HSSE Online is published by the HSSE Academic Group, National Institute of Education (NIE), Singapore. The overarching purpose of the journal is to energize, inform and improve teaching practice in Humanities and Social Studies education in Singapore and to provide a venue to share ideas, research and resources that will be useful to teachers and scholars. We seek to develop and deepen knowledge and understanding of powerful and innovative research and practice in Humanities and Social Studies education. We hope you will make use of these ideas and resources as well as contribute your own. Copyright © Humanities & Social Studies Education (HSSE) Academic Group 2012 A Note from the Editors It has almost become a cliché to claim that the humanities subjects are integral to education for young people. While many people pay lip service to the importance of subjects such as history, geography, and social studies, in practice, this is not been consistently reflected in the actions and choices of educators, policy makers, parents, and students in Singapore and elsewhere. Thus it is timely that this issue includes an article written by Mark Baildon reminding us of how the humanities subjects are essential for the well-being of both the individual and society. Anecdotal and empirical evidence suggest that teachers frequently deem these subjects to be too challenging for weaker students. As teacher educators, we have heard too many teachers proclaim that this content or these skills are too difficult for their students and make claims that their students will, for example, not be able or willing to engage in thought-provoking inquiry activities or tasks. These deficit views seem to shape the pedagogical choices of these teachers and as a result, students may be presented with a severely limited and simplified version of the curriculum. Linda McNeil calls this kind of teaching, "defensive teaching," and this, she argues, has negative implications for the kind of education these students (who are frequently less privileged) have access to. We argue that it is important for all teachers to be advocates for a powerful and equitable humanities education program in schools. Teachers need to be conscious of the intent of the curriculum, be convinced of its worth in promoting the well-being of the individual and society, and to take active steps to challenge deficit views or negative stereotypes of their students. Li-Ching Ho Mark Baildon Editors, HSSE Online May 2014 Leading Classroom Discussions About Population Policy in Singapore James S. Damico & Sandy Slaughter Read more Teaching Venice in Schools Teddy Sim Y. H. Read more The Beacon of Civic Conduct? Teaching Character and Citizenship Education in Singapore G. Karthick Read more “A Preliminary Study on the Development of Pedagogical Content Knowledge among Economics and Primary Social Studies Student Teachers in Singapore Siew Fong, Ng & Oi Khum Karen Chan "In this preliminary study on the development of pedagogical content knowledge among student teachers in the National Institute of Education, Singapore, Economics and Primary Social Studies student teachers self-report their progress in their professional development upon exit of teacher training using a survey instrument adapted from Ho’s (2003) pedagogical content knowledge development model. " Read more Well-being and Humanities Education in Singapore Mark Baildon Read more HSSE Online 3(1) 1-8 Leading Classroom Discussions About Population Policy in Singapore James S. Damico & Sandy Slaughter Indiana University, Bloomington In January 2013 the Singapore teachers might lead an inquiry-based government released a Population White activity (Damico, 2013) about population Paper titled A Sustainable Population for a policy in Singapore – given the purpose of Dynamic Singapore, which proposed a an inquiry approach is to “use the mind plan to steadily increase the population well… to read, write, and think critically from roughly 5.3 million in 2012 to 6.9 about something” (Parker, 2012, p. 1). million by 2030. The primary rationale for There is a host of potential inquiry the plan was to deal with the declining questions about the topic of population birth rate and rapidly aging population in control in Singapore, yet here we will Singapore. The white paper generated focus on an “authentic and contemporary” significant response from Singapore policy question (Hess, 2009, p. 41) to citizens, including protests, such as the consider the issue-based question, How event organized on Saturday, 16 February should Singaporeans respond to the White 2013, at Hong Lim Park, where an Paper about population policy? estimated 5,000 people gathered to express disapproval of the plan. We outline this inquiry activity in three parts, each with opportunities for students Population policy is a complex topic to discuss their ideas and for the teacher to because it involves or is tied to a range of play an essential part in shaping these issues, including those related to