community engagement

Interdisciplinary Education In NUS: A Scan Of Current Courses And Development Of An Evaluation Framework

cdtlsd Paper Presentations 27 November, 202427 November, 2024community engagement, course design, course evaluation, interdisciplinary learning, Others

Olivier LEFEBVRE^1,*, Alex MITCHELL², Marissa Kwan Lin E³, Stephen En Rong TAY⁴, Li Neng LEE⁵

¹Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering, College of Design and Engineering (CDE), NUS
²Department of Communications and New Media, College of Humanities and Sciences, NUS
³Centre for English Language Communication, NUS
⁴Department of the Built Environment, CDE, NUS
⁵Department of Psychology, College of Humanities and Sciences, NUS

*ceelop@nus.edu.sg

Lefebvre, O. P., Mitchell, A., E, M. K. L., Tay, S. E. R., & Lee, L. N. (2024). Interdisciplinary education in NUS: A scan of current courses and development of an evaluation framework [Paper presentation]. In Higher Education Conference in Singapore (HECS) 2024, 3 December, National University of Singapore. https://blog.nus.edu.sg/hecs/olefebvre-et-al/

SUB-THEME

Others – Interdisciplinary Education

KEYWORDS

Interdisciplinary learning, course design, course evaluation, community engagement

CATEGORY

Paper Presentation

CONTEXT

The establishment of the College of Humanities and Sciences (CHS) in 2020 and the College of Design and Engineering (CDE) in 2022 exemplifies the efforts towards interdisciplinary education in the National University of Singapore (NUS) in response to current problems that require various disciplines to work together (National University of Singapore, 2021). These efforts have produced courses that look beyond the classroom to engage with the wider community.

For example, in the CHS, the course HS2911 “Social Media and Mental Health” provides students with interdisciplinary training to analyse the impact of social media in real-world scenarios. Similarly, in the CDE, the course CDE2501 “Liveable Cities” provides students the opportunity to approach community development through the lens of urban policymakers, planners, architects, engineers, real estate consultants and managers.

While these efforts provide students with an interdisciplinary learning experience, the diverse nature of the courses, along with the lack of a common yardstick in evaluating interdisciplinary education makes it challenging to determine if these efforts have been fruitful, especially in terms of real-world applicability that impacts our communities. Hence, the NUS Teaching Academy (NUSTA) has developed the following research questions:

What is the current state of interdisciplinary studies at NUS?
What evaluation metrics could be used to support interdisciplinary courses?
How can interdisciplinary education in NUS be refined?

METHODOLOGY

An interdisciplinary team within the NUSTA was formed to include views from CHS and CDE. In this study, the operational definition of interdisciplinary learning from the NUS Board of Undergraduate Studies (BUS) was adopted:

Interdisciplinary courses integrate perspectives, theoretic frameworks, concepts, tools, and techniques and approaches from two or more conventional disciplines to understand the chosen theme, its challenges, and potential solutions.

A scan of interdisciplinary courses in both colleges was conducted. Subsequently, the NUS Futures Office was engaged to better develop the study, from which the findings were presented to the NUSTA for feedback and refinement. In developing an evaluation framework, the Accreditation Manual from the Institution of Engineers Singapore was referenced (Institution of Engineers Singapore, n.d.).

RESULTS AND DISCUSSION

The scan reveals that interdisciplinary courses can be predominantly categorised as either knowledge-/application-focused and adjacent/orthogonal (refer to Figure 1).

Figure 1. Dimensions describing interdisciplinary courses in NUS.

Subsequently, an evaluation framework inspired by the engineering accreditation board (EAB) was developed. The proposed framework consists of 1) interdisciplinary educational objectives (IEOs), and 2) interdisciplinary learning outcomes (ILOs). The former describes the objectives at the programme level, while the latter describes attributes that students should achieve. A total of six ILOs were developed, which are presented in Table 1. Note that courses need not fulfil all the ILOs as courses within the same programme can complement each other to cover the ILOs.

Next, the Course Learning Outcomes (CLOs) in the proposed framework would describe how the specific course maps to the ILOs. An example for CDE2501 “Liveable Cities” is presented in Table 2 as an example.

Table 1
List of interdisciplinary learning outcomes developed in the study

Table 2
List of interdisciplinary learning outcomes developed in the study

CONCLUSION AND SIGNIFICANCE

With these findings, a suggestion towards more application-focused courses is made to provide students to create and test solutions for the community at large. In addition, the proposed framework could be used by faculty members to develop interdisciplinary courses and education programmes, and provide a tool for reflection on current interdisciplinary courses. Finally, the framework could be utilised at the programme level, coupled with alumni and employer surveys and engagements, to assess if the ILOs have been achieved. These suggestions are provided to enhance the interdisciplinary education within NUS on community impact.

