Director’sAddress2018

Special Edition:What We HaveAchieved in 2018

DEC 2018 - FEB 2019

In this issue, Prof Pam Grossman shares three essential qualities of future-ready teachers. They are: life-long learning, adaptability and openness. These dispositions, along with a future-ready mindset, could be found in the portrait feature on NIE student, Danial bin Mazlan. His passion for life-long learning and his interest in marine-biology research have prepared him to be a more effective teacher.

As the education landscape evolves, a future-ready teacher must be adaptive and open-minded to seize opportunities for self-improvement. The ability to imagine a future classroom that supports the roles of teachers as facilitators, as shown in the design by TSP first-year student, Yew Ning, exemplifies this. The incorporation of technology to assist student learning is another example of adaptability and openness.

This can be seen in the project by Assoc Prof Koh Koon Teck, Head of the Physical Education and Sports Science Academic Group, and Mr Louis Ho from Seng Kang Secondary School. Another exemplar would be the collaboration between our English Language colleagues and NIE’s Centre for Innovation in Learning to develop the Scenarios for Language Teaching in Contexts (SLATE) for student teachers of the English Language Curriculum Studies programme.

We should indeed celebrate the many good works by dedicated NIE staff and student teachers in this issue.

Contents | EDITOR’S NOTE |04 TIMETABLE Events From December 2018 - February 2019

05 INTERACTION Bringing SALT To Cambodia

06 - 09 REPORT CARD Applications For Exchange Programmes Go Online Encouraging The Use Of Mother Tongues International Symposium On Educational Leadership Sharing IoT@NIE With Overseas Visitors 13th CJ Koh Professor Discusses Future-Readiness In Teacher Education, Teaching And Learning Virtual NIE Library Becomes Reality Action Research Workshops @ Rosyth School Singaporeans And Bruneians Among LEP Graduates Remembering The Late Mr E.W. Barker Strategies For Improved Student Well-Being

10 - 23 ESSAYS Director’s Address 2018: A Future-Ready National Institute Of Education Reimagining The Classroom Of The Future The 3 Essential Qualities Of Future-Ready Teachers

24 PORTRAIT Learning To Stay Relevant As Future Teachers

27 BOOKWORM Wtf: What’s The Future And Why It’s Up To Us Small Victories: The Real World Of A Teacher, Her Students, And Their High School The Feedback Fix: Dump The Past, Embrace The Future, And Lead The Way To Change? Life Lessons Harry Potter Taught Me: Discover The Magic Of Friendship, Family, Courage And Love In Your Life

28 RECESS TIME Teacher’s Digital Pet: Top 5 Apps For Blended Classrooms

30 INTERACTION #NIESOCIAL

NIEWS is a publication of the Public, International and Alumni Relations (PIAR) Department, National Institute of Education, Nanyang Technological University, Singapore.

No part of this publication may be reproduced or transmitted in any form or any means without written permission from the publisher.

EDITORIAL TEAMEditorKehk Bee Lian Editorial TeamAdelin Toh, Tan Jiun Jia andthe team from PIAR

CONTACTt (65) 6316 1498 f (65) 6896 8874 e niews@nie.edu.sg

Kehk Bee Lian

How can we prepare for the future if we do not know what the future would be? The inherent irony in this question may stir us to think deeper about what it means to be

‘ future-ready’ as an institution. During her Director’s Address for 2018, Prof Goh aptly pointed out that being future-ready is a ‘state-of-mind’. Indeed, it is this critical mindset that has seen human achievements and evolvement throughout history. Such a mindset

is even more pertinent in current times for teachers.

www.nie.edu.sg/OTE

Office of Teacher EducationNurturing Tomorrow’s Educators

10

15

24

www.nie.edu.sg/OER

Office of Education ResearchResearch Empowers

www.nie.edu.sg/GPL

Office of Graduate Studies & Professional LearningLearning Differently, Leading Change

Talk To Us!Interested to contribute

articles or share feedback with the editorial team? Get in

touch at niews@nie.edu.sg.

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| TIMETABLE |

Bringing SALTTo Cambodia

| INTERACTION |

The Service and Leadership Training (SALT) programme stems from NIE’s goal to provide its student teachers with a unique opportunity for both personal development and international exposure in interdisciplinary training through overseas immersion experiences. Participants get to explore different facets of leadership by learning to conceptualise, plan and execute community projects, and to work independently and in teams to create meaningful learning experiences.

For the first time, Phnom Penh, Cambodia, was the chosen destination for this annual experiential programme. Ten student teachers across NIE’s Bachelor Degree, Postgraduate Diploma in Education (PDGE) and Diploma programmes took part in the trip led byAssoc Prof Chow Jia Yi, Assoc Dean for Programme & Student Development, with support from Asst Prof Leong Wei Shin, Asst Dean for Degree and Student Life. The trip was organised in collaboration with NIE’s overseas community service partner, Sangkhoem Khmer (SKK), a non-profit organisation devoted to improving living standards among poor communities in Cambodia through the building of human capital.

