Book Chapter

Singapore: ICT in Education IDE 772 - Educational Technology in International Settings

Contents Introduction 2 Context 3 Geography 3 Demographic: population, race, ethnicity 3 Social-cultural background 4 Economic: development level, GDP, per capita income 4 Political background 5 ICT in Singapore 6 Education 7 Educational Technology in Singapore 9 Brief history 9 ICT in Education Approach 10 National educational technology standards 10 Major projects 11 Current situation 12 Future trends 13 Strengths and Challenges 14 Educational Technology Resources 15 Key people in educational technology 15 Key organizations and associations 15 Points of contact 15 Ed Technology/IT programs at universities 16 International organizations or projects 16 Factors to be considered when working in Singapore 17 Conclusions 18 References 19

Introduction

Singapore is a state island in Southeast Asia. Many scholars think the word “Singapore” is derived from the Sanskrit (an ancient Indian language) word “Simhapura” which consists of two parts; simh which means lion, and pura which means town or city. So, the full meaning of the name would become the Lion City (Wikipedia, 2018).

Whether this story is true or not, no one doubts that Singapore became a “Lion City” in term of economic and technological advancements. Singapore’s profile on the BBC website reads: “Once a British colonial trading post, today it is a thriving global financial hub and described as one of Asia's economic tigers.” The country’s page on Wikipedia reads: “Singapore is a global commerce, finance, and transport hub. It has been recognized as the most "technology-ready" nation (WEF), top International-meetings city (UIA), city with "best investment potential" (BERI), world's smartest city, world's safest country, third-most competitive country, third-largest foreign exchange market, third-largest financial center, third-largest oil refining and trading center and the second-busiest container port.”

Singapore's education is advanced too. The Program for International Students Assessment (PISA) which is held by the Organization for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD) put Singapore students on top of the world students in science, mathematics, reading, and teams problem solving for the fifth year in a row. (Channel New Asia, 2017).

Context

Geography

Singapore's current area is 709 km2 (274 mile2) formed by one main island and many other islets. To increase Singapore's small size, land reclamation took place, and as a result, its size increased by 23%. The island is surrounded by the Malay Peninsula, Indonesia’s Riau Islands and Peninsular Malaysia (Wikipedia, 2018).

Figure 1: location of Singapore. Image source: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Singapore

Demographic: population, race, ethnicity

The population of the country is less than 6 million. Chinese form 74.1%, Malay form 13.4%, Indian form 9.3%, and others are 3.2% of total population (CIA World fact book, n.d.). In spite of this diversity, Singapore is considered one of the safest countries in the world for the fifth year in a row (Straits Times, 2018).

Singapore has its own problems. Singapore’s fertility rate is estimated by 0.8 in 2014, the lowest in the world, and below the 2.1 needed to replace the population. To solve this problem, the government encourages foreigners to immigrate to the country (Wikipedia, 2018).

Social-cultural background

The country is also diverse when it comes to religion. Buddhist, Christianity, and Islam are the main religions, but there are also other religions. The official and commonly used language is English. Mandarin, Malay, Tamil and other languages are spoken too (Wikipedia, 2018).

Economic: development level, GDP, per capita income

Speaking economic, Singapore is one of the richest countries in the world. Singapore’s Wikipedia page reads: “The Singaporean economy is known as one of the freest, most innovative, most competitive, most dynamic and most business-friendly.” Singapore is also known for its highest number of millionaires. One out of every six households owning at least one million US dollar (Wikipedia, 2018). The gross domestic product (GDP) in 2017 was estimated by $504.9 billion and the average GDP per capita was estimated by $90,500 (CIA World fact book, n.d.).

Singaporean governments work hard to attract international investments. Policies are designed (low tax, easy to establish a business, corruption free environment), and infrastructure is built to support this vision and it went well. Highly skilled labors are also another encouraging factor, thanks to educational system and programs. As of today, there are more than 10,000 multinational companies from the US, Europe, Japan, India, and China (Wikipedia, 2018).