REFERENCES

Institution of Engineers Singapore. (n.d) Engineering Accreditation Board Accreditation Manual. https://www.ies.org.sg/Accreditation/EAB10249

National University of Singapore (2021, 27 August). Two new colleges at NUS to deliver flexible, interdisciplinary education more accessibly, and at greater scale https://news.nus.edu.sg/two-new-colleges-at-nus-to-deliver-flexible-interdisciplinary-education-more-accessibly-and-at-greater-scale/

Community Engagement in Higher Music Education

cdtlsd Paper Presentations 25 November, 202427 November, 2024community engagement, interdisciplinary learning, Music, Opportunities from Engaging Communities

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

From Outreach to Empowerment: Cultivating University-driven Community Engagement

cdtlsd Paper Presentations 24 November, 202424 November, 2024community engagement, experiential learning, Opportunities from Engaging Communities, overseas classroom, Service-learning, Southeast Asia

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.”

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

Engaging Students for Community Engagement Courses and Beyond: Overcoming Confirmation Bias

fina Lighting Talks 24 November, 20242 December, 2024community engagement, Confirmation bias, critical thinking, Others, student engagement

Anne CHONG Suet Lin

Department of Social Work, Faculty of Arts and Social Sciences (FASS), NUS
Office of the Provost, NUS

pvoacsl@nus.edu.sg

Chong, A. S. L. (2024). Engaging students for community engagement courses and beyond: Overcoming confirmation bias [Lightning Talk]. In Higher Education Conference in Singapore (HECS) 2024, 3 December, National University of Singapore. https://blog.nus.edu.sg/hecs/hecs2024-chong

SUB-THEME

Others: Engaging Students for Community Engagement Courses

KEYWORDS

Confirmation bias, student engagement, critical thinking, community engagement

CATEGORY

Lightning Talk

EXTENDED ABSTRACT

We are prone to many cognitive biases and logical fallacies despite and sometimes because of our knowledge and experience. One of the most pernicious ones is confirmation bias, which is the tendency to find evidence to confirm pre-existing beliefs (Wason, 1960). The pervasiveness of confirmation bias has led to many undesirable outcomes in societies, as articulately expressed by Nickerson (1998):

If one were to attempt to identify a single problematic aspect of human reasoning that deserves attention above all others, the confirmation bias would have to be among the candidates for consideration. Many have written about this bias, and it appears to be sufficiently strong and pervasive that one is led to wonder whether the bias, by itself, might account for a significant fraction of the disputes, altercations, and misunderstandings that occur among individuals, groups, and nations.

In the context of learning, confirmation bias, not only seeks to collect evidence to bolster our beliefs, but more treacherously, it leads us to ignore or undervalue evidence to the contrary. Humans have somehow evolved this tendency to avoid the discomfort of cognitive dissonance and the pitfalls of societal non-conformity (Ling, 2020).

To combat confirmation bias, the first crucial step is to bring this very human tendency to the foremost of our awareness (Gilovich et al., 2002). It demands we challenge our pet hypotheses (Lord et al., 1979), forces us to consider others’ viewpoints and overcome the discomfort of finding we possess uncertain information or that we are simply wrong.

In this lightning talk, I would like to share a teaching innovation that I have used for two courses in which students already have pre-existing beliefs that impede their learning. Students who take the module GEQ1000 Asking Questions (now discontinued) and a current C&E course, GEN2061, generally come into courses with the beliefs that they know the content already and/or view the lessons as common sense and therefore are disengaged in the learning.

The activity comprises 2 steps:

Ask students to answer a Yes or No question on whether they think the course is useful for them. Their answer will determine the colour of their responses for Step 2.
Ask students to write down their expectations of the course, i.e. what do they think the course can or cannot teach them and colour their posts according to Step 1.
The placement of students’ posts will show a segregation of colour consistent with confirmation bias that students are not aware of.

Using an activity targeted at revealing the existence of confirmation bias leads to the re-engagement of students in the courses, especially when the need for critical and empathetic thinking is brought to the fore.

REFERENCES

Gilovich, T., Griffin, D., & Kahneman, D. (Eds.). (2002). Heuristics and biases: The psychology of intuitive judgment. Cambridge University Press.

