun Highlight SCXW54102153 BCX0"><a href="https://www.navalbasesec.moe.edu.sg/" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><span class="NormalTextRun SCXW54102153 BCX0">Naval Base Secondary School</span></a></span><span data-contrast="auto" xml:lang="EN-US" lang="EN-US" class="TextRun Highlight SCXW54102153 BCX0"><span class="NormalTextRun SCXW54102153 BCX0"> </span><span class="NormalTextRun SCXW54102153 BCX0">recount </span><span class="NormalTextRun SCXW54102153 BCX0">their experiences </span><span class="NormalTextRun SCXW54102153 BCX0">of </span><span class="NormalTextRun SCXW54102153 BCX0">promoting</span><span class="NormalTextRun SCXW54102153 BCX0"> student</span><span class="NormalTextRun SCXW54102153 BCX0">s’</span><span class="NormalTextRun SCXW54102153 BCX0"> uptake </span><span class="NormalTextRun SCXW54102153 BCX0">of </span><span class="NormalTextRun SCXW54102153 BCX0">feedback.</span></span><span class="EOP SCXW54102153 BCX0" data-ccp-props="{"201341983":0,"335551550":6,"335551620":6,"335559739":160,"335559740":360}"> </span></em></strong></p> <p><img loading="lazy" src="https://singteach.nie.edu.sg/wp-content/uploads/2023/07/ST85_ResearchinAction_NavalBaseSecEdgefieldSec_Speakers-in-Zoom-300x249.png" alt="" class="alignnone wp-image-21855" width="550" height="457" srcset="https://singteach.nie.edu.sg/wp-content/uploads/2023/07/ST85_ResearchinAction_NavalBaseSecEdgefieldSec_Speakers-in-Zoom-300x249.png 300w, https://singteach.nie.edu.sg/wp-content/uploads/2023/07/ST85_ResearchinAction_NavalBaseSecEdgefieldSec_Speakers-in-Zoom-1024x851.png 1024w, https://singteach.nie.edu.sg/wp-content/uploads/2023/07/ST85_ResearchinAction_NavalBaseSecEdgefieldSec_Speakers-in-Zoom-768x638.png 768w, https://singteach.nie.edu.sg/wp-content/uploads/2023/07/ST85_ResearchinAction_NavalBaseSecEdgefieldSec_Speakers-in-Zoom.png 1131w" sizes="(max-width: 550px) 100vw, 550px" /></p> <h1><span data-contrast="auto" xml:lang="EN-US" lang="EN-US" class="TextRun Highlight SCXW83760137 BCX0"><span class="NormalTextRun SCXW83760137 BCX0">Align</span><span class="NormalTextRun SCXW83760137 BCX0">ing</span><span class="NormalTextRun SCXW83760137 BCX0"> Teachers’ Assessment Literacy </span><span class="NormalTextRun SCXW83760137 BCX0">w</span><span class="NormalTextRun SCXW83760137 BCX0">ith Students’ Learning Outcomes</span></span></h1> <p><span class="EOP SCXW83760137 BCX0" data-ccp-props="{"201341983":0,"335551550":6,"335551620":6,"335559739":160,"335559740":360}"><span data-contrast="auto" xml:lang="EN-US" lang="EN-US" class="TextRun Highlight SCXW143912775 BCX0"><span class="NormalTextRun SCXW143912775 BCX0">The connections </span><span class="NormalTextRun SCXW143912775 BCX0">between </span><span class="NormalTextRun SCXW143912775 BCX0">teachers’ assessment literacy </span><span class="NormalTextRun SCXW143912775 BCX0">and </span><span class="NormalTextRun SCXW143912775 BCX0">students’ learning outcomes </span><span class="NormalTextRun SCXW143912775 BCX0">can </span><span class="NormalTextRun SCXW143912775 BCX0">be </span><span class="NormalTextRun SCXW143912775 BCX0">represented as a sequence of questions for teachers, as shown in Figure 1</span><span class="NormalTextRun SCXW143912775 BCX0">. The four boxes </span><span class="NormalTextRun SCXW143912775 BCX0">represent</span><span class="NormalTextRun SCXW143912775 BCX0"> a chronology</span><span class="NormalTextRun SCXW143912775 BCX0">, starting</span><span class="NormalTextRun SCXW143912775 BCX0"> from teachers attending professional development</span><span class="NormalTextRun SCXW143912775 BCX0"> </span><span class="NormalTextRun SCXW143912775 BCX0">courses </span><span class="NormalTextRun SCXW143912775 BCX0">on assessment feedback</span><span class="NormalTextRun SCXW143912775 BCX0"> (Box 1</span><span class="NormalTextRun SCXW143912775 BCX0">, Knowledge</span><span class="NormalTextRun SCXW143912775 BCX0">), </span><span class="NormalTextRun SCXW143912775 BCX0">then</span><span class="NormalTextRun SCXW143912775 BCX0"> applying feedback principles to their practice (Box 2</span><span class="NormalTextRun SCXW143912775 BCX0">, Actions</span><span class="NormalTextRun SCXW143912775 BCX0">), </span><span class="NormalTextRun SCXW143912775 BCX0">with </span><span class="NormalTextRun SCXW143912775 BCX0">students </span><span class="NormalTextRun SCXW143912775 BCX0">subsequently</span><span class="NormalTextRun SCXW143912775 BCX0"> </span><span class="NormalTextRun SCXW143912775 BCX0">acting on teachers’ enhanced feedback (Box 3</span><span class="NormalTextRun SCXW143912775 BCX0">, Response</span><span class="NormalTextRun SCXW143912775 BCX0">), and finally </span><span class="NormalTextRun SCXW143912775 BCX0">with</span><span class="NormalTextRun SCXW143912775 BCX0"> </span><span class="NormalTextRun SCXW143912775 BCX0">students achieving desired learning outcomes from acting on </span><span class="NormalTextRun SCXW143912775 BCX0">the </span><span class="NormalTextRun SCXW143912775 BCX0">feedback (Box 4</span><span class="NormalTextRun SCXW143912775 BCX0">, Outcomes</span><span class="NormalTextRun SCXW143912775 BCX0">). </span><span class="NormalTextRun SCXW143912775 BCX0">Boxes 3 and 4 </span><span class="NormalTextRun SCXW143912775 BCX0">in this model </span><span class="NormalTextRun SCXW143912775 BCX0">highlight how the efficacy of feedback rests with students’ action.</span></span><span class="EOP SCXW143912775 BCX0" data-ccp-props="{"201341983":0,"335551550":6,"335551620":6,"335559739":160,"335559740":360}"> </span> </span></p> <div class="message-box-wrapper yellow"> <div class="message-box-title"></div> <div class="message-box-content"> <div id="attachment_21844" style="width: 1210px" class="wp-caption alignnone"><img aria-describedby="caption-attachment-21844" loading="lazy" src="https://singteach.nie.edu.sg/wp-content/uploads/2023/07/ST85_ResearchinAction_NavalBaseSecEdgefieldSec_Figure-1.jpg" alt="" class="wp-image-21844" width="1200" height="123" srcset="https://singteach.nie.edu.sg/wp-content/uploads/2023/07/ST85_ResearchinAction_NavalBaseSecEdgefieldSec_Figure-1.jpg 1400w, https://singteach.nie.edu.sg/wp-content/uploads/2023/07/ST85_ResearchinAction_NavalBaseSecEdgefieldSec_Figure-1-300x31.jpg 300w, https://singteach.nie.edu.sg/wp-content/uploads/2023/07/ST85_ResearchinAction_NavalBaseSecEdgefieldSec_Figure-1-1024x105.jpg 1024w, https://singteach.nie.edu.sg/wp-content/uploads/2023/07/ST85_ResearchinAction_NavalBaseSecEdgefieldSec_Figure-1-768x78.jpg 768w" sizes="(max-width: 1200px) 100vw, 1200px" /><p id="caption-attachment-21844" class="wp-caption-text">Figure 1. Aligning teachers’ assessment literacy with students’ learning outcomes.