The trip’s co-student leaders, Ms Ding Soo Juan, BA (Ed) Year 2, and Ms Eunice Leong, BSc (Ed) Year 2, led their teammates in the project planning and pre-trip coordination, which included preparing lesson plans, organising donation drives and procuring teaching materials. For the first time, participants were also

DECEMBER 20184 - 11

JANUARY201926

DECEMBER 201811 & 14

JENESYS2018 Culture and Art Exchange in Japan with Embassy of Japan

HeadHunt PostgradMasterclass 2019

NTU Improvised First AidAwareness Workshop

FEBRUARY 201913

FEBRUARY 201923

Beginning Teachers Workshop: Getting started with meaningful online tools for teaching and learning

NIE Staff Lunch

tasked to design a Mobile Trail learning activity that would expose them to Cambodia’s rich culture and heritage even before the trip. The planning and design of the mobile platform would equip student teachers with experience in the use of such technologies and pedagogical approaches in designing learning for their own students in the future.

At the SKK learning centre, the student teachers conducted classroom lessons and interacted with the children through basketball, frisbee and other games. English lessons, taught through a mix of teaching aids, song & dance, and art & craft, were a hit with the children. The older youths were inspired to achieve bigger dreams through one-on-one engagement with our student teachers.

Mr Ler Jun Yi, PDGE (Physical Education) Year 1, felt the experience has better prepared him as a teacher. “Seeing how teaching further enforces values made me more confident about giving my all to this noble profession,” he said. Daily reflections facilitated by Assoc Prof Chow helped the participants to think about what they’ve learned. Ms Eunice Leong commented, “The sessions helped me consolidate my thoughts and learning points for the day.”

The next edition of SALT Cambodia will be in January 2019 and there is even the possibility of a new SALT project in Siem Reap!

Find out more here:

04 05

Check out the video by scanning this

QR Code

Student teachers can now apply for exchange programmes through the Integrated Student andAcademic Administration System (ISAAC), thanks to an initiative by the International & School Partnerships unit of Office Of Teacher Education in collaboration with the ISAAC team. The unit also produced an informative video offering tips on the online application process and other administrative procedures.

“Language Learning Is Fun” was the theme of the NIE booth at this year’s Mother Tongue Languages Symposium (MTLS) held on 18 August 2018. Faculty and student teachers from the Chinese, Malay and Tamil language divisions under the Asian Languages and Cultures Academic Group took the opportunity to introduce innovative activities to inculcate the development of children’s interest in MTL books, enhance their reading skills, and to nurture the joy of learning. Ms Low Yen Ling, Senior Parliamentary Secretary for Ministry of Education and Ministry of Manpower, was guest of honour at the symposium.

Applications For Exchange Programmes Go Online

Encouraging The Use Of Mother Tongues

13th CJ Koh Professor Discusses Future-Readiness In TeacherEducation, Teaching And Learning

Assoc Prof David Ng, Head of Academic Quality at NIE, was among a select group of thought leaders at the International Symposium on Educational Leadership, a forum for leading educational jurisdictions to discuss and share perspectives on educational leadership. Assoc Prof Ng was at the Bastow Institute of Educational Leadership in Victoria, Australia, where the symposium was held from 4 to 5 July 2018, at the invitation of Ms Gill Callister, Secretary of Victoria’s Department of Education and Training.

NIE’s Centre for Innovation in Learning (IN-Learning) recently played host to visiting delegates from the HEAD Foundation Indonesia and National Tsing Hua University, Taiwan. Our colleagues shared on NIE’s initiatives to harness the Internet of Things (IoT) for education, including its efforts to augment the delivery of pre-service courses such as Informal Science Learning Environments for Primary Science, Everyday Science in Foods and Elements of Physical Geography through IoT technologies.

Prof Pam Grossman, Dean of the Graduate School of Education at the University of Pennsylvania, was hosted by NIE from 24 to 28 September 2018 as the institute’s 13th CJ Koh Professor of Education. During her visit, she observed an

English lesson at a secondary school, engaged with our pre-service student teachers and our graduate students, and called on Ms Indranee Rajah, Minister in the Prime Minister’s Office, and Second Minister for Finance and Education. She also delivered a lecture on future-ready teachers to education policy makers, educators and education leaders, and a seminar on future-ready teacher education for NIE faculty and staff.

Scan QR Code to access previous CJ KohProfessorial Lectures.

In this section, we highlight NIE news and events over the last quarter.Read the full articles in the latest issue of NIEWS online or

scan this QR code.

