experiential learning

“Is This How You Feel?” Role Playing For Social Work Students Using Gen-AI: Bridging Technology And Pedagogy

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Gerard CHUNG Siew Keong1,*, Jonathan Y. H. SIM2,*, Bryan ONG1, and NEO Jie Xiang3 

1Department of Social Work, Faculty of Arts and Social Sciences (FASS), NUS 
2AI Centre for Educational Technologies (AICET) and Department of Philosophy, FASS, NUS
3School of Computing, NUS 

*gerard@nus.edu.sg; 2jyhsim@nus.edu.sg

Chung, G. S. K., & Sim, J. Y. H. (2024). "Is this how you feel?”: Role playing for social work students using GenAI: Bridging technology and pedagogy [Paper presentation]. In Higher Education Conference in Singapore (HECS) 2024, 3 December, National University of Singapore. https://blog.nus.edu.sg/hecs/hecs2024-gcskeong-jyhsim-et-al/

SUB-THEME

Opportunities from Generative AI

KEYWORDS

LLM, role-playing, social work, counselling, experiential learning

CATEGORY

Paper Presentation

 

EXTENDED ABSTRACT

Role-playing is a vital active learning method in social work education, crucial for developing students’ communication and engagement skills (Fulton et al., 2019). It involves participants simulating real-life scenarios to practice managing situations they might encounter in their professional lives. While evidence supports its effectiveness in skill development (Skoura-Kirk et al., 2021), role-playing in educational settings faces several challenges: Time constraints in classrooms often limit opportunities for extensive practice. First-time participants may feel anxious about peer assessment, impacting their engagement (Gómez-Poyato et al., 2020). Moreover, the pedagogical effectiveness can be compromised if the role-playing lacks authenticity or proper debriefing (Lazar, 2014). 

 

To address these issues, our project is developing a Role-Playing Tool (RPT) using Generative AI (GenAI) to simulate service user interactions with social workers (role played by students). This tool— the first of its kind in social work training in Singapore—offers students the opportunity to engage in various realistic scenarios relevant to the local social work context. The RPT allows for practice at the student’s convenience, focuses on specific skills for improvement, and provides instant feedback. The RPT’s level of control and accessibility enhances learning by enabling deliberate practice, a key factor in skill acquisition and confidence building. Students can use the feedback from the RPT to enrich classroom discussions with instructors and peers, fostering a collaborative learning environment. By leveraging GenAI technology, the tool aims to overcome the limitations of traditional role-playing methods while maintaining the benefits of experiential learning in social work education. 

 

However, we also face the challenge of developing the pedagogical content and approach of the tool. For instance, how can we make the GenAI-powered role-playing realistic to typical scenarios faced by social workers? What characteristics of the service users’ profile should the GenAI display when it “role-plays” as a service user? How can the tool be appropriately used in existing courses that teach practice skills to social work undergraduate students? 

 

To address these crucial questions, our study employed two primary methods of investigation. First, we conducted surveys with social work students and instructors to understand how they envision using the tool in their training and courses. This approach provided us valuable user-centric and user-generated insights into making the GenAI role-play profiles more realistic and relevant to actual social work practice scenarios. Second, we conducted a comprehensive review of existing studies from social work literature on the use of role-playing in university education. This review was crucial in informing the design of our pedagogy, allowing us to build upon proven conventional methods and adapt them for the AI-powered context. 

 

Our key findings from these investigations were twofold. The interviews with students and instructors gave us practical insights for enhancing the realism of the GenAI tool’s profiles and scenarios. For instance, students requested that service users role-played by GenAI could show more variations in emotional moods and linguistic styles. Our user interviews also highlighted the importance of integrating existing clinical frameworks familiar to current social work practice. Additionally, our literature review uncovered time-proven guidelines from current social work education practices that can be effectively adapted for our GenAI-based Role-Playing Tool. 

 

The significance of this study lies in its comprehensive approach to technological integration in social work education. While developing the GenAI-powered Role-Playing Tool is an important first step, we recognise that crafting an appropriate pedagogy is equally crucial and challenging. Our research emphasises the need for a thoughtful, evidence-based approach to integrating this technology into existing curricula, ensuring it complements and enhances traditional teaching methods rather than replacing them.

