EZ LEARNING SYMPOSIUM

25 March 2020

Reimagining assessment - what matters most

The East Zone Centre of Excellence for Research (the R@EZ) hosted at Temasek Junior

College was launched on 20th Aug 2007. This zonal centre aims to provide support for our East

Zone colleagues who are keen to leverage upon research to hone their craft of teaching in areas

of curriculum design, pedagogy and assessment to enhance Teaching and Learning in their

schools. The COE is also broadening our support to build the capacity of key school personnel

in areas of curriculum leadership. The East Zone Learning Symposium provides opportunities

for teachers to share their research findings from their teaching experiences, innovative

pedagogies and good practices to enhance Teaching and Learning in their schools.

R@EZ Steering Committee, warmly welcomes education officers to this year’s EZ Learning

Symposium. We hope that you will have an enriching and meaningful afternoon.

Programme

1.00 – 2.00 pm Registration

2.00 – 2.10 pm Presentation of certificates by Mrs Wendy Lim, Zonal Director Schools (East)

2.10 – 2.50 pm Keynote address by A/P Mark Baildon, OER NIE 2.20 – 3.15 pm In-Conversation with Keynote Speaker 3.15 – 3.45 pm Tea Break 3.45 – 4.20 pm Concurrent Breakout Sessions A

4.25 – 5.00 pm Concurrent Breakout Sessions B

Concurrent Session-A

Session

Code Name of the Presenter(s) School Title Subject Venue

1A Ng Weilun Soh Jia Yun Candice

Tampines Secondary School

Incorporating the CER Framework into the Modified Learning Cycle Approach in Teaching Physics and Social Studies

Physics & Social Studies

2A Lan Ruiting Kenneth Tham

Victoria School

Whiteboarding Action Research – Enhancing collaborative learning, conceptual understanding and scientific explanation through hands-on tasks in Biology

Biology

3A Tan Shu Fen Serangoon Garden Secondary School

Incorporation of the Inquiry-Based Learning Approach and Information and Communication Technology into Fieldwork for Geography

Geography

4A Ng Lay See Yu Neng Primary School

To what extent do games affect students’ perceptions of learning Mathematics in Primary 3 mixed-ability class?

Mathematics

5A Ang Sock Kiang Broadrick Secondary School

Connecting Model Method with Algebra: its Impact on Students’ Solving of Algebraic Word Problems

Mathematics

6A Mohammed Akram Bin Latiff Broadrick Secondary School

Using Questioning and Feedback to Enhance Students' Learning

Mathematics

7A Ho Foo Him Temasek Junior College

Will Geogebra Help Students to Solve Problems Involving Conics in Further Mathematics?

Mathematics

8A Wong Yim Nam Victoria School Reading Comprehension: Up Close and Personal

English

9A Samsiah Khamis Gregory Lee Kian Hui

Bedok Green Secondary School

The use of skills rubrics and modified Games Performance Analysis Index (GPAI) as formative assessent in PE and how it impacts teaching and learning.

PE

10A

Xu Haiying Yu Wei Woo Ying Teng Toh Wei Ting

Poh Ching School Apply Quizlet ICT Tool to enhance Pr2 Pupils for Learning Chinese Characters

Chinese Language

11A Wong Wei Long Pasir Ris Secondary School

Enhancing students' language & critical thinking skills through the creation of vlogs & news reporting videos

Chinese Language

12A James Long Haig Girls' School Sustaining Students Interest in Science Education

Science

13A Neo Hui Jun Springfield Secondary School

Effective Questioning and Feedback using Ladder of Feedback

Science

14A Tan Bee Yong Springfield Secondary School

Mathematics and Science Applied Learning through Kite-Making and Kite-Flying

Science

15A Chan Choy Har Meridian Secondary School

Drawing as a tool for critical thinking as synectic learning in lower secondary art education

Arts

Concurrent Session-A

Session

Code Name of the Presenter(s) School Title Subject Venue

16A Syed Danial Bin Syed Taha Ping Yi Secondary School

Time-Traveling Teacher: Blended-Learning in a Collaborative History Classroom

BB (History)

17A Tan Xiu Quan Luke Anglican High School Enacting effective virtual discussion

ICT

Session Code 1A

Presenter(s): Mr Ng Weilun Miss Soh Jia Yun Candice

School: Tampines Secondary School

Title: Incorporating the CER Framework into the Modified Learning Cycle Approach in Teaching Physics and Social Studies

Subject Area: Physics & Social Studies

Synopsis: This paper reports the findings and results of a modified learning cycle which incorporates the Claim-Evidence-Reasoning (CER) framework in its Application phase. The modified learning cycle was designed to support the students in crafting a scientific explanation comprising evidence and scientific knowledge. The redesigning of the learning cycle is also in line with the Singapore Ministry of Education’s framework for 21st Century Competencies and Student Outcomes, and the Singapore Teaching Practice.

Session Code 2A

Presenter(s): Miss Lan Ruiting Mr. Kenneth Tham

School: Victoria School Title: Whiteboarding Action Research – Enhancing collaborative learning, conceptual

understanding and scientific explanation through hands-on tasks in Biology Subject Area: Biology

Synopsis: One of the primary challenges in education today is students’ overreliance on the rote memorisation of knowledge and facts. The subject of Biology is of no exception. We have observed that students often memorise conceptual explanations from textbooks, learning resources and even teacher verbatim. It therefore remains a challenge to equip students with the necessary skills to build their own scientific explanations. Against this backdrop, the objective of our study is to integrate hands-on Biology tasks with whiteboarding, where the whiteboard serves as a tool for students to present their findings using scientific terminology and diagrams. By making thinking visible, benefits are gained on two fronts. One, students can enhance their conceptual understanding and deepen their learning (Ritchhart, Church and Morrison, 2013). Two, it serves as informal assessment for teachers to ascertain students’ abilities to communicate scientific concepts. Our preliminary findings have shown that participants found the whiteboarding activities helpful and enjoyable, and through them gained a stronger grasp of the Biology concepts taught in class.