(L-R) Mr Sunny Sitoe, Ms Lau JiaLing, Ms Fong Xue Ying, Mr Benny Lam, Assoc Prof Lim Kam Ming, Ms Arputharajan Devi and Ms Michelle Lim.

Senior Parliamentary Secretary Ms Low Yen Ling (in red jacket) with visitors and participants at the NIE booth.

Future of Learning – IoT@NIE

(L-R) Ms Loh Pek Mee, Mr Sunny Sitoe,Ms Michelle Lim andMr Henry Ngoh

| REPORT CARD | | REPORT CARD |

International Symposium On Educational Leadership

Sharing IoT@NIEWith OverseasVisitors

06 07

| REPORT CARD | | REPORT CARD |

Virtual NIE Library Becomes Reality

Action ResearchWorkshops @ Rosyth School

A team comprising Mr Douglas Lau, Ms Sandie Loo, Mr Jacky Wong and Mrs Wan-Yeoh Seok Kwan from the NIE Library has won second prize for a poster presentation entitled “Library Tour Using Virtual Reality and Augmented Reality: The NIE Library Experience”. The poster event took place at the World Library and Information Congress organised by the International Federation of Library Associationsand Institutions.

A nine-month Action Research workshop series for teachers of Rosyth School came to a close in September. Conducted by NIE Research Scientist Dr Lee Shu Shing, the workshops aimed to equip the teachers with research competencies to address classroom issues, refine teaching practices and ultimately improve students’ learning. The experience proved beneficial to both students and teachers alike. Go online to check out some of the interventions implemented by the workshop participants to motivate and improve learning!

The E.W. Barker Challenge is an annual sports event held in memory of the late Mr E.W. Barker and his contributions to the local sporting scene. Comprising a fusion of cross-fit exercises and an obstacle course, this year’s challenge on 28 March 2018 at NIE drew 80 participants. The prestigious E.W. Barker Scholarship was also presented on that day to Ms Low Hui Min and Mr Keith Saw, both Sport Science and Management students. Ms Carla Barker and Ms Deborah Barker, daughters of the late Mr Barker, were the guestsof honour.

Twenty-five school leaders from Singapore and Brunei Darussalam have successfully completed the six-month full-time NIE Leaders in Education Programme (LEP). In the spotlight this year were three award winners, Mr Teo Kok Hong, Mr Koh Lip Kang and Madam Hoo Wei Che, Delia, who were each recognised for their respective achievements during the LEP. Ms Indranee Rajah, Minister in the Prime Minister’s Office, and Second Minister for Finance and Education, was the guest of honour at the graduation dinner held on 10 October 2018.

The Office of Education Research, in collaboration with the Academy of Singapore Teachers, organised a seminar on student well-being on 10 September 2018. In her opening address, Assoc Prof Caroline Koh, Head of NIE’s Psychological Studies Academic Group, remarked that students could be encouraged to promote their own well-being while educators contribute ideas that enable the students to flourish. Presentations by NIE faculty were focused on how student well-being can be supported through enhanced motivation, improved engagement and by embracing positive values and traits, such as resilience. The seminar drew over 350 teachers, school leaders as well as policymakers.

Touch to Discover the Hidden Content!

Speakers of the seminar.

The upbeat crowd from the E.W. Barker Challenge 2018.The class of 25 participants from Singapore and Brunei Darussalam graduated from the Leaders in Education Programme (LEP) on the 10 October 2018.

Dr Lee Shu Shing withworkshop participants.

Head LIBRIS, Mrs Wan-Yeoh Seok Kwan & team presented the poster at the above conference in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia from 24-30 August 2018

Strategies For ImprovedStudent Well-Being

Remembering The Late Mr E.W. Barker

Singaporeans And Bruneians AmongLEP Graduates

08 09

| ESSAYS || ESSAYS |

Director’s Address 2018:

A Future-Ready National Institute

Of EducationBy the Office of Strategic Planning

& Academic Quality

Prof Christine Goh unveiled the NIE Strategic Vision 2022 (NIE 2022) with the theme, ‘A Future-Ready National Institute of Education’ at her inaugural NIE Director’s Address on 27 August 2018. The annual address, attended by nearly 600 faculty and staff, was held at LT 1 and simulcast to LT2 and LT12.

NIE 2022 was developed over three years of planning and consultation with internal and external key stakeholders. It outlined the Institute’s strategic priorities for its next lap of growth.

Along with the unveiling of NIE 2022, Prof Goh presented the renewed NIE Vision and NIE Mission statements. Both statements had been updated in consultation with the NIE 2022 strategic taskforces and special committees. The updated statements reflected NIE’s current strategic directions and the need to maintain its relevance in the evolving education landscape.