 

REFERENCES

Fulton, A. E., Dimitropoulos, G., Ayala, J., McLaughlin, A. M., Baynton, M., Blaug, C., Collins, T., Elliott, G., Judge-Stasiak, A., Letkemann, L., & Ragan, E. (2019). Role-Playing: A Strategy for Practicum Preparation for Foundation Year MSW Students. Journal of Teaching in Social Work, 39(2), 163–180. https://doi.org/10.1080/08841233.2019.1576573 

Gómez-Poyato, M. J., Aguilar-Latorre, A., Martínez-Pecharromán, M. M., Magallón-Botaya, R., & Oliván-Blázquez, B. (2020). Flipped classroom and role-playing as active learning methods in the social work degree: Randomized experimental study. Social Work Education, 39(7), 879–892. https://doi.org/10.1080/02615479.2019.1693532 

Lazar, A. (2014). Setting the Stage: Role-Playing in the Group Work Classroom. Social Work with Groups, 37(3), 230–242. https://doi.org/10.1080/01609513.2013.862894 

Skoura-Kirk, E., Brown, S., & Mikelyte, R. (2021). Playing its part: An evaluation of professional skill development through service user-led role-plays for social work students. Social Work Education, 40(8), 977–993. https://doi.org/10.1080/02615479.2020.1764521

Pedagogical Practices for Study Trips: A Factor Analysis of Key Variables

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K. Mukhopadhyay*, S. K. Tambyah, K. J. FONG, J. S. YIP

College of Alice and Peter Tan (CAPT), NUS

*kankana.m@nus.edu.sg

Mukhopadhyay, K., Tambyah, S. K., Fong, K. J., Yip, J. S. J. (2024). Pedagogical practices for study trips: A factor analysis of key variables [Paper presentation]. In Higher Education Conference in Singapore (HECS) 2024, 3 December, National University of Singapore. https://blog.nus.edu.sg/hecs/hecs2024-kmukhopadhyay-et-al-2/

SUB-THEME

Opportunities from Engaging Communities

KEYWORDS

Factor analysis, vignette survey, intentional pedagogy, experiential learning, study trips

CATEGORY

Paper Presentation

 

EXTENDED ABSTRACT

This paper will share insightful findings on the effective pedagogies for engaging with communities during short-term overseas experiential study trips. The findings are based on a robust factor analysis of variables that define pre-trip and actual-trip pedagogies. The data was obtained from a vignette survey conducted as part of a larger research study funded by Ministry of Education (MOE). This larger study is a comprehensive assessment of the pedagogies used and the learning outcomes achieved in a residential college through such trips. For more than a decade, the trips, guided by experiential learning theories (Kolb 1984; Moon, 2004; Roberts, 2012; Lovett, 2020) have been conducted in different geographical locations (India, Myanmar, Balkans, Botswana, and Nepal), and by different faculty-student teams.

 

The intentional pedagogical practices—pre-trip and during the actual trip—provide the foundation to achieve the deep learning outcomes for students who embark on these trips (VandeBerg, et al, 2012; Matsushita, 2018; Mukhopadhyay, et al., 2022). The question that this paper addresses is: What aspects of intentional pedagogies are a) most productive, and b) challenging for achieving deep learning outcomes in short-term overseas experiential study trips?

 

VIGNETTE SURVEY METHODOLOGY

The study uses a mixed-methods case study design, combining existing data from past study trips and fresh data from surveys and interviews with former student participants and overseas partners (organisation/institution/social business) from 2012 to 2020. The vignette survey was one of the primary data collection methods. The vignettes were constructed through systematic analysis of the existing data and approximated situations from the lived experiences of the students during the study trips. The vignettes aided students’ recall of what they experienced during the trips, given that there was a lag between the actual trips and this study (Hyman & Steiner, 1996; Hopkins &
King, 2010).

 

Factor analysis results

Exploratory factor analysis was conducted on the variables related to pre-trip and actual trip pedagogies, based on a sample size of 145 respondents. The results revealed interesting latent constructs and evidence of the robustness of the experiential learning pedagogies (Table 1). Using principal axis factoring with direct oblimin rotation, three latent factors from nine pre-trip pedagogical variables were identified, corresponding to classroom sessions, guest speakers, and peer presentations. These factors mapped on perfectly to the respective vignettes, demonstrating the strong construct validity of the survey. Cronbach’s Alpha tests confirmed the high reliability of the pre-trip latent factors. For actual trip engagements, the factor analysis revealed two latent factors: reflective activities and experiences from engagement. However, the reliability scores of these factors were moderate, suggesting that some components, such as reflection and the balance of activities during the actual trip, might be better treated as individual factors rather than a combined factor.

