Paper Presentations

Multi-stakeholder Experiential Learning For Adult Learners

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Weina ZHANG1,2,* and Ruth TAN1 

1Department of Finance, NUS Business School
2Sustainable and Green Finance Institute, NUS

*bizzwn@nus.edu.sg 

Zhang, W., & Tan, R. S. K. (2024). Multi-stakeholder experiential learning for adult learners [Paper presentation]. In Higher Education Conference in Singapore (HECS) 2024, 3 December, National University of Singapore. https://blog.nus.edu.sg/hecs/hecs2024-wzhang-rtan/

SUB-THEME

Opportunities from Engaging Communities 

KEYWORDS

Experiential Learning, Interdisciplinary, Multi-stakeholder Pedagogy, Sustainable solutions, Sustainable Development Goals 

CATEGORY

Paper Presentation 

 

EXTENDED ABSTRACT

The Masters in Sustainable and Green Finance (SGFIN) at the National University of Singapore (NUS) is an Asia-first Masters degree programme.  

 

In terms of pedagogical contribution, we have adopted the transformative multi-stakeholder educational approach proposed in UNESCO (2020). Figure 1 presents the key stakeholders involved in the programme and the different strategies designed to nurture a new generation of talents in the fast-paced field of sustainable finance. The curriculum has intentionally weaved in various experiential learning components for students to engage with the community and provide practical solutions.  

Figure 1. Multi-stakeholder pedagogy for MSGF Programme

 

Firstly, weekly industry talks featuring various experts exposed our students to the best practices and current trends in the financial and business world. These talks provide students with the latest insights from the industry. They are deliberately curated for students to learn about the multi-faceted challenges in the field of sustainable development.  

 

Secondly, to help students understand the cutting-edge technological and scientific advancements and the interdisciplinary nature of sustainability innovations, we have also invited many renowned NUS professors to deliver their research seminars to our students. The academic speakers came from Faculty of Science, College of Design and Engineering, and the Lee Kuan Yew School of Public Policy, covering a wide range of topics such as renewable energy solutions, nature-based climate solutions, electrical vehicles, urban heat and data analytics, biodiversity, and green hydrogen, and more.  

 

Thirdly, we also organised yearly case competitions for our students to tackle widespread and systematic challenges faced by businesses in the entire country. In the first year, we focused on the new energy transition by the local small and medium enterprises. In the second year, we asked students to conduct interviews with local business people to understand their sustainability journeys. Through the competition, hundreds of students from various disciplines have had close encounters with entrepreneurs and business owners to understand the challenges faced and provide ground-up solutions for the case challenge.   

 

Fourthly, as part of their graduating requirement, students work in teams to consult with industry partners on diverse issues. They were guided by academics from various departments of NUS.  

 

These engagements with the community of guest speakers and industry partners are opportunities for our students to (1) become more conscious of sustainable solutions to real-world challenges, and (2) to be more conscious of concrete ways to achieve the Sustainable Development Goals.  

 

For example, the capstone projects include studies into  

  • Energy transition (SDG13 Climate Action),  
  • Investment in renewable energy (SDG7 Affordable and Green Energy),  
  • Integration of biodiversity risk (SDG14 Life Below Water, SDG15 Life on Land), commercialisation of biofuels (SDG7 Affordable and Green Energy),  
  • Relationship between corporate diversity and financial performance (SDG5 Gender Equality), reduction of methane emissions (SDG13 Climate Action),  
  • Green buildings (SDG11 Sustainable Cities and Communities),  
  • Divestment strategy for coal exposure (SDG13 Climate Action),  
  • ESG Investing of Family Offices,  
  • Transition risk factors and physical risk factors (SDG13 Climate Action).  

 

In summary, we have summarised the motivation, rationale, strategies of curriculum design to help adult students acquire experiential learning experiences, and the hard and soft skills needed to thrive in the field of sustainability. We also present the learning outcomes of the students based on the feedback from surveys, learning journals, and job statistics.  

 

REFERENCES

Bridgstock, R. (2009). The graduate attributes we’ve overlooked: enhancing graduate employability through career management skills. Higher Education Research & Development, 28(1), 31-44. https://doi.org/10.1080/07294360802444347

Carless, D. (2015). Excellence in university assessment: Learning from award-winning practice. Routledge. 

Cheng, L. T. W., Armatas, C. A., & Wang, J. W. (2020). The impact of diversity, prior academic achievement and goal orientation on learning performance in group capstone projects. Higher Education Research & Development, 39(5), 913-925. https://doi.org/10.1080/07294360.2019.1699028

Clifford, V. A. (1999). Development of autonomous learners in a university setting. Higher Education Research & Development, 18(1), 115-128. https://doi.org/10.1080/0729436990180109

Colet, R. N. M. (2017). From content-centred to learning-centred approaches: shifting educational paradigm in higher education. Journal of Educational Administration and History, 49(1), 72-86. https://doi.org/10.1080/00220620.2017.1252737

Fink, L. D. (2003). Creating significant learning experiences; an integrated approach to designing colleague courses. Jossey-Bass. 

