Volume 7, Issue 1 2018 Archives

Index

Lim Yi Xuan Debi

Volume 7, Issue 1 2018

A Dialogic Teaching Approach: Talk Moves to Deepen Students’ Understanding in the Geography Classroom

Author/s:

Lim Yi Xuan Debi (National Institute of Education) Keywords Geography Junior College Secondary School dialogic teaching talk moves interaction pattern Abstract In most Singapore classrooms, lessons are typically characterised by the traditional Initiation-Response-Feedback (IRF) instructional sequence. Such an approach limits students’ ability to engage in meaningful classroom discussions and is contrary to achieving 21st Century skills. This […]

Lim Yi Xuan Debi (National Institute of Education)

Keywords
Geography
Junior College
Secondary School
dialogic teaching
talk moves
interaction pattern

Abstract
In most Singapore classrooms, lessons are typically characterised by the traditional Initiation-Response-Feedback (IRF) instructional sequence. Such an approach limits students’ ability to engage in meaningful classroom discussions and is contrary to achieving 21^st Century skills. This paper analyses the power of dialogic talk in the classroom to engage students in more critical thinking and learning. This paper examines how the quality of dialogue and learning outcomes in the classroom will be influenced when students are conferred more authority in the classroom and positioned as significant figures of knowledge construction. This topic of study is significant as the foundation of Singapore geography is underpinned by an inquiry approach, where knowledge construction is anchored upon asking key and guiding questions.

Introduction
Leading researchers of classroom talk (Barnes, 2008; Mercer, 2008; Alexander, 2006 & Baktin, 1981) have noted that in most classrooms, lessons are typically characterised by the ritualised exchange of Initiation-Response-Feedback (IRF) instructional sequence. The nature of such an approach breeds over-reliance on the teacher for the ‘model’ answer (ibid). Recent research has shown that students have limited opportunities to engage in rich classroom conversations, which is contrary to achieving the 21st Century skills vital for the development of Singapore’s workforce to think independently, critically and creatively (ibid).

Dialogic teaching is a powerful approach in harnessing the power of talk to stimulate thinking and enhance students’ learning (Scott, Mortimer & Aguiar, 2006). Through the study of talk moves, one will better understand how to engage students to think critically, optimally bouncing off ideas in the classroom. This study is highly relevant to the Desired Outcomes of Education (DOE) in Singapore to develop students to become a confident person, a self-directed learner, an active contributor and a concerned citizen (MOE, 2004).

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The Role of Geographical Investigations In Developing Students’ Cognitive Thinking

Author/s:

Lim En Qi

Lim En Qi (National Institute of Education ) Keywords Geography Junior College Secondary School Geographical Inquiry Fieldwork Cognitive Thinking Abstract In Singapore, there has been a shift in education towards more inquiry-based learning to equip students with skills for the future. Geographical Investigations (GI) have been introduced as a form of geographical inquiry where students participate […]

Lim En Qi (National Institute of Education )

Keywords
Geography
Junior College
Secondary School
Geographical Inquiry
Fieldwork
Cognitive Thinking

Abstract
In Singapore, there has been a shift in education towards more inquiry-based learning to equip students with skills for the future. Geographical Investigations (GI) have been introduced as a form of geographical inquiry where students participate actively in knowledge construction through fieldwork. Fieldwork deepens students’ understanding of content and aids in students’ affective, social, and cognitive development. However, there is limited local research on the value of Geography fieldwork in influencing students’ cognitive thinking. This paper, therefore, examines the role of GI in developing Secondary students’ cognitive thinking in Geography. Using a case-study approach, Secondary 2 students in one secondary school were interviewed before and after their GI on the topic of Transport. Data was analysed using an adapted model of Bloom’s Taxonomy. All students showed an improvement in higher-order cognitive skills after GI, specifically in the development of higher-order cognitive thinking skills and deeper thinking at particular cognitive levels.