Session Code 3A

Presenter(s): Miss Tan Shu Fen School: Serangoon Garden Secondary School Title: Incorporation of the Inquiry-Based Learning Approach and Information and

Communication Technology into Fieldwork for Geography Subject Area: Geography

Synopsis: This action research study incorporated the Inquiry-Based Learning (IBL) approach and Information and Communication Technology (ICT) into fieldwork, as doing so offered opportunities for students to move beyond being passive recipients of knowledge in geography. Students were able to transform their ideas into formalised understanding and use them for further questioning. Students thus developed their abilities to appreciate geographical phenomenon, interpret primary and secondary sources, weigh evidence, and advance a clear argument that deepened their geographical understanding.

Session Code 4A

Presenter(s): Mdm Ng Lay See School: Yu Neng Primary School Title: To what extent do games affect students’ perceptions of learning Mathematics in

Primary 3 mixed-ability class? Subject Area: Mathematics Synopsis: To recalibrate the balance between academic rigour and a love of learning, Yu Neng Primary 3 Mathematics teachers incorporated games into one of the key learning areas, namely a teaching and learning tool, assessment strategy or classroom motivator for a semester in their classes. When playing games, students become more engaged in their learning; taught content is reinforced and class positivity is increased. As an alternative to worksheets, games can be used as a less stressful way for students to demonstrate their knowledge, skills and understanding of a topic. Being less stressed, students will have a more positive perception of their learning environment. The responses of the students in the pre-survey and post-survey posit that games have improved student perception of learning Mathematics. We would like to share our ideas and resources with fellow educators who are on this continual learning journey. Participants can look forward to a classroom experience in using the game strategy.

Session Code 5A

Presenter(s): Mdm Ang Sock Kiang School: Broadrick Secondary School Title: Connecting Model Method with Algebra: its Impact on Students’ Solving of Algebraic

Word Problems Subject Area: Mathematics

Synopsis: One of the questions we often get from new students (fresh Secondary 1 students), particularly those undertaking an algebra course, is why the model-based method cannot be used in their approach for solving algebraic word problems. This is not a question that comes from a need for some sort of philosophical closure. Rather, it has more practical implications and arises while the student is thinking about the sorts of methods they might use to solve algebraic word problems. This is particularly true as students’ primary school education has a strong methodological bias, such as solving word problems via the application of model-based method. Therefore, students’ frustration brought about by the ‘banning’ of the Model Method (MM) in the secondary mathematics classroom triggered 5 teachers – 3 from secondary schools and 2 from primary schools, to investigate the possible connection between the Model Method and algebra. In this study, two classes of Secondary 1 students with a total of 63 students from two comparable secondary schools - Broadrick Secondary School and Springfield Seconday School - were selected for this study. A pre-test was administered to assess these students’ baseline ability to solve word problems. Two lessons were conducted to help students see the connection between MM and algebra. Subsequently, these students sat for a post-test. Preliminary analysis of the data suggests a statistically significant difference within the group, pre-test (M = 3.5, SD = 2.9) and post-test (M = 7.5, SD = 2.8), t(60) = 2.0, p ≤ .02. This research study explicated this fact: it is prudent to introduce the MM alongside algebra when teaching mathematics word problems to Secondary 1 students.

Session Code 6A

Presenter(s): Mr Mohammed Akram Bin Latiff School: Broadrick Secondary School Title: Using Questioning and Feedback to Enhance Students' Learning Subject Area: Mathematics

Synopsis: Teacher’s ability to ask good questions and give effective verbal feedback is one of the most fundamental mean of Assessment for Learning in lessons to inform on students’ understanding. Our pre-study showed that while Math teachers in Broadrick Secondary School asked many questions during lessons, they are usually at the lower-order thinking level according to the revised Bloom’s Taxonomy (Krathwohl, 2002). This qualitative study attempts to raise the level of higher-order thinking (HOT) questioning by teachers in lessons to encourage students to think more deeply and enhance their learning. Based on Hattie’s and Timperley’s (2007) work on feedback, our study also attempts to explore how more process and self-regulated feedback can be given in lessons to students’ responses. Two sets of studies were carried out – (1) Identified and designed lessons incorporating HOT questions, and (2) identified possible students’ responses to a question and designed possible process and self-regulation feedback responses teachers can give. In both studies, lessons were observed, recorded and analysed. Focused-group discussions with students were conducted to cross-check teachers’ observations.

Session Code 7A

Presenter(s): Mr Ho Foo Him School: Temasek Junior College Title: Will Geogebra Help Students to Solve Problems Involving Conics in Further

Mathematics? Subject Area: Mathematics

Synopsis: Conics was included in the H2 Further Mathematics syllabus (9264) since 2016. Feedback gathered from teachers and students revealed that students found this topic most challenging and difficult to apply what they have learnt. To help students to visualise mathematical properties through interactions with mathematical objects dynamically, Geogebra applets were deliberately constructed and extensively used in the teaching and learning of this topic in 2019. This presentation is part of an action research project undertaken by some Mathematics teachers with an aim of exploring how Geogebra applets can be developed to help students to “visualise” mathematical ideas and properties; make connections between mathematical concepts and representations. The presenter will share one aspect of the project which is on the design and the outcomes of a classroom assessment that make use of Geogebra applets.