</p></div> <div style="font-weight: 400;"> <p paraid="1668658275" paraeid="{d0eb0e37-320d-4be7-9d9a-fcabaed80fc5}{123}"><span style="font-size: 12px;"><span data-contrast="auto" xml:lang="EN-US" lang="EN-US">Goh, R., & Tan, K. H. K. (2023). Teachers’ qualitatively different ways of experiencing assessment feedback: Implications for teacher assessment literacy. </span><i><span data-contrast="auto" xml:lang="EN-US" lang="EN-US">Chinese Journal of Applied Linguistics, 46</span></i><span data-contrast="auto" xml:lang="EN-US" lang="EN-US">(2), 253–269. </span><a href="https://doi.org/10.1515/cjal-2023-0207" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener"><span data-contrast="none" xml:lang="EN-US" lang="EN-US">https://doi.org/10.1515/cjal-2023-0207</span></a></span></p> </div> <p paraid="1668658275" paraeid="{d0eb0e37-320d-4be7-9d9a-fcabaed80fc5}{123}"></div> </div> <div style="font-weight: 400;"> <p paraid="1214316539" paraeid="{d0eb0e37-320d-4be7-9d9a-fcabaed80fc5}{140}"><span data-contrast="auto" xml:lang="EN-US" lang="EN-US"><span>“</span><span>The four-box </span><span>model</span><span> shows that </span><span>w</span><span>hile it is important for teachers to reflect on the assessment feedback </span><span>practices</span><span> they have implemented in the classroom, equal emphasis must also be placed on studying </span></span><span data-contrast="auto" xml:lang="EN-US" lang="EN-US"><span>what students do with </span><span>teacher </span><span>feedback</span><span>,” </span><span>explain</span><span>s</span><span> </span></span><span data-contrast="auto" xml:lang="EN-US" lang="EN-US"><span>D</span><span>r Rachel Goh</span><span>, </span><span>Senior Specialist (</span><span>English Language) </span><span>at </span><span>the </span></span><span data-contrast="auto" xml:lang="EN-US" lang="EN-US"><a href="https://elis.moe.edu.sg/" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><span>English Language Institute of Singapore</span></a></span><span data-contrast="auto" xml:lang="EN-US" lang="EN-US"><span>. “</span></span><span data-contrast="auto" xml:lang="EN-US" lang="EN-US"><span>T</span><span>here needs to be a shift </span><span>in</span><span> focus</span><span> </span><span>from </span><span>supporting </span><span>students </span><span>in </span><span>reading</span><span> the</span><span> feedback</span><span> given and doing </span><span>corrections</span><span>,</span><span> to </span><span>ensuring that </span><span>students </span><span>actually </span><span>learn</span><span> from </span><span>the </span><span>feedback.</span><span>”</span></span><span data-ccp-props="{"201341983":0,"335551550":6,"335551620":6,"335559739":160,"335559740":360}"> </span></p> </div> <div style="font-weight: 400;"> <p paraid="77993827" paraeid="{d0eb0e37-320d-4be7-9d9a-fcabaed80fc5}{246}"><span data-contrast="auto" xml:lang="EN-US" lang="EN-US"><span>So how can teachers</span><span> ensure that their assessment feedback practices have</span><span> indeed</span><span> helped their students </span><span>develop the ability to </span></span><span data-contrast="auto" xml:lang="EN-US" lang="EN-US"><span>critically </span></span><span data-contrast="auto" xml:lang="EN-US" lang="EN-US"><span data-ccp-charstyle="Emphasis">evaluate their own work</span></span><span data-contrast="auto" xml:lang="EN-US" lang="EN-US"><span>, and </span><span>achieve their learning </span><span>o</span><span>bjectives</span><span>?</span><span> The four-box </span><span>model</span><span> offers a way to </span><span>align what teachers know and do in terms of assessment feedback </span><span>with </span><span>what students do with teachers’ feedback</span><span>,</span><span> and what they learn from acting on </span><span>the </span><span>feedback</span><span>.</span></span><span data-ccp-props="{"201341983":0,"335551550":6,"335551620":6,"335559739":160,"335559740":360}"> </span></p> </div> <div style="font-weight: 400;"> <p paraid="141482848" paraeid="{85219dd2-359e-4e01-91d2-43a03136ad7f}{41}"><span data-contrast="auto" xml:lang="EN-US" lang="EN-US"><span>In t</span><span>he next section</span><span>,</span><span> </span><span>three </span><span>teachers </span><span>of </span><span>English Language and Literature </span><span>recount their experiences of carrying out classroom inquiry projects to explore the pedagogy of feedback and ways of helping their students to learn from acting on feedback</span><span>.</span></span><span data-ccp-props="{"201341983":0,"335551550":6,"335551620":6,"335559739":160,"335559740":360}"> </span></p> <h1 paraid="141482848" paraeid="{85219dd2-359e-4e01-91d2-43a03136ad7f}{41}"><span data-contrast="auto" xml:lang="EN-US" lang="EN-US" class="TextRun SCXW105409932 BCX0"><span class="NormalTextRun SCXW105409932 BCX0" data-ccp-parastyle="Normal (Web)">Feedback Pedagogy </span><span class="NormalTextRun SCXW105409932 BCX0" data-ccp-parastyle="Normal (Web)">that Supports Students in Writing an Argument</span><span class="NormalTextRun SCXW105409932 BCX0" data-ccp-parastyle="Normal (Web)">ative Essay</span></span></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;">“<span data-contrast="auto" xml:lang="EN-US" lang="EN-US"><span>Assessment</span><span> feedback</span><span>, however, </span><span>is more than just po</span><span>in</span><span>ting out </span><span>and correcting </span><span>mistakes</span><span>. I</span><span>t also encompasses </span><span>providing</span><span> </span><span>an assessment of how well the student</span><span>s</span><span> ha</span><span>ve</span><span> done</span><span>.</span></span>”<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;"> Yui Yun</span></i></strong><em><span style="font-family: 'Georgia',serif; color: #333333;">, on assessment feedback</span></em></p> <p><span style="font-family: 'Georgia',serif; color: #333333;"></div> <p><o:p></o:p></span></p> <div style="font-weight: 400;"> <p paraid="2115633460" paraeid="{85219dd2-359e-4e01-91d2-43a03136ad7f}{75}"><span data-contrast="auto" xml:lang="EN-US" lang="EN-US"><span>Mr</span><span>s</span><span> Koh-Ng Yui Yun, HOD (English Language & Literature</span><span>)</span><span> at <a href="https://www.edgefieldsec.moe.edu.sg/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Edgefield Secondary School</a></span><span> (E</span><span>F</span><span>SS)</span><span>, </span><span>report</span><span>s</span><span> </span><span>that</span><span> after implementing </span><span>a</span><span> pedagogy </span><span>of feedback </span><span>in the</span><span> English Language</span><span> classroom</span><span>, </span><span>student engagement</span><span> </span><span>with feedback </span><span>increased</span><span>.</span></span><span data-ccp-props="{"201341983":0,"335551550":6,"335551620":6,"335559739":160,"335559740":360}"> </span></p> </div> <div style="font-weight: 400;"> <p paraid="1224805661" paraeid="{85219dd2-359e-4e01-91d2-43a03136ad7f}{131}"><span data-contrast="auto" xml:lang="EN-US" lang="EN-US"><span>“</span><span>Reflecting</span><span> on past practices</span><span> ha</span><span>s</span><span> made us </span><span>reali</span><span>z</span><span>e</span><span> that </span><span>teachers tend to </span><span>typically </span><span>focus </span><span>on</span><span> </span><span>errors </span><span>and correct the </span><span>mistakes made by</span><span> the student</span><span>s</span><span>. </span><span>Assessment</span><span> feedback</span><span>, however, </span><span>is more than just po</span><span>in</span><span>ting out </span><span>and correcting </span><span>mistakes</span><span>. I</span><span>t also encompasses </span><span>providing</span><span> </span><span>an assessment of how well the student</span><span>s</span><span> ha</span><span>ve</span><span> done</span><span>.