Author: cdtlsd

Engaging Communities in Sustainability

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Eunice S. Q. NG 

Ridge View Residential College (RVRC)

E.Ng@nus.edu.sg 

Ng, E. S. Q. (2024). Engaging communities in sustainability [Paper presentation]. In Higher Education Conference in Singapore (HECS) 2024, 3 December, National University of Singapore.  https://blog.nus.edu.sg/hecs/hecs2024-esqng/ ‎

SUB-THEME

Opportunities from Engaging Communities 

KEYWORDS

Interdisciplinary education, sustainability education, environmental stewardship, service learning, experiential learning 

CATEGORY

Paper Presentation

 

EXTENDED ABSTRACT

Sustainability challenges are complex global issues without straightforward solutions, which often invoke feelings of being overwhelmed and powerless within learners (Hickman, 2020; Pickering & Dale, 2024). Scholars and practitioners have recommended for sustainability educators to be aware of learners’ emotional and mental states, and recommended strategies for coping with these ecological emotions (Pihkala, 2020). Such strategies include fostering a sense of personal meaning in sustainability action, providing authentic learning experiences, and engaging in collective pro-environmental action (Olsen et al., 2024). By engaging communities in sustainability, learners can contribute meaningfully to sustainability while witnessing the impact of community participation on sustainability (Restrepo-Mieth et al., 2023). 

 

Offered at Ridge View Residential College (RVRC) in fulfilment of NUS General Education’s Communities and Engagement (CE) pillar, the course RVN2000 “Engaging Communities in Sustainability” explores the role of communities in addressing resource consumption and waste production challenges through field trips and classroom seminars. Field trips were designed to educate about Singapore’s three priority waste streams (Ministry of Sustainability and the Environment, 2020) (see Table 1). As part of an assignment, students were also tasked to interview community members on a sustainability issue to understand their views and motivations towards sustainability.

Table 1 
Course Field Trips

 

These out-of-classroom activities offered students authentic learning experiences, allowing them to go beyond individual pro-environmental action to participate in collective action instead. Being part of a community invoked feelings of empowerment in sustainability, with one student reflecting that “the example of FRC demonstrated how we can initiate changes in our community by ourselves, rather than waiting for others e.g. government to step in”. 

Figure 1. Students rescued 5 tonnes of “ugly food” during a food rescue with FRC.

 

Figure 2. Students sorted through waste collected at NUS University Town’s Resource Sorting Station. 

 

Figure 3. Students observed how e-waste was sorted at ALBA’s E-waste facility in Tuas.

While field trips provided tangible examples of community participation in action, they appeared discrete and disconnected since each community had a different purpose. Hence, a key stage in the course was to actively frame students’ community engagement experiences within a broader framework of community participation. This highlighted the complementarity and contributions of various forms of community participation at the ecosystem level (Sandri, 2021). 

 

Students leveraged Rut et al. (2021)’s Ecologies of Participation framework (see Figure 4) to analyse different community participation approaches’ contributions and limitations vis-à-vis their field trip experiences. In doing so, students found deeper meaning in their out-of-classroom experiences, as evidenced in a student’s reflection that “the most memorable connection I have learnt is the power of the community. Seeing examples from case studies such as Koh Pitak as well as seeing FRC operate first-hand, I have learnt that with high social capital, a strong motivation and goal, we can achieve a lot in terms of pushing for sustainable initiatives”.

Figure 4. Ecologies of community participation in sustainability (Adapted from Rut et al. (2021)

 

By emphasising community participation beyond individual community units, students recognised the significance of having diverse, multiple forms of community participation within the broader ecosystem. Coupled with their personal experiences in engaging with communities in sustainability, students recognised their own role in addressing sustainability challenges and were empowered to be change agents for sustainability. 

 

REFERENCES

Hickman, C. (2020). We need to (find a way to) talk about … Eco-anxiety. Journal of Social Work Practice, 34(4), 411-424. https://doi.org/10.1080/02650533.2020.1844166 

Ministry of Sustainability and the Environment. (2020, 30 July). The Resource Sustainability Act. Retrieved July 12 from https://www.mse.gov.sg/resource-room/category/2020-07-30-resource-sustainability-act/ 

Olsen, E. K., Lawson, D. F., McClain, L. R., & Plummer, J. D. (2024). Heads, hearts, and hands: A systematic review of empirical studies about eco/climate anxiety and environmental education. Environmental Education Research, 1-28.  https://doi.org/10.1080/13504622.2024.2315572 

Pickering, G. J., & Dale, G. (2024). The role of perceived powerlessness and other barriers to climate action. Canadian Geographies, 1-14. https://doi.org/10.1111/cag.12938 

Pihkala, P. (2020). Eco-Anxiety and Environmental Education. Sustainability, 12(23), 10149. https://doi.org/10.3390/su122310149 

Restrepo-Mieth, A., Perry, J., Garnick, J., & Weisberg, M. (2023). Community-based participatory climate action. Global Sustainability, 6, 1-16. https://doi.org/10.1017/sus.2023.12 

Rut, M., Davies, A. R., & Ng, H. (2021). Participating in food waste transitions: exploring surplus food redistribution in Singapore through the ecologies of participation framework. Journal of Environmental Policy & Planning, 23(1), 34-47. https://doi.org/10.1080/1523908x.2020.1792859 

Sandri, O. (2021). Providing a ‘point of entry’: Approaches to framing sustainability in curriculum design in Higher Education. Australian Journal of Environmental Education, 37(1), 56-68. https://doi.org/10.1017/aee.2020.19 

Experience and Reflection: The Bases of a Successful Diversity and Inclusion Course

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Tania Nagpaul* and Vivien SHAN Wen

Singapore University of Social Sciences (SUSS) 

*tanianagpaul@suss.edu.sg 

Nagpaul, T., & Shan, V. W. (2024). Experience and reflection: The bases of a successful diversity and inclusion course [Paper presentation]. In Higher Education Conference in Singapore (HECS) 2024, 3 December, National University of Singapore. https://blog.nus.edu.sg/hecs/hecs2024-tnagpaul-vshan/

SUB-THEME

Opportunities from Wellbeing 

KEYWORDS

diversity education, inclusion, multicultural attitudes, experiential learning, reflection

CATEGORY

Paper Presentation

 

RESEARCH QUESTIONS AND OBJECTIVES 

Embracing diversity and inclusion in the workplace is a key competency for successful future-ready young adults. Ample empirical evidence from Western countries suggests that diversity curricula must be part of university education given the salutary effects it has on student outcomes like personal growth, (Booker et al., 2016), moral development (Parker et al., 2016), ethnocultural empathy (Monroe, 2018) and multicultural awareness (Richardson et al., 2020). Yet, in Singapore, very few diversity and inclusion courses for pre-employment students exist, much less any empirical evidence that supports their effectiveness in bringing about intended student outcomes. Hence, this study examines the effectiveness of a diversity & inclusion course offered to undergraduate students to answer the following research questions: 

  1. To what extent is a diversity and inclusion course effective in influencing shifts in inclusive attitudes and behaviours?  
  2. What pedagogical elements are most critical in delivering the intended student outcomes of the course?  

