Reflection 3 - Learning Journey

What did you enjoy about and learn from it?

I really enjoyed this Literature Learning Journey, as it was a chance for all of us to learn Literature outside of the classrooms. And what better place to be discussing the development and progress of Singapore than at the heart of the economic and financial development; the CBD area. I have never been on a Literature Learning Journey before as a student in the past, and this was definitely an experience that was not only fun but very enriching. I learnt a lot at the URA building about the development of Singapore throughout the years. How it was initially an economy focused on trade to one that now focuses on the service industry. What I enjoyed there was playing the interactive game with some of my friends where we got to be urban planners for 30 seconds. It was fun and interesting but also got me thinking about how much thought had to be put to the urban planning of a country. Many things have to be considered, like transport system, amenities, offices, places of interests, recreational areas and many more. And this is quite a mean feat.

 What got my attention at the URA building was the series of moving pictures of places and people in the 1960s and 70s juxtaposed with pictures of the exact same place now. Some pictures seemed like as though they even made use of the same people in the past pictures and the present ones to show that as we grow/change, the buildings and places around us change too. Many a times, we fail to realise this unless something drastic actually happens to the place, like the demolition of a particular building or the clearing up of a particular area to make way for other developments. And this got me thinking about how much of what I see and know now will remain 20 – 30 years down the road. All the memories I have of certain places will only stay in my memory if they are to be cleared up to make way for future developments.

This relates to the next location that we went, Ann Siang Hill. While walking through the shop houses at Ann Siang hill, I was very intrigued by the architecture and design of the buildings and different shops there. They all have a tinge of ‘oldness’ attached to them, possibly due to the attempt of conservation that our government has put in place to retain the flavour of these places. However, what lies inside those shops are things that are entirely modern and include even retail outlets of fashion brands such as ‘Fred Perry’ and ‘Agnes B’. I was quite shocked at first, but later came to a realisation that this was part of change. With progress comes change, and with change, the old is lost. Even if attempts are put in place for certain places to retain its oldness, it will never quite be the same again as what used to be there has now ceased to be.

What interdisciplinary possibilities are there?

While going through this learning journey, I thought to myself a couple of times about how what we are learning links with subjects like Geography, History and even English. The experience at the URA building was linked to Geography as we looked at how Singapore has developed into an urban landscape throughout the years, and the Ann Siang hill experience allowed us to further understand what losses in terms of historical value we have experienced due to development. Thus, Learning Journeys need not be focused only on one subject and can be used to cater to the different subjects depending on the tasks set out at each location. And this helps to broaden the minds of students and to make links between subjects and see what they learn in one subject is not remote from the others.

How can you design and use learning journeys for effective learning in and out of your classrooms?

A learning journey is a really fun, interactive and enriching way to get students to learn. It helps them to make connections between what they learnt and have read to the real world. To design and use learning journeys effectively, I feel that the learning objectives needs to be first dealt with. Once that is dealt with, the tasks to plan for each location will be more focused to this objective. At the end of the learning journey, it is also good to get feedback via reflections from students to gather what they have learnt from their learning journey experience and how they feel about it. Apart from this, I also feel that student management is very important. As the learning journeys are done in public places, it is vital that we ensure that all students are accounted for at every location, which can be quite a feat when students get too excited carrying out tasks, and do not report on time at every pit stop, making management challenging. Therefore, although we aim to encourage and maximise students’ learning during a learning journey, it is important that we set tasks that are manageable in terms of time, so that everyone has ample time to carry out their activities, reducing the management challenge that teachers might face.

Joel's Reflection 3 - Learning Journey

Prior to the learning journey, I had never been to some of the places like the URA building, Ang Siang Hill and Change Alley. The significance of these places and how it relates to Singapore’s progress never crossed my mind. As some might say, “ignorance is not bliss”, especially after having realised that like it or not, matters concerning Singapore is a shared responsibility for all its citizens. Yes, we may have different roles (with some having a direct stake) but at the very least, we should be informed. This was made ever so poignant when a few of us noticed how the tourists/expats knew so much more about Singapore’s history than even we do. Was it apathy, disengagement, detachment, indifference or just plain ignorance? Regardless, the learning journey changed all that.

The tasks from start to finish were (I felt) carefully scaffolded to cause a gradual awareness of national/ social/mobility issues within Singapore’s context with the essential question from the outset dealing with the notion of progress. The visit to the URA was a good reminder of the difficulties of maintaining our all encompassing country/state/city status in terms of planning and development, with relation to effective usage of land and thinking outside of the box. This coincides with the current issue of our population and the “White Paper” that was passed recently. It must be mentioned that for a country with not much resources, we have a nation of very resourceful people. Two things that stood out were the reclamation works (look at Marine Parade today) and the ability to utilise space underground. I never would have expected an expressway for vehicles to be built even deeper than the tunnels for our trains.