</span><span>”</span><span> </span></span><span data-ccp-props="{"201341983":0,"335551550":6,"335551620":6,"335559739":160,"335559740":360}"> </span></p> </div> <div style="font-weight: 400;"> <p paraid="765507939" paraeid="{85219dd2-359e-4e01-91d2-43a03136ad7f}{217}"><span data-contrast="auto" xml:lang="EN-US" lang="EN-US"><span>There </span><span>were</span><span> three stages </span><span>to </span><span>implementing </span><span>a </span><span>pedagogy </span><span>of feedback </span><span>that support</span><span>ed</span><span> </span><span>Secondary 1 Express</span><span> students in </span><span>writing</span><span> an</span><span> argumen</span><span>t</span><span>ative essay.</span></span><span data-ccp-props="{"201341983":0,"335551550":6,"335551620":6,"335559739":160,"335559740":360}"> </span></p> </div> <div style="font-weight: 400;"> <p paraid="639028586" paraeid="{85219dd2-359e-4e01-91d2-43a03136ad7f}{253}"><span data-contrast="auto" xml:lang="EN-US" lang="EN-US"><span>Yui Yun</span><span> </span><span>explain</span><span>s</span><span> </span><span>that</span><span>,</span><span> during </span></span><i><span data-contrast="auto" xml:lang="EN-US" lang="EN-US"><span>Stage 1</span></span></i><span data-contrast="auto" xml:lang="EN-US" lang="EN-US"><span> of </span><span>teaching </span><span>students how to write an argument</span><span>, </span><span>teachers guid</span><span>e</span><span>d</span><span> students </span><span>to </span><span>look at </span><span>the </span><span>paragraph leve</span><span>l </span><span>instead of the whole </span><span>essay</span><span>. </span><span>To help students achieve clarity about task requirements, </span><span>teachers </span><span>prioriti</span><span>z</span><span>e</span><span>d</span><span> a set of criteria for </span><span>effective </span><span>writing.</span><span> Thereafter, students</span><span> </span><span>were </span><span>taught </span><span>a clear structure for writing an argument</span><span>.</span></span><span data-ccp-props="{"201341983":0,"335551550":6,"335551620":6,"335559739":160,"335559740":360}"> </span></p> </div> <div style="font-weight: 400;"> <p paraid="427203193" paraeid="{f935d4b2-eab8-46a9-a816-9c75b2df25df}{82}"><span data-contrast="auto" xml:lang="EN-US" lang="EN-US"><span>“W</span><span>hen teachers g</span><span>a</span><span>ve feedback</span><span> during </span></span><i><span data-contrast="auto" xml:lang="EN-US" lang="EN-US"><span>Stage 2</span></span></i><span data-contrast="auto" xml:lang="EN-US" lang="EN-US"><span>, we focus</span><span>ed</span><span> on how well the students </span><span>had </span><span>applied the structure</span><span>,” she </span><span>continu</span><span>e</span><span>s</span><span>.</span><span> </span><span>“W</span><span>e </span><span>also </span><span>annotat</span><span>e</span><span>d</span><span> </span><span>each of their</span><span> script</span><span>s</span><span> to identify their </span><span>learning </span><span>gaps.</span><span>”</span><span> </span></span><span data-ccp-props="{"201341983":0,"335551550":6,"335551620":6,"335559739":160,"335559740":360}"> </span></p> </div> <div style="font-weight: 400;"> <p paraid="1357409417" paraeid="{f935d4b2-eab8-46a9-a816-9c75b2df25df}{150}"><span data-contrast="auto" xml:lang="EN-US" lang="EN-US"><span>She </span><span>note</span><span>s</span><span> </span><span>that it </span><span>was </span><span>at this juncture</span><span> of the inquiry project</span></span><span data-contrast="auto" xml:lang="EN-GB" lang="EN-GB"><span> that </span></span><span data-contrast="auto" xml:lang="EN-US" lang="EN-US"><span>teachers</span><span> </span><span>conduct</span><span>ed</span><span> a quantitative pre-survey for students to </span><span>determine</span><span> their engagement with </span><span>and uptake of </span><span>feedbac</span><span>k.</span></span><span data-ccp-props="{"201341983":0,"335551550":6,"335551620":6,"335559739":160,"335559740":360}"> </span></p> </div> <div style="font-weight: 400;"> <p paraid="397118695" paraeid="{f935d4b2-eab8-46a9-a816-9c75b2df25df}{188}"><span data-contrast="auto" xml:lang="EN-US" lang="EN-US"><span>At </span></span><i><span data-contrast="auto" xml:lang="EN-US" lang="EN-US"><span>Stage 3</span></span></i><b><i><span data-contrast="auto" xml:lang="EN-US" lang="EN-US"><span> </span></span></i></b><span data-contrast="auto" xml:lang="EN-US" lang="EN-US"><span>a</span><span>fter the feedback </span><span>was </span><span>received, </span><span>students </span><span>were </span><span>instructed to</span><span> act on the feedback</span><span> by </span><span>refin</span><span>ing</span><span> </span><span>their </span><span>original paragraph</span><span>s. </span></span><span data-ccp-props="{"201341983":0,"335551550":6,"335551620":6,"335559739":160,"335559740":360}"> </span></p> </div> <div style="font-weight: 400;"> <p paraid="1202783474" paraeid="{f935d4b2-eab8-46a9-a816-9c75b2df25df}{228}"><span data-contrast="auto" xml:lang="EN-US" lang="EN-US"><span>Yui Yun</span><span> </span><span>add</span><span>s</span><span> </span><span>that </span><span>a</span><span> further</span><span> post-</span><span>intervention </span><span>survey </span><span>was</span><span> then</span><span> conducted to </span><span>track</span><span> if there was any change </span><span>in </span><span>how</span><span> students read and act</span><span>ed</span><span> on feedback.</span></span><span data-ccp-props="{"201341983":0,"335551550":6,"335551620":6,"335559739":160,"335559740":360}"> </span></p> </div> <div style="font-weight: 400;"> <p paraid="1313424556" paraeid="{74668056-ae6b-450c-b0a5-fb7548f15216}{19}"><span data-contrast="auto" xml:lang="EN-US" lang="EN-US"><span>“The post-survey </span><span>showed </span><span>that there </span><span>ha</span><span>d</span><span> been</span><span> an improvement in the students’ uptake of the feedback</span><span> as well as </span><span>the</span><span>ir</span><span> motivation to engage </span><span>with feedback </span><span>and</span><span> work on it</span><span>. A</span><span>s a result, students </span><span>developed </span><span>a sense of greater </span><span>ownership </span><span>towards their </span><span>writing</span><span>.