 

CONCEPTUAL FRAMEWORK 

The pedagogy of the course is based on two teaching approaches of multicultural education. First, is the liberal approach which involves personal and social identity reflection, embracing pluralism and teaching sensitivity and tolerance. This approach forms a stepping stone for deeper reflection in the next critical approach which focuses on matters of power, privilege and equity emphasising social transformation reflection (Gorski & Dalton, 2020). The course incorporates experiential learning activities in each classroom session which include, in-class exercises, speaker panels, videos, storytelling, and small-group processes (Pugh, 2014).  

 

Contrary to the traditional didactic model where students are often passive recipients of knowledge, the experiential pedagogy of this course gets students to reflect on course concepts. Imagine being ‘told’ how sweet a fruit is versus given a chance to taste it! This power of experience is unleashed in each lesson of this course (details of each curated activity available upon request).  

 

METHOD

The curriculum comprises six units covered over a 12-week semester. Sixty-four undergraduate students at an autonomous university in Singapore participated in this study.  

 

Participants were recruited from two sections of the same diversity course offered through the human resource management program. The Munroe and Pearson (2006) 18-item Munroe Multicultural Attitude Scale Questionnaire (MASQUE) was administered both at the beginning (pre-test) and end (post-test) of the semester to assess changes in students’ attitudes. Behavioural intentions were assessed by content analysing students’ end-of-semester responses to an open-ended prompt. 

 

KEY FINDINGS 

Results demonstrated a statistically significant improvement in students’ inclusive attitudes and behaviours from pre-test to post-test. By the end of the semester, students were not only more caring and inclusive but also made more bias-interrupting choices in a situational judgment task, indicating a positive shift in their decision-making around diversity issues. Furthermore, by the semester’s end, students showed higher intentions to advocate for gender inclusiveness compared to the beginning. 

 

SIGNIFICANCE OF THE STUDY 

This study has demonstrated the educational value of a reflection and experiential learning–based pedagogy in delivering a course aimed at students’ attitudes and behaviours towards greater inclusivity.

 

ALIGNMENT WITH SUB-THEME: OPPORTUNITIES FOR WELLBEING 

Student wellbeing is a central focus in the learning journey of this course. The instructors take considerable effort to create psychological safety throughout the course, ensuring that reflection and experiences can reap their intended benefits. This study demonstrates that a course with strong pedagogical foundations can fulfil the promise of building students’ competence in navigating the challenges of a diverse social environment. Apart from the immediate benefits it also underscores the critical role of education in shaping future societal interactions and professional landscapes.

 

REFERENCES

Booker, K. C., Merriweather, L., & Campbell-Whatley, G. (2016). The Effects of Diversity Training on Faculty and Students’ Classroom Experiences. International Journal for the Scholarship of Teaching and Learning, 10(1), n1. https://doi.org/10.20429/ijsotl.2016.100103 

Gorski, P. C., & Dalton, K. (2020). Striving for critical reflection in multicultural and social justice teacher education: Introducing a typology of reflection approaches. Journal of Teacher Education, 71(3), 357-368. https://doi.org/10.1177/0022487119883545 

Munroe, A., & Pearson, C. (2006). The Munroe multicultural attitude scale questionnaire: A new instrument for multicultural studies. Educational and Psychological Measurement, 66(5), 819-834.  

Parker III, E. T., Barnhardt, C. L., Pascarella, E. T., & McCowin, J. A. (2016). The impact of diversity courses on college students’ moral development. Journal of College Student Development, 57(4), 395-410. https://doi.org/10.1353/csd.2016.0050 

Pugh, G. L. (2014). The experiential learning cycle in undergraduate diversity and social justice education. Journal of Teaching in Social Work, 34(3), 302-315. https://doi.org/10.1080/08841233.2014.906531

Richardson, L., Volberding, J., & Zahl, M. L. (2020). The impact of a university approved diversity course on undergraduate students’ multicultural awareness. SCHOLE: A Journal of Leisure Studies and Recreation Education, 35(1), 28-40. https://doi.org/10.1080/1937156X.2020.1720461 

 

Enhancing Student Wellbeing and Engagement Through Oral Communication Peer Tutoring at NUS

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Sarah Somarajan*, Amelyn THOMPSON, and Doreen TAN 

Centre for English Language and Communication (CELC) 

*elcsps@nus.edu.sg  

Somarajan Priya, S., Thompson, A., & Tan, D. (2024). Enhancing student wellbeing and engagement through oral communication peer tutoring at NUS [Paper presentation]. In Higher Education Conference in Singapore (HECS) 2024, 3 December, National University of Singapore. https://blog.nus.edu.sg/hecs/hecs2024-ssomarajan-et-al/

SUB-THEME

Opportunities from Wellbeing; Opportunities from Engaging Communities 

KEYWORDS

Peer tutoring and learning, oral communication, interpersonal relationships, safe space, psychological safety  

CATEGORY

Paper Presentation

 

EXTENDED ABSTRACT

In today’s interconnected and rapidly evolving academic and professional landscapes, engaging communities has become more vital than ever, particularly within the context of higher education. The Writing and Communication Hub (WCH) embodies this ethos by fostering a robust environment for student well-being, peer learning, and sharing through its oral communication peer tutoring services (NUS WCH, n.d.). This study delves into the perspectives of both peer tutors and tutees, exploring the multifaceted benefits and challenges associated with these services. Given the increasing emphasis on oral communication skills for academic success and professional readiness, peer tutoring has emerged as a valuable pedagogical approach (Hovland, 2014). The WCH, established by the Centre for English Language Communication (CELC), aims to nurture confident communicators across various disciplines. It not only addresses the immediate educational needs of students but also contributes significantly to creating positive relationships and communities (Lambert & Felton, 2020). 

 

METHODS 

Through semi-structured interviews with three peer tutors and three tutees, this study employs an exploratory case study design in line with our aim of evaluating an educational programme (Yin, 2011). It is hoped that the rich, qualitative insights derived would foster understanding and lead to improvements in practice (Merriam, 1998). Two first-cycle coding methods were used to analyse the data initially, with In Vivo coding to reflect participants’ exact words and conceptual coding to identify broader themes (Saldana, 2016). Subsequently, themes and sub-themes were surfaced from further analysis.  

 

FINDINGS 

The findings reveal significant themes, including challenges, the programme’s impact, and potential improvements.  Both tutors and tutees identified challenges such as the diverse needs and varying levels of proficiency among tutees, initial discomfort in seeking help, and the requirement for more tailored support. Despite these challenges, the positive impact of the peer tutoring service is evident. Tutors reported enhanced teaching skills, deeper subject knowledge, and improved interpersonal skills. Tutees experienced increased confidence, better academic performance, and enhanced oral communication abilities. These outcomes underscore the dual benefit of peer tutoring for both parties involved.   