Session Code 8A

Presenter(s): Mdm Wong Yim Nam School: Victoria School Title: Reading Comprehension: Up Close and Personal Subject Area: English

Synopsis: Most students find reading comprehension assignments or assessments not easy as it requires hard work on the part of the students to plough through the text and they may only have a partial understanding of the text at the end of it. Students may also be discouraged when they have not experienced success in reading comprehension assignments or assessments. Likewise, teachers find it challenging to teach reading comprehension because it is difficult to teach students to read and understand a text. Some teachers teach reading comprehension by using think aloud strategies and getting the students to annotate the text. Such strategies, however, may not necessarily lead to students knowing what to focus on when reading a text. There are also some teachers who believe that the only way to improve reading comprehension is to have lots of drill and practice.

This study hopes to enhance students’ understanding of the text by enabling the students to interact more with the text as they read the text. Many teachers are familiar with the use of think-aloud strategies and annotation to help students interact with the text. The teachers doing this study however felt that in addition to the above, there is a need for teachers to use quality questioning during class discussion on the text during a reading comprehension lesson as there has been much literature on the use of quality questioning to deepen thinking. The questioning focuses on using significant questions that promote thinking about the qualitative features of the text including the purpose and meaning of the text, the writer’s intention, the choice of words used by the writer and its impact on the readers and the organisational structure of the text. By directing the students’ attention to these significant questions through having a class discussion of the text, the teacher intentionally engages the students cognitively and meta-cognitively. The students in the process would also have learnt how to be active readers as they would be asking pertinent questions about the text, making connections within a text, inferring and predicting. As their thinking becomes more and more focused, they have subconsciously probed deeper into the text. They would therefore have developed a deeper understanding of the text, thus improving their literal and inferential comprehension of the text. Furthermore, the students in the process would have developed certain behaviours and habits that good readers should have.

In this study, a simple pre-test and post-test were developed to help the teachers understand the impact of the intervention strategy, that is, the use of significant questions about the text through qualitative questioning in class. The intervention strategy was introduced after the pre-test was conducted. A post-test was subsequently conducted. Results from the post-test have yielded some preliminary findings and shed some light on the effectiveness of the intervention for both the students and the teachers.

Session Code 9A

Presenter(s): Mdm Samsiah Khamis Mr Gregory Lee Kian Hui

School: Bedok Green Secondary School Title: The use of skills rubrics and modified Games Performance Analysis Index (GPAI)

as formative assessent in PE and how it impacts teaching and learning. Subject Area: Physical Education

Synopsis: The action research is the PE department's PLT project that aims to examine the impact of using skills rubrics and modified Games Performance Analysis Index (GPAI) as a form of formative assessment in the PE classrooms. The research looks into how the skills rubrics can aid students in learning the required basic skills and improve on their performance on the skills overtime. The skills rubric helps students to develop as self-regulated learners who can independently learn to improve on their knowledge and skills as well as help their peers to do the same. The modified GPAI rubrics serves to help students gain a deeper understanding of the games concepts involved in the various sports and games and to sharpen their knowledge and skills in making decisions during game play. Through the use of these rubrics PE teacher will be able to provide specific feedback that helps to improve on students' knowledge and skills in PE lessons. Teachers will also be able to gain a better understanding of how to design lessons to close the gaps and to meet the needs of the various students in their PE classes. With the use of the skills rubrics and modified GPAI students will be more self-motivated to learn in their PE classes.

Session Code 10A

Presenter(s): Mdm Xu Haiying Mdm Yu Wei Miss Woo Ying Teng Miss Toh Wei Ting

School: Poh Ching School Title: Apply Quizlet ICT Tool to enhance Pr2 Pupils for Learning Chinese Characters Subject Area: Chinese Language

Synopsis: The amount of vocabulary at the primary school level is rather large, therefore students find it hard to remember and understand the meaning of many Chinese words. In order to solve this problem, the project utilises Quizlet, an ICT tool, to design games and activities which can be accessed using a smartphone, tablet or computer anytime and anywhere. Students can play vocabulary related games at home and learn Chinese words at the same time. Through the use of Quizlet, students can experience joy in learning while improving their ability to read and understand different vocabulary.

The specific methodology of this research is as follows: teachers use Quizlet to create learning contents of Pinyin literacy, word meaning interpretation, word collocation, word selection, etc.; after seeking parental consent and support, students can play the Quizlet games and activities at home; teachers will update the learning content, inform parents timely and monitor the students’ participation and learning progress in the Quizlet platform.

Four P2 classes participated in this research. Throughout the first half of the year, the students learnt 25 texts from 2A Yunyu textbooks and more than 400 Chinese characters. We analyzed the students’ learning progress using a combination of quantitative research and questionnaires.

Comparison of pre-test and post-test results shows that their average score increased from 81% to 89%. It is also observed that students' understanding of words has improved, the class participation rate of students has increased, and parents have given strong support to allow their children to use Quizlet at home. It is very encouraging to know that more than 80% of children like to play Quizlet word games.

Through this research, we conclude that the learning content in Quizlet activities must be appropriate to cater to the level of understanding of the P2 students, and we also need the strong support of parents. Teachers must constantly follow up with the students’ learning progress, and often encourage students to engage in self-directed learning at home so that they can learn more effectively.

Session Code 11A

Presenter(s): Mr Wong Wei Long School: Pasir Ris Secondary School Title: Enhancing students' language & critical thinking skills through the creation of vlogs

& news reporting videos [CL] Subject Area: Chinese Language

Synopsis: The objective of this project is to provide students with an authentic learning experience where they are given a platform to explore and voice their opinions on current affairs through the use of technology. This process of digital content creation provides a platform where students learn to become more observant about the people, things and events that occur in their daily lives. This forms the basis for them to articulate their ideas and opinions creatively through the creation of vlogs and news reporting videos.