 

SIGNIFICANCE OF THE FINDINGS

These experiential study trips offer students an interactive platform to connect the concepts of engaging with communities to grounded practices through classroom discussions and field visits. This connection requires evidence-based pedagogical guidance which this paper provides through a robust factor analysis of pre-trip and actual-trip pedagogies. These results can enable a more informed understanding on how to improve the pedagogical design, implementation and learning outcomes for short-term overseas experiential study trips.

Table 1
Factor analysis results and descriptives of pre-trip and actual trip pedagogy-related variables

 

REFERENCES

Hopkins, D. J. & King, G. (2010). Improving anchoring vignettes: Designing surveys to correct interpersonal incomparability. Public Opinion Quarterly, 1-22. https://doi.org/10.7910/DVN/UU5EUI

Hyman, M. R. & Steiner, S. D. (1996). The vignette method in business ethics research: Current uses and recommendations. SMA Conference Paper.

Kolb, D. A. (1984). Experiential Learning. Prentice Hall Books.

Lovett, K. (2020). Introduction: Listening and Learning from Experiential Learning Educators. In K. Lovett (Ed.) Diverse Pedagogical Approaches to Experiential Learning:Multidisciplinary Case Studies, Reflections, and Strategies (pp. 1-11). Springer Nature. https://doiorg.libproxy1.nus.edu.sg/10.1007/978-3-030-42691-0

Moon, J. A. (2004). A Handbook of Reflective and Experiential Learning: Theory and Practice. Routledge.

Matsushita, K. (2018). An invitation to deep learning. In Matsushita, K. (Ed.) Deep Active Learning. Ch 2. Springer Nature. http://dx.DOI.org/10.1007/978-981-10-5660-4_2.

Mukhopadhyay, K., Balachandran, L., Wong S. F., Lai, J. C. Y., Tan, A. X. Y., McGahan, K., Toh T. C., Wong, R., & Tan L. Y. (2022). Steering towards the Internationalisation of Higher Education: Lessons from Pedagogical Interventions in Overseas Experiential Learning Programmes. Asian Journal of the Scholarship of Teaching and Learning, 12(1). 20-38. https://ctlt.nus.edu.sg/wp-content/uploads/2024/04/v12n1_mukhopadhyay-et-al-for-layout-2.pdf

Roberts, J. W. (2012). Beyond learning by doing: Theoretical currents in experiential education. Routledge.

Vande Berg, M., Paige, R. M., & Lou, K. H. (2012). Student learning abroad. In Vande Berg, M., Paige, R. M., & Lou, K. H. (Eds.), Student learning abroad: What our students are learning, what they’re not, and what we can do about it (pp. 3-28). Stylus.

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.  

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 

 

From Outreach to Empowerment: Cultivating University-driven Community Engagement

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Julius BAUTISTA

NUS College

*bautista@nus.edu.sg

 

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

SUB-THEME

Opportunities from Engaging Communities

 

KEYWORDS

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

 

CATEGORY

Paper Presentation 

 

EXTENDED ABSTRACT

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

HECS2024-a57-Fig1

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

 

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


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


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

REFERENCES

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Personal Growth Narratives: Voices From Community-Based Experiential Study Trips

cdtlsd Poster , , , ,

S. K. Tambyah*, K. Mukhopadhyay*, L. LIM, & Y. T. J. ONG 

College of Alice & Peter Tan

*kankana.m@nus.edu.sg; rc3tsk@nus.edu.sg

Mukhopadhyay, K., Tambyah, S. K., Lim, L., & Ong, Y. T. J. (2024). Personal growth narratives: Voices from community-based experiential study trips [Poster presentation]. In Higher Education Conference in Singapore (HECS) 2024, 3 December, National University of Singapore. https://blog.nus.edu.sg/hecs/hecs2024-kmukhopadhyay-et-al/

SUB-THEME

Opportunities from Engaging Communities

KEYWORDS

Experiential learning, personal growth, professional development, mixed methodology 

CATEGORY

Poster Presentation

 

EXTENDED ABSTRACT

This poster presents the personal growth narratives of student participants in short-term overseas experiential learning (Kolb 1984; Moon, 2004; Roberts, 2012; Backman et al., 2019; Lovett, 2020) programmes. Their voices are captured through focus group discussions (FGDs) and open-ended survey questions, which are part of a larger research study funded by the Ministry of Education. Using a mixed-method case study design, the study aims to understand students’ learning processes and outcomes of the community-based experiential study trips conducted as part of a residential college’s curriculum for over a decade.