Image 1: Singapore. Same place in 2000 (above), and 2018 (bottom). Image source: http://www.m.dagospia.com

Political background

Historically, Singapore was part of Malaysia and got its independence in 1965. Its first prime minister and the founding father was the late Lee Kuan Yew. Mr. Yew ruled until his retirement in 1990. Mr. Yew transformed Singapore from a small poor island into one of the biggest economies in the world. Currently, Yew’s elder son Mr. Lee Hsien Loong is the prime minister and the third since independence. The president, which is an honoring position with limited authorities, is Mrs. Halimah Yacob who was elected in 2017. Mrs. Yacob is the first female in this position (Wikipedia, 2018).

ICT in Singapore

ICT sector is very advanced and is one of the key enablers for almost every industry in Singapore. Currently, the city is considered the smartest place in the world and the sector is still growing (Wikipedia, 2018). A report by the Business Times website reads: “As digital technologies continue to play a bigger role in the economy, digital products and services created directly through the use of digital technologies - such as cloud-related products and artificial intelligence (AI) - are poised to make up 60 per cent of the country's GDP by 2021, up from 10 percent in 2017.”

Education

Singapore’s education system consists of pre-school, primary school, secondary school, senior secondary school, vocational school, and higher education. Figure 2 below reveals more information (MOE, 2018).

Figure 2: Singapore's education system. Image source: https://sites.google.com

As of now, Singapore did four major transformations to its educational system. The motivation behind it is to respond to the economy changes, the job market, and the ever-increasing demand for highly skilled labor (Kong, 2014).

The first iteration was called “Survival Driven Education.” The focus was on providing young learners with basic knowledge and skills to enable them for the market and to elevate the economy of the poor island at that time. In other words, to survive! This iteration continued till the late seventies (Kong, 2014).

In the early eighties, the government created many technology firms and encouraged international firms to invest in the country. As a result, the demand for skilled labors increased. This transformation was called "Efficiency Driven Education" (Kong, 2014).

The dropout rate during the first ear was very high. Up to 20% of students didn’t complete 10 years of schooling, a catastrophic in such a small country. This was another reason for the second transformation. To solve the dropout problem, the system was designed into two different tracks, normal and slower tracks. For example, at the primary level, the normal track is four years, and the slower track is five years. To solve the problem, the system was designed into two different tracks, normal and slower tracks. For example, at the primary level, the normal track is four years and the slower track is five years. The goal of the change was to give a chance for students to learn at their own pace. As a result, dropout decreased to 1% by mid-nineties (Kong, 2014).

By mid-nineties, the economy changed from industry-based to knowledge-based. A different set of skills and knowledge areas was required. As a result, the third transformation took place and was called “Ability Driven Education.” The system focus was changed from literacy and numeracy to enable students to fully realize their abilities and potentials (Kong, 2014).

In 2013 a fourth and last transformation happened. It was sparked by the huge changes in the world due to technology and information boom. Another motivation was the change of learners themselves. Youngers are becoming more digital savvy, prefers to learn by doing, visuals and work in groups. The technology was driver and a mean to this transformation (Kong, 2014).

Statistically, according to a report issued by the ministry of education in 2017, there are 447K students, taught by 33.4K teachers in 365 schools.

Educational Technology in Singapore

Brief history

ICT in Education masterplans started early in 1997. ICT is seen as a mean not a goal. As of now, Singapore developed four masterplans. All these masterplans are aligned with education systems goals and directly serve them. Table 1 below summarizes the plans.