 

Significantly, a salient theme identified by both peer tutors and tutees was improved confidence, fostered by the provision of a safe space during peer tutoring sessions. This safe space allowed students to express themselves without fear of judgment, promoting learning and growth. The findings align with existing research that supports the benefits of peer-led learning experiences, which include increased engagement, motivation, and self-efficacy (Arco-Tirado et al., 2020; Podplota, 2022). By fostering an environment of peer learning and sharing, the WCH not only addresses academic gaps but also promotes student well-being. The supportive peer relationships that develop through these tutoring sessions contribute to a sense of community and belonging, which are essential components of student wellbeing.  

 

The study also identifies opportunities to enhance the service by providing more extensive tutor training and improving the mentorship program for new peer tutors. Additionally, effective publicity is needed to raise awareness of WCH services. 

 

SIGNIFICANCE  

The insights gained from this study contribute to the broader discourse on peer tutoring in oral communication, offering practical implications for universities aiming to enhance student preparedness. The WCH at NUS exemplifies the potential of peer tutoring in developing essential communication skills, underscoring the importance of continued support and enhancement of such programs to meet the evolving needs of students. Through its commitment to engaging communities and promoting holistic student development, the WCH plays a critical role. By focusing on engaging communities, fostering student wellbeing, creating safe spaces and promoting peer learning and sharing, higher education institutions can create more comprehensive educational experiences that prepare students for successful careers and meaningful personal interactions. 

 

REFERENCES

Arco-Tirado, J. L., Fernandez-Martin, F. D., & Hervas-Torres, M. (2020). Evidence-based peer-tutoring program to improve students’ performance at the university. Studies in Higher Education, 45(11), 2190-2202. https://doi.org/10.1080/03075079.2019.1597038

Clarence, S. (2018). Towards inclusive, participatory peer tutor development in higher education. Critical Studies in Teaching and Learning (CriSTaL), 6(1), 58-74. https://doi.org/10.14426/cristal.v6i1.1939

Hovland, K. (2014). Oral communication: Skills for the real world. Liberal Education, 100(1). Association of American Colleges & Universities. 

Merriam, S. B. (1998). Qualitative Research and Case Study Applications in Education. Revised and Expanded from” Case Study Research in Education.”. Jossey-Bass Publishers. 
 
Merry, S., & Orsmond, P. (2020). Peer assessment: the role of relational learning through communities of practice. Studies in Higher Education, 45(7), 1312-1322. https://doi.org/10.1080/03075079.2018.1544236

Moreno, E. M., Montilla-Arechabala, C., & Maldonado, M. A. (2022). Effectiveness and characteristics of programs for developing oral competencies at university: A systematic review. Cogent Education, 9(1), 2149224. http://dx.doi.org/10.1080/2331186X.2022.2149224

Podplota, S. (2022). Advantages of peer-tutoring in leading institutions of higher education. Problems of Education, (2 (97)), 43-60. http://dx.doi.org/10.52256/2710-3986.2-97.2022.03

Saldana, J. (2016). The Coding Manual for Qualitative Researchers. Sage. 

Yin, R. K. (2011). Applications of case study research. Sage. 

Community Engagement in Higher Music Education

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Xavier TAN, HO Chee Kong, CHAN Tze Law, and NG Wei Jie, Benedict* 

Career Orientation and Community Engagement, YST Conservatory of Music (YSTCOM)

* ngwjben@nus.edu.sg

Tan, X., Ho, C. K., Chan, T. L., & Ng, B. (2024). Community engagement in higher music education [Paper presentation]. In Higher Education Conference in Singapore (HECS) 2024, 3 December, National University of Singapore. https://blog.nus.edu.sg/hecs/hecs2024-tanx-et-al/

SUB-THEME

Opportunities from Engaging Communities 

KEYWORDS

Community Engagement, Music, Interdisciplinary Learning 

CATEGORY

Paper Presentation

 

INTRODUCTION 

In the National Arts Council’s SG Arts Plan 2.0 (2023-2027), a key strategic thrust lies in creating strong community bonds through the arts (National Arts Council, 2023). While it is well-noted that music has the power to build and foster wellness within communities (Rodwin et al., 2023, Paolantonio, 2023), it is notable that higher music education institutes are also harnessing their substantial influence to promote artistic citizenship and engaging with the community (Tregear, et al. 2016, Turino, 2016, Gaunt et al., 2020). 

 

As one of the Yong Siew Toh Conservatory of Music (YSTCOM)’s curricular ethos includes community engagement, this paper seeks to share the pedagogical approaches that scaffold the learning of social responsibility among students as well as opportunities for community engagement through higher music education, particularly within the context of the Bachelor of Music (BMus) in Music & Society, and Music Collaboration & Production (MS/MCP) programmes.  

 

MS/MCP CURRICULUM 

Introduced in 2018, the BMus in MS/MCP is an innovative programme designed to enable aspiring artists to ‘realise their leadership potential in a range of different emerging contexts’ (Yong Siew Toh Conservatory of Music, n.d.). In these majors, higher music education is redefined from one that focuses on discrete musical skills to emphasising the practical application of music, aiming to achieve significant societal impact. This necessitated a change in pedagogy to focus on the impact of musical practices within its surrounding context.  

 

Firstly, the curriculum incorporates seminar-style learning, introducing various literature and encouraging students to think critically about issues in music and society. Space is also created for collaborative learning, where students work on projects together to use music to explore societal issues. These provide the academic framing for them to have a stronger concept on the impact of their projects on the community. 

 

Alongside other courses offered at the conservatory such as MUA2163 “Leading and Guiding through Music”, which develops facilitation skills for community engagement projects, the curriculum prepares students both conceptually and technically to implement their individual projects successfully. These self-directed projects give students hands-on practice in developing projects that are centered around societal impact.  The focus on self-directed projects encourages to students take ownership over their projects, fostering social responsibility in them. 

 

Such projects include Tan Wei Yang’s (MCP 2025) 3rd Year Project ‘Strategies for Creative Placemaking Efforts in Singapore: Case Study of Joo Chiat’, which produced an art and music jam session in Joo Chiat, highlighting the effectiveness of music in supporting placemaking efforts through engaging the community. Benjamin Harris’ (MS 2023) capstone project ‘Phenomenologies of Transient Migrant Music-Making in Singapore’ also captured the community-building experiences through music among transient migrant workers. 

 

Inculcating social responsibility among musicians is an ongoing process and the curricular aims of the conservatory play a significant role in shifting mindsets towards community-centric musical practices in the industry through programmes such as the BMus in MS and MCP. Beyond this, musicians also further hone their leadership potential in driving change in society through the Master of Music Leadership (MMusL) programme.  

