Secondary School Archives - Page 2 of 10

Index

Tammy ENG Jing Rou

Secondary School

Navigating Singapore’s Education System as an Immigrant Parent

Author/s:

Tammy ENG Jing Rou Lee Tat CHOW Peidong YANG Keywords immigrant parent immigrant children education Abstract This paper examines the challenges faced by immigrant parents in navigating and shaping their children’s education in Singapore. It explores how the parents’ migrant backgrounds influence their actions, reactions, and coping strategies within the Singaporean education system, identifying […]

Tammy ENG Jing Rou
Lee Tat CHOW
Peidong YANG

Keywords
immigrant parent
immigrant children
education

Abstract

This paper examines the challenges faced by immigrant parents in navigating and shaping their children’s education in Singapore. It explores how the parents’ migrant backgrounds influence their actions, reactions, and coping strategies within the Singaporean education system, identifying patterns of behaviour specific to this group. The study reveals several challenges unique to immigrant parents, such as a lack of information about the local education system, disadvantages in the school admission process, and difficulties in providing adequate academic support to their children. Besides these challenges, the paper also highlights the resourcefulness of immigrant parents and the strategies they employ to navigate and mitigate these difficulties within an unfamiliar social and educational environment. By shedding light on the experiences of immigrant parents, this paper contributes to a deeper understanding of the diverse ways in which families adapt to and engage with the educational landscape in Singapore.

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Immigrant Parents and Mother Tongue Language Education in Singapore’s Bilingual System

Author/s:

Britney Qi Wen ONG

Britney Qi Wen ONG Lee Tat CHOW Peidong YANG Keywords immigrant parents Mother Tongue Language (MTL) education Bilingualism, Singapore Abstract Bilingualism has been the cornerstone of Singapore’s language policy since 1959 (Lee & Phua, 2020). Given Singapore’s diverse population, it is crucial to understand how immigrant parents from various cultural backgrounds perceive and engage […]

Britney Qi Wen ONG
Lee Tat CHOW
Peidong YANG

Keywords
immigrant parents
Mother Tongue Language (MTL) education
Bilingualism, Singapore

Abstract

Bilingualism has been the cornerstone of Singapore’s language policy since 1959 (Lee & Phua, 2020). Given Singapore’s diverse population, it is crucial to understand how immigrant parents from various cultural backgrounds perceive and engage with the country’s bilingual education system. This paper investigates the perceptions and involvement of immigrant parents in the Mother Tongue Language (MTL) component of Singapore’s bilingual education framework. The study focuses on two groups: Chinese immigrants from mainland China and non-Chinese immigrants from countries such as India and the Philippines. The research highlights immigrant parents’ positive views on bilingual education framework as a benefit of migrating to Singapore for their children’s education. Parents consider factors like future career prospects, cultural preservation, social integration, and reducing academic pressure when selecting their children’s MTL. While some face challenges in navigating their children’s MTL learning, others find their children adapt well. Nevertheless, all parents actively engage in efforts to enhance their children’s MTL proficiency, whether by enrolling them in tuition classes, incorporating language-focused activities at home, or through other supportive measures.

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Towards Transformative Pedagogies for Sustainability Education

Author/s:

Tan Qian Hui

Tan Qian Hui (Asia Research Institute(Singapore)) Tricia Seow (National Institute of Education(Singapore)) Keywords Geography Junior College Secondary School Sustainability education should not only strive for pedagogical excellence, but also the formulation of transformative pedagogies. Whereas sustainability education denotes the transmission of sustainability-related content, the pedagogical or praxis-oriented dimension of sustainability education involves the curation of a conducive […]

Tan Qian Hui (Asia Research Institute(Singapore))
Tricia Seow (National Institute of Education(Singapore))

Keywords
Geography
Junior College
Secondary School

Sustainability education should not only strive for pedagogical excellence, but also the formulation of transformative pedagogies. Whereas sustainability education denotes the transmission of sustainability-related content, the pedagogical or praxis-oriented dimension of sustainability education involves the curation of a conducive learning environment supported by an educator’s teaching philosophy (Hegarty and Holdsworth 2015; Taimur 2020). For instance, the Sustainability Learning Lab at NIE has devised signature pedagogies for sustainability education that are informed by a critical philosophy and actualised vis-a-vis a three pronged approach, that of (i) inquiry-based learning (with a focus on taking action), (ii) place-based learning (including field work and/or field-based learning) and (iii) technologically-enabled learning (through the use of, for example, Geographic Information Systems and Remote Sensing).