 

METHODOLOGY AND FINDINGS

Student participants were from different (STEER) (India, Balkans, Myanmar, Botswana, Nepal) from 2012 to 2020. They participated in six FGDs and completed an online vignette survey to share their perceptions on the different community-based learning aspects of the programme. The research team engaged in close readings and coding of the FDG transcripts and the responses to the vignette survey, particularly the key questions on personal growth (Figure 1) from the two data sets. Preliminary analyses indicated two emergent themes that define the construct of personal growth, which also demonstrated that students have experienced substantial personal growth with enduring effects beyond the duration of the programmes.

Figure 1: Questions on personal growth from FGD and Vignette Survey (open-ended question)

 

APPLICATION OF THE KNOWLEDGE GAINED

Students shared how the community-based experiential learning expanded their perspectives and facilitated the application of knowledge in their professional and personal endeavours after they have graduated. Some examples include “(integrating) methodologies like design thinking and asset-based community development in my daily life” (Nepal, 2018), “(thinking) deeply about how we can tap on community resources and to empower people within their own communities” (Mynamar 2018) and “looking” at societal issues and institutions with greater curiosity” (India 2018).

 

Several participants detailed the practical application of knowledge acquired during the study trips to their academic and career-related projects. For example, a participant from STEER Botswana who is now an educator shared the following:

 

DEVELOPING PERSONAL AND SOCIAL RESPONSIBILITY

There was an overwhelming sharing of how meaningful interactions with partner communities have broadened their worldviews and changed their mindsets. These experiences allowed them to “practise (their) curiosity” (FGD 3) during the trips and deepen their cultural awareness, empathy and social responsibility. One participant compared being “open and deliberate in understanding different perspectives” (FGD 3) when in the study trip from the filtered reality that s/he experiences in social media. This in turn encouraged them to take multifaceted approaches towards decision-making and become better at critical thinking after the trips. Students were also able to “understand the human psyche better” (Myanmar, 2019), and to “empathise with all sides of a conflict and focus on the similarities of the struggles faced by all sides.” (Balkans, 2019). Embracing new cultural perspectives was invaluable in developing global relationships, as an understanding of culturally different communities can help to “guide decisions and planning for bilateral discussions”. (Botswana, 2018)

 

SIGNIFICANCE OF THE STUDY

Educational experiences rooted in community-based learning offer a powerful and effective method by which to prepare students as life-long learners. Our findings illustrated how the community-based nature of the overseas experiential learning enabled the acquisition of knowledge and translatable skills, which could be applied in personal and professional contexts. The findings confirm how students understand the value of such engagements and their role in helping them contribute productively to society.

 

REFERENCES

Backman, M., Pitt, H., Marsden, T., Mehmood, A., & Mathijs, E. (2019). “Experiential Approaches to Sustainability Education: Towards Learning Landscapes.” International Journal of Sustainability in Higher Education, 20(1), 139-156. https://doi.org/10.1108/IJSHE-06-2018-0109

Flood, L. D. (2019). A new way forward for social justice researchers: Development and validation of the social justice behavior scale. Research in Educational Administration & Leadership, 4(2), 303. http://dx.doi.org/10.30828/real/2019.2.4

Kolb, D. A. (1984). Experiential Learning. Prentice Hall Books.

Lovett, K. (2020). Introduction: Listening and Learning from Experiential Learning Educators. In Lovett, K. (eds), Diverse Pedagogical Approaches to Experiential Learning: Multidisciplinary Case Studies, Reflections, and Strategies (pp. 1-11). Palgrave Macmillan. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-030-42691-0_1

Moon, J. A. (2004). A Handbook of Reflective and Experiential Learning: Theory and Practice. Routledge.

Roberts, J. W. (2012). Beyond learning by doing: Theoretical currents in experiential education.  Routledge.