Masterplan 1	Masterplan 2	Masterplan 3	Masterplan 4
Period: 1997 - 2002	Period: 2003 - 2008	Period: 2009 - 2014	Period: 2015 –
Theme: Building the Foundation: a strong foundation to harness ICT	Theme: Seeding Innovation: towards a more pervasive use of ICT	Theme: Strengthening & Scaling: fostering self-directed learning & collaborative learning competencies & responsible use of ICT	Theme: Deepening Learning, Sharpening Practices: preparing future-ready & responsible digital learners
Goals: 1. ICT training for all teachers 2. ICT infrastructure for all schools 3. Educational software & resources for all schools	Goals: 1. R&D in ICT in education 2. Baseline ICT standards for students 3. ICT funding for all schools 4. ICT integration in curriculum	Goals: 1. Self-directed learning 2. Collaborative learning 3. Cyber wellness 4. R&D in ICT in education 5. Professional development 6. Standard ICT environment for all schools	Goals: 1. Deepen students’ learning with quality ICT-enabled learning and design 2. Sharpen the use of ICT in teaching and learning practices 3. Strengthen the focus on cyber wellness and new media literacies
Achievements: 1. Students can complete ICT tasks 2. Teachers can integrate ICT in classroom 3. Schools have infrastructure for ICT based lessons 4. Pockets of excellence in ICT use	Achievements: 1. Students & teachers able to use basic ICT tools 2. Many teachers able to use ICT tools & resources to support teaching 3. Flexible networked environment in schools	Achievements: 1. Students use ICT extensively for school work 2. Teachers are able to adapt a variety of ICT tools 3. Teachers share innovative ideas & practices 4. Positive change in ICT culture in schools 5. ICT resources are accessible anytime anywhere	Achievements: · No officially published achievements yet. · However, Singapore is ranked first in PISA results for Online Reading (scored 567 points) and Computer-based Math (scored 566) in 2015 (OCED, 2015).

Table 1: Summary of Singapore's Masterplans for ICT in Education (ICT Connection, 2015)

ICT in Education Approach

Singapore has its own approach to implement ICT in education and maximize usage even though it has a relatively low number of ICT equipment ratio to teachers and students (OCED, 2015). Table 2 below summarizes the approaches and the key strategies to realize the approaches.

Approach 1	Approach 2	Approach 3	Approach 4
Deeper ICT Integration in Curriculum, Assessment & Pedagogy	Sustained Professional Learning	Translational Research, Innovation & Scaling	Connected ICT Learning Ecosystem
Key Strategies: 1. Integrate ICT into National Curriculum 2. Provide quality online learning resources for students 3. Incorporate ICT in Assessment 4. Deepen Digital Learning: Cyber Wellness and New Media Literacy	Key Strategies: 1. Build Capacity of School Team 2. Develop good ICT practices 3. Strengthen Networked Learning Communities (iNLCs) for Technology in Learning	Key Strategies: 1. Scan for Educational Technology-related issues and applications 2. Seed innovations across schools and translate research findings into classroom practices 3. Spread successful practices for adoption and adaptation across schools	Key Strategies: 1. Enhance physical connectivity 2. Enhance and establish application, data and community connectivity

Table 2: Summary of Singapore's Approach to implement ICT in Education (ICT Connection, 2015)

National educational technology standards

Singapore has developed standards and policies to govern, control, and support the application of ICT in education in the country. Unfortunately, access to these standards is restricted and only authorized personnel can access it. I contacted the Educational Technology Division at the Ministry of Education, but they denied my request for more information on this topic.

The only published policy is related to the use of ICT by teachers in pre-school to plan, implement, and review learning activities. The guidelines are (The Teaching and Learning Guidelines, 2017):

· Technology should only be used if it enhances learning experiences

· The use of ICT should be facilitated and guided by teachers

· The use of ICT should be carefully considered to ensure the safety and well-being of students

Major projects

There is limited information about ICT in education projects. During its second masterplan (2003 - 2008), two schools were chosen for Microsoft’s to scale the use of tablet pcs and inking technology. as a result, Classroom of the Future initiative at NIE was established to showcase the future possibilities in the use of ICT in education (ICT Connection, 2015).

For the last two decades, ICT Task Force (established by the ministry of education and the National Institute of Education at Nanyang Technological University) conducted many research projects in the use of ICT in education in Singapore and published many publications. Here are a few samples:

· Chai, C. S., Koh, J. H. L., & Tsai, C.-C. (2013). A review of Technological Pedagogical Content Knowledge. Education Technology and Society, 16(2), 31–51.

