Mr Christopher de Souza, Holland-Bukit Timah GRC
To ask the Minister for Education what schemes are in place to aid teachers in guiding them through rapid changes in teaching methods and regulations amidst the COVID-19 pandemic so as to provide support to those who struggle to teach-from-home and engage students via online platforms.
Response
1. MOE supports teachers by providing a wide range of learning resources through the Singapore Student Learning Space (SLS) online platform. The SLS also guides teachers to apply the appropriate pedagogies in designing technology-enabled lessons both in class and online.
2. In addition, MOE provides teachers with a range of professional development programmes that build their capacity to use these tools and resources effectively. These programmes range from bite-sized modules on designing effective online lessons to workshops on how to seamlessly link classroom teaching with home-based learning.
3. Besides professional development programmes, teachers also build new capabilities through sharing and collaboration. In schools, time is set aside for teachers to work in teams to share ideas and develop online lessons and resources. Teachers can also connect across schools via MOE's learning communities. One example is the Singapore Learning Designers Circle online group, where more than 19,000 teachers share lesson ideas and best practices.
4. While online learning is an effective tool when students cannot attend school in-person, MOE also guides teachers to balance online teaching with non-technological teaching methods such as the use of textbooks, worksheets, and simple hands-on activities.
5. MOE will continue to support teachers as they navigate the fluidity of the current situation, to ensure that learning continues effectively for our students.