Econ on the Go: Chatbot-Guided Scavenger Hunt for Large Economics Classes 

cdtlsd Poster , , ,

Timothy WONG*, CHAN Kok Hoe, and ONG EeCheng

Department of Economics, Faculty of Arts and Social Sciences (FASS)

ecstwcj@nus.edu.sg

Wong, T. C. J., Chan, K. H., & Ong, E. C. (2024). Econ on the Go: Chatbot-guided scavenger hunt for large economic classes [Poster presentation]. In Higher Education Conference in Singapore (HECS) 2024, 3 December, National University of Singapore. https://blog.nus.edu.sg/hecs/hecs2024-twong-chankh-ongec/

SUB-THEME

Others – Opportunities from AI 

KEYWORDS

Experiential learning, field trip, scavenger hunt, chatbot 

CATEGORY

Poster Presentation

EXTENDED ABSTRACT

We designed a chatbot-guided scavenger hunt for students in our core introductory course, EC1101E: “Introduction to Economic Analysis”, which enrols 300–600 students each semester. This project is funded by a Teaching Enhancement Grant (TEG). 

To design the scavenger hunt, we first identified economic concepts that can be matched to locational features and histories. For example, the concept of technological change as a decrease in inputs is manifested in the transition post World War II from rickshaws to trishaws; the inputs here are labor hours and energy. This story is explained on a plaque at Jinricksha Station. 

Students visit various locations to collaboratively solve the puzzles by applying economic knowledge. As Mayer (2004) states, “meaningful learning occurs when the learner strives to make sense of the presented material by selecting relevant incoming information, organizing it into a coherent structure, and integrating it with other organized knowledge.” Here, the “presented material” is the puzzle, the “relevant incoming information” is their surroundings, and “other organized knowledge” is the economic theories they have learned in class. After students solve a puzzle, they are guided by the chatbot to the next location where a new puzzle is revealed. 

The chatbot will record students’ responses to the puzzles and clues, enabling us to evaluate students’ strengths and weaknesses in their understanding of specific economic concepts and in their ability to apply such concepts to novel contexts. We may use this information to adjust how we teach a particular concept, to modify the puzzles, and/or to improve the chatbot in future iterations. 

Chatbots offer scalability and accessibility, and their potential as a pedagogical tool is being explored (Wollny et. al., 2021) including in the area of experiential learning (Casillo et al., 2022). While experiential field trips provide unique opportunities for students to identify economic concepts at play in the real world and to recognize the limits of economic theories and models (Ong & Wong, 2023), these field trips are typically led by human guides who can lead only a small group of students at a time. Meanwhile, chatbot guides can accommodate hundreds of students and permit flexible scheduling. 

We believe that the chatbot-guided scavenger hunt promotes several positive learning outcomes. First, we hope that this activity will help students to see the value of economics in understanding the world, thereby increasing their engagement with economics (Eccles & Wigfield, 2020). Studies show that intrinsic interest in a subject drives deep learning while a focus on extrinsic rewards leads to surface learning (Laird & Garver, 2010; Entwistle, 2009). 

Second, this experiential learning activity presents a unique opportunity for students to practice applying economic concepts in the field. The ability to recognise which economic theories apply to which real-world scenarios will enable them to transfer their learning to their subsequent courses and careers (Green et al., 2013). 

Third, we aim to inculcate in our students intellectual curiosity, where they continually observe, question, and discover. Students engage with one another in a social, collaborative setting to solve puzzles. This experience may shape their perception of how and when learning happens, leading them to recognise that learning is not circumscribed to the classroom. 

We will conduct surveys at the beginning of the semester and after the field trip to evaluate the efficacy of the chatbot-guided field trip. We are interested in the following outcomes: (i) students’ knowledge of economic theory; (ii) students’ ability to apply economic theory to new contexts; (iii) students’ interest in economics; (iv) students’ perception of the relevance of economics in their lives; (v) students’ perception of and attitudes toward learning; (vi) students’ engagement with their classmates.

REFERENCES

Casillo, M., De Santo, M., Mosca, R., & Santaniello, D. (2022). An ontology-based chatbot to enhance experiential learning in a cultural heritage scenario. Frontiers in Artificial Intelligence 5. https://doi.org/10.3389/frai.2022.808281 

Eccles, J. S., & Wigfield, A. (2020). From expectancy-value theory to situated expectancy-value theory: A developmental, social cognitive, and sociocultural perspective on motivation. Contemporary Educational Psychology, 61, Article 101859. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.cedpsych.2020.101859 

Entwistle, N. (2009). Teaching for understanding at university: Deep approaches and distinctive ways of thinking. Universities into the 21st Century Series. Palgrave Macmillan. 