Introduction
Fieldwork is an essential part of Geography. Defined as supervised learning that encourages first-hand experiences outside the classroom (Lonergan & Anderson, 1988), fieldwork can be categorized into various types depending on the degree of teacher and student involvement: This ranges from traditional teacher-led field trips to more student-centred inquiry-based field projects and self-discovery (Kent, Gilbertson & Hunt, 1997). Among these, student-centred activities and inquiry-driven fieldwork have been recognised as most effective in facilitating deep learning where students play a more active role in making sense of knowledge (Kent et al., 1997; Oost, De Vries & Van der Schee, 2011). Recently, there has been an increased emphasis on inquiry-based learning for education in Singapore. The Ministry of Education (MOE) has highlighted geographical inquiry as the recommended pedagogical approach for Geography education (Curriculum Planning and Development Division [CPDD], 2014). In line with this change, Geographical Investigations (GI) was introduced to develop students’ 21st Century Competencies, cultivating them to become confident, self-directed learners through inquiry-driven fieldwork (CPDD, 2014).

Fieldwork provides students with an avenue to better understand subject content by bridging the gaps between theoretical ideas learnt in class with real-life experiences (Chew, 2008; Das, 2014). It aids in students’ affective (Boyle et al., 2007), personal and social development which concomitantly supports cognitive development (Foskett, 1999; Oost et al., 2011). Nevertheless, most studies adopt a generic stance to analysing fieldwork, neglecting how the nature of fieldwork influences students’ learning and development. Empirical studies on how fieldwork contributes to cognitive development are still limited with regard to Geography, and even more so for school Geography in Singapore.

Considering the shift towards more inquiry-based learning and how fieldwork is a defining feature of Geography, there is a need to contemplate how active, inquiry-driven fieldwork develops students’ thinking. Thus, this study examines the role of GI in developing secondary students’ cognitive abilities. More specifically, it focuses on the effects of a Transport GI on Secondary 2 students’ thinking. It aims to compare students’ cognitive abilities before and after undergoing a Transport GI.

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Incorporating Mediated Learning Experience in Geography Lessons

Author/s:

Esther Wong Ting Wei

Wong Ting Wei, Esther (National Institute of Education ) Keywords Geography Junior College Secondary School Mediated Learning Experience Geography Inquiry-Based Learning Approach Cognitive Affective Mediation Abstract With the recent emphasis on 21st century competencies, inquiry-based learning has been touted as the recommended pedagogy as it attempts to move away from didactic teaching. However, an analysis of the […]

Wong Ting Wei, Esther (National Institute of Education )

Keywords
Geography
Junior College
Secondary School
Mediated Learning Experience
Geography
Inquiry-Based Learning Approach
Cognitive
Affective
Mediation

Abstract
With the recent emphasis on 21^st century competencies, inquiry-based learning has been touted as the recommended pedagogy as it attempts to move away from didactic teaching. However, an analysis of the current geography syllabus revealed three possible areas of improvement: (1) lack of intentional mediation of cognitive functions (2) lack of continuous mediation and (3) lack of emphasis on enhancing students’ dispositions in learning. From research, inquiry-based learning could be complemented by MLE, a theory developed by Feuerstein which refers to the quality interaction between the mediator and learner. Therefore, the purpose of this research paper is to explore how principles of MLE may be applied to address the aforementioned areas of improvement to enhance students’ learning in the geography classroom. Subsequently, a broad conceptualization of how MLE may be utilized to underpin the inquiry-based learning approach will be provided.

Inquiry-Based Learning as A Teaching Pedagogy
Over the years, revisions have been made to Singapore’s education system to better equip students with 21^st century competencies to help them succeed in a rapidly changing world (Deng, Gopinathan, & Lee, 2013). One major reform in the education system is the introduction of Thinking Schools, Learning Nation (TSLN) in 1997 which is a vision that “describes a nation of thinking and committed citizens capable of meeting the challenges of the… 21^st century” (Chang, 2012). In alignment with this vision to develop in students 21^st century competencies, the humanities syllabuses adopted inquiry-based learning as the recommended teaching pedagogy (Afandi, 2013).

Geographical inquiry is a question-driven approach in which inquiry questions are asked (either by the teacher or students themselves) and students would subsequently find out the answers to those questions by embarking on an investigation (Roberts, 2013). According to Roberts (2013), the learning of geography through an inquiry approach gives students the opportunity to cultivate thinking skills such as reasoning, classifying information and analyzing data (refer to Figure 1). These skills could either be specific to geography or classified as general thinking skills which could also be applied to other subjects. Broadly, these thinking skills could also be thought of as cognitive functions. Cognitive functions are defined as “process variables that are themselves compounds of native ability, attitudes, work habits, learning history, motives and strategies” (Seng & Tan, 2008). Thus, in essence, cognitive functions refer to a broad spectrum of cognitive capabilities, representing different domains of thinking. Therefore, when teachers utilize the inquiry-based approach to teach geography, they are seeking to develop and enhance students’ cognitive functioning such that students could be equipped with the desired thinking skills.