Session Code 12A

Presenter(s): Mr James Long School: Haig Girls’ School Title: Sustaining Students Interest in Science Education Subject Area: Science Synopsis: Singapore needs scientists to solve environmental problems such as climate change and water scarcity. Students who are interested in science are more likely to choose science-related careers, the author set out to develop a project-based learning curriculum with an inquiry-based approach that aimed to increase students' interest in science. From 2016 to 2018, the author and his team surveyed 10% of the student population from Grades 3, 4, 5, and 6 twice a year to ascertain the reasons for their expressed interest or disinterest in learning science through different modes of instruction such as project-based learning and experimentation. In addition, one student from every class in Grades 4 and 5 was interviewed in 2017, and one student from every class in Grades 5 and 6 was interviewed in 2018. Qualitative data from survey questionnaires and transcripts from these interviews were coded based on a priori categories derived from literature on self-determination, motivation, interest, and research on lesson features that interest students. Results show that students are interested in learning science through both experimentation and project-based learning, with a strong preference for the latter. Their main reasons for preferring project-based learning are ‘relatedness’ and ‘autonomy’. The students enjoy science when they are in unschool-like learning environments that allow them to collaborate and have the freedom to chart the direction of their learning. There is also preliminary evidence to suggest that the interest in learning science through project-based learning is sustained. This is significant as, if triggered interest can become personal interest, students may become more involved and attentive during lessons. These findings suggest that enacting such a science curriculum is possible in a results-driven and performance-seeking education system.

Session Code 13A

Presenter(s): Miss Neo Hui Jun Mr Koh Di Sheng Alwyn

School: Springfield Secondary School Title: Effective Questioning and Feedback using Ladder of Feedback Subject Area: Science

Synopsis: This project is an extension of our team’s 2018 PLT Project – Physics Alternative Assessment, which was students' Weighted Assessment 2 (WA2). In 2018, the Secondary 3 Physics students embarked on a group project whereby they had to choose a topic, design a micro-lesson (rap, song, video or demonstration etc), prepare for and make a presentation in front of their classmates. Classmates then asked questions to the presenting groups and completed their Reflection Logs to provide further feedback. Teachers then graded the students using an Assessment Rubrics. Our team realised that the students’ feedback in the Reflection Logs were often short phrases or sentences that were not useful for teachers to gauge their level of understanding. In addition, we noticed that at the end of each presentation, students often had little or no questions for the presenting groups. In order to make students’ learning more complete and meaningful for WA2, our team embarked on this Project in 2019 - Encourage Effective Questioning & Feedback from students using the Ladder of feedback.

Students were guided to give constructive feedback using 'Ladder of Feedback' (Clarify, Value, State Concerns, Suggest). To encourage our learners to ask effective questions, we also guided them to use a simple structure of 'I noticed .... and I wondered ...' to help them hone their observation skills and critical thinking skills. In this study, majority of the students found the Ladder of feedback easy to use, and agreed that giving feedback this way is more constructive and meaningful. This in turn helps to improve their understanding of Physics. In their written feedback, our team also observed that the students’ quality of feedback has improved from the previous year. This mode of asking effective questions and giving constructive feedback is also recommended to be applied in various subject areas.

Session Code 14A

Presenter(s): Mdm Tan Bee Yong School: Springfield Secondary School Title: Mathematics and Science Applied Learning through Kite-Making and Kite-Flying Subject Area: Science

Synopsis: As we recalibrated our emphasis on written assessments, we seek to create new learning opportunities that can foster greater joy of learning and for students to exercise applied learning beyond their typical classroom lessons. As such, that sparked a collaborative effort between the Mathematics and Science Departments to introduce the ‘Kite Making and Flying’ Programme for our Secondary Two students during their End-of-Year Post Exam Learning Festival in 2019.

The Mathematics Department incorporated elements of Kite-Making as part of their assessment when the students were taught the concept of Pythagoras’ Theorem during the School Term time. Extending the students’ concepts on Forces learned in Secondary One, the Science Department conducted a session on Forces and Stability about Kite-Flying. Combining both, students were given time to apply their Mathematics and Science concepts to make their kites and fly them high in the School Field. In addition, students also learnt about the history and the uses of kite throughout the centuries. A seemingly simple act of kite flying which many has taken for granted, intrigued many young minds and sparked their curiosity towards the Mathematics and Science behind Kite Making and Flying programme.

Students reflected about their learning experience, and elaborated how they learned and applied the relevant Mathematics and Science concepts in this authentic task. Through the post-programme survey, a high percentage of students indicated that they enjoyed the programme, which provided them with the opportunity for collaborative learning, and also helped them to acquire 21st CC such as Critical and Inventive Thinking.

Session Code 15A

Presenter(s): Mdm Chan Choy Har School: Meridian Secondary School Title: Drawing as a tool for critical thinking as synectic learning in lower secondary art

education Subject Area: Arts

Synopsis: In lower secondary teaching, most teachers do not adopt synectic learning techniques to encourage students to connect what are seemingly unrelated ideas. Educational researchers argue that synectic learning - asking students to make linkages between unrelated ideas makes the familiar strange, and the strange familiar. The outcome, it is argued, is a learning process that encourages critical thinking. In my article, I discussed how getting lower secondary students to draw a work of art based on two unrelated ideas can transform art into a subject that can help weak students improve their vocabulary in addition to enhancing their general knowledge relevant to other disciplines.

Session Code 16A

Presenter(s): Mr Syed Danial Bin Syed Taha School: Ping Yi Secondary School Title: Time-Traveling Teacher: Blended-Learning in a Collaborative History Classroom Subject Area: BB (History)

Synopsis: Blended learning is an approach to education that combines online educational materials and opportunities for interaction online with traditional place-based classroom methods (Friesen, Norm; 2012). Together with the von Restorff effect, strategies are developed to maximise learning outcomes for students that are digital natives.