The focus on continuous improvement and innovation is underscored by the theme for NIE 2022, which highlights the need for all NIE faculty and staff to adopt a future-ready mindset. Prof Goh shared that ‘future-readiness’ is a state-of-mind.It is imperative for NIE and all members of its faculty and staff to strive for continuous improvement and be ready to take on new opportunities and challenges. Continued next page.

NIE VISIONAn Institute of Distinction: Leading the Future of Education

NIE MISSIONInspiring Learning, Transforming Teaching, Advancing Research

NIE 2022A FUTURE-READY NATIONAL INSTITUTE OF EDUCATION

Developing “life-long, life-deep, life-wide and life-wise” programmes and pedagogies

Leading and exemplifying learning technologies and innovations in pedagogies

Developing an overarching institutional research strategy

and strengthening the research-practice nexus

Boosting the visibility of NIE’s strengths and achievements through our key stakeholders

such as MOE and NTU

Deepening affiliations withboth regional and

international partners

Strengthening alumni relations toward a life-long NIE affiliation

Developing a culture of trust and a growth and solutions mindset

to support NIE’s mission

Investing in faculty and staff professional development and

developing enablers fortalent attraction

Bolstering supportand structures for

programmes, research and administrative excellence

PROGRAMMES &RESEARCH

PARTNERSHIPS & NETWORKS

PEOPLE & INSTITUTIONAL

CAPACITY

10 11

| ESSAYS |

Director’s Address 2018:

A Future-Ready National Institute Of Education (continued)

Prof Low Ee Ling (Dean for Teacher Education), Prof John Wang (Dean for Graduate Studies and Professional Learning), Prof David Hung (Dean for Education Research), Prof Rebecca Ang (Dean for Academic and Faculty Affairs) and Assoc Prof Chang Chew Hung (Chief Planning Officer) also took turns to present a preview of some of the key strategic initiatives that their units are planning to implement for NIE 2022. The NIE senior leadership then fielded questions from the audience.

In her closing remarks, Prof Goh thanked every faculty and staff who had contributed towards the current success of NIE. Recounting Alice’s encounter with the Cheshire Cat from Lewis Carroll’s book, Alice in Wonderland, Prof Goh highlighted the importance of having a clear sense of where one wants to go so as to channel our energies in the right direction. She urged all members of the NIE faculty and staff to pull together in the same direction to achieve the NIE Strategic Vision 2022 of a “Future-Ready National Institute of Education”.

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5 APRIL 1 JULY

11 JULY9 may 28 may

Launch of the NIE Visitors Learning Centre

(NIEVLC) by the then Minister for Education (Schools), Mr Ng Chee

Meng and Professor Tan Oon Seng during the

Caring Teacher Awards Ceremony.

Our ninth NIE Director,Professor Christine Goh.

NTU President, Professor Subra Suresh,Mrs Suresh, Provost and Vice President (Academic) Professor Ling San and Professor Tan Oon Seng at the unveiling of the NIE Visitors Learning Centre.

Launch of the Internet of �ings @ NIE (IoT@NIE) Learning Lab, a three-year partnership with Infocomm Media Development Authority of Singapore to provide educators and learners a platform to co-design IoT learning experiences. It also creates opportunities for educators to “Explore, Experiment and Evolve”.

Our �rst batch of graduates of theNTU-NIE Teaching Scholars Programme.

2018 is �nally drawing to a close. Here’s a look back at some of the highlights and events that have made

us proud members of NIE.

As the push towards a future-ready NIE continues in the year ahead, we're excited to be riding the

wave of change with a new senior leadership team at the helm. We’re also excited to be part of a strategic

vision that emphasises quality programmes and research, strong partnerships and networks, as well

as people and institutional excellence.

Here’s to 2019!PULL THIS OUTRemember to detach this special centrefold that comes exclusively with your print edition!

8-12 January

8 March

NIE hosted the 31st International Congress for School E�ectiveness and Improvement (ICSEI) where the then Minister for Education (Schools), Mr Ng Chee Meng o�ciated the opening ceremony.

Our colleagues from Asian Languages and Cultures Academic Group at the launch of the inaugural symposium on Innovative Teaching and Learning of Mother Tongue Languages.

5 APRIL

9 may 28 may

Launch of the NIE Visitors Learning Centre

(NIEVLC) by the then Minister for Education (Schools), Mr Ng Chee

Meng and Professor Tan Oon Seng during the

Caring Teacher Awards Ceremony.

NTU President, Professor Subra Suresh,Mrs Suresh, Provost and Vice President (Academic) Professor Ling San and Professor Tan Oon Seng at the unveiling of the NIE Visitors Learning Centre.

1 JULY 12 JULY

11 JULY

Our ninth NIE Director,Professor Christine Goh.

Launch of the Internet of �ings @ NIE (IoT@NIE) Learning Lab, a three-year partnership with Infocomm Media Development Authority of Singapore to provide educators and learners a platform to co-design IoT learning experiences. It also creates opportunities for educators to “Explore, Experiment and Evolve”.