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Sampling in Geographical Fieldwork Using GIS Techniques

Author/s:

Heidi Tan Sheng Ting

Tan Sheng Ting, Heidi (National Institute of Education ) Keywords Geography Junior College Secondary School Fieldwork GIS Remote Sensing Sampling Geography Education Abstract Sampling is a fundamental and essential component in geographical fieldwork. Sampling is the process of gathering data from purposefully selected sites, such that the data collected best represents the general phenomenon being studied. […]

Tan Sheng Ting, Heidi (National Institute of Education )

Keywords
Geography
Junior College
Secondary School
Fieldwork
GIS
Remote Sensing Sampling
Geography Education

Abstract
Sampling is a fundamental and essential component in geographical fieldwork. Sampling is the process of gathering data from purposefully selected sites, such that the data collected best represents the general phenomenon being studied. In geography education, teachers often have to look for suitable sites for students to conduct fieldwork, for example, which location to conduct interviews. However, many teachers are afraid to venture out into unchartered territories where the potential site for fieldwork is unfamiliar. This paper seeks to illustatre the use of GIS techniques to determine the suitability of an unfamiliar site for sampling in geographical fieldwork through coastal research done on a coastline along Cha-am, Thailand.

Unfamiliar territories
The research conducted was about the impact of coastal erosion on Cha-am’s beach and Cha-am south beach and the shops along the coast. The research was conceptualised in Singapore, hence making it a challenge to visit the research site beforehand. In addition, there was no prior secondary research about coastal erosion and coastal retreat along Cha-am’s coastline. To overcome this challenge, GoogleEarth and GIS remote sensing techniques were utilitised to determine the suitability of various sites for research on coastal erosion.

Utilising GoogleEarth Satellite Imagery
Firstly, GoogleEarth was used to get an overview of possible sites along Cha-am’s coastline. Through GoogleEarth, the coastline was analysed using satellite images from various time scales through the time slider feature in GoogleEarth. The satellite images revealed that there was indeed coastal retreat along Cha-am coast over the years. Hence, by comparing the coastline in the different time scales, two sites along Cha-am’s coastline were identified – one at Cha-am beach as a ‘low erosion site’ and the other at Cha-am south beach as a ‘high erosion site’ (Figure 1).

The ‘low erosion site’ was identified for having the least significant coastal retreat compared to the rest of the coastline. In addition, the ‘low erosion site’ had the largest stretch of beach, which is a key coastal depositional landform (Figures 2a, 2b and 2c).

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How Does Formative, Written Feedback Help Students Improve Their Geographical Writing

Author/s:

David Toh Hui Han

Zainab Banu Hassan (River Valley High School, Singapore) David Toh Hui Han (River Valley High School (Singapore)) Keywords Geography Formative Assessment Written Feedback Geographical Writing Introduction As a discipline, Geography is rooted in the tradition of the humanities, which necessitates extended critical discussion of issues from a geographical lens. In the context of assessment, as well as […]

Zainab Banu Hassan (River Valley High School, Singapore)
David Toh Hui Han (River Valley High School (Singapore))

Keywords
Geography
Formative Assessment
Written Feedback
Geographical Writing

Introduction
As a discipline, Geography is rooted in the tradition of the humanities, which necessitates extended critical discussion of issues from a geographical lens. In the context of assessment, as well as teaching and learning, writing skills are fundamental for conveying this critical discussion, especially as a performance of understanding by the student. Such written performance is essential, not just as a summative gauge for promotion and accreditation, but also as valuable data that informs the teacher’s pedagogy and provides an indication of the student’s learning. It is no surprise then that the teaching of writing forms an important part of a holistic education, especially in the humanities. It is also a particularly salient issue when geography students cannot write well, and even more aggravatingly, cannot demonstrate their understanding and thoughts about geographical matters effectively through writing. Indeed, the writing skills of students is an ongoing concern, whether at the tertiary level (Cadwallader and Scarboro, 1982; Gambell 1987), or at the secondary and pre-tertiary levels.