discussions. We also offer approximate overcrowding, foreign and migrant labor time estimates for each part, which can be policies, increased competition for modified (extended or shortened) due to resources (e.g., university positions for time constraints in classrooms. students), and, more generally, about whether there is sufficient infrastructure to Part 1: Building Relevant accommodate the population increase (e.g., Background Knowledge with a Concept have affordable health care). The topic of Map (15-20 minutes) population policy is also emotionally- charged and elicits a range of different Accessing what students already know perspectives about what can or should be and believe about population policy is a done about Singapore’s population. All of key first step. Students will likely come to this makes the topic of population policy this activity with prior knowledge. For ideal for classroom discussions with example, they see or experience students. overcrowded transportation, observe foreign laborers on construction projects, In this article, we consider how May 2014 1 HSSE Online 3(1) 1-8 and know foreign students living in is My reasons for this are…” Here Singapore with their families. One way to students have an opportunity to begin help students tap into their background building evidentiary support for claims knowledge is to ask them to complete a they will make with a partner and then concept map of the issue. While students in a subsequent whole class discussion. can do this individually, with partners, or in small groups, we have found it is best 6. Organize students in pairs or small for students to first complete this initial groups to compare and contrast their part of the inquiry independently. The “Singapore population concept maps.” process is to: Students take turns sharing their completed statements: “My view on population policy 1. Distribute blank pieces of paper to in Singapore is…. My reasons are…” students. Large butcher or construction works well to provide ample space for This process above meets several goals. students to represent their ideas. Students have an opportunity to vocalize their prior or existing knowledge about the 2. Ask students to draw a circle in the issue; they begin to express this middle of the paper and write knowledge in the form of claims supported “Singapore population policy” within it. by evidence; and they begin to appreciate the different knowledge and experiences 3. Prompt students to draw circles that others bring to this issue. (In our extending from the center that outline experience, even in relatively homogenous key features or aspects of this issue. classrooms there can be significant Here is where they have an opportunity diversity of views when the issue is to identify what they already know controversial.) about the topic. Extending through a Fishbowl Activity 4. Ask students to draw a square around (10-15 minutes) each of these extended circles and identify how they came to learn about To extend this initial activity, a teacher each key feature or aspect of can further cultivate discussion with a population control they identified in fishbowl activity. To begin this fishbowl, their circles. Possible responses here the teacher asks students to take turns would be personal experience (e.g., sharing their completed statements: “My witnessed crowding on MRT), view on population policy in Singapore family/friend network (e.g., is…. My reasons are…” When the small conversations at home), media outlets group’s time is completed, the teacher asks (newspapers, blogs, social networking the outer circle of students if they have any sites, etc.). questions for discussants in the inner circle. This is a good time for the teacher to 5. Then prompt students to organize their model appropriate comments or critical thinking and prepare to participate in a questions, such as: “What type of evidence conversation with a partner in class. did you find most convincing?” Then the They can complete the statement: “My teacher can ask four or five outer circle view on population policy in Singapore students to exchange places with the inner May 2014 2 HSSE Online 3(1) 1-8 circle students. The new inner circle outside circle. students can repeat the process (i.e., discuss their concept maps for Note this fishbowl activity requires approximately five minutes). As the inner about 13 minutes of instructional time (10 circle discusses the topic, the teacher minutes for discussion, 5 minutes for each encourages the outer circle to take notes. inner group (2 groups total), and 3 minutes Again at the end of the discussion time, the for transition times, 1 ½ minutes for set up teacher can ask for questions from the and exchange of students). Figure 1: Example of a Concept Map a Student Might Complete May 2014 3 HSSE Online 3(1) 1-8 Part 2: (Optional) Clarify components of this population issue, the Background Knowledge (10-15 minutes) teacher might want to just move ahead to the sources in the Part 3 activity.