Green, G., Bean, J., & Peterson, D. (2013). Deep learning in intermediate microeconomics: using scaffolding assignments to teach theory and promote transfer. Journal of Economic Education, 44(2). 142-157. https://doi.org/10.1080/00220485.2013.770338 

Laird, T. N., & Garver, A. K. (2010). The effect of teaching general education courses on deep approaches to learning: How disciplinary context matters. Research in Higher Education, 51(3), 248–265, https://doi.org/10.1007/s11162-009-9154-7 

Mayer, R. E. (2004). Should there be a three-strikes rules against pure discovery learning? The case for guided methods of instruction. American Psychologist, 59(1), 14. https://doi.org/10.1037/0003-066X.59.1.14

Ong, E. C., & Wong, T. (2023). Bringing the classroom to the real world: Field trips to marginalized neighborhoods. Journal of Economic Education, 54:(3), 267–280. 10.1080/00220485.2023.2200409 

Wollny, S., Schneider, J., Di Mitri, D., Weidlich, J., Rittberger, M., & Drachsler, H. (2021). Are we there yet? A systematic literature review on chatbots in education. Frontiers in Artificial Intelligence 4. http://dx.doi.org/10.3389/frai.2021.654924 

Building Nature into the Curriculum: Wellbeing Through Nature Education

cdtlsd Paper Presentations , , , , ,

Patricia LORENZ

Ridge View Residential College (RVRC), NUS

plorenz@nus.edu.sg

Lorenz, P. (2024). Building nature into the curriculum: Wellbeing through nature education [Paper presentation]. In Higher Education Conference in Singapore (HECS) 2024, 3 December, National University of Singapore. https://blog.nus.edu.sg/hecs/hecs2024-plorenz/

SUB-THEME

Opportunities from Wellbeing

KEYWORDS

Wellbeing, outdoor learning, nature education, experiential learning, general education

CATEGORY

Paper Presentation 

EXTENDED ABSTRACT

This paper presentation in the sub-theme of “Opportunities From Wellbeing” examines how nature education, built into the General Education (GE) courses at NUS, can benefit student wellbeing. Albeit not being the main focus of the courses, extensive opportunities to spend time in nature promotes a sense of wellbeing in students by countering widespread Nature Deficit Disorder (Lee, 2023). The term “Nature Deficit Disorder” was first described by Louv (2008) as a condition in which children and young people are deprived of spending time in nature and the opportunity to play outdoors. Recent research has demonstrated direct links between Nature Deficit Disorder and mental health in adolescents (Dong & Geng, 2023). Thus, universities have the potential to benefit students’ health and wellbeing by exposing enrolled students to nature through the formal or informal curriculum.

 

Ridge View Residential College (RVRC) focuses on teaching sustainability and labels itself the “College in Nature”. As such, it offers a range of extracurricular nature-based activities, such as the RVRC Leopard Cat Quest, RVRC Intertidal Walk and Clean, and the RVRC Citizen Science Programme. The college also offers two courses under the GE “Community and Engagement” pillar, namely RVN2001 “The Great Extinction”, focusing on the current biodiversity loss and mass extinction, and RVN2002 “Wild Asia”, discussing conservation issues and strategies in Southeast Asia. While both courses were designed with a focus on biodiversity loss and conservation, increasingly reconnecting students to the natural world has become an additional focal point.

 

Observational evidence and survey questionnaires have demonstrated that nearly all students enrolling in the courses suffer from Nature Deficit Disorder. Hence, a larger focus was placed on creating time throughout the course schedule to reconnect to nature. RVN2001 engages students in four local fieldtrips, and one outdoor learning session on campus, while RVN2002 engages students on a highly immersive 10-day overseas fieldtrip to Pahang, Malaysia, which is nearly entirely dominated by outdoor learning. While this provides ample outdoor learning time, specific techniques were employed to facilitate greater awareness of the natural world and the benefits immersion in nature provides to the individual. Great emphasis is placed on being still or quiet in nature, to silently observe wildlife or habitats, as well as to engage in a structured Forest Bathing session.