 

While relatively new, the MMusL programme has demonstrated its impact on the wider music ecosystem with its community-centric focus. Joseph Teo’s (MMusL 2024) capstone project, the ASEAN Tuba and Euphonium Conference brought together the community of practitioners around the region for a session of learning. Additionally, to provide opportunities for Chinese music enthusiasts to stay engaged with their musical interests beyond their formal education, Jonathan Ngeow (MMusL 2024) set up the MoJo orchestra as part of his capstone project. 

 

Amongst the faculty, these new pedagogical structures are strengthened through continuous professional development. This included a staff exchange opportunity with Princess Galyani Vadhana Institute of Music to observe community engagement projects, supported by Centre for Development of Teaching and Learning Teaching Enhancement Grant in 2023. We are also expanding the possibilities to create impact through music and networks through interdisciplinary collaboration with other faculties and partners. 

 

REFERENCES

Elliott, D. J., Silverman, M., & Bowman, W. D. (2016). Artistic citizenship: Artistry, social responsibility, and ethical praxis. Oxford University Press. 

Gaunt, H., Duffy, C., Coric, A., González Delgado, I. R., Messas, L., Pryimenko, O., & Sveidahl, H. (2021). Musicians as “makers in society”: A conceptual foundation for contemporary professional higher music education. Frontiers in Psychology, 12, 713648. https://doi.org/10.3389/fpsyg.2021.713648 

National Arts Council. (2023-2027). Our SG Arts Plan 2.0 (2023-2027). https://www.nac.gov.sg/docs/default-source/our-sg-arts-plan-(2023—2027)/our-sg-arts-plan-2023—2027—executive-summary.pdf 

Paolantonio, P., Cavalli, S., Biasutti, M., Eiholzer, H., & Williamon, A. (2023). Building community through higher music education: A training program for facilitating musical engagement among older adults. Frontiers in Psychology, 14, 1102446. https://doi.org/10.3389/fpsyg.2023.1102446 

Rodwin, A. H., Shimizu, R., Travis, R., James, K. J., Banya, M., & Munson, M. R. (2023). A systematic review of music-based interventions to improve treatment engagement and mental health outcomes for adolescents and young adults. Child and Adolescent Social Work Journal, 40(4), 537-566. https://doi.org/10.1007/s10560-022-00893-x 

Tregear, P., Johansen, G., Jørgensen, H., Sloboda, J., Tulve, H., & Wistreich, R. (2016). Conservatoires in society: Institutional challenges and possibilities for change. Arts and Humanities in Higher Education, 15(3–4), 276-292. https://doi.org/10.1177/1474022216647379 

Turino, T. (2016). Music, social change, and alternative forms of citizenship. In D. J. Elliott, M. Silverman, & W. Bowman (Eds.), Artistic citizenship: Artistry, social responsibility, and ethical praxis (pp. 297–311). Oxford University Press. 

Yong Siew Toh Conservatory of Music. (n.d.). Majors. National University of Singapore. Retrieved July 3, 2024, from https://www.ystmusic.nus.edu.sg/majors-msmcp/s 

Engaging Persons with Disabilities Through Systems Engineering Projects

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Aaron Eng Seng CHIA 

Department of Industrial Systems Engineering and Management, 
College of Design and Engineering (CDE) 

aaron_chia@nus.edu.sg  

Chia, A. E. S. (2024). Engaging persons with disabilities through systems engineering projects [Paper presentation]. In Higher Education Conference in Singapore (HECS) 2024, 3 December, National University of Singapore. https://blog.nus.edu.sg/hecs/hecs2024-aeschia/

SUB-THEME

Opportunities from Engaging Communities 

KEYWORDS

Engaging communities, systems engineering projects, person with disabilities, social responsibility 

CATEGORY

Paper Presentation

 

INTRODUCTION 

Universities have social responsibilities manifested as community engagement, community outreach programmes, civic engagement, and public engagement (Esfijani et al., 2012). Since Generation Z placed greater emphasis on their role in the world and considered it part of their social responsibility to improve it (Ernst & Young, 2023), universities can play a greater role in this. However, in science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM) disciplines, there are not many intervention programmes to enhance social responsibility (specifically engaging communities). One example is the ENACT (engage, navigate, anticipate, conduct, and take action) programme by Hwang et al. (2023).  

 

In a systems engineering course taught, students design and build products through a system development life cycle as shown in Figure 1.  In each stage, there is a need to engage relevant stakeholders. 

 

This study aims to study the impact of engaging real stakeholders (communities) for engineering projects on students’ learning and thereby also foster social responsibility. The projects of past students (first group) usually did not engage communities. Students carried out literature reviews and assumed themselves to be the stakeholders of the system. Examples of such products include multifunctional baby bottles, safe chopping boards etc. In the second group of students, they were required to engage persons with disabilities (PwD) to design systems to, for example, enable persons living with dementia (PLD) to travel independently, or help the elderly with hearing impairments to work in cafes.  

Figure 1. System Development Lifecycle (Source: Eby (2017)

 

METHODOLOGY 

After completion of each group project, students were interviewed on the challenges of the project and possible improvements. A semi-structured interview was employed based on its suitability (Ruslin et al, 2022). One of the students in the group was tasked to record and transcribe the interview for inclusion in their report. As an instructor, the author also observed how well the project was carried out. 

 

FINDINGS 

The first group of students found that it was challenging to gather actual requirements since they might not be the users of the products. The requirements were obtained from third parties such as the Internet or themselves. One suggested improvement was to have projects which involved real stakeholders. It was observed by the instructor that students often missed out the needs of the other stakeholders in the system. For example, the requirements of a baby bottle should not focus just on the baby but also the needs of the parents.  

 

In the second group, some students found difficulty in having direct access to PwDs. While SG Enable supports such projects, they were reluctant to give direct access to some types of PwDs (with good reasons). They often served as intermediaries instead. Sometimes the students resorted to finding such stakeholders from their circle of friends. Students also faced difficulties in trying to communicate with some PwDs, for example, communicating with the deaf. Moreover, the challenges faced by the PwDs might not be articulated clearly as their perceptions of their environments were often different. The students also found that the product did not exist in isolation with the user— often other stakeholders need to be consulted—they could provide additional insights to the design of the product. The instructor found that the students produced better outcomes and learnings via such engagements.  

 

CONCLUSIONS 

The systems engineering projects with PwDs help students to engage communities. They were able to elicit real needs and foster social responsibility to become better citizens and engineers. They learnt the challenges of engaging certain types of stakeholders and found it meaningful that their projects could benefit such communities. However, it requires more effort on the instructor’s part to find such projects, spend time with external organisations, and help students to engage the communities. 