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The Pedagogical Affordances of Game-Based Learning: “Getting To Zero” And Pro-Environmental Action

Author/s:

Ong Zhiqing

Ong Zhiqing(National Institute of Education (Singapore)) Keywords Geography Junior College Secondary School In light of concerns over global warming, environmental education has been touted as a means of raising environmental consciousness and effecting transformative change. This paper evaluates the pedagogical affordances of gamification or game based learning in motivating pro-environmental action. In particular, this paper […]

Ong Zhiqing(National Institute of Education (Singapore))

Keywords
Geography
Junior College
Secondary School

In light of concerns over global warming, environmental education has been touted as a means of raising environmental consciousness and effecting transformative change. This paper evaluates the pedagogical affordances of gamification or game based learning in motivating pro-environmental action. In particular, this paper focuses on the role that a physical card game called “Getting to Zero” can play in educating students about the trade-offs that Singapore faces in order to achieving net-zero emissions. It also offers some recommendations on how educators can better incorporate this game in the classroom.

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Climate Change Education In Singapore: A Survey of Science Teachers

Author/s:

Goh Xin Fang

Goh Xin Fang (National Institute of Education (Singapore)) Keywords Geography Junior College Secondary School Action has been taken by governments and international organisations to address the global implications of climate change brought about by economic development that is unsustainable. In Singapore, climate change education is one of the numerous strategies mobilised by the state to mitigate […]

Goh Xin Fang (National Institute of Education (Singapore))

Keywords
Geography
Junior College
Secondary School

Action has been taken by governments and international organisations to address the global implications of climate change brought about by economic development that is unsustainable. In Singapore, climate change education is one of the numerous strategies mobilised by the state to mitigate the negative effects of global warming. Climate change education is featured in the country’s Science and Geography secondary school curriculum. Meanwhile, this study aims to investigate what in-service Chemistry secondary school teachers think about their teaching practice and the outcomes of climate change education. The findings of this study can hopefully provide recommendations for strengthening Climate Change Education in Singapore.

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Teachers’ Perceptions of Climate Change Induced Heat Stress and Related Heat Management Strategies In Singapore’s Schools

Author/s:

Karina Lalchand Sheri

Karina Lalchand Sheri (National Institute of Education (Singapore)) Keywords Geography Junior College Secondary School Global warming is palpable in Singapore. Given that most classrooms in the country are largely affected by rising ambient temperatures, students are susceptible to heat stress, which undermines their learning productivity. This qualitative study sought to understand what six secondary school teachers […]

Karina Lalchand Sheri (National Institute of Education (Singapore))

Keywords
Geography
Junior College
Secondary School

Global warming is palpable in Singapore. Given that most classrooms in the country are largely affected by rising ambient temperatures, students are susceptible to heat stress, which undermines their learning productivity. This qualitative study sought to understand what six secondary school teachers in Singapore thought about the adverse effects that climate change induced warming can have on their students’ learning. While thermal discomfort was a real issue to contend with, this study found that its effects on productivity varied across time, from student to student, and among schools. Instead of relying on cooling methods that involved the further use of energy/resources for temporary thermal relief, the recommendations/strategies for dealing with heat stress mentioned by the teachers were far more sustainable and contextually specific.

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Mega Dams and Their Impacts On Downstream Sand Bar and Island Dynamics Along The Madeira River, Brazil

Author/s:

Karina Lalchand Sheri

Karina Lalchand Sheri (National Institute of Education (Singapore)) Keywords Geography Junior College Secondary School This paper investigates the impact of both Santo Antônio and Jirau mega dams on the downstream geomorphology of, more specifically, island and bar dynamics along the Madeira River in the Amazon. Water level data from gauge stations and remote sensing images from […]

Karina Lalchand Sheri (National Institute of Education (Singapore))

Keywords
Geography
Junior College
Secondary School

This paper investigates the impact of both Santo Antônio and Jirau mega dams on the downstream geomorphology of, more specifically, island and bar dynamics along the Madeira River in the Amazon. Water level data from gauge stations and remote sensing images from 1990 to 2019 were deployed to make sense of the changes in the number, area and volume of islands/bars downstream of the dams. The data indicated that both Santo Antônio and Jirau, which are run-of-river dams have not had significant impacts on the area and volume of islands/bars found in Madeira River’s five reaches. A reduction in the volume of islands/bars was marginally more substantial than a negligible reduction in their areal extent. Trapped sediments behind both dams could have accounted for the slight decrease in island/bar volume. Overall, this paper opens up a discussion on the sustainability of fluvial/geomorphological features and water regimes, alongside the installation of run-of-river dams as an allegedly more sustainable alternative to other kinds of hydraulic structures and non-renewable sources of energy. Student-teachers who are taking tertiary courses in physical Geography, as well as A Level Geography educators are likely to take interest in this in-depth and well contextualised case study of mega dams in Brazil.