Hsu, T. C., Hwang,  G.-J., Chuang, C.-W. , & Chang, C.-K. (2012). Effects on learners’ performance of using selected and open network resources in a problem-based learning activity. British Journal of Educational Technology, 43(4), 606-623. https://doi.org/10.1111/j.1467-8535.2011.01235.x 

Johnson, L. A., & Helms, M. M. (2008). Keeping it local: Incorporating a local case study in the business curriculum. Education + Training. 50(4), 315-328. https://doi.org/10.1108/00400910810880551

Jorre de St Jorre, T., & Oliver, B. (2018). Want students to engage? Contextualise graduate learning outcomes and assess for employability. Higher Education Research & Development, 37(1), 44-57. https://doi.org/10.1080/07294360.2017.1339183

Knewtson, H. (2018). Paying attention to student learning in principles of finance. Journal of Financial Education, 44(2), 246-261. https://www.jstor.org/stable/26775506  

Thomas, K., Wong, K.-C., & Li, Y.-C. (2014). The capstone experience: student and academic experience. Higher Education Research & Development, 33(3), 580-594. https://doi.org/10.1080/07294360.2013.841646

UNESCO (2020). Multi-stakeholder Approaches to Education for Sustainable Development in Local Communities: Towards Achieving the Sustainable Development Goals in Asia.  

Integrating Design Competitions In Civil Engineering Education: Case Studies From Singapore And China

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DU Hongjian1,* and LIANG Yan2 

1Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering, NUS
2School of Civil Engineering, Zhengzhou University, China

*ceedhj@nus.edu.sg

Du, H., & Liang, Y. (2024). Integrating design competitions in civil engineering education: Case studies from Singapore and China [Paper presentation]. In Higher Education Conference in Singapore (HECS) 2024, 3 December, National University of Singapore. https://blog.nus.edu.sg/hecs/hecs2024-hjdu-lyan/

SUB-THEME

Opportunities from Engaging Communities 

KEYWORDS

Design competition, professional engineers, assessment, sustainability real-life problem 

CATEGORY

Paper Presentation 

 

INTRODUCTION

Previous literature has shown that design competition can have tremendous educational value in developing desired skills and competencies in students, provided ideal conditions are identified and maintained (Bunchal, 2004). The Royal Academy of Engineering’s report on Educating Engineers for the 21st century concluded that engineering courses must align better with the evolving needs of business and industry (2006). More high-quality project work is needed, centred around real-life problems and ideally delivered in collaboration with industry (Davies, 2013). In addition to technical skills, enabling skills are crucial, allowing engineer to operate effectively in a commercial environment (Gadola & Chindamo, 2019).  

 

Despite these recognised benefits, there is limited research on the use of design competition in civil engineering education. This paper explores how a design competition in structural concrete design impacts student learning at both the National University of Singapore (NUS) and Zhengzhou University (ZZU), China. The framework of this innovative teaching method is illustrated in Figure 1, showcasing its application in diverse educational contexts.  

Figure 1. Proposed teaching frameworks based on design competition. 

 

METHODOLOGY

The method was initially implemented in the course CE3165 “Structural Concrete Design” in AY2023/24, a core course in the Civil Engineering Programme at NUS. In the past, conventional design projects within CE3165 failed to evoke significant interest among students, who often found them to be labour intensive with minimal returns. Recognising the need for a paradigm shift, I sought to reimagine the design project as a dynamic and competitive endeavour. The design competition was introduced in collaboration with the Institution of Structural Engineers Singapore Regional Group, challenging teams to design the structural frame for Singapore’s first net-zero building. By providing clear assessment guidelines, the marking rubric facilitated an objective and transparent evaluation process, allowing judges to assess the merits of each design comprehensively (Table 1). The competition involved presentations evaluated by professionals from the construction industry (Figure 2). The design competition method was subsequently introduced in a similar course in the School of Civil Engineering, Zhengzhou University. During a visit to NUS between 2022 and 2023, the lecturer (co-author of this paper) identified similar challenges faced in his course: lack of student motivation and a disconnection between theory and real-life design. After observing the implementation of this design competition at NUS, the lecturer decided to adopt it at his home university.  

 

I was involved in the planning of the course and was invited to serve as an external judge in the design competition in 2024. The same format and marking rubrics were used. At Zhengzhou University, due to course requirements, students participated in the design competition individually, with a total of 15 students. I attended the presentation online (refer to Figure 3). An anonymous student survey was conducted to evaluate their feedback on the design competition.  

Table 1
Marking rubrics of reports and presentations of the design competition

 

Figure 2. Judge commenting on the design solution at NUS. 

 

Figure 3. Judge commenting on the design solution at ZZU. 

 

RESULTS

The design competition has yielded tangible evidence of its effusiveness in enhancing student learning outcomes and fostering a deeper understanding of sustainability in structural engineering. Quantitative scores from student evaluations corroborate the effectiveness of the competition, with high ratings indicating satisfaction with the learning outcomes and overall experience on their learning of structural design (Figure 4) and sustainability (Figure 5). Qualitative feedback from students highlights the positive impact of the design competition on their learning experience, with many expressing increasing motivation, engagement, and enthusiasm in structural engineering and sustainability (Table 2).  

Figure 4. Feedback from NUS and ZZU students on the question “Do you think the design competition has helped your learning of structural concrete design?” (1 represents “Not at all”, 5 represents “Very much”). 

 

Figure 5. Feedback from NUS and ZZU students on the question “Do you think the design competition has motivated your thinking and learning of sustainability?” (1 represents “Not at all”, 5 represents “Very much”). 

