The emergence of a modern teacher education system in Singapore can be traced to 1950 when the Teachers Training College (TTC) was established. The TTC was a separate entity from the School of Education at the University of Singapore. Rapid economic growth in the 1970s and 80s necessitated changes to upgrade the education system, such that school…

This chapter describes the landscape of formal internship programmes available in our Singapore education context. Focusing on internship programmes offered by the three main types of institutions that define the Post-Secondary Education Institutional (PSEI) space in Singapore, Universities, Polytechnics, and the Institute of Technical Education,…

In support for the need of an innovative twenty-first century learning environment in schools, the emergence of the maker movement in education has been viewed as a strategic approach for the global knowledge-based society. The approach of making in learning is still relatively new, but emerging research has documented how making environments…

In times of uncertainty, university faculties have a duty to prepare school leaders to handle complexity, as the number of variables in the educational system and the interactivity of variables increase exponentially. The Leaders in Education Program (LEP) is a 6-month full-time program at the Singapore National Institute of Education (NIE, which…

This report illustrates how four high-performing systems--British Columbia (Canada), Hong Kong, Shanghai (China) and Singapore--developed their teacher professional learning. The report and accompanying materials are designed as a resource for teachers, school leaders and policymakers wanting to improve teacher professional learning in their…

Statistics indicate that demographically, Singapore's minority Malay community, unlike the other ethnic groups in the small multicultural, multi-religious island-state, has yet to 'mature' and contribute fully to the country's economy. A subsequent argument is thus made on the need to ensure that learners from the community be developed in the…

Internationalization becomes increasingly important in higher education in a globalized world. Exporting higher education services by recruiting overseas students is an integral facet of internationalization of higher education. It not only helps develop the place as an education hub but also facilitate internationalized environment of higher…

Singapore, a tiny island nation, rose from 3rd- to 1st-world status in just 3 decades. Unlike in most developed countries, counseling in Singapore has a short history with faith-based beginnings and currently faces challenges to remain culturally relevant. The authors trace the development of Singapore's counseling services, provide an update…

Cognizant of the research gap in the theorization of mobile learning, this paper conceptually explores how the theories and methodology of self-regulated learning (SRL), an active area in contemporary educational psychology, are inherently suited to address the issues originating from the defining characteristics of mobile learning: enabling…

In this paper, the authors describe their experience of establishing an action research/learning-based doctoral program in Singapore by an Australian university, which was designed to help managers get academic accreditation while solving workplace problems. The program was designed by four managers working in Singapore and their supervisors.…

Presents some observations from both mentors and proteges involved in a formal mentoring program at the National Institute of Education in Singapore. Data showed that the mentor/protege relationship is best initiated in an informal environment, thrives on clearly communicated expectations, moves through developmental and interpersonal stages, and…

Prior to 1960 vocational and technical education in Singapore received little attention. After Singapore attained self-government in 1959, a policy of diversification to accelerate economic growth through industrialization was adopted. The emphasis then shifted to technical education and training. In 1964 there was a significant move towards the…

Examines the role of mentors in providing individual tutoring and support in the field of creative writing. The organization of mentorship programs is explained and the Creative Arts Program, a two-level Singapore program that provides mentors to secondary and junior college students, is described. (Author/CR)

The challenge of preparing engineering graduates for a fast-changing work environment calls for the development of thinking programmes. A psychological basis was used to develop the tenets of the approach. The Cognitive Modifiability Intervention (CMI) was rationalized and conceived as a corollary of observations of learning scenarios and an…

Background: In 2005, the North Zone Clusters of Schools made action research their niche development project with the aim of equipping the teachers with conceptual understanding and skills in conducting action research. Training workshops were mounted in seven centres. This is the first time action research is promoted en mass among Singapore as a…