</span><span>”</span></span><span data-ccp-props="{"201341983":0,"335551550":6,"335551620":6,"335559739":160,"335559740":360}"> </span></p> </div> </div> <div style="font-weight: 400;"> <h1 paraid="1294265130" paraeid="{d0eb0e37-320d-4be7-9d9a-fcabaed80fc5}{136}"><span data-contrast="auto" xml:lang="EN-US" lang="EN-US"><span></span></span><span data-ccp-props="{"201341983":0,"335559739":160,"335559740":259}"> <span class="NormalTextRun SCXW189481939 BCX0">Feedback Pedagogy for Teaching </span><span class="NormalTextRun SCXW189481939 BCX0">Situational Writing</span></span></h1> <div style="font-weight: 400;"> <p paraid="1635544687" paraeid="{74668056-ae6b-450c-b0a5-fb7548f15216}{79}"><span data-contrast="auto" xml:lang="EN-US" lang="EN-US"><span>At </span><a href="https://www.navalbasesec.moe.edu.sg/" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><span>Naval Base Secondary School</span></a><span> (NBSS)</span><span>, </span><span>three strategies</span><span> have been used</span><span> </span><span>to </span><span>actively involve </span><span>students in evaluating their own work</span><span>. The main aim,</span><span> according to</span><span> </span><span>Mdm</span><span> </span><span>Rathna</span><span> </span><span>Suppiah</span><span>,</span><span> </span><span>Lead Teacher</span><span>, </span><span>English Language at NBSS,</span><span> is to </span><span>shift</span><span> the onus from </span><span>the </span><span>teacher to </span><span>the </span><span>student</span><span>s</span><span> in addressing learning gaps</span><span>.</span><span> </span></span><span data-ccp-props="{"201341983":0,"335551550":6,"335551620":6,"335559739":160,"335559740":360}"> </span></p> </div> <div style="font-weight: 400;"> <p paraid="1158907437" paraeid="{74668056-ae6b-450c-b0a5-fb7548f15216}{151}"><span data-contrast="auto" xml:lang="EN-US" lang="EN-US"><span>“</span><span>When teaching situational writing, </span></span><i><span data-contrast="auto" xml:lang="EN-US" lang="EN-US"><span>Strategy 1</span></span></i><span data-contrast="auto" xml:lang="EN-US" lang="EN-US"><span> </span><span>involved </span><span>teachers </span><span>mark</span><span>ing</span><span> the introduction and conclusion </span><span>parts </span><span>of </span><span>each </span><span>essay, </span><span>as well as</span><span> </span><span>identif</span><span>ying</span><span> three language errors. </span><span>Students </span><span>would </span><span>then</span><span> work on </span><span>those three</span><span> errors for the body paragraphs</span><span>. This </span><span>ensured </span><span>that </span><span>students </span><span>put in effort</span><span> towards </span><span>identifying</span><span> </span><span>and correcting </span><span>their mistakes</span><span>.</span><span>”</span></span><span data-ccp-props="{"201341983":0,"335551550":6,"335551620":6,"335559739":160,"335559740":360}"> </span></p> </div> <div style="font-weight: 400;"> <p paraid="420435744" paraeid="{74668056-ae6b-450c-b0a5-fb7548f15216}{221}"><i><span data-contrast="auto" xml:lang="EN-US" lang="EN-US"><span>Strategy 2</span></span></i><span data-contrast="auto" xml:lang="EN-US" lang="EN-US"><span>, </span><span>she </span><span>add</span><span>s</span><span>, </span><span>involved </span><span>having students</span><span> read their essays </span><span>10 minutes </span><span>before submission</span><span> </span><span>so that they </span><span>could </span><span>spot</span><span> </span><span>content a</span><span>nd</span><span> grammar errors. </span></span><span data-ccp-props="{"201341983":0,"335551550":6,"335551620":6,"335559739":160,"335559740":360}"> </span></p> </div> <div style="font-weight: 400;"> <p paraid="2089685985" paraeid="{7efb8500-1ba3-498b-b4af-9aba2a44216d}{8}"><span data-contrast="auto" xml:lang="EN-US" lang="EN-US"><span>“Some </span><span>students </span><span>requested</span><span> </span><span>a grammar checklist </span><span>that they </span><span>could </span><span>use to check and regulate their </span><span>essays</span><span>. </span><span>Based on this grammar checklist, </span><span>many s</span><span>tudents</span><span> </span><span>are becoming better at</span><span> </span><span>identifying</span><span> </span><span>errors </span><span>and rectifying them</span><span>,</span><span>”.</span></span><span data-ccp-props="{"201341983":0,"335551550":6,"335551620":6,"335559739":160,"335559740":360}"> </span></p> </div> <div style="font-weight: 400;"> <p paraid="1708212977" paraeid="{7efb8500-1ba3-498b-b4af-9aba2a44216d}{52}"><i><span data-contrast="auto" xml:lang="EN-US" lang="EN-US"><span>Strategy </span><span>3</span></span></i><span data-contrast="auto" xml:lang="EN-US" lang="EN-US"><span> </span><span>is based on the concept of</span><span> </span><span>“</span><span>economies of scale</span><span>”</span><span>, </span><span>where</span><span> </span><span>more help </span><span>was </span><span>given to </span><span>low</span><span> readiness students</span><span> so that there </span><span>would be </span><span>a decreased cost-per-unit of teachers’ time as it </span><span>was </span><span>spread over more units of students’ learning gaps/needs.</span></span><span data-ccp-props="{"201341983":0,"335551550":6,"335551620":6,"335559739":160,"335559740":360}"> </span></p> </div> <div style="font-weight: 400;"> <p paraid="1906152409" paraeid="{7efb8500-1ba3-498b-b4af-9aba2a44216d}{98}"><span data-contrast="auto" xml:lang="EN-US" lang="EN-US"><span>“T</span><span>he grammar checklist </span><span>was </span><span>also </span><span>useful for students</span><span> with high readiness</span><span>, as they </span><span>were </span><span>able to find and fix their language errors independently</span><span>. However,</span><span> I had issues </span><span>with low readiness</span><span> students who </span><span>require</span><span>d</span><span> more </span><span>support</span><span>,” </span><span>Rathna</span><span> </span><span>remark</span><span>s</span><span>.</span><span> “</span><span>As such, I</span><span> had the l</span><span>ow readiness students</span><span> </span><span>type out their essays using </span></span><i><span data-contrast="auto" xml:lang="EN-US" lang="EN-US"><span>Google Do</span><span>cs</span></span></i><span data-contrast="auto" xml:lang="EN-US" lang="EN-US"><span>, where they </span><span>could </span><span>use </span><span>functions such as </span><span>spell check</span><span> to help the</span><span>m</span><span> fix their </span><span>learning </span><span>gaps and</span><span> minimi</span><span>z</span><span>e </span><span>their </span><span>spelling errors.</span><span>”</span></span><span data-ccp-props="{"201341983":0,"335551550":6,"335551620":6,"335559739":160,"335559740":360}"> </span></p> </div> <div style="font-weight: 400;"> <p paraid="1930095929" paraeid="{7efb8500-1ba3-498b-b4af-9aba2a44216d}{190}"><span data-contrast="auto" xml:lang="EN-US" lang="EN-US"><span>“</span><span>Comparison between</span><span> students</span><span>’</span><span> self</span><span>–</span><span>assessment</span><span> and</span><span> the teachers</span><span>’</span><span> assessment done afterwards show</span><span>ed</span><span> </span><span>only a small difference. This </span><span>indicated</span><span> </span><span>that </span><span>the students </span><span>were </span><span>able to </span><span>ma</span><span>k</span><span>e </span><span>an accurate</span><span> gauge of their performance</span><span>,” </span><span>s</span><span>he</span><span> </span><span>conclud</span><span>e</span><span>s</span><span>.