 

As a result, students have demonstrated a greater appreciation for nature in post-course surveys. Moreover, through experiential learning student were able to identify how these nature engagement sessions benefit their own health and wellbeing. Feedback from RVN2001 demonstrates the understanding “That nature is important to our wellbeing” and “how environmentalism can be directly linked with health”. Students were also able to connect the personal experiences to society: “Going on the field trips to nature parks really helped me take my mind off school work (which, if extended to larger society, could have really beneficial effects too if they would realise)”, and the bigger picture: “This kind of environmental action underscores the interconnectedness of all life and the critical role that conservation plays in our own survival and well-being”. Likewise, a noticeable number of students who took RVN2002 declared that “Forest bathing really opened my eyes and made me truly realise how much I love nature and how much I enjoy it”, and understood the health benefits of the activity: “Being silent in nature was very therapeutic”.

 

Thus, with little outdoor engagement built into the Singapore school curriculum, it can be argued that it is highly beneficial for educators to make an effort to incorporate extensive nature-based outdoor education into the curriculum in order to benefit students’ mental and physical wellbeing. This however ought not to be done in addition to existing classroom teaching, thus further adding to students’ already heavy workload, but instead outdoor learning ought to replace conventional classroom teaching.

REFERENCES

Dong, X. & Geng, L. (2023). Nature deficit and mental health among adolescents: A perspectives of conservation of resources theory. Journal of Environmental Psychology, 87(101995). https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/abs/pii/S0272494423000439

Lee, K. (2023). Addressing the Nature-Deficit Disorder in Singapore. Nature Watch, 31(1), 14-15.  https://www.nss.org.sg/articles/492463b1-bAllPagesNW23Q1FINAL-5MB.pdf

Louv, R. (2008). Last child in the woods: saving our children from nature-deficit disorder.  Algonquin Books of Chapel Hill. https://richardlouv.com/books/last-child/

Interdisciplinary, Experiential Learning Course for Student Wellbeing: Preliminary Reflections on Course Design of HS2924 “Building Mental Wellbeing And Resilience”

cdtlsd Lighting Talks , , , ,

Ira AGRAWAL1*, Celestial T. YAP1, and Ajay S. MATHURU1,2 

1Department of Physiology, Yong Loo Lin School of Medicine (YLLSOM)
2Yale-NUS College

*phsia@nus.edu.sg

 

Agrawal, I., Yap, C. T., & Mathuru, A. S. (2024). Interdisciplinary, experiential learning course for student wellbeing: Preliminary reflections on course design of HS2924 “Building Mental Wellbeing and Resilience” [Lightning talk]. In Higher Education Conference in Singapore (HECS) 2024, 3 December, National University of Singapore. https://blog.nus.edu.sg/hecs/hecs2024-agrawal-et-al/

SUB-THEME

Opportunities from Wellbeing

 

KEYWORDS

Mental wellbeing, experiential learning, interdisciplinary, neuroplasticity

 

CATEGORY

Paper Presentations 

 

INTRODUCTION

Wellbeing and resilience have become central themes in education for thriving in the face of adversity. They are crucial not only for an individual’s health, happiness, and life satisfaction, but also for their performance and the economic costs to organisations and nations. Mental wellbeing challenges, such as stress, anxiety, depression, and burnout, are prevalent among undergraduate students (Barusi & Kurniawati, 2024; Kwan, 2022). These challenges can lead to serious consequences, including poor academic performance, sleep disturbances, substance abuse, low self-worth, and even suicide (Dyrbye et al., 2008; Wang et al., 2022). Since a healthy mental state is essential for both academic and long-term success, there is a pressing need for effective early interventions. Research shows that wellbeing and resilience can be developed through targeted interventions, with the inclusion of mental health education in undergraduate curricula emerging as a promising strategy (Kaligis et al., 2023; McCormack et al., 2024; Wan et al., 2024; Wang & Du, 2020).

 

With this in mind, we developed HS2924 “Building Mental Wellbeing and Resilience”, an interdisciplinary elective for undergraduates at the College of Humanities & Sciences (CHS), National University of Singapore (NUS). This course integrates cognitive neuroscience, psychology, public health, and clinical perspectives to explore the fundamentals of mental wellbeing, how it can be effectively measured, and strategies for enhancing resilience. Students engage in both experiential learning and impact measurement to develop their own wellbeing practice(s) of choice. By taking this course, students are expected to acquire foundational knowledge of mental wellbeing and resilience, cultivate self-awareness, and apply strategies to manage stress.