 

REFERENCES

Ali, M., Mustapha, I., Osman, S., & Hassan, U. (2021). University Social Responsibility: A review of conceptual evolution and its thematic analysis. Journal of Cleaner Production, 286, 124931. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jclepro.2020.124931 

Eby, K. (2017, June 27) The ultimate guide to understanding and using a system development life cycle, Retrieved from: https://www.smartsheet.com/system-development-life-cycle-guide 

Ernst & Young LLP (2023) How can understanding the influence of Gen Z today empower your tomorrow? Retrieved from https://www.ey.com/en_us/consulting/2023-gen-z-study 

Esfijani, A., Hussain, F.K., Chang, E. (2012). An approach to university social responsibility ontology development through text analyses, International Conference on Human System Interaction. pp. 1e7. https://doi.org/10.1109/HSI.2012.10 

Hwang, Y., Ko, Y., Shim, S. S., Ok, S., Lee, H. (2023), International Journal of STEM Education (2023) 10:11. https://doi.org/10.1186/s40594-023-00402-1 

Ruslin, R., Mashuri, S., Sarib, M., Alhabsyi, F. and Syam, H. (2022) Semi-structured Interview: A Methodological Reflection on the Development of a Qualitative Research Instrument, Educational Studies, Vol. 12. 22-29. http://dx.doi.org/10.9790/7388-1201052229. 

Yin, R. K. (2011). Applications of case study research. Sage. 

Abolishing 11:59PM Deadlines or: How Students Learned to Stop Worrying and Love the Assignments

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Prasanna Karthik Vairam

Department of Computer Science, School of Computing, NUS

prasanna@comp.nus.edu.sg

Vairam, P. K. (2024). Abolishing 11:59PM deadlines or: How students learned to stop worrying and love the assignments [Paper presentation]. In Higher Education Conference in Singapore (HECS) 2024, 3 December, National University of Singapore. https://blog.nus.edu.sg/hecs/hecs2024-pkvairam/

SUB-THEME

Opportunities from Wellbeing

KEYWORDS

Assignment deadlines, mental health, github classrooms, version control

CATEGORY

Paper Presentation 

EXTENDED ABSTRACT

University courses typically have many assignments, and the deadlines are predominantly set at a fixed time (e.g., 11:59 PM on Friday). While we know that students despise deadlines through anecdotal evidence, contemporary research also agrees (Capelle, 2023). Fixed deadlines result in anxiety, stress, and induce last-minute mishaps (e.g., accidental deletion). Inability to perform well in an assignment can result in frustration and shame, negatively affecting the student’s learning journey through the rest of the course. Some university teachers have experimented with suggested deadlines, wherein, students are allowed to submit late for a penalty. However, such solutions do little to alleviate the problems, considering that students often work last-minute and submit sub-par works (Castro, 2022). Therefore, there is a need for a solution that promotes student wellness without compromising on submission quality.

 

In this paper, we describe a continuous submission methodology that eliminates the need for a fixed Assignment deadline in a computer programming course, promoting student wellness without compromising learning outcomes.

 

We achieve this through a combination of i) Github Classroom, a cloud-based education technology platform from Microsoft, ii) code templates, a technique that we propose to transform assignments into fill-in puzzles, and iii) Conferring, a known pedagogical technique. Github classroom uses git to maintain versions of the files in the project. This means that students can incrementally save (or commit) their work to the platform. Every save is a submission. Next, to make the process of solving assignments interesting and learning outcome-focused, we provide code templates, which is a pre-written code given by the instructor, with blanks that the student is required to fill. Pre-written code is the boring piece of code that must be written for the program to run, while it does not contribute to the learning outcome. Last, the instructor confers with students to monitor their progress continuously. The saves (or commits) on Github classroom allows the instructor to identify individual students progress over time, providing an opportunity to intervene (and confer) if necessary. Conferring can be done either face-to-face or through Github Issues. Github Issues is a feature typically used to file software bugs, but they come in handy as a non-intrusive and less-intimidating way of reminding students that they are falling behind on the assignment.

 

The process of coding and submitting assignments could be as follows:

  1. Day 0: Students accept the assignment through the Github classroom link created by the instructor.
  2. Day 1: Download the code template (i.e., the starter code) from Github classroom.
  3. Day 1: Fill in the missing piece of code. For instance, the code corresponding to Q1 of Assignment.
  4. Day 3: After finishing Q1, perform a git commit (save and submit).
  5. Day 5: Instructor looks at student progress across class and identifies those falling behind. Instructor files Github Issues for these students. This feedback can either be a gentle reminder or could be little hints to guide them in the correct direction.
  6. Day 7: Student continues to code Q2 and performs git commit.
  7. Eventually, the student finishes Q3 and Q4 of student, each with a different git commit.
  8. The instructor does not need to check the deadline since each git commit comes with a timestamp.
  9. No penalties are given as long as the commits are within an acceptable timeline.

The effectiveness of the method can be observed by looking at the commit (or save) distribution over time and the number of commits made by the students (not adding the graph due to pending IRB clearance).

CONCLUSION

The proposed method removes the anxiety that students typically associate with assignments, allowing them to focus on the learning outcomes instead. The method is both a continuous submission and continuous evaluation/monitoring system. Some of the other benefits include including the prevention of accidental deletion, since all data is stored in cloud every time the students execute the git commit. Although we demonstrate our method in the context of a programming course, it can be extended to courses in other domains.

REFERENCES

Capelle, J. D., Senker, K., Fries, S., & Grund, A. (2023). Deadlines make you productive, but what do they do to your motivation? Trajectories in quantity and quality of motivation and study activities among university students as exams approach. Frontiers in Psychology, 14, 1224533. https://doi.org/10.3389/fpsyg.2023.1224533

Castro, F. E. V., Leinonen, J., & Hellas, A. (2022), Experiences with and lessons learned on deadlines and submission behavior, Proceedings of the 22nd Koli Calling International Conference on Computing Education Research, https://doi.org/10.1145/3564721.3564728

From Outreach to Empowerment: Cultivating University-driven Community Engagement

cdtlsd Paper Presentations , , , , ,

Julius BAUTISTA

NUS College

*bautista@nus.edu.sg

 

Bautista, J. (2024). From outreach to empowerment: Cultivating university-driven community engagement [Paper presentation]. In Higher Education Conference in Singapore (HECS) 2024, 3 December, National University of Singapore. https://blog.nus.edu.sg/hecs/hecs2024-jbautista/

SUB-THEME

Opportunities from Engaging Communities

 

KEYWORDS

Service-learning, community engagement, experiential learning, overseas classroom, Southeast Asia

 

CATEGORY

Paper Presentation 

 

EXTENDED ABSTRACT

In the context of tertiary education, Community Engagement (CE) is defined as an inclusive approach to university teaching, research, and scholarship that prioritises the sharing of knowledge, wisdom, and resources with society at large. There are three research areas that constitute the pedagogical foundations of CE. These are (1) Service-learning (Sandaran, 2019), (2) Asset-based community development (ABCD) (Nelson et. al., 2011), and (3) Social impact analysis (Khan, 2020) (see Figure 1). Enhancing capacity in these three research areas will enable educators to build on the principle that working collaboratively with stakeholders outside the academe is the best way for us to “strengthen how we learn, deepen what we know, and have more impact on issues that matter.”