The trip to Ang Siang Hill that followed the visit to the URA building, framed a perspective of the past that made connections with the present and future. It is precisely this intertwined nature that showcases the journey of Singapore. I would say that I am still ambivalent with regards to “Old House at Ang Siang Hill” by Arthur Yap and the overall changes of the landscape in that area. For me personally, I questioned the idea of tradition and what value it holds in today’s modern context. After going through the activity and discussion, I also begin to question the value of nostalgia (if any) and these are topics with moot points that cannot be easily resolved. Nonetheless, it was the activities at this station that got me to this point (of ambivalence) as compared to when I first started out (ignorance). Further activities at Change Alley, UOB building and the Singapore River helped to problematise things further especially with taking on different perspectives in our debate of “Urban Jungle” by Ervin Ha. I feel that the compulsion to label polar opposites of good and bad results in a dilemma of choice/necessity and social obligation. The issues cannot simply be placed neatly into two extreme categories as evident by Lee Tsu Pheng’s poem of “Singapore River”. It is possible to argue for both sides (good and bad) but I find it essential to strike a balance between pragmatism and empathy which is much easier said than done.

I cannot recall the last time I went through a learning journey but am glad to have been a part of this especially since practicum is looming. With management and planning, it is easy to see the benefits that a learning journey brings to both organisers and participants. Indeed, much time and preparation is required for an effective outing but it would be well worth it in the end. Follow-up activities should be made mandatory for any learning journey to encapsulate learning and to take knowledge one step further. Just like how this piece affords reflective-learning and self-assessment, ensuring that a process of internalisation takes place that may otherwise not be possible without the design of a learning journey.         

Sarah - Learning Journey

I have always enjoyed field trips, mainly because I appreciate the hard work and effort that teachers put in while planning for learning journeys. For this particular learning journey, I enjoyed the trip to the URA the most because of the rich information that the place provide for us throughout the nation’s development. The activity conducted for us there was also free-and-easy, and it gives students a lot of freedom and flexibility to explore the place on their own. Especially if students are provided with various open-ended questions, students can gain a lot of new information from their exploration of the exhibition. I really enjoyed the investigation process of this activity, and also because of the open-ended questions, it motivated me to find clues to answer the questions. Although it was my second trip to the URA, I still had fun venturing the place and learn more things outside the textbook. The trip to Ann Siang Hill was also memorable and the activity was also relevant to complement the nostalgic ambiance of the area. Reading the poem by Arthur Yap out loud with my group at Ann Siang Hill gave me the sense of poignancy which is not easily attainable if the activity is conducted in the classroom. It made us open our eyes more to the surroundings and taking note of the changes that occur in a supposedly ‘preserved’ historical site. The following trips downtown till Singapore River was also impressionable and it was a good juxtaposition from the first trip to URA.

One of the important take-away that I attain from this learning journey is that Literature learning can take place outside of classroom. It will be more impactful especially if we are teaching local poetry/texts as students can appreciate the meaning and message behind the poems when they are physically present. Apart from that, planning also plays an important part before conducting learning journeys. We always have to bear in mind the feasibility of the activities that are going to be conducted. For example, this is not the first time that I have been warned by the security that the activity that is being conducted is disruptive. On top of that, we have to consider that we are actually planning learning journeys for students, and thus a variety of considerations have to be taken into account such as groupings and activity areas.

Field trips or learning journeys are often not mutually exclusive to only one discipline. We can always incorporate different subjects into a learning journey. For example, it can be part of an English Language trip where students are required to write short journal articles on the different places they visit. History is also plausible as students can always learn the culture and heritage of the place and run along the theme of change and continuity, and as for Geography, students may get a chance to investigate how and why certain places have evolved. Even Maths can be a possibility students can calculate the geometry of the different areas as well as the height of certain buildings and determine the area of elevation/depression. There are many interdisciplinary possibilities in conducting learning journeys and also, it is good to get extra help for pre-planning of learning journeys.

Before we begin embarking on the learning journey, it is essential to plan the objective for the trip. This is to monitor if the activities conducted meets the objectives for the learning journey at the end of the day. Pre-activity is also useful to give students a rough idea of what is happening for the trip. It is good if we can get them to prepare before the trip begins, such as doing a close reading on the specific poems. Post-activity is also important to determine if the students learn anything from the whole trip. Although it is good to incorporate the elements of fun and excitement in the learning journey, ultimately we want the students to achieve some knowledge from the trip; something which they may not gain in classroom learning.   

Zarifah's reflection (blog entry 3)

                                                         Learning Journey Reflection 

I really enjoyed the learning journey despite the rain. I thought it was a fun and creative way to learn more about the changing landscape of Singapore. I especially like the stop at URA and the poetry reading and sharing at Ang Siang Hill. I believe that this two stops and activity would be ideal for Secondary School students.  