 

The course consists of four weekly contact hours, split equally between lectures and tutorials. The intake was limited to 100 students, divided into two tutorial batches of 50. The first cohort, from AY 2024/25 Semester-1, includes a balanced mix of students from the Faculties of Arts & Social Sciences (44) and Science (56).

 

COURSE DESIGN

The course is built on the concept of the neuroplasticity of wellbeing: the idea that our brains are wired, but can be rewired through intentional activities with measurable impacts.

 

Wiring: Interactive lectures cover the correlates and determinants of mental wellbeing, the physiological and psychological stress response. Tutorials include activities such as identifying physical sensations in response to stress, exploring the ‘exhaustion funnel’, and self-reflection on wellbeing factors affecting individuals.

 

Rewiring: The mechanics of various interventions are covered in lectures, while tutorials focus on experiential learning. These interventions include lifestyle changes, physical activity, sleep hygiene, and the four pillars of emotional wellbeing: awareness, insight, connection, and purpose (Dahl et al., 2020). Additionally, breathwork and mindfulness practices are incorporated. A core assessment is the six- to eight-week Rewiring Project, where students set SMART goals1 to apply wellbeing strategies in their daily lives and measure their impact.

 

Impact: Monitoring progress and measuring the impact of these interventions are critical to helping students understand what works for them and motivating continued practice. Both objective and subjective tools are introduced. One innovative tool used is the MUSE biosensor headband, which passively measures brain activity and heart rate variability during different activities. For the Rewiring Project, students track their baseline mental wellbeing, monitor their progress throughout the intervention, and assess their impact by the semester’s end.

 

Effectiveness will be evaluated through pre- and post-course surveys and reflection assignments. The results will provide insights into best practices for incorporating mental wellbeing education into higher education curricula.

 

ENDNOTE

  1. SMART goals stand for goals that are “Specific, Measurable, Achievable, Relevant, and Time-bound”

 

REFERENCES

Barusi, A., & Kurniawati, F. (2024). Systematic literature review: A study of academic burnout among undergraduate students in universities. International Journal of Science Education and Cultural Studies, 3, 1–18. https://doi.org/10.58291/ijsecs.v3i1.198

Dahl, C. J., Wilson-Mendenhall, C. D., & Davidson, R. J. (2020). The plasticity of well-being: A training-based framework for the cultivation of human flourishing. Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences of the United States of America, 117(51), 32197–32206. https://doi.org/10.1073/pnas.2014859117

Dyrbye, L. N., Thomas, M. R., Massie, F. S., Power, D. V., Eacker, A., Harper, W., Durning, S., Moutier, C., Szydlo, D. W., Novotny, P. J., Sloan, J. A., & Shanafelt, T. D. (2008). Burnout and suicidal ideation among U.S. medical students. Annals of Internal Medicine, 149(5), 334–341. https://doi.org/10.7326/0003-4819-149-5-200809020-00008

Kaligis, F., Ismail, R. I., Wiguna, T., Prasetyo, S., Gunardi, H., Indriatmi, W., Pasaribu, M. M., Pandia, V., Minayati, K., Magdalena, C. C., Nurraga, G. W., Pramatirta, B., Calvin, N., & Sourander, A. (2023). Effectiveness of an online mental health strengthening module to build resilience and overcome stress for transitional aged medical students. Frontiers in Digital Health, 5, 1207583. https://doi.org/10.3389/fdgth.2023.1207583

Kwan, J. (2022). Academic burnout, resilience level, and campus connectedness among undergraduate students during the COVID-19 pandemic: Evidence from Singapore. Journal of Applied Learning and Teaching, 5(Sp. Iss. 1), Article Sp. Iss. 1. https://doi.org/10.37074/jalt.2022.5.s1.7

McCormack, Z., Kerr, A., Simpson, A., Keating, D., & Strawbridge, J. (2024). What works for whom, how and why in mental health education for undergraduate health profession students? A realist synthesis protocol. BMJ Open, 14(3), e078130. https://doi.org/10.1136/bmjopen-2023-078130