Our �rst batch of graduates of theNTU-NIE Teaching Scholars Programme.

�e inaugural cohort of graduates from the extended Postgraduate Diploma in Education Programmes (PGDE).

27 SEPTEMBER

�e inaugural cohort of graduates from the Master of Arts in Professional Education (Training and Development) Programme.24 JULY

Our 13th C J Koh Professor, Professor Pam Grossman, Dean of the Graduate School of Education, University of Pennsylvania.

8-12 January

8 March

NIE hosted the 31st International Congress for School E�ectiveness and Improvement (ICSEI) where the then Minister for Education (Schools), Mr Ng Chee Meng o�ciated the opening ceremony.

Our colleagues from Asian Languages and Cultures Academic Group at the launch of the inaugural symposium on Innovative Teaching and Learning of Mother Tongue Languages.

5 APRIL 1 JULY 12 JULY

11 JULY9 may 28 may

Launch of the NIE Visitors Learning Centre

(NIEVLC) by the then Minister for Education (Schools), Mr Ng Chee

Meng and Professor Tan Oon Seng during the

Caring Teacher Awards Ceremony.

Our ninth NIE Director,Professor Christine Goh.

NTU President, Professor Subra Suresh,Mrs Suresh, Provost and Vice President (Academic) Professor Ling San and Professor Tan Oon Seng at the unveiling of the NIE Visitors Learning Centre.

Launch of the Internet of �ings @ NIE (IoT@NIE) Learning Lab, a three-year partnership with Infocomm Media Development Authority of Singapore to provide educators and learners a platform to co-design IoT learning experiences. It also creates opportunities for educators to “Explore, Experiment and Evolve”.

Our �rst batch of graduates of theNTU-NIE Teaching Scholars Programme.

�e inaugural cohort of graduates from the extended Postgraduate Diploma in Education Programmes (PGDE).

27 SEPTEMBER

�e inaugural cohort of graduates from the Master of Arts in Professional Education (Training and Development) Programme.24 JULY

Our 13th C J Koh Professor, Professor Pam Grossman, Dean of the Graduate School of Education, University of Pennsylvania.

| ESSAYS |

Reimagining The Classroom Of The Future

Yew Ning, First-Year Teaching Scholars Programme

Flipped Learning In Physical Education

Never Teach Secondary EL Again From A Blank Slate

How will a future classroom look like to the students, student teachers, teachers and faculty? NIEWS checks out with a few people to catch a glimpse of what might be installed in the future for all of us: a student teacher’s vision of the future learning space; a teacher’s use of technology to transform PE learning; and a faculty’s effort to capture teaching experience for online learning.

Can physical education (PE) benefit from digital technology? An ICT trial conducted by PESS paves the way for the use of technology as a new pedagogical approach to enhance student learning in PE.

For a freshly minted teacher, the transition from NIE to classroom can often be daunting. No matter how well-prepared a teacher is, schools always seem to surprise even the most seasoned teacher.

A typical response from student teachers returning from practicum was that ‘teaching is so much more complicated in reality’. It was this feedback that inspired Postgraduate Diploma in Education (Secondary) English Language colleagues to collaborate with NIE’s Centre for Innovation in Learning to develop the Scenarios for Language Teaching in Contexts (SLATE) for studentteachers of the English Language (EL) Curriculum Studies programme.

What exactly is SLATE? And what do student teachers have to say about it?

| ESSAYS |

1. Classroom Collaboration tools that enhance teacher-student engagement. An example is MyndShare, an annotation software that can facilitate instant sharing of information and make learning fun and responsive. Watch a demo here

2. Collaborative space that changes the way learners interact with one another when they come together to solve complex problems.

3. Makerspace is a platform for learners to unleash their creativity with hands-on work.

4. Presentation room where learners share and vocalise their ideas using smart screens.

5. Urban Farming is a space for learners to acquire knowledge on urban agriculture through Science in practice.

A former architecture student, Yew Ning, has a keen interest on futuristic designs. She believes that redefining modern education should start with transforming the traditional classroom space. For example, learning spaces could be created to encourage the development of students’ creativity and social interaction. In her free time, you may catch Yew Ning singing in cafés, strumming away on the guitar or cameoing as a Jedi master at events.

Assoc Prof Koh Koon Teck, Head, Physical Education and Sports Science (PESS) Academic Group

Mr Louis Ho, Seng Kang Secondary School

As Education evolves, the design of a classroom must meet the needs of the modern learners. My vision of the Classroom of the Future will ideally have five fundamental spaces to suit the needs of today’s learners who are processing information differently.