In addition, to foster a climate of collaboration, an eclectic mix of pedagogies are utilised in the teaching of both SEQ and SBQ skills. Inter alia, these included Brain-Based Learning (Jensen, 2006), Formative Assessment strategies (including Assessment AS Learning) as well as a myriad of Collaborative Learning strategies.

Session Code 17A

Presenter(s): Mr Tan Xiu Quan Luke School: Anglican High School Title: Enacting effective virtual discussion Subject Area: ICT

Synopsis: The widely used ‘one to many’ approach of a didactic classroom has led to the perception of knowledge acquisition and construction as a largely individualistic affair. Despite strong evidence showing that a ‘many to many’ approach is superior in knowledge retention, application, as well as metacognitive gain (Fleming, Alexander , 2001), the ‘one to many’ teaching and learning paradigm still persists. How can we make learning a social process again?

Studies have indicated that teachers spend the majority of their time (30% to 50% of a teacher’s instructional time) asking their students questions (Cotton, 2001). Whilst questioning can be an enormously powerful instructional strategy, it can be equally as ineffective if not applied with diligence (SingTeach, 2009). Effective Questioning is especially crucial if we were to bring about the paradigm shift towards the social nature of learning. How can we help teachers to be more effective in asking questions to spark debate and discussion?

Ding Ding allows teachers to pose questions for students to engage in virtual debates. By filtering students into groups with differing opinions and positions, rich discussion can be generated as they attempt to defend or consolidate their points to convince their peers. Analytics embedded in the application inform teachers of the quality and effectiveness of their questions and the quality of the discussion.

The key outcomes are as follows

For Students:

to sharpen their critical thinking skills through participation in virtual debates

to enrich the learning experience through dynamic virtual grouping of the students based on criteria (themes, similar opinion, differing opinion)

to receive immediate feedback of their responses/discussion from their peers and teachers

For Teachers, through students making their thinking visible,

to gain feedback on the quality of the designed questions

to formatively assess students’ understanding and have the opportunity to close the gaps in learning immediately

reducing the volume of responses in order to improve on the quality of immediate feedback

The presentation chronicles the key teacher and student learning related to the development of the culture of social learning and recommends next steps for implementation.

Concurrent Session-B

Session

Code Name of the Presenter(s) School Title Subject Venue

1B

Koh Chee Kiang Foo Jia Wen Pang Jeng Heng Teo Zhan Rui

Victoria School Learning Study in Physics (Light - Converging Lens)

Physics

2B Sharifah Alkaff Noor Hafizah

Temasek Junior College (IP)

Improving the effectiveness of learning Biology through the use of visual aids

Biology

3B Ong Daphne Rachel Broadrick Secondary School

Creating Learning Opportunities to Help Students Take Ownership of Improving Their Answering Skills in History

History

4B Roger Lim Pang Kiat Temasek Secondary School

Use of success criteria to empower students' learning in a Mathematics classroom.

Mathematics

5B Tan Qing Quan Rion St Anthony's Canossian Secondary School

Using Action Research to Incorporate Productive Failure Learning Design in Trigonometry Lessons

Mathematics

6B Loo Hup Tee Loyang View Secondary School

Making Mathematics Alive through Alternative Assessment.

Mathematics

7B Tan Chwee Kim Damai Secondary School

Misconceptions vs Slips (SVA) English

8B Peh Yen Yee Irwin Tampines Primary School

Using Action Research to Design Sport Education in a Singapore Primary School

Physical Education

9B Azyanti Mohamed Mudakir Fazillah Mohamed Ismail Azizah Abdul Rahim

Temasek Junior College & Ping Yi Secondary School

Building Perspective Taking Among Students

Mother Tongue (ML)

10B Jayasarasvathi d/o Durai Kannu

Bedok Green Primary School

SNAP Away to learn TL Characters Mother Tongue (TL)

11B Dr. Sun Li Mr Simon Lim Mdm Liu Yan

Loyang View Secondary School

以评促学为导向的作文旁注式评价模

式的应用实践

Mother Tongue (CL)

12B Jamay Loh St Hilda's Primary School

Leveraging on Analytic tools for Formative Assessment to improve Community Knowledge Building

Science

13B Lim Wu Yi Temasek Primary School

The Fun Way to Learn via a Digital Role-Playing Game

Science

14B Vanessa Vinodhen Junyuan Secondary School

Improving teacher’s assessment literacy through the use of rubrics in lower secondary science

Science

15B Poh-Lim Shir Pei Poi Ching School

An Art Lesson Study project on using the STP model to design an effective and engaging Mobile Photography module in the SLS portal for the Primary 5 students to acquire and apply basic photography techniques in their art assignments.

Arts

16B Goh Pei Shan, Lee Liyun, Jason Chua & Michael Han

Manjusri Secondary School

Mathematics Statistical Poster Design

Mathematics

17B Syarifah Fatimah Binte Isa Binsmit

Yu Neng Primary School

Enhancing Teacher Learning in Differentiated Instruction

PD

Session Code 1B

Presenter(s): Mr Koh Chee Kiang Mrs Foo Jia Wen Mr Pang Jeng Heng Mr Teo Zhan Rui

School: Victoria School Title: Learning Study in Physics (Light - Converging Lens) Subject Area: Physics

Synopsis: Light is characterized by rays which is not visible and as such is abstract to students understanding. Our learning study aims to help students understand the characteristics of images formed by converging lens using Variation Theory.