Ling, R. (2020). Confirmation bias in the era of mobile news consumption: The social and psychological dimensions. Digital Journalism, 8(5), 596–604. https://doi.org/10.1080/21670811.2020.1766987

Lord, C. G., Ross, L., & Lepper, M. R. (1979). Biased assimilation and attitude polarization: The effects of prior theories on subsequently considered evidence. Journal of Personality and Social Psychology, 37(11), 2098-2109. https://doi.org/10.1037/0022-3514.37.11.2098

Nickerson, R. S. (1998). Confirmation bias: A ubiquitous phenomenon in many guises. Review of General Psychology, 2(2), 175-220. https://doi.org/10.1037/1089-2680.2.2.175

Wason, P. C. (1960). On the failure to eliminate hypotheses in a conceptual task. Quarterly Journal of Experimental Psychology, 12(3), 129–140. https://doi.org/10.1080/17470216008416717

Empowering Student Engagement and Community Impact Through Codesign: A Case Study in Health District

cdtlsd Paper Presentations 23 November, 2024Codesign, community engagement, empathy mapping, health district, Opportunities from Engaging Communities, student empowerment

Bina Rai^1,*, Brian R. STONE², and William SIEW³

¹Department of Biomedical Engineering, College of Design and Engineering (CDE), NUS
²Division of Industrial Design, CDE, NUS
³Spark-a-life, Singapore

*biebr@nus.edu.sg

Rai. B., Stone, B. R., & Siew, W. (2024). Empowering student engagement and community impact through co-design: A case study in health district [Paper presentation]. In Higher Education Conference in Singapore (HECS) 2024, 3 December, National University of Singapore. https://blog.nus.edu.sg/hecs/hecs2024-rai-et-al/

SUB-THEME

Opportunities from Engaging Communities

KEYWORDS

Codesign, empathy mapping, community engagement, health district, student empowerment

CATEGORY

Paper Presentation

INTRODUCTION

In the realm of design innovation education, the challenge of instilling empathy among engineering students is pervasive. Conventional methods like persona readings or video observations often fall short in equipping students to truly understand and address user needs effectively. This gap not only impedes innovation but also results in prototypes that remain unutilised, failing to serve their intended communities.

PEDAGOGICAL APPROACH

To address these issues, a codesign approach was adopted, augmented by two novel empathy mapping methods: Care Circle (CC), and See and Shoot (SS) (Siew W, et al., 2022; Siew W, et al., 2023). Unlike traditional design processes, codesign involves stakeholders—including those directly impacted by designs—from the outset, fostering joint inquiry and ensuring solutions resonate with real-world needs. Our research questions were:

How does the integration of CC and SS empathy mapping methods in a codesign approach influence engineering students’ understanding and application of inclusive design principles?
Would collaborative experiences with community partners, industry experts, and residents enhance students’ problem-solving skills and innovation in empathic design?

IMPLEMENTATION: CODESIGN WEEK

We organised Codesign Week, which is a design sprint focused on developing transformative technologies for senior communities in a health district precinct. Undergraduate students from the autonomous universities in Singapore collaborated with community partners, industry experts, and senior residents from Queenstown and Whampoa. Guided by the CC and SS empathy mapping methods, interdisciplinary student teams engaged in problem-solving through empathic technology design. Students went on site visits (Figure 1), and engaged in focus group discussions with the community partners and seniors (Figure 2). They were then introduced to insights translation, problem-to-opportunity identification, brainstorming, and validation of solution ideas. The sprint culminated in a pitch and poster presentation by the students for the seniors on the final day.

HECS2024-a14-Fig1

Figure 1. Photographs of students on site visits with community partners at Lion Befrienders, ComSA (Tsao Foundation), and Huawei AI Lab.

HECS2024-a14-Fig2

Figure 2. Photographs of students actively engaging with the elderly.

EVIDENCE OF IMPACT

Indirect Measures (Student Perception of Programme)

Based on a 7-point Likert scale, the survey results from Codesign Week 2024 (n=15) revealed a high satisfaction level among participants. The overall experience received a mean rating of 5.73 +/- 1.03, and the programme flow was rated at 5.53 +/- 0.99, demonstrating the event’s well-organised structure. Co-instructors received positive ratings, with a mean of 6.07 +/- 0.88, and community partner engagement was rated similarly high at 6.13 +/- 0.92. Mentors’ support was also positively rated, with a mean score 5.93 +/- 0.96. The venue’s suitability was rated at 5.67 +/- 1.05, showing general satisfaction with the facilities.