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Single-Use Plastics: A Survey of Pre-Service Secondary School Teachers In Singapore

Author/s:

Jean Lim Le Hui

Jean Lim Le Hui (National Institute of Education (Singapore)) Keywords Geography Junior College Secondary School The excessive use of disposable plastics coupled with Singapore’s low 4% recycling rate of plastic waste renders this a significant environmental problem (National Environment Agency 2022). It is widely acknowledged that public school teachers play a crucial role in inculcating environmentally […]

Jean Lim Le Hui (National Institute of Education (Singapore))

Keywords
Geography
Junior College
Secondary School

The excessive use of disposable plastics coupled with Singapore’s low 4% recycling rate of plastic waste renders this a significant environmental problem (National Environment Agency 2022). It is widely acknowledged that public school teachers play a crucial role in inculcating environmentally sustainable best practices among their students. However, this paper demonstrates that (pre-service) teachers in Singapore are often not adequately equipped with the necessary knowledge to be effective environmental educators. It argues that a more rigorous teacher training program with an emphasis on eco-pedagogy, alongside an eco-centric curriculum can help with the management of plastic waste on a national level.

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Analysing The Pedagogical Affordances of A Carbon Calculator Application (Adva) and Its Role In Environmental Education

Author/s:

Colin Leong Tze Yeen

Colin Leong Tze Yeen(National Institute of Education (Singapore)) Keywords Geography Junior College Secondary School The effects of global warming are palpable and Singapore has begun the pursuit of carbon neutrality as a goal. Accordingly, the country’s Ministry of Education has launched the Eco Stewardship Programme in a bid to foster sustainable practices among students. Meanwhile, […]

Colin Leong Tze Yeen(National Institute of Education (Singapore))

Keywords
Geography
Junior College
Secondary School

The effects of global warming are palpable and Singapore has begun the pursuit of carbon neutrality as a goal. Accordingly, the country’s Ministry of Education has launched the Eco Stewardship Programme in a bid to foster sustainable practices among students. Meanwhile, there has been a proliferation of lifestyle applications on smart phones, including those that are environmentally inclined. This paper explores the pedagogical potential of Adva, which is a carbon calculator application. It foregrounds how Adva can be integrated into the geography curriculum/classroom to augment teaching/learning experiences and ultimately, to incite transformative, pro-environmentalist action.

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The Paradoxical Hydrology Of Tonlé Sap Lake: Groundwater Extraction And Land Subsidence

Author/s:

Ayshathun Munavvara

Ayshathun Munavvara (National Institute of Education (Singapore)) Keywords Geography Junior College Secondary School A close examination of Tonlé Sap Lake reveals a paradox — its flood extent has increased despite a reduction in water volume. Agricultural intensification in Cambodia has led to unsustainable rates of groundwater use for irrigation. This paper postulates that land subsidence due […]

Ayshathun Munavvara (National Institute of Education (Singapore))

Keywords
Geography
Junior College
Secondary School

A close examination of Tonlé Sap Lake reveals a paradox — its flood extent has increased despite a reduction in water volume. Agricultural intensification in Cambodia has led to unsustainable rates of groundwater use for irrigation. This paper postulates that land subsidence due to an over extraction of groundwater is the main reason for the lake’s paradoxical hydrology. Land subsidence has altered Tonlé Sap’s morphology (i.e. the lake has become shallower), thereby leading to an expansion in its areal extent. The hydrological complexities of the Tonlé Sap gesture towards the tension between the country’s need for economic sustainability (from cultivating rice) and that of environmental sustainability (sustainable use of groundwater resources).

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Index

Tammy ENG Jing Rou

Authors List

Authors List

Navigating Singapore’s Education System as an Immigrant Parent

Immigrant Parents and Mother Tongue Language Education in Singapore’s Bilingual System

Towards Transformative Pedagogies for Sustainability Education

The Pedagogical Affordances of Game-Based Learning: “Getting To Zero” And Pro-Environmental Action

Climate Change Education In Singapore: A Survey of Science Teachers

Teachers’ Perceptions of Climate Change Induced Heat Stress and Related Heat Management Strategies In Singapore’s Schools

Mega Dams and Their Impacts On Downstream Sand Bar and Island Dynamics Along The Madeira River, Brazil

Single-Use Plastics: A Survey of Pre-Service Secondary School Teachers In Singapore

Analysing The Pedagogical Affordances of A Carbon Calculator Application (Adva) and Its Role In Environmental Education

The Paradoxical Hydrology Of Tonlé Sap Lake: Groundwater Extraction And Land Subsidence

HSSE Online

HSSE Online