Tentative Programme and Schedule
Theme: Blended-Learning
Date & Time: 20 January 2021, 2.30 – 5.15 pm

Overview:

This document summarizes the main themes and important ideas presented on the "Open Educational Resources / Open Source Physics @ Singapore" website regarding their participation in the IPSG (likely Institute of Physics Singapore) 2021 Science IPSG Symposium. The focus of their contribution was on "Student Learning Space Tools," particularly in the context of blended learning. The event, held on January 20, 2021, centered around the theme of blended learning, and the "Open Educational Resources / Open Source Physics @ Singapore" team, represented by "you and Shirley," were invited to share during an "Exploration" session with A-level Science teachers.

Main Themes and Important Ideas:

1. Blended Learning as the Central Theme: The symposium's overarching theme was "Blended-Learning," indicating a focus on integrating online and in-person learning methodologies. The "Open Educational Resources / Open Source Physics @ Singapore" session was situated within this context.
2. Student Learning Space (SLS) as a Key Initiative: The Singapore Student Learning Space (SLS) is highlighted as "one of MOE’s key initiatives to transform the learning experiences of students through the purposeful use of technology." This underscores the importance of SLS as a platform for educational innovation in Singapore.
3. SLS for Efficient and Effective Assessment: A significant focus of the presentation was on leveraging SLS tools for assessment. The abstract states the intention to "introduce the different tools and resources in SLS that can help a teacher create / carry out an assessment more efficiently and effectively." The goal is to provide teachers with data to improve lesson design and empower students to monitor their own learning.

• Quote: "This use of technology has afforded new ways of assessing student learning which can provide teachers with useful information to improve the design of their future lessons while at the same time, enable students to better monitor their learning and progress."

1. e-Pedagogies and Interactive Tools: The sharing also aimed to showcase "new learning possibilities afforded by digital technologies, known as e-pedagogies in the context of interactive tools." This emphasizes the innovative pedagogical approaches enabled by technology.
2. Physics Tracker as an Example of e-Pedagogy: The Physics Tracker video analysis and modelling tool is specifically mentioned as "a suitable example of e-pedagogy that supports students’ self-directed and modelling building pedagogy." This suggests a belief in the tool's effectiveness in fostering higher-order thinking skills, particularly among high-ability students ("where we found the dynamics particle model building process to have benefited high ability students").
3. Virtual Laboratories for Blended Learning: The team has been involved in co-creating "virtual laboratories for O Level Chemistry and Primary Science Biology that support blended learning (virtual and physical laboratory)." These virtual labs are seen as having the "potential to be used to strengthen the weaknesses in either form of learning," suggesting a complementary relationship between virtual and physical lab experiences.
4. Sharing Session Format: The "Exploration" session was structured as a 30-minute Zoom video conference presentation for A-level Science teachers, followed by a 5-10 minute discussion facilitated by someone else. Presenters were encouraged to use various formats like PowerPoint, demos, and videos.
5. Emphasis on Sharing and Dissemination: The event itself and the detailed listing of various interactive resources on the website demonstrate a commitment to sharing their work and providing educators with access to innovative tools and approaches. The extensive list of HTML5 applets and simulation models covers a wide range of science and mathematics topics for different educational levels.
6. Open Educational Resources and Open Source Philosophy: The website's title and the numerous listed open-source tools (like Easy JavaScript/JavaScript Simulations Toolkit and Open Source Physics) clearly indicate a commitment to open educational resources and the open-source philosophy in developing and sharing educational materials. The licensing information at the bottom also confirms the Creative Commons Attribution-Share Alike 4.0 Singapore License for their content.

Key Takeaways:

• The "Open Educational Resources / Open Source Physics @ Singapore" team actively contributes to the educational technology landscape in Singapore, particularly in the realm of blended learning.
• They leverage the Student Learning Space (SLS) to enhance assessment practices and explore new e-pedagogies.
• Tools like Physics Tracker and their co-created virtual laboratories exemplify their approach to fostering self-directed learning and bridging the gap between virtual and physical learning experiences.
• Their extensive collection of open-source simulations and applets serves as a valuable resource for educators looking to incorporate interactive elements into their teaching.
• The IPSG 2021 Symposium provided a platform for them to share their work and insights with A-level Science teachers, contributing to the broader conversation on blended learning.

Further Considerations:

• Accessing the provided Google Slides links would offer more specific details about the content shared during the presentation, including concrete examples of SLS assessment tools and e-pedagogies.
• Exploring the numerous listed HTML5 applets and simulations would provide a deeper understanding of the resources they have developed and made available.

Student Learning Space (SLS) Tools and Blended Learning Study Guide

Quiz

1. What is the primary goal of the Singapore Student Learning Space (SLS) initiative, according to the provided text?
2. In the context of the SLS, how can the purposeful use of technology benefit both teachers and students regarding assessment?
3. What is meant by "e-pedagogies" as mentioned in the abstract, and can you provide an example from the text?
4. What is the focus of the "Exploration" Sessions at the IPSG 2021 Science IPSG Symposium?
5. How long is the presentation slot allocated for speakers during the "Exploration" Sessions at the symposium?
6. Besides PowerPoint, what are some other suggested formats for presenting work during the "Exploration" Sessions?
7. What was the theme of the 2021 IPSG Science IPSG Symposium?
8. Name at least two subject areas for which virtual laboratories have been co-created to support blended learning, as mentioned in the abstract.
9. What specific aspect of high-ability students' learning was found to benefit from the Physics Tracker video analysis and modelling tool?
10. According to the abstract, what is the potential benefit of virtual laboratories in the context of blended learning?