 

Table 2
Qualitative comments from students on the design competition 

 

CONCLUSIONS

This study compares the effectiveness of using design competition in two universities for similar courses. Results consistently demonstrated that design competitions lead to higher student learning motivation and a deeper understanding of structural design. The positive outcomes indicate the potential for broader adoption of this teaching method in engineering curricula, paving the way for more engaged and practically skilled engineering graduates.  

 

REFERENCES

Buchal, R. O. (2004). The educational value of student design competitions. In Proceedings of the inaugural CDEN design conference, Montreal, Canada. 

Davies, H. C. (2013). Integrating a multi-university design competition into a mechanical engineering design curriculum using modern design pedagogy. Journal of Engineering Education, 24(5), 383-396. https://doi.org/10.1080/09544828.2012.761679  

Gadola, M., & Chindamo, D. (2019). Experiential learning in engineering education: The role of student design competitions and a case study. International Journal of Mechanical Engineering Education, 47(1), 3-22. https://doi.org/10.1177/0306419017749580 

Royal Academy of Engineering. (2006). Educating engineers for the 21st century: The industry view. A commentary on a study carried out by Henley Management College for the Royal Academy of Engineering. London, UK.  

Content Analysis Of Student AI Use In A First-Year Writing Course

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Jonathan FROME  

NUS College 

frome@nus.edu.sg

Frome, J. (2024). Content analysis of student AI use in a first-year writing course [Paper presentation]. In Higher Education Conference in Singapore (HECS) 2024, 3 December, National University of Singapore. https://blog.nus.edu.sg/hecs/hecs2024-jfrome/

SUB-THEME

Opportunities from Generative AI 

KEYWORDS

Generative AI, undergraduate, AI-assisted writing, content analysis 

CATEGORY

Paper Presentation 

 

EXTENDED ABSTRACT

The take-home essay has traditionally served as a reliable proxy for evaluating student writing skills. The rise of Generative AI (GenAI), however, has led to concerns that the take-home essay may no longer be a valid assessment tool. If instructors cannot determine whether a student or GenAI completed an assignment, such assignments may fail to demonstrate whether students have achieved the intended course learning outcomes. This concern is widespread among educators who rely on essays for assessment. For instance, Cardon et al.’s (2023) survey of over 300 communication instructors confirms the widespread concern that GenAI will increase plagiarism, reduce critical thinking, diminish writing skills, and make student assessment difficult. These fears often stem from intuitions about student behavior, such as the belief that “students just want the tool’s output without engaging in the actual [writing] process” (Chang et al. 2023). The speed with which GenAI can produce relatively high-quality essays has led some to suggest that university writing might shift to a model where “young writers will [try] to craft something meaningful and precise from the rough block of generic text that AI has provided them” (Moore 2023). 

 

Yet we cannot determine whether these concerns are justified because of a critical gap in the literature: the lack of research on how students actually use GenAI tools. Although instructors have strong intuitions about the effects of allowing students to use GenAI for writing assignments, few of these intuitions are evidence-based. We simply know very little about how students use GenAI in their coursework. While some instructors are beginning to incorporate GenAI into classroom activities, the primary concerns revolve around its use outside the classroom, which could undermine the effectiveness of essay writing for skill-building and assessment. 

 

This study aims to address this knowledge gap by exploring the following questions: How do students actually use GenAI tools for writing assignments when allowed to do so? How does their use relate to the primary concerns expressed by instructors? And what implications does this relationship have for designing college writing courses? 

 

In this study, students in a first-year writing class were allowed to use ChatGPT freely for their coursework, provided they shared links to their chat transcripts. The chats were downloaded, formatted into a spreadsheet, and analysed as pairs of user prompts and ChatGPT outputs. Over 600 pairs of prompts and outputs were collected and coded to understand how students used ChatGPT to complete their assignments. The coding categories were based on academic writing as a process involving discrete activities: reading and analysing sources, generating ideas, drafting, revising content, and revising form. Additional categories were added inductively during the coding process. 

 

The most serious concerns among instructors included fears that students would “offload” important writing activities (Watkins, 2024) to GenAI, such as active reading, thesis generation, and initial drafting. Such use could undermine the pedagogical value of assignments. Our findings suggest these concerns are supported only to a limited extent. Students were more likely to use GenAI as a reading aid (e.g., clarifying specific sentences) than as a substitute for active reading (e.g., summarising entire texts). Additionally, students used GenAI more often for revising their drafts than for generating initial drafts. 

 

These preliminary results suggest that in the context of take-home essays, the most salient instructor concerns about GenAI use are not entirely borne out. The stereotype that students will use GenAI to write essays for them was not supported, at least for the observed participants (though different students and assignments might yield different results). The findings also underscore the importance of considering specific course learning outcomes when evaluating the disruptive potential of GenAI. 

 

More fundamentally, this study provides an evidence-based account of how students use GenAI for writing assignments, which is crucial for developing more effective teaching strategies. Understanding student use of GenAI allows educators to design assignments that enhance learning and integrate GenAI into courses in ways that support, rather than undermine, critical thinking and writing skills. 