Diagnostic test conducted for 53 students led to the identification of the ‘object of learning’. Four Student Learning Space (SLS) activities, lab activities in pair work, generalisations and a pre- & post-lesson test were designed and conducted for 2 groups of students in sequence with refinement. SLS was also used for better monitoring on the progress of students, provide autonomy in the progress of the lesson and timely feedback.

Lesson observation, post-lesson test and FGD with students suggest that the intervention is effective to help students attain the object of learning identified, to achieve the level of understanding. Students are better able to discern the characteristic of the images through contrasting and experiential observations.

Session Code 2B

Presenter(s): Ms Sharifah Alkaff Miss Noor Hafizah

School: Temasek Junior College (IP) Title: Improving the effectiveness of learning Biology through the use of visual aids Subject Area: Biology

Synopsis: This sharing outlines a pedagogic approach exploring the use of visualization techniques in the teaching of Biology. Studies suggest that visual learners learn better from visual aids such as diagrams, charts and graphs when used together with verbal instruction. The different methods we will discuss include:

(1) interpreting visuals (reading captions and labels),

(2) coordinating figures and text and

(3) use of student-completed visuals, along with a critique for groups to show their work and receive formative feedback.

These visual-comprehension exercises are designed to capture students’ knowledge, understanding, and misconceptions in an efficient and effective manner.

Session Code 3B

Presenter(s): Ms Ong Daphne Rachel School: Broadrick Secondary School Title: Creating Learning Opportunities to Help Students

Take Ownership of Improving Their Answering Skills in History Subject Area: History Synopsis: This research study offers an approach that encourages a shift from ‘teaching’ to ‘helping students take ownership of their own learning’. This approach seeks to create learning opportunities to help students take ownership of and sharpen their answering skills in history source-based case study (SBCS) questions. Four strategies can be used to transform summative assessment (SA) into formative assessment (FA) where feedback, questioning, collaboration, and differentiated sense-making are blended into a model of student-centred learning. By creating such opportunities for students, they can establish their own route of learning, know where to head towards, and determine how best to get there (Assessment Reform Group, 2002).

Session Code 4B

Presenter(s): Mr Roger Lim Pang Kiat School: Temasek Secondary School Title: Use of success criteria to empower students' learning in a Mathematics classroom. Subject Area: Mathematics

Synopsis: Formative assessment engages students in learning how to learn and students would become self-regulated learners. In this research project, a lesson study is conducted on three Secondary 3 Mathematics classes to look into how students can be empowered to monitor their own learning through the use of success criteria. The process of implementing success criteria by involving students to share and reflect as well as how teachers provide feedback to enhance students' learning will be shared.

Session Code 5B

Presenter(s): Mr Tan Qing Quan Rion School: St Anthony's Canossian Secondary School Title: Using Action Research to Incorporate Productive Failure Learning Design in

Trigonometry Lessons Subject Area: Mathematics

Synopsis: This research project was conducted in St Anthony’s Canossian Secondary School, a girls’ school, to develop the students’ ability to solve mathematical problems in a real-world context. Manu Kapur’s Productive Failure learning design (2008) was adapted in this research project to provide a learning experience that enabled the students to be engaged in mathematical discourse while striving to solve a complex mathematical problem in a real-world context.

Productive Failure comprises of two phases (Kapur & Bielaczyc, 2012). Phase 1 provides students with opportunities to generate and explore representations and solution methods (RSMs), thus enabling them to take ownership of their learning by ideating and negotiating meanings with one another in a collaborative manner. Phase 2 endeavours to provide students with opportunities to be engaged in a mathematical discourse, facilitated by the teacher by comparing and contrasting students-generated RSMs and building on the students’ inputs in order to shape the discussion towards canonical RSMs. Through this learning experience, the teacher develops in the students metacognitive skills using questions to deepen their learning, thus, by extension, an attitude to assess their own learning for their learning.

Lesson study was undertaken as part of the Action Research cycle in this research project to refine the adapted Productive Failure learning design. Results gathered from this research paper suggest that the adapted Productive Failure learning design enhances students’ learning of Trigonometry.

Session Code 6B

Presenter(s): Mr Loo Hup Tee School: Loyang View Secondary School Title: Making Mathematics Alive through Alternative Assessment. Subject Area: Mathematics

Synopsis: The Mathematics department incorporated Alternative assessment in the form of a real life project within the school compound for students to complete using the mathematics concepts and reasoning. The project is refined using the Assessment Principles shared by SEAB. The project also provides opportunities for students to demonstrate 21st Century Competences skills.

Session Code 7B

Presenter(s): Miss Tan Chwee Kim School: Damai Secondary School Title: Misconceptions vs Slips (SVA) Subject Area: English

Synopsis: Many students often make mistakes in Subject-Verb Agreement (SVA) in their writing assignments and these mistakes have set English Language teachers wondering how such mistakes come about. Hence, this study aims to find out whether the SVA mistakes made in writing pieces by Secondary 1 students is due to lack of knowledge of the rules governing SVA or due to a grammatical slip. Lorri (2009) said that the best methods of teaching are those that take into account all learners in a class and teachers pay attention to students of different academic ability, language ability, culture and socioeconomic backgrounds. An intervention was put in place to support students of different abilities. Quantitative and qualitative data are gathered and it is found to be useful in informing teachers the common SVA mistakes students made and the impact of pedagogical strategies such as Noticing and Differentiated Instructions (DI) on the learners and their learning.