Thompson et.al (2005) and Dummer et. al. (2008) assert that getting students to be more comfortable with writing regularly within the geography discipline can help students with deep learning (Slinger-Friedman et.al, 2012, pg. 180). Many geography instructors argue that writing as part of classroom learning is crucial for students to learn to think like geographers (Libbee and Young, 1983; Slinger-Friedman and Patterson 2012, cited in Leydon et al., 2014) and writing allows students to explore ideas in-depth (Slinger-Friedman et.al., 2012).

Developing a Writing Framework to Guide Students’ Writing in Geography

Author/s:

Jamilah Sukimi

Jamilah Sukimi (Meridian Secondary School (Singapore) ) Samantha Lim (Presbyterian High School (Singapore)) Sarifah Tamsir (Pasir Ris Secondary School (Singapore)) Tan Say Pin (New Town Secondary School (Singapore)) Wong Yi Jun (Riverside Secondary School (Singapore)) Keywords Geography Junior College Secondary School Geographical concepts Critical Thinking Geographical Writing Abstract This paper examines the effectiveness of using a Writing Framework to guide […]

Keywords
Geography
Junior College
Secondary School
Geographical concepts
Critical Thinking
Geographical Writing

Abstract
This paper examines the effectiveness of using a Writing Framework to guide students to write geographically for a level descriptor question. The Writing Framework combines aspects of Paul’s EOT (Wheel of Reasoning) with Neighbour’s Core Questions to guide students’ writing. The Writing Framework provides structure in extended writing, but more importantly encourages students to consider the importance of two geographical concepts, ‘Place’ and ‘Space’, in their essay writing.

The study involved 18 Secondary 5 Normal (Academic) students. The majority of the students found the Writing Framework useful and showed an improvement in test scores. The results and student feedback highlighted the potential of the Writing Framework to help students in writing geographically.

Introduction
The concepts of ‘space’ and ‘place’ are key to understanding geographical thinking. Lambert (Lambert, 2012, 3) defined ‘Place’ as a specific part of the Earth’s surface that has been named and given meaning by people, although its meanings may differ. Places range in size from the home and locality to a major world region. They can be natural (shaped by the environment) or built (constructed by human beings). On the other hand, ‘Space’ has its own purpose or use and is characterised by location (where something is located on the Earth’s surface), spatial distribution (pattern resulting from the arrangement of phenomena on the Earth’s surface) and spatial organisation (how phenomena are arranged on the Earth’s surface, and why). These key concepts provide valuable insights into the nature of Geography because of their breadth of application to the content studied and the extent to which they are linked to other significant ideas within the subject (Bennett, 2010, p. 38). They help to anchor the subject by giving it a greater coherence, and the students’ reference to these concepts in their answers would enhance the quality of geographical thinking in their essay.

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Guiding Students in Writing Data Response Answers Using Bloom’s Taxonomy for Critical Thinking

Author/s:

Ong Ka Min

Ong Ka Min (Yuan Ching Secondary School (Singapore) ) Arulushamaheswary D/O Anbalagan (Yuan Ching Secondary School (Singapore)) Keywords Geography Junior College Secondary School Student Learning Abstract This study focuses on improving students’ ability to respond to data response questions with two or more variables – in particular, students’ ability to describe and compare the data given in […]

Ong Ka Min (Yuan Ching Secondary School (Singapore) )
Arulushamaheswary D/O Anbalagan (Yuan Ching Secondary School (Singapore))

Keywords
Geography
Junior College
Secondary School
Student Learning

Abstract
This study focuses on improving students’ ability to respond to data response questions with two or more variables – in particular, students’ ability to describe and compare the data given in data response questions. Based on Bloom’s Taxonomy, a step-by-step guide was crafted on how to approach these type of questions. The methodology used was quantitative data derived from pre- and post-tests, and a qualitative analysis of the post-test scripts. For this research, we picked Secondary 5 Normal (Academic) students who showed difficulty in coping with data response questions that have two or more variables. We found that the guide was useful in scaffolding writing answers for the students. However, while students were able to apply the lower stages of the guide, they were not able to spiral their critical thinking skills to higher levels of Bloom’s Taxonomy.