 

REFERENCES

Cardon, P., Fleischmann, C., Aritz, J., Logemann, M., & Heidewald, J. (2023). The challenges and opportunities of AI-assisted writing: Developing AI literacy for the AI age. Business and Professional Communication Quarterly, 86(3), 257–295. https://doi.org/10.1177/23294906231176517 

Chang, D. H., Lin, M. P.-C., Hajian, S., & Wang, Q. Q. (2023). Educational design principles of using AI chatbot that supports self-regulated learning in education: Goal setting, feedback, and personalization. Sustainability, 15(17), 12921. https://doi.org/10.3390/su151712921  

Moore, A. (2023, June 25). Is there any point still teaching academic writing in the AI age? Times Higher Education. https://www.timeshighereducation.com/blog/there-any-point-still-teaching-academic-writing-ai-age 

Watkins, M. (2024). Automated Aid or Offloading Close Reading? Student Perspectives on AI Reading Assistants. https://uen.pressbooks.pub/teachingandgenerativeai/chapter/automated-aid-or-offloading-close-reading-student-perspectives-on-ai-reading-assistants/ 

Leveraging Chatgpt For Analysing Student Reflections In A Design Thinking Course

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Qian HUANG1,*, Ameek Kaur2, Thijs WILLEMS1

1Lee Kuan Yew Centre for Innovative Cities, Singapore University of Technology and Design (SUTD)
2NUS Business School

*qian_huang@sutd.edu.sg

Huang, Q., Kaur, A., & Willems, T. (2024). Leveraging ChatGPT for analysing student reflections in a design thinking course [Paper presentation]. In Higher Education Conference in Singapore (HECS) 2024, 3 December, National University of Singapore. https://blog.nus.edu.sg/hecs/qhuang-et-al/

SUB-THEME

Opportunities from Generative AI 

KEYWORDS

Generative AI, ChatGPT, large-scale reflection, qualitative analysis, design education 

CATEGORY

Paper Presentation 

 

EXTENDED ABSTRACT

Generative Artificial Intelligence (Gen-AI) is increasingly being integrated into teaching and research methodologies, particularly since the advent of ChatGPT (Albdrani & Al-shargabi, 2023; Hwang & Chen, 2023). As educators navigate this evolving landscape, it becomes crucial to understand how to effectively and critically utilise Gen-AI tools in academic settings. This study explores the application of ChatGPT in analysing student reflections in a design thinking course at a university in Singapore. The course involved 550 first-year students across 11 cohorts, each student required to write four reflections over a semester. The significant volume of reflections presented a unique opportunity to deploy ChatGPT-4.0 for large-scale qualitative analysis. 

 

Initially, researchers manually analysed the reflections of 50 students from one class to establish a benchmark. These manual analyses were then compared to ChatGPT’s results to verify the reliability of the AI-driven approach. Upon confirming ChatGPT’s reliability, the tool was employed to analyse reflections from the entire cohort through the semester (550 students X four phases). The analysis focused on two primary objectives: first, to assess the impact of pedagogical interventions on students’ Affect, Behavior, and Cognition (ABC); and second, to understand how students applied these interventions and the frequency of their application. 

 

The study aimed to uncover how specific pedagogical interventions influenced students’ emotional responses, behavioural changes, and cognitive developments by using ChatGPT. For instance, it was observed that interventions such as confirmation bias were frequently applied by students during site visits to explore problems from multiple perspectives. This detailed analysis provided insights into the effectiveness of various teaching strategies and highlighted areas for potential improvement. 

 

Key findings from the study revealed several noteworthy trends. Firstly, some interventions, including case studies and activities, did not significantly impact students’ affective responses to the ideas emphasised in these interventions. This suggests that educators may need to refine these interventions to better support students emotionally. Secondly, the analysis highlighted variations in the delivery and emphasis of interventions across different cohorts, attributable to individual teaching styles of different instructors. ChatGPT’s analysis provided a nuanced understanding of how these differences influenced student outcomes. 

 

By leveraging ChatGPT, the research team was able to conduct a comprehensive analysis of a large dataset, providing valuable insights that might not have been feasible through manual analysis alone. The findings underscore the potential of Gen-AI tools in educational research, particularly in scaling qualitative analyses and uncovering patterns that inform pedagogical practices. 

 

In summary, this study demonstrates the utility of ChatGPT in analysing student reflections to gauge the impact of pedagogical interventions on students’ action, emotion, and cognition. The application of Gen-AI in this context not only facilitated the processing of a large volume of qualitative data but also offered educators deeper insights into how classroom interventions can be optimised to achieve desired educational outcomes. This method represents a significant advancement in educational research, providing a scalable and reliable approach to understanding and enhancing student learning experiences. 

 

This study contributes to the growing body of literature on the use of AI in education and offers practical implications for educators seeking to integrate Gen-AI tools into their teaching practices. Future research could expand on these findings by exploring the application of ChatGPT in different educational contexts and with diverse student populations to further validate and refine this approach. 

 

REFERENCES

Albdrani, R., & Al-shargabi, A. (2023). Investigating the effectiveness of ChatGPT for providing personalized learning experience: A case atudy. International Journal of Advanced Computer Science and Applications. https://doi.org/10.14569/ijacsa.2023.01411122.  

