SINGAPORE, April 15, 2014 – Microsoft is reaffirming its efforts to enhance world-class education practices in Singapore through continued partnerships with the education community, expanding innovative education projects to reach even more local teachers and students. An example is Nan Chiau Primary School (NCPS), recognized as a World Showcase School by Microsoft, which is sharing the technology tools, pedagogy and experience of its Science Seamless Learning program and MyCloud Chinese Learning Platform with nine other primary schools, including four Singapore Hokkien Huay Kuan primary schools. This partnership enables around 500 students in these nine schools to experience technology-enabled learning initiatives that were pioneered at NCPS.
Part of the worldwide Microsoft Innovative Schools program, World Showcase Schools are global leaders of transformative education that have demonstrated innovation to re-imagine pedagogy and teacher professional development while improving student learning outcomes and development of 21st century skills. Nan Chiau Primary is one of three World Showcase Schools from Singapore. Singapore is the only country represented in South East Asia.
“At Microsoft, we have a firm commitment to education and talent development. We have been working in close partnership with the education community, providing tools and resources to support Singapore educators in developing essential 21st century skills to help prepare our youths for jobs of the future,” said Ms Jessica Tan, Managing Director of Microsoft Singapore.
“Successful innovative practices grounded in new pedagogies need to be shared widely to benefit even more students and teachers. We are pleased to work with Nan Chiau Primary, the National Institute of Education and the Singapore Hokkien Huay Kuan to expand on the Science Seamless Learning program and MyCLOUD, both projects that we have been closely involved in, providing technology advice, support, knowledge and research. We hope to continue to build strong partnerships with educators and experts to deliver relevant, effective and scalable technologies and programs to support meaningful learning experiences,” she continued.
NCPS embarked on the Science Seamless Learning program since 2009 and it is part of the science curriculum for all Primary 3 and 4 classes or around 700 students today. The project aims to empower NCPS students to learn anytime and anywhere with the affordance of mobile technology to bridge formal and informal learning spaces.
Using Nokia smartphones and Windows 8 tablets, students are able to access the mobile learning platform, MyDesk, which runs on the Windows platform, both inside and outside the classroom. MyDesk holds a suite of mini apps designed for learning and assessment. Lessons are designed based on research from the National Institute of Education to make full use of these tools on mobile devices to engage students in learning tasks that enables them to develop 21st century competencies such as self-directed and collaborative learning.
From January this year, NCPS has helped to introduce the Science Seamless Learning program to the other five primary schools, complementing the science curriculum. Using the pedagogy developed by NCPS and the tools on the MyDesk platform, the program has been rolled out in Primary 3 science lessons. Students from one Primary 3 class in each school are now using Windows 8 tablets in their learning activities.
Besides Science Seamless Learning, NCPS and Microsoft also contributed to the scale-up of MyCLOUD, an interactive mobile learning platform for Chinese that leverages Microsoft technology and research as well as expertise from the National Institute of Education and the Singapore Centre of Chinese Language to take the learning of the Chinese language beyond the classroom walls. All Primary 3 and 4 students in Nan Chiau Primary School are already using MyCLOUD to support their Chinese Language learning.
With the strong support from the Singapore Hokkien Huay Kuan, the four other primary schools affiliated with the clan association – Tao Nan Primary School, Ai Tong Primary School, Kong Hwa Primary School and Chongfu Primary School – have also incorporated MyCLOUD in selected Primary 3 classes this year. Through the use of social media features in MyCloud, students are able to use the Chinese Language in a more authentic context as part of their communication with their peers. MyCloud is currently available on both Windows 8 and Windows Phone 8 platforms.
To support teachers who are new to the program, NCPS has formed professional learning communities beyond the school. 2 experienced teachers from NCPS visits each school once a fortnight to provide guidance and to help fine-tune lesson packages and resources. NCPS also collaborates with teachers from the schools to co-design lessons, ensuring that they can fully utilize the features of MyDesk and MyCloud to deliver new learning experiences for their students through the use of mobile technology.
Mr Adrian Peh, Chairman of the Education Committee, Singapore Hokkien Huay Kuan said, “MyCLOUD is an innovative teaching and learning tool that leverages technology to cultivate greater interest in the Chinese language. It has opened up many new and interesting lesson options for teachers and students and we have had heard much positive feedback on how MyCLOUD has effectively encouraged learning by making the Chinese language relevant to the students’ daily lives. We are pleased to work with our partners, including Microsoft, to promote this new mode of learning to our affiliated schools.”
Added Professor David Hung, Associate Dean of Education Research at National Institute of Education, “It is important to contribute research support and expertise in understanding how innovations can be scaled and sustained in schools. Technology has created opportunities to make learning more authentic and collaborative. It also helps students to become creative thinkers and independent learners as they pick up critical skills and dispositions that will help them for the future economy and society. Science Seamless Learning and MyCLOUD demonstrate how well designed learning with technology can help transform education and we encourage other schools in Singapore and around the world to learn more about and consider adopting this approach.”
Educators, school leaders and education experts worldwide who have visited NCPS as part of the World Showcase program have praised the school’s efforts to foster 21st century teaching and learning practices. Professor Michael Fullan from the Ontario Institute for Studies in Education, University of Toronto, a leading global authority on educational reform said, “We now know the key ingredients for successful learning: a strong pedagogy, technology that accelerates and deepens learning, change leadership that develops the professional capacity of teachers, and links to other schools for mutual learning.”
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About Nan Chiau Primary School
Nan Chiau Primary School is a forward-looking school which is enshrined in the belief of having a holistic education. With tremendous enthusiasm to use technology in education, Nan Chiau aims to create a new and exciting way of learning through student-driven and inquiry-based learning. Students are able to learn anywhere and anytime in a seamless way in order to link what they learn in the classroom to what they see in their daily life.
With the Microsoft Centre for Educational Research and Application (MS CERA), the first research centre for using Information and Communication Technology (ICT) in teaching and learning in a primary school, we strengthen the link between theories and practices to make learning more engaging. With the collaboration of partners, Nan Chiau is preparing to make a revolutionary change to prepare our students for the future. For more information, please visit www.ncps.moe.edu.sg.
About Singapore Hokkien Huay Kuan
Singapore Hokkien Huay Kuan (SHHK) is founded in 1840 when it was set up to provide assistance to the Chinese immigrants from China Fujian Province. The objects of SHHK are to promote goodwill and fellowship among ethnic Chinese Singapore citizens of the Hokkien dialect group; to improve and upgrade the standard of living and the quality of life of its members and the Hokkien community at large; to preserve and promote advancement of the Chinese language, Chinese culture and the cause of education in Singapore. SHHK has also donated generously towards worthy causes.
The commitment of SHHK in the advancement of education is dated way back to 1849 when it set up its first school. Today, the affiliated schools of SHHK include Tao Nan School, Ai Tong School, Chongfu School, Nan Chiau High School, Nan Chiau Primary School and Kong Hwa School with a combined enrolment of about 12,000 students and 800 staff. For more information, please visit www.shhk.com.sg.