The FutureSchools

Beacon Primary School: Envisioning the Future, Varied Perspectives

Beacon Primary leverages technologies to bring about engaged learning and to create a stimulating learning experience for pupils.  Pupils will extend their learning beyond knowledge, skills and values to grow the ability to envision for the future and contribute to make a difference. Highlights include the diverse digital learning spaces and innovative key programmes.

Diverse digital learning spaces
Learning spaces that support Beacon's key programmes to extend pupils' learning experiences include technology-enabled physical space and 3D virtual learning environment.

(a) Technology-enabled Physical Space
The ICT-enabled classrooms and learning spaces with flexible furnishings enhance mobility, multiple interaction modes and collaboration.  These physical learning spaces are expanded with wireless connection and enriched with 1 to 1 connectivity to Beacon World and online resources to optimise pupils' learning.

(b) 3D virtual learning environment
An integrated web-based learning environment called Beacon World is being developed in collaboration with industry partners to enrich learning using the following features:

- 3D virtual simulations: Pupils will be able to create and showcase their digital products as well as explore ideas and abstract concepts in simulated environments to nurture their creativity and foster inquiry skills, thus, deepening their learning in new contexts.

- Advanced web-based collaboration: Pupils will be able to collaborate online for brainstorming sessions, project work, peer review and peer editing.

- One-stop school portal functionalities: The integrated platform will support pupil data management and monitoring, online communication with parents, online searches, assessment (such as online testing and feedback), learning resources and learning applications (e.g. server-based software applications).  

Key programmes

The school will deliver its customised curriculum through three key programmes to develop pupils holistically:

(a) Media and Arts Channel: This programme seeks to develop language abilities, aesthetic appreciation, global and cultural awareness and a sense of belonging to the community through learning languages, Art, Music and Social Studies. Through integrating different disciplines in this programme, pupils will develop competencies in creatively communicating their ideas, feelings and experiences in a variety of digital media.

(b) Investigative Channel: This programme seeks to develop inquiry and reasoning skills through the three main pillars in the Investigative Channel – investigative pedagogy, problem solving, and integration of Mathematics and Science contents. Pupils will develop their curiosity, innovative vision and problem-solving abilities through digital tools such as digital modeling and games, in authentic contexts.

(c) Wellness Channel: This programme seeks to develop the skills, values and attitudes for pupils to manage their own learning, emotional development, social interactions and physical well-being.  It is designed to cater to our pupils' holistic well-being through Physical Education, Health Education, Civics and Moral Education, and Pastoral Care Lessons.

Download the project brochure in PDF, courtesy of IDA

Canberra Primary School: Empowering the Future Today - Creators in the 21st Century and Beyond

Canberra Primary School's proposed six-year Canberra Experience comprises three key programmes - Discoverer, Global Learner and Attuned Learner. Each key programme will be designed to deliver the national curriculum and 21st century skills through collaborative knowledge building-based pedagogies and assessment. These pedagogies include Experiential Learning, Inquiry-Based Learning, Cognitive Apprenticeship and Human Dynamics-Based strategies. A range of assessment modes which include assessments of and for learning, performance based and portfolio based assessments, and self and peer assessment, will be employed to inform teachers' instructional practices and students' learning. IDM/ICT tools will be harnessed for such learning experiences and environments to engage students in collaborative knowledge building.

Play as a pedagogy is one of the key approaches that the school will adopt to engender engaged learning. Canberra Experience will involve imaginary play experiences to engage students in the construction of meaning from new knowledge, as they build upon their prior experience. Examples of such learning designs include role-play, drama and computer-based games. Using computer-based games in the Canberra Experience, students learn to solve realistic problems within communities of learning. Computer-based games in the Canberra Experience will be designed for students to inquire into the world through their participation in collaborative knowledge building, and problem solving situations. Experiential learning activities involving computer based games in the Canberra Experience will also be designed for students to move back and forth between their game actions and reflect on their actions with peers and mentors.

Students will enjoy rich learning experiences involving creation and exploration in safe and secure environments that are anchored in both the real and virtual worlds. These learning experiences will be enabled through the following technologies:
(i) Immersive Gaming which will lead students to develop an interest in subjects and learn concepts/information.
(ii) Interactive Fieldtrips where students use devices like Ultra-Mobile PCs or mobile phones to collaborate and communicate with one another.
(iii) Multi-user Virtual Learning Environments, where students will role-play and collaborate on authentic decision-making, problem-solving and planning tasks.
(iv) Mobile learning and simulations that integrate various platforms such as Virtual Learning Environments, Gaming and Fieldtrips.
(v) Digital media content that can seamlessly integrate various platforms
(vi) Electronic portfolios to facilitate holistic and in-depth assessment of students' skills and knowledge acquired.

Download the project brochure in PDF courtesy of IDA

Crescent Girls' School: Empowered Learners

Integrated Curriculum

While the national 'O' Level curriculum forms the core content, the distinctive features in the curriculum of FS@CGS are the integration of the subject disciplines, use of learner-centric teaching approaches, deployment of multiple assessment modes, and the infusion of 21st century skills to produce 'world-ready' youths.

A range of subjects will be integrated at appropriate junctures to promote the connection of disciplines and ideas. Subject integration will be based on themes (e.g. climate, conflict, relationships) to enable linkages to relevant and authentic developments in the real world.  Students will explore the themes through subject-specific lessons and student-led projects.