</span></span><span data-ccp-props="{"201341983":0,"335551550":6,"335551620":6,"335559739":160,"335559740":360}"> </span></p> <h1 paraid="1930095929" paraeid="{7efb8500-1ba3-498b-b4af-9aba2a44216d}{190}"><span data-contrast="auto" xml:lang="EN-US" lang="EN-US" class="TextRun SCXW165181866 BCX0"><span class="NormalTextRun SCXW165181866 BCX0">Feedback Pedagogy in the Literature Classroom</span></span><span class="EOP SCXW165181866 BCX0" data-ccp-props="{"134245418":true,"201341983":0,"335551550":6,"335551620":6,"335559739":160,"335559740":360}"> </span></h1> <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;">“<span data-contrast="auto" xml:lang="EN-US" lang="EN-US"><span>After reflecting on the assessment feedback </span><span>strategies</span><span> I have implemented in the classroom, </span><span>I find that students</span><span> </span><span>are capable of </span><span>identifying</span><span> their learning gaps and putting in effort to improve their literature essays</span><span>.</span><span> </span><span>M</span><span>ore importantly, now I know for sure that students will engage with and benefit from the feedback given to them</span></span>.”<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;">Brennan </span></i></strong><em><span style="font-family: 'Georgia',serif; color: #333333;">reflects on the assessment feedback strategies he has implemented in the classroom</span></em></p> <p><span style="font-family: 'Georgia',serif; color: #333333;"></div> <p><o:p></o:p></span></p> <div style="font-weight: 400;"> <p paraid="1162659" paraeid="{cad545fa-b7db-4807-82fa-1c2c8f4555d2}{5}"><span data-contrast="auto" xml:lang="EN-US" lang="EN-US"><span>Mr</span><span> Brennan Kwa, </span></span><span cceid="{cad545fa-b7db-4807-82fa-1c2c8f4555d2}{10}" cclevel="1" ccappearance="boundingbox" role="group" aria-label="Rich text content control"><span data-contrast="auto" xml:lang="EN-US" lang="EN-US" ccindex="1"></span><span data-contrast="auto" xml:lang="EN-US" lang="EN-US"><span>English Language Subject Head at EFSS</span></span><span data-contrast="auto" xml:lang="EN-US" lang="EN-US" ccindex="1"></span></span><span cceid="{cad545fa-b7db-4807-82fa-1c2c8f4555d2}{17}" cclevel="1" ccappearance="boundingbox" role="group" aria-label="Rich text content control"><span data-contrast="auto" xml:lang="EN-US" lang="EN-US" ccindex="2"></span><span data-contrast="auto" xml:lang="EN-US" lang="EN-US" ccindex="3"></span></span><span data-contrast="auto" xml:lang="EN-US" lang="EN-US"><span>, applie</span><span>d</span><span> the enhanced </span></span><span cceid="{cad545fa-b7db-4807-82fa-1c2c8f4555d2}{28}" cclevel="1" ccappearance="boundingbox" role="group" aria-label="Rich text content control"><span data-contrast="auto" xml:lang="EN-US" lang="EN-US" ccindex="1"></span><span data-contrast="auto" xml:lang="EN-US" lang="EN-US"><span>pedagogy of </span></span><span data-contrast="auto" xml:lang="EN-US" lang="EN-US" ccindex="1"></span></span><span data-contrast="auto" xml:lang="EN-US" lang="EN-US"><span>feedback</span></span><span cceid="{cad545fa-b7db-4807-82fa-1c2c8f4555d2}{37}" cclevel="1" ccappearance="boundingbox" role="group" aria-label="Rich text content control"><span data-contrast="auto" xml:lang="EN-US" lang="EN-US" ccindex="1"></span><span data-contrast="auto" xml:lang="EN-US" lang="EN-US" ccindex="2"></span></span><span data-contrast="auto" xml:lang="EN-US" lang="EN-US"><span> to literature essay</span><span>s</span><span> done during assignments, Weighted </span><span>Assessment</span></span><span cceid="{cad545fa-b7db-4807-82fa-1c2c8f4555d2}{48}" cclevel="1" ccappearance="boundingbox" role="group" aria-label="Rich text content control"><span data-contrast="auto" xml:lang="EN-US" lang="EN-US" ccindex="1"></span><span data-contrast="auto" xml:lang="EN-US" lang="EN-US"><span>s</span><span> and examinations</span></span><span data-contrast="auto" xml:lang="EN-US" lang="EN-US" ccindex="1"></span></span><span cceid="{cad545fa-b7db-4807-82fa-1c2c8f4555d2}{55}" cclevel="1" ccappearance="boundingbox" role="group" aria-label="Rich text content control"><span data-contrast="auto" xml:lang="EN-US" lang="EN-US" ccindex="2"></span><span data-contrast="auto" xml:lang="EN-US" lang="EN-US" ccindex="3"></span></span><span data-contrast="auto" xml:lang="EN-US" lang="EN-US"><span>.</span></span><span data-ccp-props="{"201341983":0,"335551550":6,"335551620":6,"335559739":160,"335559740":360}"> </span></p> </div> <div style="font-weight: 400;"> <p paraid="515116279" paraeid="{cad545fa-b7db-4807-82fa-1c2c8f4555d2}{65}"><span data-contrast="auto" xml:lang="EN-US" lang="EN-US"><span>“Students </span><span>were</span><span> tasked to assess and grade their own literature assignments based on the qualitative feedback and marking rubrics that </span><span>I’ve</span><span> given to them previously. The rubrics we provide</span><span>d</span><span> to students </span><span>were</span><span> adapted from existing marking schemes and catered to students’ needs and </span><span>utili</span><span>z</span><span>ed</span><span> </span><span>for self-evaluation and reflection. They need</span><span>ed</span><span> to input the grade they have given themselves, the rationale behind it and how they intend</span><span>ed</span><span> to improve their work in</span></span><span cceid="{cad545fa-b7db-4807-82fa-1c2c8f4555d2}{96}" cclevel="1" ccappearance="boundingbox" role="group" aria-label="Rich text content control"><span data-contrast="auto" xml:lang="EN-US" lang="EN-US" ccindex="1"></span><span data-contrast="auto" xml:lang="EN-US" lang="EN-US" ccindex="2"></span></span><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>Google Sheets</span></span></i><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>” he explains. “All these are done via </span></span><i><span data-contrast="auto" xml:lang="EN-US" lang="EN-US"><span>Google Classroom</span></span></i><span data-contrast="auto" xml:lang="EN-US" lang="EN-US"><span>, which mean</span><span>t</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>all students w</span><span>ould </span><span>have access to the marks and comments.” </span></span><span data-ccp-props="{"201341983":0,"335551550":6,"335551620":6,"335559739":160,"335559740":360,"469777462":[2775],"469777927":[0],"469777928":[1]}"> </span></p> </div> <div style="font-weight: 400;"> <p paraid="1134872337" paraeid="{cad545fa-b7db-4807-82fa-1c2c8f4555d2}{126}"><span data-contrast="auto" xml:lang="EN-US" lang="EN-US"><span>The intent behind this exercise </span><span>wa</span><span>s to get students to engage more effectively and meaningfully with the teacher’s feedback and be more reflective and evaluative with the uptake of feedback in their assignments and assessments.