HECS2024-a57-Fig1

Figure 1. The pedagogical foundations of Community Engagement (CE).

 

Community-engaged universities are crucial to a robust economy and society because they cultivate valuable intellectual and physical resources that contribute to addressing national issues and problems. It is for this reason that the principle of CE has been identified by the Singaporean government as a key Student Development Experience. As such, community-aligned educational programs are widely implemented in various forms across the educational landscape in Singapore (NLB, 2014). At the secondary school level, CE is identified as part of students’ holistic educational development, particularly through the Values in Action (VIA) project (Ang, 2018). Similarly, most local Institutes of Higher Learning (IHL) are requiring forms of CE as a key graduation component. At NUS, a diversity of CE platforms are offered, such as the NUS College’s capstone Impact Experience (IEx) Project, or through other modules mapped on to the Communities and Engagement pillar of the NUS General Education Curriculum.


While CE is widely implemented and practiced, however, there are limited opportunities to develop such programs beyond the requirements of the school curriculum. There are a few reasons for this. Firstly, the research literature, particularly in examining qualitative student and community partner experiences, is sparse and underdeveloped (Salam, et. al.. 2019; Choi et. al., 2023). There are few studies conducted on thinking about CE as comprised of the aforementioned three research areas in an integrated and interdisciplinary way, particularly in the Asia Pacific. Secondly, networking opportunities specific to CE in tertiary education are underutilised, in spite of the presence of established programs within most IHLs in the region. The most prominent pedagogy-inclined conferences in Singapore, for example the Redefining Pedagogy International Conference at the National Institute of Education, tend to be broadly conceived, thus precluding a sustained and in-depth discussion on how CE can be cultivated beyond curricular requirements. Thirdly, and most crucially, a majority of the CE platforms in institutes of higher learning (IHLs) are typically offered for a duration of one or two semesters, thereby limiting its focus to providing one-way community ‘outreach’ in the short term.


In view of these limitations, I will discuss the challenges we face in developing a robust CE infrastructure— that is, the intellectual resources, institutional policies, practices, equipment, and buildings that contribute to the facilitation of CE. Using case studies and feedback from the NUS College Impact Experience Program, I argue that overcoming these challenges will require a conceptual and operational transition from a short term “outreach” delivery framework (i.e., the academe shares expertise and practices with the public) to a reciprocal “empowerment” partnership framework (i.e., the university and its community partners co-produce solutions to societal issues in a way that adds value to existing community endeavours).

REFERENCES

Ang, J. (2018, September 18). Values in Action Program: Making lasting impact on students. The Straits Times.  https://www.straitstimes.com/singapore/education/values-in-action-programme-making-lasting-impact-on-students-ministry-of  Accessed 19 June 2024.

Carnegie Foundation Classification of Institutions of Higher Learning (2024). The Elective Classification for Community Engagement. https://carnegieclassifications.acenet.edu/elective-classifications/community-engagement/ Accessed 19 June 2024.

Choi, Y., Han, J. & Kim, H. (2023). “Exploring key service-learning experiences that promote students’ learning in higher education.”  Asia Pacific Education Review.  https://doi.org/10.1007/s12564-023-09833-5

Khan, I. (2020). “Critiquing social impact assessments: Ornamentation or reality in the Bangladeshi electricity infrastructure sector?” Energy Research and Social Science (60).  https://doi.org/10.1016/j.erss.2019.101339

Nelson B., Campbell J., & Emanuel J. (2011). Development of a method for asset-based working. NHS North West.

Salam, M., Iskandar, D. N. A., Ibrahim, D. H. A., & Farooq, M. S. (2019). “Service learning in higher education: A systematic literature review” Asia Pacific Education Review, 20(4), 573–593.  https:// doi. org/ 10. 1007/ s12564- 019- 09580-6;

Sandaran, S. (2012). Service Learning: Transforming Students, Communities and Universities. Procedia – Social and Behavioral Sciences, 66(7), 380-390.  https://doi.org/10.1016/j.sbspro.2012.11.281

The Impact Of Service-learning Courses On Social Responsibility In Students: A Preliminary Study

cdtlsd Poster , , , , ,

1.2Kenneth CHONG, 1.2*Karyne Jie-lin TEO, 1.2HAN Qi, 1.3Anne Suet Lin CHONG, 1.3Nursafiqah SAAD, 1.3LOO Chuan-Jie, 1.4Pamela Qi Ming YEH, 1.4Carrie Jia Yu HO, 1ZHENG Liren

1Department of Social Work, Faculty of Arts and Social Sciences (FASS), NUS
2GEN2060 Team
3GEN2061 Team
4GEN2070 Team

* karyne@nus.edu.sg

Chong, K., Teo, K. J-L., Han, Q., Chong, A. S. L., Saad, N., Loo, C-J., Yeh, P. Q. M., Ho, C. J. Y., & Zheng, L. (2024). The impact of service-learning courses on social responsibility in students: A preliminary study [Poster presentation]. In Higher Education Conference in Singapore (HECS) 2024, 3 December, National University of Singapore. https://blog.nus.edu.sg/hecs/hecs2024-kchong-et-al/

SUB-THEME

Opportunities from Engaging Communities 

KEYWORDS

Service-learning, general education, communities, volunteering, social services 

CATEGORY

Paper Presentation

 

EXTENDED ABSTRACT

The National University of Singapore (NUS) installed “Communities and Engagement” (C&E) as its sixth Common Curriculum Pillar in 2021, integrating service and learning to cultivate student engagement with broader societal issues through volunteer action, supported by structured training and guided reflexive learning. In this paper, we discuss the impact of three year-long C&E service-learning courses in developing social responsibility in undergraduate students.

 

The course GEN2060 “Reconnect SeniorsSG” is a partnership between NUS and the Agency for Integrated Care (AIC). Students serve as community befrienders for seniors facing social isolation. GEN2061 “Support Healthy AgeingSG” is also conducted in collaboration with AIC. Students are trained as Silver Generation Ambassadors to conduct Preventive Health Visits (PHVs) to check in on the well-being of seniors, as well as disseminate information on national support schemes and good practices to promote ageing-in-place. GEN2070 “Community Link (Comlink) Befrienders” is a collaboration between NUS and the Ministry of Social and Family Development (MSF). Students serve as befrienders to journey with disadvantaged families with young children through home visits and community interactions towards stability, self-reliance, and social mobility. As part of course requirements, each student undertakes 60-80 hours of coordinated service-learning work with the community partners. 

 

The Pilot Phase for these service-learning courses was conducted over two semesters in AY2022, with 181 students for GEN2060, 166 students for GEN2061, and 168 students for GEN2070 successfully completing their respective courses. Feedback from community stakeholders and students were found to be strongly positive. The courses have now been fully launched with a capacity of 600 students per semester for GEN2060, 750 students for GEN2061, and 300 students for GEN2070, with Course Tutor teams seeking to study the impact of students’ service-learning experiences in shaping their perceptions of community and self, as well as in cultivating social responsibility. 

