1. Overview

This document summarizes the key information presented in the provided material, which primarily focuses on the "Open Source Physics at Singapore" (OSP@SG) initiative, a project by the Singapore Ministry of Education (MOE). It highlights the program’s goals, resources, pedagogical approaches, and impact, as presented in the context of an invitation to a presenter at the N3 Cluster’s 7th ICT Symposium.

2. Key Themes

• Integration of ICT in Education: The core theme revolves around the strategic use of Information and Communication Technology (ICT) to enhance teaching and learning, particularly in science education. This encompasses using digital tools for curriculum design, pedagogy, and assessment. The N3 ICT Symposium itself is dedicated to exploring the use of technology to advance 21st-century teaching and learning.
• Quote: “This is also a platform that changes how Educators perceive, think about and understand the role of ICT in today’s technological and globally connected environment.”
• Open Educational Resources (OER): OSP@SG is a prime example of leveraging OER to provide accessible, adaptable, and high-quality learning materials. These resources are freely available for teachers and students to use, modify, and share.
• Quote: “Open Source Physics at Singapore (OSP@SG) is a project by Singapore Ministry of Education which helps teachers bring real-world physics concepts into the classroom.”
• Open Source Physics (OSP): The program makes use of open-source software tools, notably, Easy JavaScript Simulations (EjsS), to create interactive models and simulations. This promotes both access and collaboration within the global physics education community.
• Active Learning and Student-Centric Pedagogy: The OSP@SG initiative promotes a student-centric approach where learners actively engage with concepts by experimenting through modeling and simulation, moving beyond traditional lecture-based instruction.
• Quote: “Some benefits include enhanced students’ learning through the student-centric pedagogy where students learn to experiment like real life scientists using modelling and simulation.”
• Conceptual Understanding: A major focus is helping students visualize, explore, and discover abstract physics concepts through manipulation and modeling. It provides tools to help them better grasp these concepts.
• Quote: “Students could better visualise, explore and discover abstract physics concepts through manipulation and modelling techniques.”
• Teacher as Learning Designer: The symposium seeks to empower teachers as designers of learning experiences that are guided by learning principles and sound pedagogical approaches. Teachers use ICT to design for active learning, monitoring student progress, and providing feedback.
• Quote: “This symposium seeks to enhance teachers’ competencies as designers of learning who are guided by learning principles and sound pedagogical approaches to plan for their lessons. Teachers harness ICT to design for active learning and monitor and to provide feedback to advance learning.”
• Quote: "By networking and learning with the experts, teachers in local schools are now taking greater ownership of the materials they author by either remixing the models or creating new worksheets to support the guided inquiry or modelling pedagogy afforded through OSP@SG."
• Community Building: The project has fostered an active interest-based learning community of both international and local experts and educators, promoting sharing, collaboration, and the continuous development of educational materials.
• Quote: “In addition, an interest-based learning community for the OSP@SG has been formed. This community include the many OSP experts namely, Professor Francisco Esquembre, Fu-Kwun Hwang, Wolfgang Christian, Felix Garcia and Douglas Brown and many more in the world who helped to develop the materials to sustain the community.”
• 21st Century Competencies: A key objective is to leverage ICT to deepen subject mastery while simultaneously developing 21st-century competencies, preparing students to be future-ready learners.
• Quote: "The key message is ICT plays an integral role in preparing our students to be Future-ready Learners and as Future-ready Learners, students use ICT productively to deepen subject mastery and develop 21st Century Competencies."
• Responsible Digital Users: The symposium also seeks to emphasize the importance of the roles educators play in helping students understand their roles and responsibilities in a digitally mediated world.
• Quote: "The symposium also seeks to emphasise the importance of the roles educators play in helping students understand their roles and responsibilities in a digitally mediated world."

3. Key Facts and Information

• Symposium Context: The document serves as an invitation to a presenter for the N3 Cluster’s 7th ICT Symposium, highlighting the importance of using computer models in science education.
• OSP@SG Program:Provides a website with over 300 open source and open educational digital resources.
• Resources are available as mobile apps and e-books.
• Complements real-life experiments by providing interactive resources to help with visualization.
• Offers a function for mathematical modeling where student's ideas can be tested.
• Accessible via computer and mobile devices
• Collaboration: The program has a history of collaboration with Singaporean schools, including Anderson Junior College, Evergreen Secondary School, and others.
• International Recognition: OSP@SG has received positive feedback both in Singapore and around the world.
• Expert Support: The community is supported by renowned OSP experts including Professor Francisco Esquembre, Fu-Kwun Hwang, Wolfgang Christian, Felix Garcia and Douglas Brown.
• Resources: The document includes a list of links and resources including various JavaScript models, simulations, and applets covering a wide variety of physics concepts and other topics (such as math, chemistry, and coding), showcasing the breadth of the OSP@SG project.
• Awards and Recognition: The project and its developers have received numerous awards, including a UNESCO King Hamad Bin Isa Al-Khalifa Prize for the Use of ICTs in Education, a Public Service 21 Distinguished Star Service Award, Ministry of Education Outstanding Innovator Award, and Innergy Gold Award, among others.