</span></span><span data-ccp-props="{"201341983":0,"335551550":6,"335551620":6,"335559739":160,"335559740":360,"469777462":[2775],"469777927":[0],"469777928":[1]}"> </span></p> </div> <div style="font-weight: 400;"> <p paraid="594919809" paraeid="{cad545fa-b7db-4807-82fa-1c2c8f4555d2}{136}"><span data-contrast="auto" xml:lang="EN-US" lang="EN-US"><span>After this </span><span>was</span><span> done, </span><span>Brennan</span><span> </span><span>reveal</span><span>ed</span><span> the grades that he ha</span><span>d</span><span> given to each student’s individual essay assignment</span><span>. This </span><span>allow</span><span>ed</span><span> students to evaluate if they ha</span><span>d</span><span> assessed their work correctly and </span><span>identified</span><span> the areas for improvement accurately. </span></span><span data-ccp-props="{"201341983":0,"335551550":6,"335551620":6,"335559739":160,"335559740":360}"> </span></p> </div> <div style="font-weight: 400;"> <p paraid="2005739855" paraeid="{cad545fa-b7db-4807-82fa-1c2c8f4555d2}{172}"><span data-contrast="auto" xml:lang="EN-US" lang="EN-US"><span>“An advantage of this </span></span><span cceid="{cad545fa-b7db-4807-82fa-1c2c8f4555d2}{175}" cclevel="1" ccappearance="boundingbox" role="group" aria-label="Rich text content control"><span data-contrast="auto" xml:lang="EN-US" lang="EN-US" ccindex="1"></span><span data-contrast="auto" xml:lang="EN-US" lang="EN-US"><span>pedagogy of </span></span><span data-contrast="auto" xml:lang="EN-US" lang="EN-US" ccindex="1"></span></span><span data-contrast="auto" xml:lang="EN-US" lang="EN-US"><span>feedback</span></span><span cceid="{cad545fa-b7db-4807-82fa-1c2c8f4555d2}{184}" cclevel="1" ccappearance="boundingbox" role="group" aria-label="Rich text content control"><span data-contrast="auto" xml:lang="EN-US" lang="EN-US" ccindex="1"></span><span data-contrast="auto" xml:lang="EN-US" lang="EN-US" ccindex="2"></span></span><span data-contrast="auto" xml:lang="EN-US" lang="EN-US"><span> is that it only takes about 20 to 30 minutes for students to reflect and evaluate on their </span><span>assignments</span><span>,</span><span> and</span><span> complete this exercise. It is </span><span>actually a</span><span> very quick way for teachers to check in on students’ progress and let them understand where the students are at in terms of their learning, understanding and mastery of the subject matter,” he says.</span></span><span data-ccp-props="{"201341983":0,"335551550":6,"335551620":6,"335559739":160,"335559740":360}"> </span></p> </div> <div style="font-weight: 400;"> <p paraid="2104927595" paraeid="{cad545fa-b7db-4807-82fa-1c2c8f4555d2}{206}"><span data-contrast="auto" xml:lang="EN-US" lang="EN-US"><span>The pedagogy </span></span><span cceid="{cad545fa-b7db-4807-82fa-1c2c8f4555d2}{209}" cclevel="1" ccappearance="boundingbox" role="group" aria-label="Rich text content control"><span data-contrast="auto" xml:lang="EN-US" lang="EN-US" ccindex="1"></span><span data-contrast="auto" xml:lang="EN-US" lang="EN-US"><span>of feedback </span></span><span data-contrast="auto" xml:lang="EN-US" lang="EN-US" ccindex="1"></span></span><span data-contrast="auto" xml:lang="EN-US" lang="EN-US"><span>was</span><span> also applied after preliminary and end-of-year examinations in which students </span><span>were</span><span> tasked to reflect on their performance during the examinations. </span></span><span data-ccp-props="{"201341983":0,"335551550":6,"335551620":6,"335559739":160,"335559740":360}"> </span></p> </div> <div style="font-weight: 400;"> <p paraid="1270154614" paraeid="{cad545fa-b7db-4807-82fa-1c2c8f4555d2}{227}"><span data-contrast="auto" xml:lang="EN-US" lang="EN-US"><span>“Google Sheets are still used, but I have made some changes to the </span><span>previous</span><span> strategy. There are now various components that students need to comment on, for example Paper One and Paper Two,” he explains.</span></span><span data-ccp-props="{"201341983":0,"335551550":6,"335551620":6,"335559739":160,"335559740":360}"> </span></p> </div> <div style="font-weight: 400;"> <p paraid="2057267453" paraeid="{cad545fa-b7db-4807-82fa-1c2c8f4555d2}{233}"><span data-contrast="auto" xml:lang="EN-US" lang="EN-US"><span>He shares that the students’ comments and evaluations show their understanding of their learning and how to improve on bridging the gaps between their learning and assessments. For instance, </span><span>students’ comments that he received include</span><span>d,</span><span> “Better time management is needed”</span><span> and</span><span> “I should use more evidence”. </span></span><span data-ccp-props="{"201341983":0,"335551550":6,"335551620":6,"335559739":160,"335559740":360}"> </span></p> </div> <div style="font-weight: 400;"> <p paraid="1351330827" paraeid="{cad545fa-b7db-4807-82fa-1c2c8f4555d2}{249}"><span data-contrast="auto" xml:lang="EN-US" lang="EN-US"><span>“This is </span><span>actually a</span><span> good learning point for me. Based on the comments </span><span>I had </span><span>received,</span><span> I c</span><span>ould</span><span> get a quick snapshot of all my students’ progress and learning. If necessary, I c</span><span>ould</span><span> also provide </span><span>timely</span><span> intervention as </span><span>I </span><span>kn</span><span>e</span><span>w some of the areas that students might be struggling with and how to help them work on it more effectively,” he </span><span>states</span><span>. </span></span><span data-ccp-props="{"201341983":0,"335551550":6,"335551620":6,"335559739":160,"335559740":360}"> </span></p> </div> <div style="font-weight: 400;"> <p paraid="424935126" paraeid="{81d10857-bad7-4e4c-9cd3-e8feab6ac715}{26}"><span data-contrast="auto" xml:lang="EN-US" lang="EN-US"><span>“After reflecting on the assessment feedback </span><span>strategies</span><span> I have implemented in the classroom, </span><span>I find that students</span><span> </span><span>are capable of </span><span>identifying</span><span> their learning gaps and putting in effort to improve their literature essays</span><span>.</span><span> </span><span>M</span><span>ore importantly, now I know for sure that students will engage with and benefit from the feedback given to them,” he concludes.</span></span><span data-ccp-props="{"201341983":0,"335551550":6,"335551620":6,"335559739":160,"335559740":360}"> </span></p> </div> </div> </div> ]]></content:encoded> <wfw:commentRss>https://singteach.nie.edu.sg/2023/07/05/effective-feedback-strategies-for-english-language-literature-classrooms/feed/</wfw:commentRss> <slash:comments>0</slash:comments> </item> <item> <title>A Teacher’s Toolkit from the Cognitive Psychology of “Thinking Fast and Slow”</title> <link>https://singteach.nie.edu.sg/2023/04/24/a-teachers-toolkit-from-the-cognitive-psychology-of-thinking-fast-and-slow/?utm_source=rss&utm_medium=rss&utm_campaign=a-teachers-toolkit-from-the-cognitive-psychology-of-thinking-fast-and-slow</link> <comments>https://singteach.nie.edu.sg/2023/04/24/a-teachers-toolkit-from-the-cognitive-psychology-of-thinking-fast-and-slow/#respond</comments> <dc:creator><![CDATA[Azleena]]></dc:creator> <pubDate>Mon, 24 Apr 2023 08:43:30 +0000</pubDate> <category><![CDATA[Virtual Staff Lounge]]></category> <category><![CDATA[Pedagogy]]></category> <category><![CDATA[Teacher practices]]></category> <category><![CDATA[Teacher voices]]></category> <category><![CDATA[Reflective teaching]]></category> <category><![CDATA[Critical