Scan here toread more online

Scan here toread more online

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| ESSAYS |

The 3 Essential Qualities Of Future-Ready TeachersBy Prof Pam Grossman, Dean of Graduate School of Education at University of Pennsylvania andNIE’s 13th CJ Koh Professor

Preparing teachers for an unpredictable future requires LLAO (Lifelong Learning, Adaptability and Openness). These are requisites to build the capacity of teachers, and in turn, their students, to adapt and thrive in a constantly evolving world.

constructive feedback and support. Such communities of practice are common in solo practices like clinical psychology. By centring around common problems of practice and creating a safe space for learning, the community allows its members to benefit from one another’s insights and experience.

AdaptabilityIn today’s world characterised by pervasive technological innovations, teachers need to be flexible in the way they think and learn to adapt themselves and their class to the constant change. Every student brings new opportunities for teachers to learn about how best to adapt their approach to the student’s unique interests and approach to learning. Because teaching is so complex, teachers need to developand hone adaptive expertise, in which they are constantly evolving and tailoring their approach to new challenges.

OpennessTo embark on a journey of lifelong learning and adaptability, teachers need an open mind to learn and a humble heart to receive feedback. Although critical thinking is already an integral part in most educational systems where teachers are taught to interrogate their thinking and be aware of blind spots, schools of education can facilitate this discovery process by giving teachers opportunities to learn or

teach in other classrooms, schools and even school systems. Through such immersive experience in different settings, teachers can gain useful, personal insights in their teaching approach. It can help them contextualise their roles and achieve a better understanding of their abilities to fulfil those roles.

The schools and classrooms of the future will no doubt create great opportunities for learning. Possessing these three qualities is just a start. Practising and student teachers alike will have to learn to work together to solve new problems that will increasingly require interdisciplinary knowledge and project-based learning. Only through adequate and careful preparation can we prepare a faculty of teachers capable of leading our children to a promising future.

Education is essential for any progressive society. Through skills and knowledge, everything else can be made possible. What one has learnt will also stay with you throughout your entire life, enriching your life experience and even those of others.

Right at the heart of every education system are the teachers. They have an incredible responsibility for the future of any society. In preparing the next generations of students, who will eventually create the future, teachers have a unique opportunity to influence and shape the lives of students for the better. In preparing teachers for their important roles and continuing to support them throughout their careers, universities also contribute to the future of the society.

The Singapore education system provides a successful model of a coherent instructional system with a coherent system of teacher development. The National Institute of Education provides both basic education to aspiring teachers and continuing professional education to practising teachers. On one hand, it equips teachers for immediate requirements of the classroom, and on the other, prepares teachers for unexpected demands of the future. The emphasis on continual learning is key to keeping teachers updated in areas such as content and teaching techniques and developing a sustainable, future-ready educational system that can span the entire 30-40 years of a teaching career.

Today, with change happening at a faster pace than

ever before, it has become even more pressing for education systems to build resilience into their educational programme and curricula. To prepare teachers for the unknowable demands of the future requires developing their capacities for lifelong learning, adaptability, and openness.

Lifelong LearningAll teachers should possess the passion to know about the world around them, about their students and their interests, about the content being taught, about teaching as an evolving and complex practice, and also about themselves as effective teachers.

Classroom enquiry is a good way for teachers to learn about the effectiveness of their teaching methods. By collecting data of their lessons and analysing the feedback individually or with their peers, they can work with colleagues to improve the quality of teaching and learning. For student teachers, methods that allow new teachers to try out new pedagogies, such as rehearsals and other approximations of practice (Grossman, 2018) can be used to provide critical feedback to improve their understanding and skill in teaching.

Teachers can also consider forming informal learning groups to discuss difficult cases and provide

| ESSAYS |

About Prof Pam Grossman

Prof Pam Grossman is the Dean of the Graduate School of Education at the University of Pennsylvania and NIE’s

13th CJ Koh Professor. Prior to U Penn, Prof Grossman was the Nomellini-Olivier

Professor of Education at Stanford University’s School of Education, where she founded the Center to Support Excellence in Teaching and established the Hollyhock Fellowship for early career teachers in underserved schools. A distinguished scholar, Prof Grossman studies teacher and professional education, teacher knowledge and the teaching of English in secondary schools. In addition to her research on teacher education, Prof Grossman is a committed teacher educator who has throughout her career prepared many student teachers for the demanding roles of their profession.

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| PORTRAIT | | PORTRAIT |

Learning To Stay Relevant As Future TeachersFor Danial Bin Mazlan, the winner of this year’s EXPLORE Young Marine Scientist Research Grant, marine biology is more than a hobby or interest – it has equipped him to become a better educator for the future.