· Koh, E., Loh, J., & Hong, H. (2013). A Snapshot approach of a smartphone-enabled implementation. Research and Practice in Technology Enhanced Learning, 8(1), 91–115.

· Wang, Q. Y., Woo, H. L., & Quek, C. L. (2013). Perceived usefulness of Facebook for teaching and learning: The student teachers perspective. International Journal of Web Based Communities, 9(2), 243–255.

· Koh, J. H. L., & Chai, C. S. (2014). Teacher clusters and their perceptions of Technological Pedagogical Content Knowledge (TPACK) development through ICT lesson design. Computers and Education, 70, 222–232.

For the full list of research projects by the Task Force group, please visit this link: https://www.nie.edu.sg/research/research-offices/office-of-education-research/research-development-framework/ict-integration

Current situation

Figure 3: Use of ICT in Education. Adapted from Students, Computers and Learning: Making the Connection by PISA, OECD Publishing, 2015.

Figure 4: PISA Scores of Digital Reading and Computer-based Math. Adapted from Students, Computers and Learning: Making the Connection by PISA, OECD Publishing, 2015.

Comment:

Singaporean students' use of computers at schools and the use of the internet for school work is relatively low compared to other countries. However, Singaporean students are ranked first in digital reading and computer-based math. In my point of view, the policies and effective use of ICT in education justify these contradictions.

Future trends

Singapore’s education system is built around specific values which are: respect, responsibility, resilience, integrity, care, and harmony. All future related efforts will be around them. Also, the general trend is towards student-centered learning. For this to be realized, efforts will be around general three focus areas which are (ICT Connection, 2018):

· Designing for Learning: teachers to become designers of learning experiences, bring about engaged learning through the transformative use of technology

· Designing Learning with Technology: designing quality learning experiences with technology to develop the 21st-century competencies & deepen subject disciplinarily

· Support for Designing Learning: teachers are equipped with skills to be designers of learning. Middle managers & school leaders go through milestone courses to be instructional leaders of technology to guide the school team

Strengths and Challenges

The Educational Technology Division at the Ministry of Education is responsible for ICT in education policymaking. Singapore has one university for Education and teachers’ training which is the National Institute of Education (NIE) at Nanyang Technological University. NIE is responsible for realizing and interpreting education policies into programs and projects. Limiting all aspects of education and education technology in these two entities reduce management, communication, reporting, planning and aligning efforts.

The alignment between policy making (the ministry), NIE (teachers’ preparation), and schools where implementation took place is one of Singapore’s strengths. This alignment reduces wasted efforts and increase efficiency.

Singapore’s economy is focusing more and more on ICT products/services. This will increase the demand for highly skilled labors. The country’s low population and the very low fertility rate is a major challenge.

Another challenge is the increased gap in education performance between the fortune majority and those who are coming from low-income backgrounds. The government is putting more efforts to reduce the gap; however, the figures are still high (OCED, 2015).

Educational Technology Resources

Key people in educational technology

1. A/P Chai Ching Sing

2. Dr Elizabeth Koh Ruilin

3. Dr Woo Huay Lit

4. A/P Joyce Koh Hwee Ling

5. Dr Yancy Toh

6. Koh Thiam Seng

7. Lee Sai Choo

Key organizations and associations

1. Educational Technology Division at the Ministry of Education, Singapore

2. ICT Integration Task Force at the National Institute of Education at Nanyang Technological University Singapore

Points of contact

1. ICT Connection Team

Educational Technology Division, Ministry of Education

1 North Buona Vista Drive, Singapore 138675

Email: [email protected]

2. ICT Integration Task Force

National Institute of Education, Nanyang Technological University Singapore

1 Nanyang Walk, Singapore 637616

Tel: (65) 6790 3888 (main)

Ed Technology/IT programs at universities

As mentioned earlier, there are six universities in Singapore. However, most of these universities are ranked in top world universities. All teachers study at the National Institute of Education (NIE) at Nanyang Technological University Singapore. There is one relevant program which is the Master of Arts (Instructional Design and Technology) (NIE, n.d.).