Indirect Measures (Student Perception of Learning): Pre- and post-programe surveys indicated a notable increase in students’ perceived understanding of inclusive design principles and their confidence in addressing challenges related to the elderly in Singapore. The survey results from Codesign Week 2024 (n=15) revealed that 80% of respondents rated their understanding of design thinking principles at 5 or above, resulting in a mean score of 5.60 +/- 0.99. Similarly, 80% rated their improvement in collaboration skills at 5 or above, with a mean score of 5.93 +/- 1.03. The hands-on activities were valuable for learning about inclusive and empathic design, with 80% rating them at 5 or above and a mean score of 5.40 +/- 1.24. Instructors observed that participants managed challenges effectively, demonstrating resilience and adaptability.

Direct Measures (Evidence of Learning): The teams successfully codesigned empathic technology solutions that met community needs, leading to significant recognition. Notably, two teams using CC/SS methods secured second place and runner-up at a national level competition, Tech4City, organised by Huawei. The solutions have been adopted by bGood (https://nusbme.wixsite.com/bgood) for development and deployment into the community.

CONCLUSION

The Codesign Week not only enhanced student learning in empathic design but also catalyzed community impact through innovative solutions. This pedagogical approach yielded academic outputs and garnered community trust and interest, evidenced by invitations to lead further codesign discussions and collaborations. This case study highlights the potential of codesign methodologies to foster meaningful collaborations and innovations that address real-world challenges, offering valuable insights for educators and practitioners seeking to integrate empathy-driven design into educational curricula and community initiatives.

REFERENCES

Siew, W., Rai, B., Stone, B. R., & Ho, D. (2022). Designing for inclusive and engaged communities. Journal of Applied Learning & Teaching, 5(2). https://doi.org/10.37074/jalt.2022.5.2.10

Siew, W., Silva, A., & Rai, B. (2023). Using likelihood ratio table and Naïve Bayes classifier method to holistically assess codesign programmes and methods. In Proceedings of the Design Society, 3, 3751–3760. https://doi.org/10.1017/pds.2023.376

Planting the Seeds for Meaningful and Effective Community Engagement Experiences through University Overseas Study Trips

cdtlsd Paper Presentations 16 November, 20246 December, 2024community engagement, course design, deep learning, high impact educational practice, Opportunities from Engaging Communities, Overseas study trips

Corinne ONG*, WONG Soon Fen, Eunice NG, and LIM Cheng Puay
Ridge View Residential College (RVRC)

*corinne@nus.edu.sg

Ong, C. P. P., Wong, S. F., Ng, E. S. Q., & Lim, C. P. (2024). Planting the seeds for meaningful and effective community engagement experiences through university overseas study trips [Paper presentation]. In Higher Education Conference in Singapore (HECS) 2024, 3 December, National University of Singapore. https://blog.nus.edu.sg/hecs/hecs2024-ong-et-al/

SUB-THEME

Opportunities from Engaging Communities

KEYWORDS

Overseas study trips, high-impact educational practice, deep learning, community engagement, course design

CATEGORY

Paper Presentation

INTRODUCTION

This paper documents the reflective experiences of the authors in designing a new undergraduate course involving a 10-day overseas learning component in a public university in Singapore. We illustrate how community engagement can be integrated into a course which focuses on culture and sustainability in Southeast Asia. The benefits of community-based learning experiences are increasingly well-established in the higher education landscape, constituting a form of high-impact educational practice, especially when facilitated by deep learning teaching strategies (Laird, 2008). Its accruable benefits range from developing greater civic interest and engagement, increased social capital, competency development, personal growth, and improved academic achievement among students (O’Brien, 2014). Deep learning, which furthers the impact of community engagement experiences, are enabled through integrative learning experiences (e.g. perspective-taking, interdisciplinary problem-solving), higher-order learning experiences (e.g. theoretical applications, idea analyses, and synthesis), and reflective learning experiences (Warburton, 2003).

PURPOSE/SIGNIFICANCE OF STUDY

Planning a study trip that integrates community engagement opportunities is a manifold process that this paper seeks to demystify. For instance, such engagements can exist in (a) multiple forms (between educators and the partners, between organisations, between students and community partners), and are (b) managed and enacted at various temporal junctures (course design to implementation and post-trip). Designing community engagement encounters also involves the deliberate introduction of (c) student learning objectives as guided by certain principles and values (e.g. social equity), and (d) intentional learning activities/assessments (e.g. reflections, stakeholder interviews, awareness-building projects) capable of maximising benefits for all stakeholders.