Danial Bin Mazlan’s face lights up whenever he speaks about marine life. “I love anything to do with the sea,” the third-year Biology major said, recollecting memories of his father’s fish tank when he was a little boy. “I guess the fascination has been with me since young, as my parents loved taking me to the beach. I took up snorkelling when I was older, and the diving trips with family and friends have continued to fuel my interest. You could say marine biology is my favourite subject at NIE!” he added, for good measure.

It is a passion that has come a long way for Danial. This year, he was named the recipient of the 2018 EXPLORE Young Marine Scientist Research Grant, an award by the Singapore National Research Foundation’s Marine Science R&D Programme in partnership with the St John’s Island National Marine Laboratory. This is a funding initiative to encourage exploratory research as

well as nurture multi-disciplinary problem-solving skills and interest in marine science among youths.

“I honestly didn’t know that I could pursue marine biology as a subject until I’d entered NIE. I came here because I wanted to teach Biology, and my goal was to help students appreciate its concepts and change their impression of Biology as a memorisation subject,” Danial said, gesturing an air quote with his fingers.

Besides, Danial wasn’t interested in a desk-bound job – it’s the moving around in the great outdoors, the interactions with sun, sand and sea that bring a sparkle to his eyes. “I remember a field trip to Bintan with Dr Beverly Goh, our Diversity and Evolution lecturer in Year 1. We snorkelled during high tide to catch close-up views of the clams, corals and sponges we studied in class. And then when the tide receded, we did a coastal walk to catch different species of flatworms, starfishes, crabs and marine snails in action. The following year, I seized the opportunity to revisit Bintan with my juniors, and this time we saw many other marine creatures including jellyfish. The experience was truly amazing,” he marvelled.

Danial also credits Assoc Prof Shirley Lim and Dr Norman Lim for motivating his interest in Biology. He added: “The highlight for me was the visit to Changi Beach for our module on Animal Diversity and Evolution. We caught quite a few marine animals – flounders, crabs, starfishes, comb jellies, squid, cuttlefish and even an octopus – and after identifying them, we would release them back to the sea.”

There have been many other field trips to Sungei Buloh Wetland Reserve, and to Chek Jawa at Pulau Ubin, where

the sand dollar and carpet anemones were spotted as well. “Who would have thought that Singapore could have many marine species, especially since our seawater is so murky!” he exclaimed.

NIEWS wondered if there was any connection between these research excursions and a Future-Ready NIE. “To me, a Future-Ready NIE is one that aims to keep teachers updated and relevant for the future. Given the constant change in our natural environment, these field trips and the whole research process forced me to constantly ask questions and challenge assumptions. For example, while I’ve been researching oxidative stress levels of Nerita snails in various parts of Singapore, I’ve come to appreciate the broader ecological picture as these snails serve as biomarkers for the condition of our Singapore waters. That’s a valuable skill for Biology teachers to have, don’t you think?” Danial mused.

Danial also hopes to see more information technology incorporated into lesson plans and future classrooms, as well as more emphasis on education psychology, and more collaborative learning opportunities in a Future-Ready NIE. “It’s good to consider the hardware, but let’s not forget the heart-ware as NIE transforms for the future,” he quipped.

What does a Future-Ready NIE hold for the disciplines of Curriculum Research and Physics? Dr Leonel Lim and Associate Professor Rajdeep Singh Rawat share their insights in NIEWS online. Scan QR code to find out.

24 25

Life Lessons Harry Potter Taught Me: Discover The Magic Of Friendship, Family, Courage

And Love In Your Life

Looking for a good read but not sure where to start?Check out these book titles available at the NIE library.

| BOOKWORM |

Wtf: What’s The Future And Why It’s Up To UsBy Tim O’Reilly

Technology has brought great convenience to our lives. With smart phones, we can order food from the comfort of our homes, track every step we take and never get lost again. As technology becomes smarter, it begins to outperform humans in many areas. Many people fear that robots and artificial intelligence (AI) will one day take over our jobs. In his book, O’Reilly believes that technology may kill professions, but never jobs. He shares techniques culled from analysing past innovation waves, which can be used as a framework to decode today’s algorithm-based technologies and data-driven economies. He also urges businesses to do more for the society with technology and not just to cut costs to enrich shareholders. What’s the future? Why, it’s up to us! Ultimately, it would fall on us, as a society, to examine these choices and impacts on our future.

Call No.: HC79.T4 Ore

Small Victories: The Real World Of A Teacher, Her Students, And Their High School

The Feedback Fix: Dump The Past, Embrace The Future, And Lead The Way To Change

By Jill KolongowskiCall No.: PR6068.O93 Kol

By Joe HirschCall No.: HM1166 Hir

By Samuel G. FreedmanCall No.: LA222 Fre

The wave of Harry Potter fervour has not abated since we were first introduced to ‘The Boy Who Lived’ two decades ago. Kolongowski’s debut observes this phenomenon through a collection of personal essays and literary criticisms that shows how relatable Harry Potter is in many people’s life journeys–overcoming fear and obstacles, challenging expectations, embracing the power of friendships, and more. This book offers an engaging read, and for Harry Potter diehards, a nostalgic escape back into Hogwarts and its enchanting world of wizardry.