Hwang, G. J. & Chen., N. S. (2023). Exploring the potential of generative artificial intelligence in education: Applications, challenges, and future research directions. Educational Technology & Society, 26(2). https://doi.org/10.30191/ETS.202304_26(2).0014 

Student Wellbeing: Perception of Support in Blended Learning Environments

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*Netty Haiffaq Binte Zaini MATTAR, Aileen Wanli LAM, and Doreen TAN 

Centre for English Language Communication  (CELC), NUS

*nmattar@nus.edu.sg 

Netty Haiffaq Zaini Mattar, Lam, A. W. L., & Tan, D. (2024). Student wellbeing: Perception of support in blended learning environments [Paper presentation]. In Higher Education Conference in Singapore (HECS) 2024, 3 December, National University of Singapore. https://blog.nus.edu.sg/hecs/hecs2024-nmattar-et-al/

SUB-THEME

Opportunities from Wellbeing 

KEYWORDS

Blended learning, system-level support, student perception, student wellbeing. 

CATEGORY

Paper Presentation

 

EXTENDED ABSTRACT

Blended learning is a potentially transformative approach to education that can result in personalized learning (Kumar et al, 2021) and increased efficiency (Dwiyogo, 2020), thus maximising learning potential (Poon, 2013) through the blending of content and technology (Liu et al., 2024). Blended learning involves various combinations of traditional face-to-face learning with online technologies. This means that students need to toggle between synchronous and asynchronous lectures, materials, activities, and tasks which can include retrieving and viewing content throughout the semester (e.g. readings and videos), collaboration on activities online (e.g. peer review and collaborative writing), and participation in formative and summative assessments on various online platforms. These platforms range from learning management systems like Canvas and Blackboard, collaborative tools like Google Drive and Microsoft Teams, video conferencing tools like Zoom, as well as interactive tools like Slido and Kahoot. Because of the multiple platforms and learning modes involved, students can feel disorientated, overwhelmed, and anxious (Allen & Seaman, 2013), especially if the information and procedures to access online components of the course is unclear or if students need to use sophisticated applications (Vaughan, 2007). This has a negative impact on students’ mental and emotional wellbeing, leading to symptoms like “stress, neck impairment and back disability” (Agarwal & Agarwal, 2022) as students navigate the challenges of blended learning environments (Conwi et al., 2024). When students are unfamiliar with platforms and systems (Kadaer et al., 2022), have not been prepared for the programme (Willging & Johnson, 2009), or feel they “waste time on technical issues” (Sazdovska-Pigulovska, 2021), it can trigger stress, leading to negative impact. One implication is that increased student agency in blended environments must be accompanied by clear expectations and explicit guidance (O’Brien & Freund, 2018) such as instructions on the “primary presentation of course content” (Garrison et al., 2000, p. 90), clear protocols when communicating online, as well as high accessibility of materials.   

   

According to scholars like Salmon (2003) and Moule (2006), clarity of expectations, explicit instruction and high accessibility all relate to initial, system-level support in higher education online learning environments. Support here includes facilitating students’ access to course notes, activities, materials, databases, or platforms, in complex blended learning environments (Salmon, 2003, p. 28; Moule, 2006, p. 377). It also includes clear expectations about how to proceed with, and complete, activities, as well as clear protocols for communication between students and instructors, and for how to obtain technical support. Support at this level aids learning, but is not central to the actual learning process (Moule, 2007, p. 42). However, as mentioned, system-level support is essential to mitigating the emotional and psychological difficulties in blended learning environments, and thus essential to student wellbeing (Lancaster, 2022, p. 48).   

    

We are interested in how students, from a range of undergraduate and postgraduate courses at the National University of Singapore (NUS), perceive this system-level support in their courses. More specifically, we are interested in what aspects they perceive to be important.   

  

We draw our findings from a survey conducted with students from twelve blended courses offered by the Centre for English Language and Communication (CELC), NUS. The quantitative survey items covered course design, delivery, student workload, student engagement, assessments, use of technology, training and support for students and communication and overfall perceptions of the course. Two open-ended questions were also included at the end of the survey, and a thematic analysis was carried out on the qualitative feedback. The questions were:   

  1. What are the strengths and areas for improvement in the blended learning arrangement in my CELC course?  
  2. Overall, how do you feel about being part of a blended learning environment as a student?   

   

Based on the findings, this paper will share aspects of system-level support students perceive as important to bolster their well-being in blended learning environments. We propose that effective support mechanisms—such as thoughtful organisation of resources, streamlining of platforms, and frequent and clear communication—will positively impact the emotional wellbeing of students. Additionally, this paper provides practical recommendations educators can adopt to improve support structures. 

 

REFERENCES

Agarwal, A., & Agarwal, D. (2022). Implication of online learning on the physical and mental well-being of students. International Journal of Research in Engineering and Innovation, 06(05), 366–369. https://doi.org/10.36037/IJREI.2022.6508  

Allen, I. E., & Seaman, J. (2013). Changing Course: Ten Years of Tracking Online Education in the United States. Sloan Consortium (NJ1). https://eric.ed.gov/?id=eD541571  

Conwi, C., Pinar, W., & Destura, M. (2024). Exploring mental wellbeing, distress and adjustment in a blended learning environment. Journal of Interdisciplinary Perspectives, 2(7), 146-157. https://doi.org/10.69569/jip.2024.0148  

Dwiyogo, W. D. (2020). Effectiveness, efficiency and instruction appeal of blended learning model.  