thinking]]></category> <guid isPermaLink="false">https://singteach.nie.edu.sg/?p=21629</guid> <description><![CDATA[Contributed by Seow Yongzhi , from Broadrick Secondary School, for SingTeach Virtual Staff Lounge Dan Kahneman’s brilliant book, Thinking, Fast […]]]></description> <content:encoded><![CDATA[<p><b><i>Contributed by <span lang="EN-GB">Seow Yongzhi</span><span lang="EN-GB"> </span></i></b><b><i>, from<a href="https://www.broadricksec.moe.edu.sg/" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><span> <span lang="EN-GB">Broadrick Secondary School</span></span></a></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></p> <p><span lang="EN-GB">Dan Kahneman’s brilliant book, <i>Thinking, Fast and Slow</i> (2011), is a powerful primer for all of cognitive psychology. Economist Steven Levitt christened it “a lifetime’s worth of wisdom”. In the book, Kahneman describes a model of human cognition in which humans operate by two thinking systems: System 1, which is <b>fast thinking</b> that operates based on biases and heuristics; and System 2, which is <b>slow thinking</b> that operates based on deliberation, logic, and use of evidence. We make many decisions under time pressure using System 1, and unseen cognitive biases may lead to errors in judgement.</span></p> <p><span lang="EN-GB">I read the book for personal growth amidst the pandemic, but nevertheless found many gems of insight that could be extended into my professional pedagogical practices. In this article, I summarize five key findings on cognitive psychology from Kahneman’s book, and identify applications in our professional processes.</span></p> <p><img loading="lazy" src="https://singteach.nie.edu.sg/wp-content/uploads/2023/04/ST_VSL_SeowYongzhi-300x263.jpeg" alt="" class="alignnone wp-image-21656" width="400" height="351" srcset="https://singteach.nie.edu.sg/wp-content/uploads/2023/04/ST_VSL_SeowYongzhi-300x263.jpeg 300w, https://singteach.nie.edu.sg/wp-content/uploads/2023/04/ST_VSL_SeowYongzhi-1024x898.jpeg 1024w, https://singteach.nie.edu.sg/wp-content/uploads/2023/04/ST_VSL_SeowYongzhi-768x673.jpeg 768w, https://singteach.nie.edu.sg/wp-content/uploads/2023/04/ST_VSL_SeowYongzhi.jpeg 1095w" sizes="(max-width: 400px) 100vw, 400px" /></p> <p> </p> <h1><span lang="EN-GB">1. Regression to the Mean</span></h1> <p><span lang="EN-GB">A key statistical principle is that people tend to perform close to (their) average. If someone does exceptionally well on a test, they are likely to do “worse” for the next test; and if someone has done very poorly, the “only way to go is up”. Flight instructors felt that punishment was an effective pedagogical tool, because poorly performing cadets improved after being punished. However, Kahneman demonstrated that “poor performance was typically followed by improvement and good performance by deterioration, without any help from either praise or punishment.” In other words, the flight cadets would likely have “improved” in their next performance regardless of the intervention; however, praise would have had better effects on the cadet’s morale than punishment.</span></p> <h4><span lang="EN-GB">Teacher’s takeaways</span></h4> <ul> <li><span lang="EN-GB">If you reprimand someone and they improve, and if you praise someone and the performance dips – this is normal: it is regression to the mean.</span></li> <li><span lang="EN-GB">As teachers, we can consciously resist the perverse incentives to punish more and praise less. As a general rule of thumb: praise is good, punishment is bad.</span></li> </ul> <p> </p> <p> </p> <h1><span lang="EN-GB">2. Building Competencies</span></h1> <p><span lang="EN-GB">Expertise is a set of interlinked skills. There are two requirements for building skills: “</span><span lang="EN-GB">an environment that is sufficiently regular to be predictable [and] an opportunity to learn these regularities through prolonged practice</span><span lang="EN-GB">”. However, some domains (such as gambling) do not allow for the development of skills, because the environment is not regular. Our teaching subjects and many CCAs in our schools do meet such requirements, and are ideal pastures for the building and development of expertise.</span></p> <h4><span lang="EN-GB">Teacher’s takeaways</span></h4> <ul> <li><span lang="EN-GB">Developing a skill requires regular <b>practice</b>. As a Social Studies teacher, I teach source-based skills to my students such as making inferences, comparing and contrasting sources, and evaluating the reliability of sources. Following the first lesson with teacher modelling, I make sure to include practice sources and questions for students to rehearse the new skill.</span></li> <li><span lang="EN-GB">Practice must be matched with consistent high-quality <b>feedback</b>. Kahneman’s research affirms that our routine marking of student practices and assignments, is a powerful and important tool in building our students’ thinking and writing skills.</span></li> </ul> <p> </p> <p> </p> <h1><span lang="EN-GB">3. “Inside” and “Outside” Views</span></h1> <p><span lang="EN-GB">“Insiders” tend to have an irrationally optimistic view of their team’s effectiveness and progress, and may ignore data or findings to the contrary. The example used by Kahneman, intriguingly enough, involves a project to write a psychology textbook for Israel’s Ministry of Education. Kahneman’s takeaway was that his team was plagued by “irrational perseverance: … we gave up rationality rather than give up the enterprise.” In other words, people “inside” a project, with a stake in their success, failed to be objective in their evaluation of their team’s effectiveness.</span></p> <h4><span lang="EN-GB">Teacher’s takeaways</span></h4> <ul> <li><span lang="EN-GB"> </span><span lang="EN-GB">We tend to think of the best case, not the probable case, when planning events and projects</span><span lang="EN-GB">. Hence, we should always refer to past data for reliable estimations when planning workflows and timelines.</span></li> <li><span lang="EN-GB"> </span><span lang="EN-GB">For example, I organised a cohort learning journey to the National Museum this year. The slots opened in October 2022. Even though I opened the booking system armed with our school’s preferred dates and timeslots the very moment the system went live, I only managed to snag half of what we wanted. If we had dithered, perhaps we would miss out on all available slots and have to adjust the school calendar. Given this data, I learned to engage all external vendors at the earliest opportunity.</span></li> <li><span lang="EN-GB"> </span><span lang="EN-GB"><span lang="EN-GB">Get outside opinions and evaluate them rationally. If a project is unviable, ignore the sunk costs and dump it. Similarly, if an approach to teaching is not working, consider trying new methods rather than “persevering irrationally”. The relevant data comes naturally to the teacher, when we mark our students’ practices and worksheet.