4. Proposed Presentation

The presentation for the symposium is titled “Developing simulations and video analysis and modelling for Physics education.” This indicates the importance of these specific tools within the OSP@SG ecosystem.

5. Implications

• This document highlights the Singaporean MOE’s commitment to using technology and open resources to transform education.
• It demonstrates the value of combining simulation, modeling, and video analysis with traditional physics instruction.
• The program can serve as a model for other educational systems looking to incorporate OER and OSP into their curriculum.
• The emphasis on teacher training and community building is crucial for the successful implementation of such initiatives.

6. Conclusion

The OSP@SG project, as presented in this document, is a comprehensive effort to integrate ICT and open resources into physics education. Its focus on active learning, conceptual understanding, and community involvement highlights a path forward for preparing students to be successful in a technologically advanced world. The document also points to a strong, ongoing, and international network of educators and experts supporting and advancing open source educational resources.

N3 Cluster’s 7th ICT Symposium http://n3ict.weebly.com/programme.html
8th June 2017
3 to 5 pm
Compassvale Secondary School 

The purpose of this letter is to formally invite you, on behalf of the PLLDC, to be the Concurrent Session Presenter at our upcoming N3 Cluster’s 7th ICT Symposium. The N3 ICT Symposium is an annual event which brings together thought leaders,teacher practitioners and educational researchers for a noble purpose- to share their insights, practices, experiences and research studies in the use of technology to advance 21st century teaching and learning .This is also a platform that changes how Educators perceive, think about and understand the role of ICT in today’s technological and globally connected environment. The Symposium will be held on 28th June 2017 at Compassvale Secondary School at 3 pm.

The Symposium deliberations will be on the following themes:

1. Educators as Learning Designers harnessing technology for curriculum, pedagogy and assessment
2. Responsible Digital Users

Developing simulations and video analysis and modelling for Physics education

FAQ on Open Source Physics at Singapore (OSP@SG)

1. What is Open Source Physics at Singapore (OSP@SG), and what is its primary goal? OSP@SG is a project by the Singapore Ministry of Education designed to bring real-world physics concepts into classrooms. Its primary goal is to complement hands-on experiments with interactive, digital resources. These resources enable visualization and mathematical modeling, allowing students to test ideas, compare them with real or simulated data, and ultimately deepen their understanding of physics principles.
2. How does OSP@SG enhance the learning experience for students? OSP@SG enhances learning through a student-centric approach. It provides tools that allow students to experiment, visualize, explore, and discover abstract physics concepts. Using interactive simulations, students can engage in mathematical modeling, which empowers them to learn by acting like scientists. The resources are accessible on computers and mobile devices anytime and anywhere, making learning more flexible and convenient.
3. What kind of resources are available through OSP@SG?> OSP@SG offers over 300 open-source digital resources including simulations, video analysis tools, mathematical modeling tools, and e-books. These resources are designed to run on computers and mobile devices, available as apps on Android Playstore and Apple App Store for offline access. The materials cover a broad range of physics topics, often incorporating real-world scenarios to promote engagement.
4. What is the role of teachers in the OSP@SG framework? Teachers play a crucial role as designers of learning, using OSP@SG tools to create active learning experiences. They are encouraged to harness ICT to monitor student progress and provide timely feedback. Importantly, the OSP@SG initiative aims to cultivate teachers’ competencies by involving them in modifying existing resources or creating new ones, which can better suit their unique classroom needs and promote guided inquiry or modeling-based pedagogy.
5. How does OSP@SG foster a community of educators and experts? OSP@SG has fostered an interest-based learning community of educators, developers and experts, including notable figures like Professor Francisco Esquembre, Fu-Kwun Hwang, Wolfgang Christian, Felix Garcia and Douglas Brown. This community collaborates on creating and improving materials and helps teachers take ownership of resources by remixing or generating them, providing continuous support through networking and knowledge-sharing.
6. How does OSP@SG integrate with broader educational goals? OSP@SG plays an essential role in preparing students to be Future-Ready Learners. It integrates ICT to deepen subject mastery and foster the 21st Century Competencies needed to thrive in a technology-driven and globally connected environment. This approach goes beyond rote memorization, emphasizing the ability to apply theoretical knowledge to real-world challenges.
7. Beyond Physics, are there any resources applicable to other subjects within OSP@SG?> While the focus is primarily on physics, the project includes tools and simulations that have cross-curricular applications. Examples include resources that cover mathematics such as fractions and numbers and tools for data fitting, geometry (drawing 3D shapes), modeling, and interactive games that promote digital literacy. These can be integrated across multiple subjects to enhance students' overall learning experience.
8. How can teachers get started with OSP@SG and use its resources in their classrooms? Teachers can start by accessing the OSP@SG website, which provides access to all open-source materials. They can download the resources to their computers or mobile devices via app stores. Additionally, the website features many examples of how to utilize these resources in lesson planning, to guide and support guided inquiry and modeling activities. The collaborative learning community that is part of OSP@SG also provides valuable opportunities for professional development and sharing best practices.