Session Code 8B

Presenter(s): Mr Peh Yen Yee Irwin School: Tampines Primary School Title: Using Action Research to Design Sport Education

in a Singapore Primary School Subject Area: Physical Education

Synopsis: Concern over our pupils’ low motivation for physical education (PE) lessons led us to undertake this research study. This study sets out to achieve two things. Firstly, it gets to the core of what a Sport Education lesson for softball can look like. Secondly, the research team provides a framework in the form of a lesson plan to guide a PE teacher in designing the curriculum. The Sport Education teaching model is adaptable to meet teacher or curriculum goals and is organised according to the developmental abilities of the pupils as well as the design capability of the teacher. Teaching strategies such as peer-teaching and cooperative learning during Sport Education lessons provide equal opportunities for participation and improvement in a small group structure. The competition phase motivated the pupils to participate and be involved even when not playing.

Session Code 9B

Presenter(s): Ms Azyanti Mohamed Mudakir Mdm Fazillah Mohamed Ismail (Ping Yi Sec) Mdm Azizah Abdul Rahim (Ping Yi Sec)

School: Temasek Junior College & Ping Yi Secondary School Title: Building Perspective Taking Among Students Subject Area: Mother Tongue (ML)

Synopsis: A research project was initiated to guide students to understand perspective taking, indirectly making them aware of presence of multiple viewpoints to an issue. Discussions were launched online to build students’ confidence in taking various perspectives of selected issues before classroom discussions were conducted to allow them to readily verbalise their thoughts and opinions.

Session Code 10B

Presenter(s): Mdm Jayasarasvathi d/o Durai Kannu School: Bedok Green Primary School Title: SNAP Away to learn TL Characters Subject Area: Mother Tongue (TL)

Synopsis: I had to find a way to teach students to learn Tamil Characters in an uninhibited way. I designed the SNAP , which is very much like the traditional game. I took 3 years to refine this game. With the help of this game,students were allowed to progress to each stage at their pace. There was room for peer assessment/feedback. As it was only a game at the end of the day, the students learnt deeper without even realizing. On my end as a teacher, evaluation was easier and thus intervention happened at the quickest. This is not only applicable to Tamil Language. As educational practioner, I want to implore how Games can be a strategy ( not a tool).

Session Code 11B

Presenter(s): Dr. Sun Li Mr Simon Lim Mdm Liu Yan

School: Loyang View Secondary School Title: 以评促学为导向的作文旁注式评价模式的应用实践

Subject Area: Mother Tongue (CL)

Synopsis: 评价的目的主要是了解学生的学习历程，以评促教，以评促学。作文的评价要关注学生的

结果，更要关注学习的过程。在作文教学过程中，借助旁注将评价任务镶嵌在各个部分，能解决学生

在写作过程中遇到的个别或局部性问题。旁注式评价模式基于认知心理学视角，以问题导学促学，引

导学生在写作技能、选材结构、语言表达等方面进行评价，帮助学生发展认知能力、交互能力和表达

能力，从而促进学生个性写作的学习。

Session Code 12B

Presenter(s): Ms Jamay Loh School: St Hilda’s Primary School Title: Leveraging on Analytic tools for Formative Assessment to improve Community

Knowledge Building Subject Area: Science

Synopsis: The purpose of this paper is to explore the use of principle-based analytic tools to improve community knowledge building in a Primary 5 class of High Progress learners. Knowledge Building is a socio-constructivist approach that aligned theory, pedagogy and technology. Students take collective responsibility for improving ideas, pursuing more powerful explanations and theories as a community (Scardamalia & Bereiter, 1994, 2014). It represents a community-oriented form of inquiry-based learning. As teachers who have been adopting Knowledge Building as a pedagogical tool for science inquiry-based lessons, we are intrigued by how students’ learning pattern had shifted from idea generation and breadth of inquiry to increased depth of inquiry with evidence via the analytics. These analytic tools are built into Knowledge Forum, an online platform designed to help and support knowledge building. The tools could be categorised into activity monitoring, social network and discourse level analysis. These tools focused on analysing both individual and community level discourse. The primary source of data was generated in Knowledge Forum over a course of eight weeks on the topic on Electricity.

Teachers play critical roles in co-investigating the pedagogical designs to nurture progressive knowledge building discourse. In doing so, the analytic tools help to support the social and the cognitive dynamics of Knowledge Building. This helps teachers to reflect and analyse the repertoire of community knowledge built online and the interaction between students to identify the learning gaps, thus fine-tuning and value adding to improve the community knowledge building.

Session Code 13B

Presenter(s): Mr Lim Wu Yi School: Temasek Primary School Title: The Fun Way to Learn via a Digital Role-Playing Game Subject Area: Science

Synopsis: The learners of the 21st century acquire knowledge differently as compared to the learners of the late 20th century. These digital natives are highly accustomed to multimedia content in the form of games and interactive websites. As such, it is important for us as educators to keep abreast of the current educational methodologies and integrate them with digital platforms in order to arouse our learners’ interest. In our opinion, the current ‘chalk and talk’ method of disseminating information on environmental issues is ineffective, as pupils remain passive during the lessons and have little opportunity to reflect on how their simple actions (such as littering in the ocean) can impact the environment. Consequently, pupils have a tendency to drift away from the taught lesson after the first ten minutes. Hence, our research team sought a way to awaken primary school pupils’ interest in learning via the use of a multimedia and multisensory approach which still developed pupils’ skills.

This research study does three things to kindle pupils’ interest in learning about environmental issues. First, it introduces a digital platform, called ‘Symbiosis’, that offers pupils an environmental role-playing game which enables them to experience a series of events in a multitude of ways. Second, Symbiosis incorporates the environmentally sustainable disciplinary way of thinking and practice by breaking down the relevant skills into manageable (a series of events) and explicit (a set of dialogue prompts) steps. These events and dialogue prompts were crafted by our research team to mimic the tasks performed by experts. In addition, we allocated opportunities within the game for pupils to practise the environmentally sustainable way of thinking and receive immediate feedback on their attempts to do so. Third, Symbiosis makes use of multimedia features to offer pupils the simultaneous use of two or more sensory modes to absorb and analyse contextual information within the game. This multisensory approach helps to engage pupils with different learning styles. Although Symbiosis was rolled out only for Primary 3 (Grade 3) and Primary 6 (Grade 6) pupils in 2018, we believe it is suitable for pupils at all levels of primary school.