Garrison, D. R., Anderson, T., & Archer, W. (2000). Critical Inquiry in a Text-Based Environment: Computer Conferencing in Higher Education. The Internet and Higher Education, 2, 87-105. http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/S1096-7516(00)00016-6   

Lancaster, M. (2022). Blended learning: impacts on the student experience (pp. 46–56). Edward Elgar Publishing Limited.  

Liu, Y., Chen, S., Feng, X., Bai, X., & Ma, Y. (2024). Supporting Students and Instructors in Blended Learning. In: Li, M., Han, X., Cheng, J. (eds) Handbook of Educational Reform Through Blended Learning. Springer, Singapore. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-981-99-6269-3_5    

Moule, P. (2006). E-learning for healthcare students: developing the communities of practice framework. Journal of Advanced Nursing, 54(3), 370–380.  

Moule, P. (2007). Challenging the five-stage model for e-learning: a new approach. ALT-J, 15(1), 37–50. https://doi.org/10.1080/09687760601129588  

O’Brien, M., & Freund, K. (2018). Lessons learned from introducing social media use in undergraduate economics research. International Journal of Education and Development using ICT, 14(1). https://www.learntech-lib.org/p/183552/   

Poon, J. (2013). Blended learning: An institutional approach for enhancing students’ learning experiences. Journal of online learning and teaching, 9(2), 271.  

Salmon, G. (2003). E-moderating (2nd ed.). Routledge Falmer.  

Sazdovska-Pigulovska, M. (2021). Impact of online education on student emotional well-being. Educational Role of Language Journal, 2021-2, 6-23. http://dx.doi.org/10.36534/erlj.2021.02.01 

Vaughan, N. (2007). Perspectives on blended learning in higher education. International Journal on E-Learning, 6(1), 81-94.  https://www.learntechlib.org/primary/p/6310/

 Willging, P. A., & Johnson, S. D. (2009). Factors that influence students’ decision to dropout of online courses. Journal of Asynchronous Learning Networks, 13(3), 115-127. http://dx.doi.org/10.24059/olj.v8i4.1814

Leveraging Adult Learners’ Professional Experience Through Scenario-based Student-generated Questions And Answers In Engineering Mechanics

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DU Hongjian1 and Stephen En Rong TAY2 

1Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering, College of Design and Engineering (CDE), NUS
2Department of the Built Environment, CDE, NUS

ceedhj@nus.edu.sg; stephen.tay@nus.edu.sg 

Du, H., & Tay, S. E. R. (2024). Leveraging adult learners’ professional experience through scenario-based student-generated questions and answers in engineering mechanics [Paper presentation]. In Higher Education Conference in Singapore (HECS) 2024, 3 December, National University of Singapore. https://blog.nus.edu.sg/hecs/hecs2024-hdu-sertay/

SUB-THEME

Opportunities from Engaging Communities 

KEYWORDS

Engineering education, adult learners, relevance, student-generated questions and answers, assessment

CATEGORY

Paper Presentation

 

INTRODUCTION 

Adult learning is crucial for workforce development, ensuring that professionals can adapt to changes and thrive in their careers. Therefore, the Singapore government has implemented various initiatives including lifelong learning through the SkillsFuture Movement to address this challenge. The National University of Singapore (NUS) contributes to these efforts through the Bachelor of Technology (BTech) Programmes designed for polytechnic graduates working in the industry.  

 

Specifically, TCE2155 “Structural Mechanics and Materials”, a core course for BTech (Civil Engineering) received feedback from a control cohort expressing the need for evaluations of real-life structures to better understand course content. This observation agrees with the literature that adult learners are often more motivated by practical and relevant content that directly apply to their personal and professional lives (Merriam & Bierema, 2014). Hence, the use of scenario-based student-generated questions and answers (sb-SGQA) was adopted as the approach allows students to provide scenarios based on their professional experience. In brief, the sb-SGQA approach provides learners the opportunity to develop questions and answers to specific learning objectives within the course (Tay & Tay, 2021). This aligns with the adult learner experience, which is one of the six principles for adult education proposed by Knowles (1992). Hence, there is potential for sb-SGQA to allow the adult learner community to utilise their professional experience for learning. In addition, past experience with implementing sb-SGQA provided confidence and familiarity with the approach (Du & Tay, 2022).  

 

Hence, this paper aims to answer two key questions:  

  1. a) Does sb-SGQA help adult learners link their professional experiences with course content? 
  2. b) How can sb-SGQA impact adult learners’ performance?

 

METHODOLOGY 

TCE2155 is offered for first year BTech (Civil Engineering) undergraduates, who must be at least aged 21 and have two years of full-time work experience. The sb-SGQA approach was introduced in TCE2155, with student feedback compared across three runs: the initial run without sb-SGQA (control in AY2020/21) and two subsequent runs with sb-SGQA (intervention in AY2022/23 and AY2023/24). Data collected included student assignments, final exam grade, feedback, and module scores. Detailed methodology of the sb-SGQA implementation follows a previous work by the authors (Du and Tay, 2022). In the initial run without sb-SGQA, a conventional teaching approach was employed. Students were given a pre-defined structural analysis question, and they were required to calculate the force and stress in the structure. This approach focused on the application of formulae and calculations, without involving real-life scenarios or encouraging students to generate their own questions and solutions.