By documenting, conceptualising, and evaluating community engagement in the above ways, this paper is expected to provide educators, keen to introduce community engagement opportunities in undergraduate overseas study trips, with considerations on how community engagement activities can be integrated in impactful ways in overseas study trips. The following research questions (RQs) are examined:

1. How can community engagements for overseas study trips be designed to maximise its positive benefits for all stakeholders, including students?

Through this research question, we discuss the importance of context in shaping the design of these engagements, such as choice of issues of coverage and partners in order to meet course learning objectives. For instance, Southeast Asia, with its cultural diversity, natural resource endowments, and economic potential, offers significant scope for learning about sustainability (tensions) and the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). Partners who were actively contributing to promoting cultural and/or environmental sustainability in local communities in East Malaysia (e.g. WWF-Sarawak, Shell Sabah, Borneo Marine Institute, Sabah, Sarawak Biodiversity Centre) for instance, were identified and engaged as our partners who created learning content and insight-sharing opportunities with students.

The interdisciplinary nature of sustainability further lends itself to learning and inquiry from multiple disciplines. We share examples of how students from different disciplines were engaged in cross-disciplinary learning in the process of community engagement, and how course activities (e.g. pre-seminar activities ranging from videos, case analyses), in-trip post-engagement reflections, and post-trip activities (video documentaries), were designed with the intent of helping students make critical culture and sustainability connections, while leveraging on their engagement experiences. These aspects of course design are expected to be instructive to educators of diverse disciplines.

2. What are the benefits of learning activities facilitated around community engagement encounters for students?

This includes a discussion of how community engagement skills (e.g. cultural sensitivity, interview skills), acquired through experiences from these study trips, could be applied to contexts beyond Malaysia and to different disciplines or topics of study.

METHODS

The findings of this paper are informed and derived from the triangulation of multiple data points: from the authors’ reflections of engagement efforts and encounters from course design to implementation, observations of student learning, and students’ works and course feedback.

PRELIMINARY FINDINGS

In response to RQ1, we outline key phases of the engagement planning process and accompanying considerations in three phases, namely pre-trip, in-trip, and post-trip:

Table 1
Conceptualisation of phases, actions/activities, and considerations involved in community engagement planning (click on the table to view a full-sized version)

In response to RQ2, final course evaluations from students showed that nearly all students (at least 90%) who responded (N=12) indicated their agreement with the perceived achievement of learning outcomes (Figure 1), and satisfaction with the course’s design and structure (Figure 2).

HECS2024-a89-Fig1

Figure 1: Students’ self-reported evaluation of the extent to which course learning outcomes were achieved.

HECS2024-a89-Fig2

Figure 2: Students’ evaluation of the effectiveness of the course structure and design.

Finally, students’ qualitative course feedback (some examples of anonymous student feedback shared below) reinforced the value of learning activities, especially pertaining to planned community engagements and instructor-facilitated class debriefs:

“The most effective learning strategy was definitely interacting with the locals and the people working in the NGO’s since they do not necessarily have the same views as the organisations they are working for/the views that are prevalent in academic literature. It was really eye opening how many of the social issues faced by the people and the challenges faced by organisations were not readily available or easy to find solely through research…”

Another student shared how the community interactions and reflections proved transformative, offering them new insights on privilege and the value of context in perspective-making:

“I think what was most effective was interacting with different stakeholders, ranging from students to villagers, and experiencing the homestays, especially Kampung Menuang…It also reminded me of how small we are compared to the world. Through daily reflections from the trip, I really feel and learned a lot from our peers, professors and our partners as we all have different perspectives due to different backgrounds.”

These findings validate the effectiveness of community engagement encounters in promoting meaningful, deep, and transformational learning for students.

REFERENCES

Grauerholz, L. (2001). Teaching holistically to achieve deep learning. College Teaching, 49(2), 44–50. http://www.jstor.org/stable/27559032

Laird, N. et al. (2008). The effects of discipline on deep approaches to student learning and college outcomes. Research in Higher Education, 49, 469–494. https://doi.org/10.1007/s11162-008-9088-5

Roberts, J. W. (2012;2011;). Beyond learning by doing: theoretical currents in experiential education (1st ed.). Routledge.