 

Anonymised course evaluation surveys, students’ reflection papers as well as data from community partners were analysed. It was found that students expressed affective and cognitive growth from their service-learning experiences. For instance, students developed an emotional attachment to their service-recipients through the course, and grew in their empathy, recognition of their own privileges and a heightened awareness of social inequality. Students also demonstrated growth in their perspectives on the complexity of social issues, systemic barriers, and needs and resources in the community. These perspectives often lead to profound personal transformation and a sense of social responsibility. Finally, an encouraging proportion of students indicated a commitment to continue as a volunteer or be involved in other social initiatives after the course has ended. This commitment is often driven by a sense of personal agency and a belief in their ability to create change in society. 

 

These results suggest that the key learning objectives of the Communities and Engagement Pillar can be met through the service-learning courses. In addition, they provide insights for the teams to further encourage students to develop their sense of social responsibility. In the longer term, consideration can be given for the programme to be further expanded to the wider NUS population and other institutes of higher learning.

 

ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS

The GEN2050 and GEN2062 Tutor Teams are presently hosted by the Undergraduate Education Unit of the Office of the Provost, NUS. We acknowledge the support and guidance of Ms ONG Mui Hong, Director of Operations & Planning (PVO), and Prof Peter Ho, Vice Provost (Undergraduate Studies & Technology-enhanced Learning). We also acknowledge the support and guidance of A/P Esther GOH, Dr Alex LEE, and A/P LEE Geok Ling.

 

REFERENCES

Deeley, S.J. (2015). Critical Perspectives on Service-Learning in Higher Education. Palgrave MacMillan. 

Evans, Karen (2009). Learning, Work and Social Responsibility: Challenges for lifelong learning in a global age. Springer.  

NUS (2024). Communities and Engagement Pillar. https://www.nus.edu.sg/registrar/academic-information-policies/undergraduate-students/general-education/communities-and-engagement-pillar 

Wray-Lake, L., & Syvertsen, A. K. (2011). The developmental roots of social responsibility in childhood and adolescence. In C. A. Flanagan & B. D. Christens (Eds.), Youth civic development: Work at the cutting edge (pp. 11–25). Jossey-Bass. 

Soken-Huberty, E. (2022, October 23). What is Social Responsibility? Human Rights Careers. https://www.humanrightscareers.com/issues/what-is-social-responsibility/ 

Smart Calendar: Integrating AI for Student Mental Health and Wellbeing

cdtlsd Poster , , , , ,

1, *Akshay Narayan, 1LI Jiayao, 1Bimlesh Wadhwa, 2Alex MITCHELL, 3Eric KERR, and 2Weiyu ZHANG

1Department of Computer Science, School of Computing (SOC)
2Department of Communications and New Media, Faculty of Arts and Social Sciences (FASS)
3Tembusu College and Asia Research Institute (ARI)

*dcsaksh@nus.edu.sg

Narayan, A., Li, J., Wadhwa, B., Mitchell, A., Kerr, E., & Zhang, W. (2024). Smart Calendar: Integrating AI for student mental health and wellbeing [Poster presentation]. In Higher Education Conference in Singapore (HECS) 2024, 3 December, National University of Singapore. https://blog.nus.edu.sg/hecs/hecs2024-anarayan-et-al/

SUB-THEME

Opportunities from Wellbeing 

KEYWORDS

Smart calendar, AI, Time management, Rest and recovery, Wellbeing 

CATEGORY

Paper Presentation

 

INTRODUCTION

University students face high cognitive loads and often feel they lack time for academic activities (Kyndt et al., 2014), increasing their stress levels (Kausar, 2010). Time management is a suggested coping strategy (Macan et al., 1990) that enhances academic performance and reduces anxiety (Razali et al., 2018). However, many students struggle with time management due to juggling academic, extracurricular, and personal commitments (Xu et al., 2014). 

 

Good time management helps students analyze tasks, plan effectively, and understand task priorities (Nonis et al., 2006; Sauvé et al., 2018). It leads to academic success and enhances life quality beyond university (Wang et al., 2011). However, students need support to develop these skills (Van der Meer et al., 2010). 

 

THE CORE CHALLENGE 

Despite its importance, studies haven’t focused on effective intervention mechanisms for time management or directly considered students’ mental wellbeing. Research often mentions stress reduction as a side effect but doesn’t address it directly. With AI advancements, we can now provide targeted interventions. AI can offer personalised scheduling and proactive reminders, including breaks and relaxation periods, to support both time management and mental wellness. 

 

OUR PROPOSED STRATEGY 

Our proposal results from discussions within a Technology for Social Good learning community. Recognising student mental wellness concerns at NUS, we explored technological solutions. We suggest a two-pronged approach using AI with a “smart calendar.” First, automate task planning and scheduling to reduce cognitive load and include intervention mechanisms. Second, incorporate mental wellness by automatically scheduling “recovery time” in the task schedule. 

 

Addressing mental health and wellbeing 

It is assumed that better time management improves mental health by reducing stress from unfinished tasks. However, most studies overlook the need for recovery and relaxation after demanding tasks. Research shows regular micro-breaks and sufficient sleep enhance productivity (Kim et al., 2018; Kühnel et al., 2017). 

 

We propose incorporating sleep schedules and explicit micro-breaks, proportional to the duration and the demand of the cognitive task, automatically in task scheduling. For example, a two-hour core-course lecture should be followed by a thirty-minute recovery break in the schedule. 

 

Automating time management 

We believe AI can enhance task scheduling by automating it using the following inputs: 

  • System input: Fixed academic schedules from university sources like timetables and LMS. 
  • User inputs: Personal schedules defining non-academic and extracurricular activities. 

 

We solve the task scheduling problem algorithmically, treating it as a constraint satisfaction and resource optimization issue. Given the fixed, limited available time, we aim to optimise its utilisation. Tasks and micro-breaks are modeled as constraints for the schedule. Additionally, the system can learn user behavior and preferences to refine the schedule. 

 

The smart calendar also nudges students (Caraban et al., 2019) to record task completion and follow scheduled micro-breaks, providing targeted interventions for mental wellbeing.

 

THE PATH FORWARD 

Currently, we have formulated a Master’s thesis project for developing an AI-driven smart calendar that addresses the intertwined challenges of time management and mental wellness for university students. Under this project, we are prototyping a calendar application based on the discussions arising out of the learning community focused on Technology for Social Good. The calendar aims to provide personalised, proactive support, helping students manage their busy schedules with ease and confidence. Going forward, we intend to perform a user study to measure the effectiveness of such a calendar application among university students. We believe as educational institutions prioritise mental wellness, adopting AI calendaring solutions could significantly foster a healthier, more productive student community.  