The project tasks will typically be foregrounded by problems, cases or scenarios which are stimulating and related to real-world issues. Students will have to collaborate with others, collect data in the real world, and widen their perspectives beyond the immediate subject areas in order to examine an issue in depth.  Through the projects, students will apply existing knowledge, explore new knowledge, and demonstrate the various skills sets and knowledge acquired. In short, students will collaboratively construct their own learning.

Varied Assessment Through Technology
In support of the student-centric approach adopted by CGS, the school will use a spectrum of IT assessment tools for both formative and summative assessments.  These include Mastery, Adaptive and Diagnostic (MAD) online assessments for students to gauge their level of mastery of key concepts and skills, as well as track their learning progression. Personal electronic portfolios and assessment which involves multiple parties (students and teachers) in providing feedback to various student-created learning products (e.g. digital art, video-clips, blogs and websites), will also be adopted.

Customised, Technology-enhanced Teaching and Learning
To support its proposed integrated curriculum, CGS aims to create an innovative and technology-rich environment:
- The proposed development of the learning portal, the i-CONNECT Learning Space (iCLS), will integrate various learning resources and platforms (e.g. Interactive Teaching Courseware and NexGen Interactive Digital Textbooks) for students’ seamless access using their personal learning devices.
- The Virtual Global Learning Faculty (VGLF) web-portal will provide collaborative tools and resources for students, teachers and professionals to learn and work together.
- Technology tools like SMS, instant messaging, discussion forums, blogs, digital art, music, videos and games will be integrated for enhanced learning across subjects.
- Other proposed technology-enabled learning spaces for rich learning experiences include the Interactive Immersive Virtual Reality learning scenarios and Learning Trails.

Download the project brochure in PDF courtesy of IDA

Hwa Chong Institution: A Passion-Driven and Borderless Learning Institution

The HCI programme aims to combine technology with new ways of learning to create educational value.  This is achieved by creating opportunities beyond the school's physical campus at Bukit Timah, so that learning transcends boundaries between subjects, classrooms, schools, countries and cultures. 

The HCI programme further seeks to empower students to pursue their passion.  To this end, an integrated system, the Hwa Chong Nexus (HCnX) has been designed to facilitate independent learning and collaborative explorations.  HCnX will leverage personal communications technology devices students already own to support diverse learning styles and a broad range of assessment strategies.  Specifically, HCnX caters to both independent and collaborative learning:   

1. Independent Learning Gateway:  This provides a point of entry into a suite of IDM/ICT tools that will enable individuals to acquire new knowledge through active self-study.  Students will choose from a myriad of learning content, receive instructional support, and make study plans (both virtual and physical) with the ICT-enabled network learning support.  This function enables different groups of independent learners to conduct advanced research with local and overseas peers as well as expert-mentors in a safe and secure learning environment.

2. Virtual Learning Communities (VLC) Portal:  By providing a Web 2.0-style collaborative learning environment, this channel enables students from different countries across continents to work together to solve a research problem or create a product.  Seniors and juniors can also work collaboratively in teams on self-directed projects. Together with mentors from the university and industry, students negotiate their learning and become active producers of knowledge.  The bringing together of expert mentors and resources empowers students to build knowledge in authentic and virtual platforms.

Download the project brochure in PDF courtesy of IDA

Jurong Secondary School: Networked Learning Community

JSS aims to leverage the powers of technologies, to engage the community actively to provide our students with authentic learning experiences. Our vision as a future school is that the world and the community is our classroom.

JSS' proposal aims to provide students with authentic learning experiences by engaging the community actively. The objective is to enhance students' development in a broad range of cognitive and affective domains and equip them with the necessary 21st century skills.

Teaching and learning in various subjects will be anchored on JSS' unique brand of problem-based learning, called Problem-Based Learning-Authentic Learning (PBL-AL). Besides content knowledge, students learn various life skills, such as critical thinking skills, problem solving skills, and communication skills. 

JSS plans to collaborate with industry partners in the development of a unique set of e-PBL tools. Infocomm technology will be deployed to support students' self-directed learning and collaborative learning in a 3D virtual learning environment.  An avatar will provide guidance and feedback to the students as they work through the various PBL stages. At the same time, the learning activities of each student will be recorded digitally. An engine with Artificial Intelligence (AI) capacity will then process the data and identify the learning dispositions of the student.  This will in turn provide valuable reference for teachers to give constructive feedback to the student.

Recognising media literacy as an important component of 21st century skills, JSS proposes to develop a media literacy curriculum to teach its students the skills to:
(i) evaluate sources of information and media products critically;
(ii) communicate ideas through the appropriate use of a variety of media tools effectively; and
(iii) make use of technology and information with responsibility and ethics.

Through unique school based media programmes such as Digital Video Drama and Internet Radio, students' mastery of language concepts and skills are enhanced as students learn to express themselves beyond print material.

JSS proposes to create a network of community of learners. Students will plug into learning communities as part of their learning process, drawing upon the knowledge of researchers and fellow learners from different institutions and organisations around the world.  JSS students will work on projects for the creation of a community portal called LifeMaps@Jurong, which is open to the public. Through projects based on different subjects, students will conduct their own research through field work, using spatial locational technologies like GPS and GIS, and contribute information to create learning trails on the Jurong community's history, geography, economic development, lifestyle activities and current developments in the portal. Students can also apply their knowledge and skills in media production to create media products as a contribution to the community through the portal.

Download the project brochure in PDF  courtesy of IDA

School of Science and Technology (SST)

The FutureSchool Project on SST is under the development phase.

IDA http://www.ida.gov.sg/Programmes/20090513123701.aspx?getPagetype=34#top