Course Description

This comprehensive 10-session professional development programme, structured into four modules, is designed to enhance teaching and learning of Science. It offers a comprehensive exploration of scientific literacy; inquiry-based learning, and conceptual understanding aligned with the latest OECD PISA 2025 Science Assessment Framework. Through four interconnected modules, participants will:

·       Delve into the nature of Science Education

·       Develop key science process skills using the 5E Inquiry Model

·       Refine their ability to create enduring understandings and essential questions in science education.

The programme emphasizes crafting performance tasks and orchestrating classroom discussions to deepen conceptual understanding. In addition, educators will be exposed to using Artificial Intelligence digital tools (e.g. Cerebry) to upskill their technical & teaching competencies in a rapidly evolving digital world.

Learning Outcomes

·       An Introduction to Scientific Literacy by OECD PISA

·       Understanding the Why of Scientific Literacy

·       Inquiry Based Approach to Learning

·       Unpacking PISA 2025 Science Assessment Framework

·       Science Process Skills and Inquiry-Based Learning

·       Introduction to 5E Model.

·       Crafting Enduring Understanding

·       Capturing Student Interest in the Topic

·       Review of Science Process Skills

·       Constructing Understanding Using Science Process Skills.

·       Conceptual Flow Diagram

·       Developing Conceptual Understanding in Science

·       The twin sins of traditional teaching

·       Six Aspects of Understanding

·       Characteristics of Essential Questions (EQs)

·       Differentiating knowledge, Skills and Attitudes in Science Learning

·       Designing G.R.A.S.P.S Performance Tasks

·       Application of Skills Learnt to Enhance Teaching and Learning

·       Learning in Digital World

·       Integrating Cerebry into ‘Learning in Digital World’

Course Delivery

This seminar will be delivered as a webinar.  3 hours in total, including two 15 min breaks, and interactive discussions, Q&A and activities.

Facilitator

Dr Turner Lam

Dr Turner Lam

Turner obtained a Doctorate in Education from the European Institute of Management and Technology and a Master of Education from Teachers College, Columbia University. As an educator, he also spent short stints with College of Education at Harvard and Stanford and served as Head of International Collaboration at College of Education, National Tsing Hua University where his primary responsibility is to advocate STEAM Education worldwide. As a classroom teacher, Turner has experience in both K-12 and higher education During his 12 years stint with Ministry of Education Singapore, Turner served as the Head of Department (Acting) in one of Singapore’s Future Schools, where he advocated for the adoption of ICT in Teaching & Learning to increase education equity.

He was instrumental in the 1-1 pilot program which was eventually rolled out at the national level. He was also the secretariat to the East Zone Centre of Excellence for ICT where he’s responsible for increasing ICT adoption for Teaching & Learning for 80 schools in the East of Singapore. He later spent a short stint in a higher education institution where he championed the use of analytics and technology for Teaching & Learning. In 2018, Turner partnered IMDA in delivering the ‘Digital Nation’ initiative to schools and community where his main role was redesigning curriculum to increase adoption of technology in Teaching & Learning. For his efforts, he received a commendation by PM Lee during May Day Rally 2019.

Apart from his academic duties, Turner is also Founder and Academic Director of Edu-Aequitas, a research and certification company headquartered in Singapore. Certified as a Physics teacher in Singapore and New York state, Turner has accumulated 20 years of experience teaching K-12 students and adults. His post-doctoral research in Critical Thinking reinforces his beliefs that STEAM Education corroborate the development of Critical Thinking & Problem Solving. He co-founded the ‘DDMT Model’ in 2019 and refined it to include Sustainability in 2023. In 2023, Turner also co-founded the inaugural STEAM Education Association of Singapore (SEAS) with the primary goal of levitating STEAM Education to higher grounds by serving as a bridge between academia and industry. In addition, Turner is reviewer and editor for 3 publications across Peru, Indonesia and China. In the last 6 years, he has received numerous accolades as endorsement for his work on Education Innovation. His awards include ‘Outstanding Contribution Award’ and the ‘National Innovation Quality Control Gold’ in 2014, ‘Associate Award for Professional Development 2016’, EduTech Leadership Award 2018, ‘Top 100 Leaders in Education in 2019’ and ‘Outstanding Leadership Award 2022’.

Award

 Certificate of Attendance

Delivery Mode

Real-time webinar

Registration Opening     

23 Oct 2024

Course Dates

26 Oct 2024 – 15 Apr 2025

Credit Hours

30

Institution

SPEA, SEA in collaboration with Singapore Experts

Stream

 Professional Development

Target Audience

Science teachers

Maximum Participants

700

Language

English with Arabic translation