Search

Schools are continuously looking for new ways of enhancing student learning to equip students with skills that would enable them to cope with twenty-first century demands. One promising approach focuses on design thinking. This study examines teacher's perceptions, experiences and challenges faced in adopting design thinking. There is a lack of empirical research on the adoption and implementation of the design thinking process in educational context from the teachers' point of view. This paper fills this gap and also provides insight on a recent initiative adopted in Singapore schools. Qualitative case study research was carried out in a school using teacher narratives. Data includes in-depth face-to-face interviews and participant observation. The findings show that teachers perceive that design thinking holds the potential for enhancing skills such as creativity, problem solving, communication and team work as well as empower students to develop empathy for others within and beyond the community. The research also highlighted several challenges such as inadequate resources, time constraints, fear of poor grades and the difficulty of shifting to a new way of teaching and learning that differs vastly from the traditional approach. The findings reveal that a piecemeal approach towards curriculum redesign for adopting design thinking may not provide the desired outcomes.

A body of literature asserts that group work can be beneficial in enhancing learning and in developing specific skills among students. This research builds on the literature and on Gardner's (2006a) five notions of mindsets: disciplined, synthesising, creation, ethical and respectful, as a descriptive framework to explore and understand the benefits and skills learnt or developed through group work. Gardner describes mindset as a way of thinking and acting. A qualitative research project was undertaken in a New Zealand university using in-depth interviews with post-experience students. The findings suggest that, though the post-experience students do possess skills that enabled them to integrate diverse perspectives, make new connections with shared knowledge and evaluate critically, they often lack specific mindsets that are critical in organisations that rely on group work to enhance their productivity.

School leadership literature suggests that school effectiveness and ongoing improvement rely on school leaders and principals. Despite significant contributions made by principals towards teaching and learning in schools, there have been few studies that explore principals' perceptions of the factors underpinning their successes and achievements. Drawing on one of Senge's disciplines, personal mastery, this research examines principals' perceptions of some processes that enable their successes. A qualitative research project was undertaken in Singapore using in-depth interviews. Analysis was informed by movement between theoretical dimensions and emerging themes from participants' discussions of their leadership experiences. The findings suggest that personal mastery has a positive influence upon principals and their ability to demonstrate effective school management. (Contains 2 tables.)

Purpose: To report on a case study that examines how the Learning Organisation (LO) concept can be applied in a Singapore school and the challenges that the school faces in the process. Design/methodology/approach: A qualitative research inquiry was adopted using ethnographic methods. Data includes in-depth face-to-face interviews, observation of meetings, informal conversations with students and parents. The study adopted an interpretive paradigm based on post-positivist theories. Findings: While the LO concept can be applied in the school context to its benefit, there can be potential cultural conflicts, ambiguities and paradoxes, as highlighted in the paper. The wider societal culture has a profound influence on how the structures, authority and relationship between subordinates and superiors in a school. Research limitations/implications: Empirical data is limited to only one school in Singapore. A longitudinal study involving more schools in Singapore will generate a better sense of the benefits and challenges of LO in schools. Practical implications: Singapore schools need to address the cultural norms of hierarchy and conformity in order to fully embrace the LO concept. Originality/value: There is a lack of empirical research on how the LO model can be applied in an Asian school context. This paper represents a first attempt to fill this gap and also offers some practical recommendations to schools that are aspiring to be learning schools.

Abstract The emergence of the COVID-19 pandemic significantly changed the prenatal care experience, specifically regarding medical appointments and social opportunities. It is critical to capture this change through the narratives of pregnant people, particularly those of marginalized populations, whose voices may often be underrepresented in the literature. This mixed-methods paper summarizes the experiences of 40 pregnant Black/African American (AA) women during the COVID-19 pandemic. A cross-sectional, online survey was administered between 2020 and 2021 to assess prenatal health and the impacts of the COVID-19 pandemic on patients’ pregnancy experience. Coping behaviors during the pandemic were self-reported using the COPE-IS. Univariate analyses were conducted. An additional analysis of participants (n = 4) was explored through a week-long qualitative exercise using a photo documentation procedure. Photo-Elicitation Interviews (PEI) were conducted to capture and center their pandemic pregnancy experiences. Sources of stress during the pandemic varied, with the most common being financial concerns (n = 19, 47.5%). Over half of the sample (n = 18, 54.5%) self-reported increases in their positive coping behaviors during the pandemic, such as communicating with friends and family, talking to healthcare providers, listening to music, and engaging in spiritual practices–such as prayer. The four PEI study participants reflected on the impacts of social distancing on their prenatal experience and mentioned hospital and provider-related weariness due to their race. The findings of this study suggest that during the COVID-19 pandemic, Black/AA pregnant women in Charlotte, NC used social support, mindfulness practices, self-advocacy, and health literacy to navigate challenges present during their prenatal health experience. This paper highlights the personal, social, and structural experiences of pregnant women during a public health crisis so that responsive and effective programs or policies can be planned in the future.

This paper presents research that examines the perceptions of school principals of the "Teach Less, Learn More" (TLLM) initiative in Singapore schools. A qualitative research was conducted with 13 school principals to explore their understanding of TLLM and their perception of the challenges that they faced in the implementation of TLLM. The findings show that the research participants agreed that TLLM was a good policy that would prepare students with knowledge and skills for the future. However, there were also many challenges, the most pertinent of which being the readiness of the students and teachers for a new teaching and learning paradigm. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]