Page 18 - Education Change and Economic Development: The Case of Singapore Dr. Goh Chor Boon National Institute of Education, Nanyang Technological University

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discipline, in a thinking curriculum, students develop a deep understanding of

core concepts and the processes. It provides in-depth learning and gives students
the tools - the perspectives and methodologies and concepts - they need to carry
out authentic tasks. In addition, a thinking curriculum is often interdisciplinary

in approach, cutting across many school subjects and oriented towards problem
solving, decision making, and critical and creative thinking. Teaching pedagogy
now shifts strongly towards Inquiry-based teaching and learning - a form

of active learning that starts by posing questions, problems or scenarios and
orientates towards problem solving, decision making, and critical and creative
thinking. The key task for the teacher is to get students to learn to think, to learn
to learn, and to critically assess a situation. In short, teaching students how to

learn on their own.
Schools also take on an applied learning or authentic experience

approach. As part of Singapore’s innovation-led growth strategy, schools have
23
introduced Applied Learning Programmes (ALP). Applied Learning refers to an
approach that emphasises authentic and practice-oriented learning experiences,
and is not necessarily restricted to vocational or technical education. It gives

students additional opportunities to acquire skills and qualities based on the
practical application of knowledge in real-world contexts, and strongly supports

our focus on developing 21st century competencies and values in our students.
Applied Learning provides hands-on or experiential learning for students
to enact authentic scenarios and equips students with the skills to engage in
the practical application of knowledge. It could also involve partnering the

industry, community, institutions of higher learning. Under the ALP, schools
offer to students a range of “Applied Subjects”, such as Coding and Computing,

23 http://www.moe.gov/education/secondary/applied-learning