Quiz Answer Key

1. The primary goal of the Singapore Student Learning Space (SLS) initiative is to transform the learning experiences of students through the purposeful use of technology.
2. The purposeful use of technology in SLS allows for new ways of assessing student learning, providing teachers with useful information to improve future lesson design and enabling students to better monitor their learning and progress.
3. "E-pedagogies" refer to new learning possibilities afforded by digital technologies in the context of interactive tools. An example from the text is the Physics Tracker video analysis and modelling tool.
4. The "Exploration" Sessions at the IPSG 2021 Science IPSG Symposium invite speakers to share on current and contemporary issues, including the theme of Blended-Learning.
5. Speakers are given about 30 minutes to share during the "Exploration" Sessions in a Zoom video conference session.
6. Besides PowerPoint, other suggested formats for presenting work include demos and videos.
7. The theme of the 2021 IPSG Science IPSG Symposium was Blended-Learning.
8. The abstract mentions virtual laboratories co-created for O Level Chemistry and Primary Science Biology.
9. The dynamics particle model building process was found to have benefited high ability students using the Physics Tracker tool.
10. Virtual laboratories have the potential to be used to strengthen the weaknesses in either virtual or physical forms of learning in a blended learning approach.

Essay Format Questions

1. Discuss the potential impact of the Singapore Student Learning Space (SLS) and its assessment tools on teaching methodologies and student learning outcomes, based on the information provided.
2. Analyze the concept of blended learning as presented in the context of the 2021 IPSG Science IPSG Symposium, and discuss the role of digital tools like those found in SLS in facilitating this approach.
3. Evaluate the significance of e-pedagogies, using the Physics Tracker and virtual laboratories as examples, in promoting self-directed learning and addressing the limitations of traditional learning environments.
4. Based on the provided information, how does the integration of technology and open educational resources in initiatives like SLS and Open Source Physics @ Singapore contribute to the transformation of science education?
5. Considering the various tools and resources listed on the website, discuss the potential benefits and challenges of utilizing open-source physics simulations and interactive applets in a blended learning environment for science education.

Glossary of Key Terms

• Blended Learning: An educational approach that combines online digital media with traditional classroom methods.
• Student Learning Space (SLS): A key initiative by Singapore's Ministry of Education (MOE) to transform student learning experiences through the purposeful use of technology.
• Open Educational Resources (OER): Teaching, learning, and research materials that are freely available for everyone to use, adapt, and share.
• Open Source Physics (OSP): A project focused on creating and sharing freely available physics courseware, including simulations and other digital resources.
• E-pedagogies: New learning possibilities and teaching methods that are enabled and enhanced by digital technologies and interactive tools.
• IPSG (Institute of Physics Singapore Geometrical Branch): An organization focused on promoting physics education and research in Singapore.
• Assessment Tools (in SLS): Features and resources within the Student Learning Space that allow teachers to create, carry out, and analyze student assessments efficiently and effectively.
• Virtual Laboratories: Online simulations of laboratory experiments that allow students to engage in scientific inquiry and practice skills in a virtual environment.
• Physics Tracker: A video analysis and modelling tool used in physics education to support students' self-directed learning and model building.
• Interactive Tools/Applets: Digital resources that allow users to actively engage with content, often through simulations, games, or other interactive elements.

You and Shirley will be sharing during the “Exploration” Sessions where we invite speakers to share on current and contemporary issues including on the theme of Blended-Learning. For this session, you will be given about 30 min to share in a Zoom video conference session for our A-level Science teachers. The presentation will then be followed by about 5-10 min short discussion, facilitated by a facilitator. You can expect some Q&A during this segment. You could present your work using a powerpoint presentation or through other forms, such as demos, videos etc., which you think are appropriate.

https://docs.google.com/presentation/d/1xH1cMbW2M22wiAhMeAwjqR4w-JJx0R3TAHJ1QkDrBK8/edit?usp=sharing 

https://docs.google.com/presentation/d/1swR-lgktnMN-UM9arzmNkzj0FO6MGwoUVQ3lleNuh5E/edit#slide=id.gab8e17f4a2_1_17

Abstract: Student Learning Space Tools

The Singapore Student Learning Space (SLS) is one of MOE’s key initiatives to transform the learning experiences of students through the purposeful use of technology. This use of technology has afforded new ways of assessing student learning which can provide teachers with useful information to improve the design of their future lessons while at the same time, enable students to better monitor their learning and progress. In this sharing, we will introduce the different tools and resources in SLS that can help a teacher create / carry out an assessment more efficiently and effectively. Examples of different types of assessment tasks that can be carried out using SLS will also be shared.
We will also share examples of new learning possibilities afforded by digital technologies , known as e-pedagogies in the context of interactive tools. In Physics Tracker video analysis and modelling tool is a suitable example of e-pedagogy that supports students’ self-directed and modelling building pedagogy, where we found the dynamics particle model building process to have benefited high ability students. In recent years, we have also co-create some virtual laboratories for O Level Chemistry and Primary Science Biology that support blended learning (virtual and physical laboratory) that have the potential to be used to strengthen the weaknesses in either form of learning.

 Version:

1. https://weelookang.blogspot.com/2021/01/ipsg-2021-science-ipsg-symposium-2021.html