 

RESULTS AND DISCUSSION 

The number of enrolled students in TCE215 and those that responded to the survey are:  

AY2020/21 (control cohort): 33 enrolled and 17 responded 

AY2022/23 (intervention cohort): 28 enrolled and 16 responded 

AY2023/24 (intervention cohort): 29 enrolled and 8 responded  

 

As displayed in Figure 1, the feedback score for the course and teacher improved in the intervention runs. One limitation lies in the limited sample size of less than 40 for the cohorts, which may need additional control and intervention cohorts in subsequent academic years to further validate the promising results. For example, the dip in score for “Course” and “Thinking ability” could be attributed to academic abilities of the intervention cohorts. Nevertheless, it is interesting that despite the plausible difference in academic abilities of the intervention cohorts, the score for “Teacher” and “Interest” remains high. Students gave higher ratings to the module and the lecturer. Reports also revealed higher ratings in areas such as “The teacher has enhanced my thinking ability” and “The teacher has increased my interest in the subject.” Qualitative feedback included comments such as “This module is very interesting and can relate to my working life” and “Able to apply it to daily work” indicating the practical benefits of sb-SGQA. 

Figure 1. Teaching score from students regarding the course, teacher, increased interest in the subject, and thinking ability in control (AY2020/21) and intervention (AY2022/23 and AY2023/24) cohorts. 

 

Figure 2 shows the final exam grade distributions of TCE2155 in the three runs. Note that no students in the intervention cohort scored 0-15 and no students in the control cohort scored 90-100. This demonstrates that sb-SGQA can encourage all adult learners, especially the weaker students, to perform better in the final exam. Furthermore, an analysis of the submitted assignments in the intervention cohort highlighted how many students were able to use their professional experience to design the questions and answers (refer to Figure 3). In the control cohort, adult learners would not be able to draw upon their professional experience to contextualise the learning objectives in the course.  

Figure 2. Final exam grade distributions of the final exam in control (AY2020/21) and intervention (AY2022/23 and AY2023/24) cohorts.  

 

Figure 3. Sample of submitted assignment from AY2023/24 (intervention cohort). 

 

CONCLUSION 

The sb-SGQA approach was implemented in TCE2155 within the BTech (Civil Engineering) programme. As a result, adult learners were able to link their professional experience with the course content, which was shown to impact adult learners’ performance in the assignments submitted. With no additional hardware or software required, the sb-SGQA presents itself as a cost-effective method for improving engineering education for adult learners. 

 

REFERENCES

Chin, C. C., & Brown, D. E., (2013). Student-generated questions: A meaningful aspect of learning in science, International Journal of Science Education, 24(5), 521-549. http://dx.DOI.org/10.1080/09500690110095249   

Du, H. J., & Tay, S. E. R. (2022). Using scenario-based student-generated questions to improve the learning of engineering mechanics: A case study in civil engineering [Paper presentation]. In Higher Education Campus Conference (HECC) 2022, 7-8 December, National University of Singapore. https://ctlt.nus.edu.sg/wp-content/uploads/2024/10/ebooklet-i.pdf  

Merriam, S. B., & Bierema, L. L., (2013). Adult Learning: Linking Theory and Practice [eBook]. Jossey-Bass. 

Knowles, M. S. (1992). Applying principles of adult learning in conference presentations. Adult Learning, 4(1), 11-14. https://doi.org/10.1177/104515959200400105

Tay, M. X. Y., & Tay, S. E. R. (2021). Scenario-Based Student-generated Questions for Students to Develop and Attempt for Authentic Assessments [Workshop]. In International Society for the Scholarship of Teaching and Learning, 27th October 2021. 

Fostering Higher Order Learning in a Core Curriculum Module at Singapore Polytechnic

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Kin Guan WEE1, Stephen En Rong TAY2

1School of Mathematics and Science, Singapore Polytechnic
2Department of the Built Environment, College of Design and Engineering (CDE), NUS 

wee_kin_guan@sp.edu.sg; stephen.tay@nus.edu.sg

Wee. K. G., & Tay, S. E. R. (2024). Fostering higher order learning in a core curriculum module at Singapore Polytechnic [Paper presentation]. In Higher Education Conference in Singapore (HECS) 2024, 3 December, National University of Singapore. https://blog.nus.edu.sg/hecs/hecs2024-kgwee-sertay/

SUB-THEME

Opportunities from Engaging Communities 

KEYWORDS

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

CATEGORY

Paper Presentation

 

BACKGROUND 

Singapore Polytechnic (SP) adopted interdisciplinary education through the SP Common Core Curriculum (CCC) in 2021 (SP Common Core Curriculum, n.d.). Within the SP CCC, the Data Fluency (DF) module aims to equip students with skills to employ data-handling processes. The assessments require students to demonstrate competency to use data to examine one aspect of a UN SDG (United Nations Sustainable Development Goals)1 and generate insights to support a theoretical solution to a UN SDG.  

 

The motivation to use scenario-based student-generated questions and answers (sb-SGQA) arose from the lack of understanding and application of the module content by some students even after Bigg’s Constructive Alignment (Biggs, 1996) and Michaelsen’s Team-based Learning (TBL) (Michaelsen & Sweet, 2008) framework were employed for DF in the previous academic years, evidenced by the low assessment scores in the submitted assignment CA2.  