Why are people averse to performance appraisals? Why do supervisors shy away from giving negative feedback and why do employees ignore them? And why is it a bad idea to sandwich negative feedback between positive ones? New York Times bestselling author, Joe Hirsch, examines the failings of organisational feedback in bringing about desired improvements and change in organisations. He gives a refreshing take on shifting from feed-back which looks at the past to feed-forward to change the future. Using tools to help appraisees act upon the supervisors’ feedback to improve and develop relevant competency, and not just to document past performance, supervisors can transform unenthusiastic appraisals into empowering feedback.

This powerful 1990 classic is about the struggles, sacrifices, trials and triumphs of Jessica Siegel, an English teacher at Seward Park High School, one of the worst schools in Manhattan’s Lower East Side. A New York Times reporter, Samuel Freedman spent an entire academic year shadowing Jessica and her students and discovered a passionate and determined teacher who was unremitting in her efforts to help her students from difficult backgrounds overcome their problems at school and in life. Hampered by school bureaucracy and limited funding, Jessica managed to overcome seemingly insurmountable odds to create ‘small victories’ for her students and send 93% of her class to higher education. An absorbing and uplifting must-read for all teachers.

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Teacher’s Digital Pet:Top 5 Apps ForBlended ClassroomsTry out these free mobile apps that are gaining popularity with teachers.

Kahoot! is a game-based social learning platform that has become a popular learning aide in schools and educational institutions. Teachers can use it to design multiple-choice quizzes, which are projected onto a large screen where students can answer individually. Points are awarded to students to encourage fun and friendly competition.

KAHOOT!

Classkick is a web- and app-based assessment tool that allows teachers to create lessons and assignments that students can access from their mobile devices and work on at their own pace. Teachers can observe the progress and provide real-time feedback to the students. Students can also request help from their peers anonymously. Classkick combines personalised learning and cooperative learning to support a student-centred, blended classroom.

ClassDojo is great for communication among teachers, students and parents. Teachers are provided a range of nifty teaching tools like group maker, the radio, and timer. They can message parents directly on their children’s academic progress and behaviour in class. Students can create their own profiles, share images and stay updated on class activities. Parents can check in on what their children are learning as well as their classroom experience through photos, videos and announcements.

CLASSKICK

CLASSDOJO

Seesaw is an educational app that allows students to share assignments with their teachers, parents and fellow classmates. Students can use any means—take a photo or a video, annotate or narrate, draw or doodle, script or scribble—to show how they arrive at the conclusion or answer. This enables the teachers to understand their students’ thinking process and correct their mistakes. Teachers can collect assignments and track the students’ progress in Seesaw. Parents can also monitor their children’s progress directly online. The timely feedback from the teachers enables students to learn 21st century technology skills faster and more confidently.

SEESAW

Google Classroom is a Google web service that simplifies the creation, distribution and evaluation of assignments. It combines Google Drive for the creation and distribution of assignments, Google Docs, Sheets and Slides for content creation, Gmail for communication, and Google Calendar for scheduling. Teachers monitor the progress of each student online and can provide comments along with the grading of each assignment. Google Classroom supports a paperless classroom with the online sharing of files among teachers and students.

GOOGLE CLASSROOM

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NIEXKiss92Teachers’ Day Surprise

13th CJ Koh Professorial Public Lecture By Prof Pam Grossman, Dean Of The Graduate School Of Education, University Of Pennsylvania

Leaders InEducation Programme 2018 Dinner

In appreciation to all teachers, NIE collaborated with Kiss92 FM on a Teachers’ Day Contest. The winner, Kaleb Chew, a primary 6 student from Hong Wen School nominated his form teacher,Ms Cheryl Lee, in the contest and Kiss92 FM threw a surprise party for the class!

Scan the QR Code forhighlights of the party here:

We celebrated the graduation of 22 school leaders from Singapore and three school leaders from Brunei Darussalam from our Leaders in Education Programme (LEP) on 10th October 2018.

Scan the QR Code to relive the joyous moments of the Graduation Dinner here

Scan here for ourInstagram page.

MEMORIES@NIE

We welcomed our 13th CJ Koh Professor, Prof Pam Grossman, Dean of the Graduate School of Education, University of Pennsylvania in September.

Prof Grossman gave a lunch seminar titled “Future-Ready

Teacher Education for Future-Ready Teachers: An International Perspective” at both NIE and NTU@one-north Auditorium during her visit to NIE.

Find out more about ProfGrossman and her views onthe essential qualities ofFuture-Ready Teachers here

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