Introduction
The Desired Outcomes of Education (DOE) serve as a guide to teachers in crafting their teaching goals. The development of the attributes stated under the DOE are believed to be key in ensuring that our students are able to thrive in the challenging climate of the 21^st Century. One of the ways in which the DOE can be achieved through Geography is through the development of students’ perspectives on Geographical issues by analysing data and information to critically arrive at reasoned conclusions. As such, part of the learning outcomes of the Upper Secondary Geography curriculum (CPDD, 2013) is the development of the following skills:

Extract relevant information from geographical data
Interpret and recognize patterns in geographical data and deduce relationships
Analyse, evaluate and synthesize geographical data to make informed and sound decisions.

As the types of geographical data that students have to work with vary, we felt that providing a structured thinking process would help to scaffold students’ writing, and help them to answer data response questions better.

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Classroom Conversation: The Use Of Discussion-Based Strategy In The History Classroom

Author/s:

Jane Choong

Jane Choong (Tanglin Secondary School (Singapore), National Institute of Education (Singapore)) Keywords History Secondary School Discussion-Based Introduction In Historical Thinking and Other Unnatural Acts, Sam Wineburg argued that historical thinking “in its deepest forms, is neither a natural process nor something that springs automatically from psychological development” (2001: 7). He proposed that in order to understand and grapple […]

Jane Choong (Tanglin Secondary School (Singapore), National Institute of Education (Singapore))

Keywords
History
Secondary School
Discussion-Based

Introduction
In Historical Thinking and Other Unnatural Acts, Sam Wineburg argued that historical thinking “in its deepest forms, is neither a natural process nor something that springs automatically from psychological development” (2001: 7). He proposed that in order to understand and grapple with the past, we must change our existing mental structures. In reality, however, Singapore teachers often find themselves “telling history” to their students, as if particular stories about the past can be told in a linear manner or told through a given narrative. The idea that students would need to learn how to mentally wrestle with unfamiliar content, and to also become competent at requisite examination skills that demonstrate proficiency in managing the specified content, may perhaps seem an unfeasible expectation. But, as Wineburg maintained, historical thinking is “an unnatural act” – it requires students to think about the past in a way that goes against how they ordinarily think. Such an approach involves getting students to think about the past in a methodical way and enabling them to make sense of the past using disciplinary lenses. The inability to take on this approach in the history classroom may lead teachers to resort to the very familiar strategy which is to “tell history”, or what I would call “shouting history” at students.

As a history educator, “shouting history” may seem like a terrible notion but it has become a necessary method in our bag of tools. When we teach history to some of our weaker learners, we may find ourselves spending a lot of time getting these students to repeatedly recall materials already covered in previous lessons. When faced with such challenges, it may be easy for us to make certain assumptions about these students: that they are struggling with the subject because they do not read history sufficiently, or that the content is too much for them to digest in a short time, or that they lacked the language skills to comprehend historical sources. These difficulties are indeed real issues that confound students and impede their ability to learn history well. Yet, there are students who also may be “too lazy to think” as they prefer to simply wait for the teacher to give them the “correct answer”. The fact that they are working with the notion of “correct answers” not only points to certain flawed assumptions these students may hold about history, but also their understanding about the nature of historical study. So, why is learning history challenging for students? Is it challenging because it involves the learning of an overwhelming amount of factual details, or is it challenging because it is difficult to interpret sources in their specific historical contexts? I strongly believe it is the latter.

In this article, I am going to make two assumptions: first, that learning history is challenging because the past is not easy for students to picture or imagine; and second, that engaging in historical thinking is challenging for students because of the “unnatural” way students are expected to view the past. As history educators, we need to make this “unnatural act” more intuitive and instinctive so that we can develop students who are discerning in judgement and are able to think independently and critically about the world around them.

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Index

Lim Yi Xuan Debi

Authors List

Authors List

A Dialogic Teaching Approach: Talk Moves to Deepen Students’ Understanding in the Geography Classroom

The Role of Geographical Investigations In Developing Students’ Cognitive Thinking

Incorporating Mediated Learning Experience in Geography Lessons

Sampling in Geographical Fieldwork Using GIS Techniques

How Does Formative, Written Feedback Help Students Improve Their Geographical Writing

Developing a Writing Framework to Guide Students’ Writing in Geography

Guiding Students in Writing Data Response Answers Using Bloom’s Taxonomy for Critical Thinking

Classroom Conversation: The Use Of Discussion-Based Strategy In The History Classroom

HSSE Online

HSSE Online