 

REFERENCES

Caraban, A., Karapanos, E., Gonçalves, D., & Campos, P. (2019). 23 ways to nudge: A review of technology-mediated nudging in human-computer interaction. In Proceedings of the 2019 CHI conference on human factors in computing systems,  

Kausar, R. (2010). Perceived stress, academic workloads and use of coping strategies by university students. Journal of Behavioural Sciences, 20(1). https://pu.edu.pk/images/journal/doap/PDF-FILES/3rd-article-Vol-20-No-1-2010.pdf 

Kim, S., Park, Y., & Headrick, L. (2018). Daily micro-breaks and job performance: General work engagement as a cross-level moderator. Journal of Applied Psychology, 103(7), 772. https://psycnet.apa.org/doi/10.1037/apl0000308

Kühnel, J., Zacher, H., De Bloom, J., & Bledow, R. (2017). Take a break! Benefits of sleep and short breaks for daily work engagement. European Journal of Work and Organizational Psychology, 26(4), 481-491. https://doi.org/10.1080/1359432X.2016.1269750

Kyndt, E., Berghmans, I., Dochy, F., & Bulckens, L. (2014). ‘Time is not enough.’ Workload in higher education: a student perspective. Higher Education Research & Development, 33(4), 684-698. https://doi.org/10.1080/07294360.2013.863839  

Macan, T. H., Shahani, C., Dipboye, R. L., & Phillips, A. P. (1990). College students’ time management: Correlations with academic performance and stress. Journal of Educational Psychology, 82(4), 760. https://psycnet.apa.org/doi/10.1037/0022-0663.82.4.760  

Nonis, S. A., Philhours, M. J., & Hudson, G. I. (2006). Where Does the Time Go? A Diary Approach to Business and Marketing Students’ Time Use. Journal of Marketing Education, 28(2), 121-134. https://doi.org/10.1177/0273475306288400  

Razali, S., Rusiman, M., Gan, W., & Arbin, N. (2018). The impact of time management on students’ academic achievement. Journal of Physics: Conference Series. https://iopscience.iop.org/article/10.1088/1742-6596/995/1/012042  

Sauvé, L., Fortin, A., Viger, C., & Landry, F. (2018). Ineffective learning strategies: a significant barrier to post-secondary perseverance. Journal of Further and Higher Education, 42(2), 205-222. https://doi.org/10.1080/0309877X.2016.1224329  

Van der Meer, J., Jansen, E., & Torenbeek, M. (2010). ‘It’s almost a mindset that teachers need to change’: first‐year students’ need to be inducted into time management. Studies in Higher Education, 35(7), 777-791. https://doi.org/10.1080/03075070903383211  

Wang, W.-C., Kao, C.-H., Huan, T.-C., & Wu, C.-C. (2011). Free time management contributes to better quality of life: A study of undergraduate students in Taiwan. Journal of Happiness Studies, 12, 561-573. https://doi.org/10.1007/s10902-010-9217-7

Xu, J., Yuan, R., Xu, B., & Xu, M. (2014). Modeling students’ time management in math homework. Learning and Individual Differences, 34, 33-42. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.lindif.2014.05.011 

Poster Design And Presentation Assignment Can Engage The Students And Community To Help Overcome Plant Blindness

cdtlsd Poster , , ,

Amy Mei Fun CHOONG

Department of Biological Sciences, Faculty of Science, NUS

dbscmfa@nus.edu.sg 

Choong, A. M. F. (2024). Poster design and presentation assignment can engage the students and community to help overcome plant blindness [Poster presentation]. In Higher Education Conference in Singapore (HECS) 2024, 3 December, National University of Singapore. https://blog.nus.edu.sg/hecs/hecs2024-amfchoong/

SUB-THEME

Opportunities from Engaging Communities 

KEYWORDS

Poster design, presentation, plant blindness

CATEGORY

Poster Presentation

EXTENDED ABSTRACT

Plant blindness (Wandersee & Shussler, 1999) refers to the common inability among students and non-botanists to recognise or appreciate plants. This happens because people take plants for granted, assuming that the life-giving oxygen produced from photosynthesis will always take place, and plants will always be around to provide what we need or don’t even realise that we need plants to survive and thrive. This problem is exacerbated by the shrinking number of universities that train students to identify plants (Stroud et al., 2022) and this has led to a shortage of educators and skilled workers in plant-related industries (Choong, 2022). To stem the further decline in botanical expertise, a Minor in Botany has been launched in 2023 to provide structured botanical education. This is a collaboration between the Department of Biological Sciences and the Singapore Botanic Gardens. One of the compulsory courses, LSM3258 “Comparative Botany” offered in Semester One, covers plant form and function. To reverse plant blindness, a class assignment required students to study campus plants and to design posters to showcase them to classmates and to a general audience to engage the community. The assignment required students to pick a plant from a given list, to research their uses and to study their internal structures through freehand sectioning. These activities reinforced lecture topics on different plant organs such as leaves, roots, stems and flowers. Students initially struggled to recognise the plants and their internal structures. I helped them to find their plants, taught and corrected their techniques on free-hand sectioning. By the end of the semester, they knew their individual species intimately and had developed a new-found appreciation for plants. Most students were also enthusiastic in presenting their posters to the public to help them reverse plant blindness. This poster design and presentation is a flipped classroom pedagogy (Square & Van De Hyde, 2020). On the day of the presentation, an invitation was disseminated campus-wide, colleagues and members of the public turned up to listen to the presentation and to interact with them. With support from NUS Libraries, the posters were displayed again from January to late February 2024, and I was given an opportunity to deliver a talk based on the students’ posters to colleagues and to an online audience. The talk was entitled “Are Plants Our Saviour?” Post-talk Mentimeter surveys revealed that people understood better the importance of plants, and realised that there were many plants on campus and they have medicinal values and other valuable traits. Six months later, the students were polled to see how much knowledge they manage to retain about their plants. All said they can remember and even list some of the plants’ characteristics. In conclusion, these community engagement activities helped reverse plant blindness.

REFERENCES

Choong, M. F. A. (2022). Education on plants and fungi: an urgent call. Nature in Singapore,  Supplement No. 1: e2022128.  Retrieved from https://lkcnhm.nus.edu.sg/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2022/11/NIS_S1_279-286.pdf 

 Square, L., & Van De Heyde, V. (2020). Poster presentations as an approach to implementing a ‘flipped learning’ pedagogy in introductory physics. Journal of Physics, 1512, 012005.  https://iopscience.iop.org/article/10.1088/1742-6596/1512/1/012005

Stroud, S., Fennell, M., Mitchley, J., Lydon, S., Peacock, J., & Bacon, K. L. (2022). The botanical education extinction and the fall of plant awareness. Ecology and Evolution, 12, e9019. https://doi.org/10.1002/ece3.9019

Wandersee, J.H. & E.E. Schussler (1999). Preventing plant blindness. The American Biology Teacher 61 (2), 82–86. https://doi.org/10.2307/4450624

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