International organizations or projects

No information is found on this section. However, any Ed technology related projects/programs in Singapore are either under ICT Connection team at the Educational Technology Division, Ministry or Education or the ICT Integration Task Force at National Institute of Education, Nanyang Technological University Singapore. Addresses are in the above section.

Factors to be considered when working in Singapore

For any educational technology project to succeed in Singapore, it should consider the diversity of the country. The diversity of languages (English, Mandarin, Malay, Tamil, and others), religions (Buddhist, Christianity, Islam, and others), ethnicities (Chinese, Malay, Indian, and others) must be respected and considered (Wikipedia, 2018).

Another relevant point is that the population of Singapore is around 5 million only. That’s why Singapore is so critical about its national affiliation and identity. It’s an advantage to consider this point when introducing any new Ed-Tech in Singapore.

Any Ed-Tech to be introduced should focus on maintaining this status quo and the country’s economic competitiveness. In other words, it’s so important to clearly and directly tie the introduced technology to the economic and the needs of the multinational companies based in the small island.

Another factor to be considered is that Singapore has its own master plan for ICT in education. To be specific, they are now in their fourth masterplan (mp4). Singapore focusses on preparing students who will be future-ready, responsible digital learners, and students-centric and value-driven education. Any introduced technology must directly align with this vision.

Last but not least, any Ed Tech should be initially introduced to either the ICT Connection team at the Educational Technology Division, Ministry of Education or the ICT Integration Task Force at National Institute of Education, Nanyang Technological University Singapore. These two bodies are the decision and policy makers in any Ed Tech project.

Conclusions

Singapore got its independence a little more than half of a century. At that time, the island was very poor, and people could barely survive. Five decades later, the country’s economic development is nothing but a miracle. Maybe the fact that the island has no natural resources was the best thing as it forced Singapore to focus on its most valuable resource, the people.

Education is seen as the elevating tool for the people and the economy, hence, it needed to be reviewed and changed continuously to satisfy the increasing demand for highly skilled labor. The last transformation was in 2013. The main purpose of this transformation was to prepare students to work in the digital/information era. Technology was the reason and will be a tool for this iteration.

ICT, just like education, is viewed as a mean and not a goal by itself. Hence, current statistics show relatively little use of technology in schools compared to first world countries, however, Singapore students are ranked first in PISA results when it comes to digital reading and computer-based math (OECD, 2015).

The alignment between relevant stakeholders helps Singapore to achieve high in education and use of technology in educational context. The relatively small number of students, teachers, and schools makes it easy for planning, implementation, and reporting. Also, the continuous research helps improve the use of ICT in education in the country by providing research-driven and precise data.

Singapore faces major problems which threaten its existence and identity. The government is working but more efforts are needed to tackle these problems.

Many lessons can be learned from Singapore’s successful implementation of ICT in education. However, Singapore is a unique country with its history, economy, diverse culture and ethnicities, and population.

References

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Sregantan, N. (n.d.). Digital transformation to contribute US$10b to Singapore's GDP by 2021: Study. Retrieved August 11, 2018, from https://www.businesstimes.com.sg/government-economy/digital-transformation-to-contribute-us10b-to-singapores-gdp-by-2021-study

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The World Factbook: SINGAPORE. (2018, July 12). Retrieved August 11, 2018, from https://www.cia.gov/library/publications/the-world-factbook/geos/sn.html

Use of Computers by Students in Schools Australia France Japan Sinpagore United States 0.94 0.98 0.56000000000000005 0.7 0.93 Use of the Internet for School Work Australia France Japan Sinpagore United States 0.81 0.88 0.84 0.3 0.89

Digital Reading Scores Australia France Japan Singapore United States 521 511 539 567 511 Computer-based Math Scores Australia France Japan Singapore United States 508 508 539 566 498

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