Mezirow, J. (2003). Transformative learning as discourse. Journal of Transformative Education, 1(1), 58-63. https://doi.org/10.1177/1541344603252172

O’Brien, W., & Sarkis, J. (2014). The potential of community-based sustainability projects for deep learning initiatives. Journal of Cleaner Production, 62, 48-61. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jclepro.2013.07.001

Warburton, K. (2003). Deep learning and education for sustainability. International Journal of Sustainability in Higher Education, 4(1), 44-56. https://doi.org/10.1108/14676370310455332

‘Code for Community’ Project: Promoting Community Engagement among NUS Computing Students

cdtlsd Paper Presentations 16 October, 202418 October, 2024community engagement, computing education, Opportunities from Engaging Communities, volunteerism

Bimlesh WADHWA

Department of Computer Science, School of Computing (SoC)

bimlesh@nus.edu.sg

Wadhwa, B. (2024). 'Code for Community' Project: Promoting community engagement among NUS Computing students [Paper presentation]. In Higher Education Conference in Singapore (HECS) 2024, 3 December, National University of Singapore. https://blog.nus.edu.sg/hecs/hecs2024-bwadhwa/

SUB-THEME

Opportunities from Engaging Communities

KEYWORDS

Community engagement, computing education, volunteerism

CATEGORY

Paper Presentation

INTRODUCTION

In today’s technology-driven world, coding and robotics are not just valuable skills but essential ones. The “Code for Community” project, initiated by NUS Computing (also known as the School of Computing [SoC]) in 2015, seeks to bridge the digital divide by teaching coding and robotics to underserved children and youth. Through the involvement of SoC students and alumni as volunteers, the project fosters mutual growth and benefits. Community engagement plays a crucial role in computing education. The rapid pace of technological advancements, combined with the often solitary nature of coding, can lead to isolation and barriers to connection. When SoC students participate in community projects, they are more likely to collaborate, share knowledge, and support one another, encouraging active learning, critical thinking, and problem-solving skills essential in computing.

The project introduces underserved children to coding and robotics through an engaging curriculum that utilises tools such as Dash, Dot, and McQueen robots. Weekly lessons build the children’s skills and confidence progressively, and the participants are also trained for hackathons and taken to tech fairs for valuable exposure and learning opportunities.

OBJECTIVES OF THE ‘CODE FOR COMMUNITY’ PROJECT

The project’s three primary objectives are:

Empowerment Through Education: Equip underserved children with essential coding and robotics skills.
Community Engagement: Foster a sense of community involvement and responsibility among SoC students.
Skills Development: Enhance the technical and soft skills of SoC student volunteers through teaching and mentorship roles.

WORKSHOPS AND ACTIVITIES

Workshops typically span 8-10 weeks with 60-90 minute weekly sessions held at selected partner centres such as the Autism Resource Centre, the Ulu Pandan Study Centre, the Sembawang Family Service Centre, and the Brighton Connects student care centres. These workshops offer a balanced approach, combining computing theory with hands-on practice. Participants learn to code and build simple robotic projects (Figures 1 and 2). Hackathon preparation enhances problem-solving and teamwork skills, while visits to tech fairs expose participants to real-world technology applications. The project is inclusive, extending participation to neurodivergent children and youth.

HECS2024-a112-Fig1 — *Figure 1*. SoC volunteers introducing coding to course participants

HECS2024-a112-Fig2 — *Figure 2*. Coding and robotics-building activities.

PERCEIVED IMPACT AND RATIONALE

Though formal evidence has not been collected, we believe the project is impactful based on several observations. Participants demonstrate increased confidence and curiosity as they develop coding and robotics skills, particularly after successfully completing projects or engaging in hackathons. Exposure to tech fairs broadens their understanding of technology’s potential and encourages further exploration. These activities are designed to spark interest in technology and create a positive learning environment, which we believe is key to fostering long-term engagement in the field.

For SoC volunteers, the experience of teaching and mentoring underserved children offers unique personal and professional growth. Volunteers report deeper technical proficiency, improved leadership and communication skills, and a heightened sense of empathy. Engaging with these communities encourages students to think critically about societal needs and develop technology-driven solutions.

HECS2024-a112-Fig3 — *Figure 3*. SoC volunteers with centre staff and the course participants.

CONCLUSION

The ‘Code for Community’ project is a unique blend of computing education and community engagement, creating a transformative impact on both participants and volunteers. While formal data collection is yet to be conducted, the observed outcomes suggest a positive influence on all involved. This initiative showcases the powerful role technology can play in driving social change and preparing the next generation of compassionate, skilled computing professionals.