</span></span><span lang="EN-GB"></span></li> </ul> <p> </p> <p> </p> <h1><span lang="EN-GB">4. Framing Effects</span></h1> <p><span lang="EN-GB">The way that we ask (or “frame”) a question will lead to different answers. For example, countries ask drivers if they are willing to donate their organs in the event they are involved in a fatal traffic accident. This is an important decision that could save many other lives. The difference in drivers’ willingness to donate lies in the way the question is asked: where drivers need to “opt out” of donation, there is an extremely high donation rate; but where drivers need to “opt in” to offer donation, there is a very low donation rate. In general, people are biased towards cognitive ease: people prefer to go with a default option, rather than make the effort to “opt in” or “opt out” of anything.</span></p> <h4><span lang="EN-GB">Teacher’s takeaways</span><span lang="EN-GB"></span></h4> <ul> <li><span lang="EN-GB"> </span><span lang="EN-GB">When you seek genuine interest for an event with limited slots (such as a school competition or performance), you can invite volunteers amongst your students. These volunteers, in paying the cognitive cost of consciously stepping forward, will be more invested in your event.</span></li> <li><span lang="EN-GB"> </span><span lang="EN-GB">When you want to nudge higher student participation in an activity that has high capacity or benefits from having more people involved, make sure to use automatic enrolment and an “opt out” option instead of asking for volunteers.</span></li> </ul> <p> </p> <p> </p> <h1><span lang="EN-GB">5. Peak-End Shaping of Memory</span></h1> <p><span lang="EN-GB">People remember life events and episodes in terms of their best (and worst) moments, as well as how the event or episode ended. In fact, when evaluating one’s entire life, Kahneman found that “peaks and ends matter but duration does not”. This intuitive judgement plays an important role in deciding whether to repeat the event or episode.</span></p> <h4><span lang="EN-GB">Teacher’s takeaways</span></h4> <ul> <li><span lang="EN-GB"> </span><span lang="EN-GB">After students’ significant experiences (e.g. field trip, CCA performance), make sure to celebrate and recognize the students’ achievement. The end of the experience matters greatly in the students’ memory.</span></li> <li><span lang="EN-GB"> </span><span lang="EN-GB">Create memorable moments</span><span lang="EN-GB"> for students on a school trip; it adds to the peaks that stay with our students for the rest of their lives. For example, we led our Co-Curricular Activity (CCA) students to the Singapore Youth Festival (SYF) showcase this year. Our school team made sure to take pictures with family and friends who came to support the team, in order to commemorate the milestone in their CCA journey. We made sure to celebrate everyone’s efforts and the strenuous journey towards SYF, and the competition ended on a brilliant high.</span></li> </ul> <p> </p> <p> </p> <p><b><span lang="EN-GB">Reference</span></b></p> <p><span lang="EN-GB">Kahneman, Daniel. <i>Thinking, Fast and Slow</i>. New York: Farrar, Straus and Giroux, 2011.</span></p> ]]></content:encoded> <wfw:commentRss>https://singteach.nie.edu.sg/2023/04/24/a-teachers-toolkit-from-the-cognitive-psychology-of-thinking-fast-and-slow/feed/</wfw:commentRss> <slash:comments>0</slash:comments> </item> <item> <title>Advancing Education Research</title> <link>https://singteach.nie.edu.sg/2023/04/17/advancing-education-research/?utm_source=rss&utm_medium=rss&utm_campaign=advancing-education-research</link> <comments>https://singteach.nie.edu.sg/2023/04/17/advancing-education-research/#respond</comments> <dc:creator><![CDATA[Azleena]]></dc:creator> <pubDate>Mon, 17 Apr 2023 06:35:07 +0000</pubDate> <category><![CDATA[Issues]]></category> <category><![CDATA[issue 84 mar 2023]]></category> <category><![CDATA[Editorial]]></category> <category><![CDATA[Teacher practices]]></category> <category><![CDATA[Evidence-based practices]]></category> <category><![CDATA[Education research in Singapore]]></category> <category><![CDATA[Policy and practice]]></category> <guid isPermaLink="false">https://singteach.nie.edu.sg/?p=21545</guid> <description><![CDATA[How has education research evolved in Singapore? In 2002, NIE’s Centre for Research in Pedagogy and Practice (CRPP) […]]]></description> <content:encoded><![CDATA[<p>How has education research evolved in Singapore? In 2002, NIE’s <a href="https://nie.edu.sg/research/research-offices/office-of-education-research/centre-for-research-in-pedagogy-and-practice-crpp" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Centre for Research in Pedagogy and Practice (CRPP)</a> was launched, with the goal of advancing knowledge that raises the quality of teaching and learning, not just in Singapore but also the wider educational community. Since then, two other education research centres have been set up <span>– </span>the <a href="https://nie.edu.sg/research/research-offices/office-of-education-research/centre-for-research-in-child-development" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Centre for Research in Child Development</a>, which focuses on children development and learning, and the <a href="https://nie.edu.sg/research/research-offices/office-of-education-research/science-of-learning-in-education" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Science of Learning in Education Centre</a>, which brings together several research disciplines, including neuroscience, cognitive science, psychology, technology and education. Coordinated by NIE’s <a href="https://nie.edu.sg/research/research-offices/office-of-education-research" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Office of Education Research</a>, the three education research centres are testament to NIE’s firm commitment to be at the forefront of education research in Singapore and beyond.</p> <p>This issue of<em> SingTeach</em> features interviews with important stakeholders in Singapore’s education research landscape, including a policymaker, a teacher and NIE education researchers. We highlight how education research has, and will, impact how students learn and teachers teach.</p> <p>We hope that you, readers, will gain important takeaways from this issue, including a better understanding of NIE’s efforts in strengthening the bridge between research, policy and practice. We also hope that you will be more inspired to partake in education research projects that can further develop and enhance your teaching practices. Let us be reminded of the ultimate goal of education and education research, that is to maximize learning outcomes for all students and to support their success in school and beyond.</p> <p><em>SingTeach</em> Editorial Team<br /> Office of Education Research<br /> National Institute of Education</p> ]]></content:encoded> <wfw:commentRss>https://singteach.nie.edu.sg/2023/04/17/advancing-education-research/feed/</wfw:commentRss> <slash:comments>0</slash:comments> </item> </channel> </rss> <!-- Performance optimized by W3 Total Cache. Learn more: https://www.boldgrid.com/w3-total-cache/ Served from: singteach.nie.edu.sg @ 2025-02-14 02:42:18 by W3 Total Cache -->