 

The sb-SGQA pedagogy builds upon student-generated questions (SGQ) (Rosenshine et al., 1996), which leads to active engagement of higher domains in Bloom’s taxonomy (Bates et al., 2014). The positive outcomes of the sb-SGQA implementation in other university courses (Du & Tay, 2022; Tay & Liu, 2023) provided confidence for its implementation for DF in SP. 

Hence, our research questions are: 

  1. How does sb-SGQA help with students’ learning, as measured by the scores and the students’ artefacts in CA2?
  2. How do students perceive the implementation of sb-SGQA in CA2, as measured by a post-module survey questionnaire? 

 

METHODOLOGY 

In Academic Year 2024/25 Semester 1, the sb-SGQA (termed as “Data Q&A”) was implemented at the middle of the module. Students are tasked to collect data from the community and develop a dashboard in a team. Subsequently, findings are summarised in five questions and answers. A post-module survey was administered at the end of the term. After data cleaning, a sample size of 475 CA2 submissions and 16 survey responses were obtained. The study was approved by SP’s Institutional Review Board. 

 

RESULTS AND DISCUSSION 

1. Students’ mark distribution 

A histogram of students’ CA2 mark distribution (n = 475) is illustrated in Figure 1. The distribution is slightly left-skewed, which signifies a higher mean than median mark. While a comparison with the control group was not possible due to changes in the assessment modes, an analysis of students’ artefacts revealed an improvement in the quality of assignments. 

Figure 1. Histogram of students’ CA2 mark distribution (n = 475)

 

2. Survey result 

Students perceived the implementation of sb-SGQA in the module as helpful and constructive, as evident in the positive responses (“Agree” and “Strongly Agree” options) to Questions (1), (2), and (3) (refer to Table 1). In addition, the students agreed that the skills learnt in the sb-SGQA process are transferrable for their future, as shown in Questions (4) and (5). Qualitative feedback will be discussed during the conference due to the abstract word limit. 

Table 1
Sb-SGQA survey result (n = 16, bracketed numbers indicate the percentage across the row)

 

3. Students’ artefacts 

Based on the dashboard (Figure 2), it was noted that the students were able to address questions and develop answers that incorporate thinking skills of varying orders (level 1 in Q1, level 2 in Q2 and Q3, and level 3 in Q4 and Q5 in Figure 3). Specifically, students demonstrated how the skills taught in DF were able to provide them insights into the community’s use of energy and water.

Figure 2. Student team’s Dashboard

 

Figure 3. Student team’s Data Q&A

 

CONCLUSION AND SIGNIFICANCE 

The sb-SGQA was successfully implemented in the DF module, which is part of the SP CCC. Though a comparison with a control cohort that has the same assessments was not possible, initial results were positive, indicating increased student engagement and learning in interdisciplinary subjects. Students appreciate the approach’s utility in their learning and professional development. The lack of hardware and software costs greatly aided with implementing sb-SGQA. The authors hope that this collaboration between IHLs could support and motivate similar efforts in the future. 

 

ENDNOTE

  1. The UN SDGs are 17 global goals established in 2015 to address challenges such as poverty, inequality, and climate change. Further details about the goals can be found on the official website: https://sdgs.un.org/. 

 

REFERENCES

Bates, S. P., Galloway, R. K., Riise, J., & Homer, D. (2014). Assessing the quality of a student-generated question repository. Physical Review Special Topics – Physics Education Research, 10(2), 020105. https://doi.org/10.1103/PhysRevSTPER.10.020105  

Biggs, J. (1996). Enhancing teaching through constructive alignment. Higher Education, 32(3), 347–364. https://doi.org/10.1007/BF00138871 

Du, H., & Tay, E. R. S. (2022). Using scenario-based student-generated questions to improve the learning of engineering mechanics: A case study in civil engineering. In Higher Education Campus Conference (HECC) 2022, 7-8 December, National University of Singapore.  

Michaelsen, L. K., & Sweet, M. (2008). The essential elements of team‐based learning. New Directions for Teaching and Learning, 2008(116), 7–27. https://doi.org/10.1002/tl.330  

Palinscar, A. S., & Brown, A. L. (1984). Reciprocal teaching of comprehension-fostering and comprehension-monitoring activities. Cognition and Instruction, 1(2), 117–175. https://doi.org/10.1207/s1532690xci0102_1  

Rosenshine, B., Meister, C., & Chapman, S. (1996). Teaching students to generate questions: A review of the intervention studies. Review of Educational Research, 66(2), 181–221. https://doi.org/10.3102/00346543066002181  

SP Common Core Curriculum. (n.d.). Retrieved 3 July 2024, from https://www.sp.edu.sg/sp/education/common-core-curriculum/about-the-ccc 

Tay, E. R. S., & Liu, M. H. (2023, 7 December 2023). Exploratory implementation of scenario-based student-generated questions for students from the humanities and sciences in a scientific inquiry course. In Higher Education Campus Conference (HECC) 2023, Singapore. https://blog.nus.edu.sg/hecc2023proceedings/exploratory-implementation-of-scenario-based-student-generated-questions-for-students-from-the-humanities-and-sciences-in-a-scientific-inquiry-course/ 

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. 

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