Session Code 14B

Presenter(s): Mrs Vanessa Vinodhen School: Junyuan Secondary School Title: Improving teacher’s assessment literacy through the use of rubrics in lower

secondary science Subject Area: Science

Synopsis: The learning of science as an inquiry encourages students to learn science as beyond a body of facts but as a form of human endeavour. There has been a significant reform in the assessment structure in science education as highlighted in a study conducted in Hong Kong (Cheng & Cheung, 2005). This reform, observed in Singapore as well, reflects a shift towards more formative style assessment where student achievement is elicited, interpreted and used by teachers (Black & William, 2009). There is an increased amount of reasoning involved and this ensures the science content is thoroughly analysed before the answer is given (Donovan & Bransford, 2005).

This project aims to describe the process in improving teachers’ assessment literacy through the use of rubrics. Rubrics are useful in documenting student learning (Molee, 2011) as well as providing students with feedback. Students are able to identify, describe, and apply their learning based on the rubrics. However, it is important to note that rubrics are often more focused on evaluating student achievement rather than improvement (Wiliam & Leahy, 2015). Therefore the manner of implementation of the rubrics is crucial in allowing for a suitable alignment to formative assessment.

This project involved lower secondary teacher creating a set of rubrics to assess a particular assignment tasked to lower secondary science students.

Through this project, teachers were asked to assess an inquiry based activity through a set of instructional rubrics. An instructional rubric is a document that describes varying levels of quality, from excellent to poor, for a specific assignment (Andrade, 2000).

There main phases in this project are listed below.

1.Learning about rubrics and formative assessment

Teachers were provided with readings on rubrics creation and implementation as well as readings on formative assessment.

2.Rubrics Development

This was done at the teacher level using the following steps.

a.Determining objective and criteria of the activity

b.Articulate levels of quality within the criteria and objective identified

3.Rubrics Implementation

The implementation was crucial in ensuring that the rubrics is used as a formative assessment tool rather than a summative one. The implementation process is noted below –

a.Sample of previous students’ work was shown to the students. This allows the students to clearly understand the expectation of the level of rubrics.

b.Feedback (using the rubrics) provided as a checkpoint before the final product is submitted. This allows the teacher to use the rubrics as a point of dialogue which will provide the students enough information to make decisions on how to move forward.

4.Standardization

The teachers would grade 2-3 randomly selected students’ submissions using the rubrics. The teachers would then discuss and justify the marks awarded. This would allow the teachers to have a clear idea of the levels of the rubrics based on the cohort of students.

Session Code 15B

Presenter(s): Mrs Poh-Lim Shir Pei School: Poi Ching School Title: An Art Lesson Study project on using the STP model to design an effective and

engaging Mobile Photography module in the SLS portal for the Primary 5 students to acquire and apply basic photography techniques in their art assignments

Subject Area: Arts

Synopsis: As this was Poi Ching School’s first year in introducing mobile photography lessons in the Primary 5 Art curriculum, the teachers have no prior knowledge nor experience in teaching photography. After determining the learning goals and outcomes the students would be able to achieve and do at the end of the module, the teachers began to craft an effective lesson unit plan using the STP model to achieve the desired learning goals. The results of the students’ survey showed that most students were actively engagement during the photography lessons. All students were able to apply the basic photography techniques in their photographs. As all the photographs were uploaded into the SLS portal, all students were able to view and give feedback to their peers online. Teachers were also able to assess the quality of the students’ photographs in the SLS portal. The presenter will share sample lesson resources and take the participants through a hands-on photography activity using the SLS platform.

Session Code 16B

Presenter(s): Ms Goh Pei Shan Ms Lee Liyun Mr Jason Chua Mr Michael Han

School: Manjusri Secondary School Title: Mathematics Statistical Poster Design Subject Area: Civics

Synopsis: The focus of the Singapore Education in the recent years has undergone shifts from summative assessments to formative ones. Part of the objectives of doing so is the create opportunities and white space for students to explore, collaborate and understand how curriculum knowledge can be applied in real life.

In this research, we aim to help students collaborative apply knowledge in statistical tools into real-life situations. The research also aims to provide a platform for students to explore ICT tools to gather information, put them together in a captivating manner and evaluate their work.

The project took students through a 3-step process namely:

1. The use of google forms for data collection

2. The use of statistical tools to design an infographics poster

3. sharing of poster via SLS for evaluation and feedback

Session Code 17B

Presenter(s): Miss Syarifah Fatimah Binte Isa Binsmit School: Yu Neng Primary School Title: Enhancing Teacher Learning in Differentiated Instruction Subject Area: PD

Synopsis: Along with key changes announced at the national level pertaining assessment in the Work Plan Seminar of 2018, Yu Neng Primary School has made the step forward by allocating students into mixed ability classes at key stages of learning of Primary 3 and 5. While the change was intended to reduce over-emphasis on academic performance on the learners, it heightens the need for teachers to differentiate in the classrooms to address students’ varied readiness to learn. This project highlights the school’s journey in leveraging professional development platforms to deepen teachers’ understanding of Differentiated Instruction and examples of how the active learning design process supported teachers as they embark on planning and enacting differentiated lessons for students in the primary classroom. As a result, teachers became cognizant of the place of assessment and how it can be used before and at intervals to help students learn better.