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By Andreas Dewanto. Special Programme in Science (SPS) is a scholastic programme under the purview of Faculty of Science, National University of Singapore. The programme annually admits 30-40 bright and motivated students to go through Integrated Science Curriculum, an innovative multi-faceted curriculum with the objective of (1) grooming budding science students toward research excellence, and (2) exposing them into multidisciplinary aspect of science. This curriculum is accomplished through innovative pedagogical techniques which incorporate elements of peer-learning and blended-learning. Crucial in this effort is the support from the Faculty in providing the programme with access to Active Learning Room. My presentation is thus to elaborate on these initiatives and how these initiatives are implemented in Active Learning Room setting, bringing up examples on how teaching and learning are actually executed in various SPS courses.
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EXPLORING TEACHING AND LEARNING IN
ACTIVE LEARNING ROOM WITH SPECIAL PROGRAMME IN SCIENCE
Andreas DewantoFaculty of Science, National University of Singapore
Block S16 Level 3, 6 Science Drive 2, Singapore 117546
Acknowledgement:Special Programme in Science Staff
Dr. Chammika Udalagama
Dr. Leslie Gapter Dr. Linda Sellou
Mr. Andreas Dewanto(Assistant Director)
Dr. Adrian M. Lee (Director)
Dr. Lim Zhi Han
Outline• SPS in a Nutshell• Active Learning Room Setup• Teaching and Learning in ALR• Student Feedback• ALR in the Future
Photos courtesy of Sum Yuheng
SPS in a Nutshell• Established in 1996 to
expose talented science students to multidisciplinary science and train them toward research excellence
• Practice Integrated Science Curriculum, which cultivates:– Scientific methodology– Computation skill– Communication skill– Collaboration through peer-
learning and mentorshipin problem-solving.
Photos courtesy of Andreas Dewanto
Integrated Science CurriculumYear of Study Semester 1 Semester 2
1 (Freshmen) SP2173 Atoms to Molecules
SP2174 The Cell
SP2171 Discovering Science
2 (Sophomore) SP3175 The Earth SP3176 The Universe
SP3172 Integrated Science Project
3 Junior mentorship
4 (Honors) Senior mentorship
• Run in addition to student’ respective core programme• 2-year programme, consists of 4 thematic-based modules
(73, 74, 75 & 76) and 2 research-based modules (71 & 72)• Dynamic and intensive teaching and learning environment,
involving staff, students, and mentors (3rd, 4th, and postgrad)
Active Learning Room
• Located in S16 Level 3 • Commissioned in 2011, under the purview of Science Dean’s Office • Co-funded by FoS and Centre for Instructional Technology• Max capacity: 42 students. Ideal capacity: 20 – 30 students
Instructor’s desk
Students’ desks.Each desk is able to accommodateup to 6 students
Semi-circular layout to maximize instructor-students interaction
A Closer Look at ALR’s Facilities: Students’ Desk
Photo courtesy of Lim Zhi Han
40” screen, to display input from instructor’s desk or other students’ desks
Visualizer, to present students’ work to the main projector or otherdesks
Each desk is also equip-ped with the standard Audio-Video I/O for students to connect their laptops to.
Apart from the instructor’s desk, the whiteboards and projector, other furniture in ALR is movable. This allows fluidity and mobility in the class, which in turn encourage interaction.
A Closer Look at ALR’s Facilities: Instructor’s Desk
Photo courtesy of Lim Zhi Han
AV panel enables instructor to control what is being cast into projector screen and/or individual monitors on students’ desk, which input that comes from either the instructor desk or individual students’ desk.
Instructor is also equipped with visualizer and standard Audio-Video I/O.
A closer look at ALR’s Facilities: Layout
Photos courtesy of Lim Zhi Han
Secondary screen mirrors the main projector for instructor’s reference
Whiteboards along the wall for students’ use
Utilizing ALR’s Facilities: A typical Day in SP3176 Lecture
• Significant portion of the lecture is dedicated for problem solving.
• Problems are usually given in the midst of introducing a new concept.
• Students are given 5-10 minutes to discuss within the group.
• A group is randomly chosen to present the answer from their desk.
• Alternative answers from other groups (if any) are discussed.
Example of SP3176 Lecture Problem:
Reason that the cosmological prin-ciple1 implies that any observer looking at the motion of galaxies will find the radial velocities proportional to the distance between her and the galaxy.
[10 + 5 min]
1The cosmological principle: The Universe is homogeneous and isotropic.
Dr. Lim Zhi Han in Action during SP3176 Lecture
Photos courtesy of Lim Zhi Han
Getting close and personal with the students
A student presenting his solution, a typical scene in SP3176 lecture
Students in Action during SP3176 Lecture
Photos courtesy of Lim Zhi Han
SP3176 Internal Student Feedback on ALR (1)
SD: Strongly disagree SA: Strongly AgreeD: Disagree
A: AgreeReference: Z.H. Lim, C. Udalagama, L. Gapter, A. Dewanto, L. Sellou, A.M. Lee (2013) Active and Collaborative Learning in an IT-enhanced Interactive, EDULEARN13 Proceedings, pp. 3997-4004.
SD: Strongly disagree SA: Strongly AgreeD: Disagree
A: AgreeReference: Z.H. Lim, C. Udalagama, L. Gapter, A. Dewanto, L. Sellou, A.M. Lee (2013) Active and Collaborative Learning in an IT-enhanced Interactive, EDULEARN13 Proceedings, pp. 3997-4004.
SP3176 Internal Student Feedback on ALR (2)
Dr. Adrian Lee in Action during Interactive Tutorial Group Discussion
The mobile desks are convenient to be moved around to set simple table-top experiments up anywhere in the room
Making use of the white-board for discussion
Photos courtesy of Andreas Dewanto
The Role of ALR in the Future• Con: not suitable for conventional teaching
en-masse, resource intensive. • Pro: ideal for seminar-style, problem-based
and collaborative teaching and learning• ALR is ideal for flip teaching.• ALR facilitates university’s iBLOC (Internal
Blended Learning Online Course) initiative• Is ALR going to be a norm in future?
I believe it is just a matter of time
Thank youPhoto courtesy of John Ouyang
Contact:Dr. Adrian Lee ([email protected])Mr. Andreas Dewanto ([email protected])