The trip to URA allows students to get a rough idea of Singapore’s landscape, its limitations, heritage and future possibility. The added interactive feature of the exhibition allows students to get involved in the exhibition as oppose to merely reading and viewing images. For example, there was an interactive game that allows students to experience the difficulty in maximizing Singapore’s limited land. Beyond providing the opportunity for hands on activities, the URA exhibition also provides new information and knowledge to the students. I felt that the information and knowledge provided was maximized through the worksheet provided.  The use of open ended questions rather than specific questions allows students to explore and investigate the exhibition on their own rather than look for specific answer to “fill in the blank”. This would likely give them a better overall understanding and would help in the facilitation of the other stations.   

The other activity carried out during the field trip which I thought was excellent and usable for Secondary school students was the activity at Ang Siang Hill. I felt that it was a good idea to let students discuss the poem, “Old House at Ang Siang Hill” and share their stories about the old photograph they brought at Ang Siang Hill. The ambience of the place allows students to truly immerse themselves in the poem and encourage them to question the idea of heritage and nostalgia. This activity would not have been as successful if it was conducted in class as students may merely “dissect” the poem without truly “feeling” it. The added quietness of the place highlights and emphasized the poem’s message. Allowing students to explore on their own in small groups, ensure that everyone is accounted for.

The other activities were also interesting. While I may use them in a literature class, it is unlikely that I would use them in a field trip based lesson. While I like the coral reading and the creativity of it, I felt that it could actually be done in class. Similarly, the topic of debate was very interesting but I felt that that could also be done in class. Personally, I feel that both activities would have been more successful if it was actually carried out in class.  Students are rarely brought out for field trips; I feel that as teachers, we should maximize the location/venue that we bring them to and provide them with activities that needs and require them to be at the venue.

Lastly, I believe that pre-field trip and post-field trip activities are very important as well. I like how we are given the worksheet with the poems earlier so that we are able to read through and have a rough idea of what to expect. Should I conduct a field trip, I would likely provide students with the copy of the worksheet as well. Having the students write a reflection for the post-field trip activity is an effective way to check for students’ learning and the effectiveness of the field trip.

In conclusion, I really believe that field trips should be encouraged in schools. Field trip based lessons are more likely to bring about authentic and experiential learning as students go beyond the classroom and experience things first-hand. Beyond knowledge, field trips also allow teachers to build rapport with their students and students to bond with each other.   

Z

Geraldine's Lit reflection 3: Learning Journey

The learning journey offered me an opportunity to truly see the progression of Singapore over the years. For a country so small, what Singapore has achieved is tremendous.  

The URA exhibition gave great insight into the efforts made to rebuild Singapore into what it is today. I enjoyed the way the exhibition constantly compared the past, present and future of Singapore through images, games and videos. It allowed people to see how Singapore has truly evolved into a globally competitive country. Looking at the model-sized versions of Singapore made me realise that as developed as Singapore is, it is still a work in progress. The sections of Singapore which were still under construction presented a look towards the future, to bigger expectations and growth. 

Reading the poems in the various places of Singapore was a nice touch. It made you 'feel' the poet's words just from being in the exact place described in the poems. For example, looking at the river while reading Lee Tzu Pheng's 'Singapore River' really gave me a sense of why he had described the river as the heart of Singapore. The image of the river flowing continuously through the city area ,alongside the buildings and skyscrapers, certainly contributed to the river being an important symbol of progression for Singapore.

The learning journey  will be effective for any arts subject such as literature, history and geography. For literature and history, the focus may be on the way Singapore has changed from the past and having students develop personal opinions and reflective responses to these changes. Whereas for geography, perhaps a focus could be on the process of these developments and the reasons for these changes. I guess it depends on the purpose and objectives of the learning journey. The teacher could establish a clear objective for students depending on what the teacher thinks is the most important takeaway for this learning journey.

Before embarking on a learning journey with a secondary school class, I would probably have a lesson dedicated to introducing the places and their history. This way, before stepping into a place, students will be aware of the history and significance of that specific area. It could also help in the students' understanding of the poems. During the learning journey itself, I think it is important to bring in tasks which requires students to interact with the physical environment they are in. For example, perhaps a task which requires students to move around the place and survey the location for some kind of answer/response could help students see the relevance of having the learning journey. After the learning journey, instead of simply answering questions about the places, the creative task was good for having students reflect and build on what they had observed in their own personal way.

I think it will be useful for students to be allowed to venture out of their stress-filled classrooms once in awhile. Having learning journeys can help students to relax, have fun and even broaden their perspectives regarding issues related to Singapore.

Post-LJ Reflections

What did you enjoy about it? How can you design and use learning journeys for effective learning in and out of your classrooms?

Like Ada, it was my first time at Maxwell and the URA building, and I enjoyed just letting loose and playing (perhaps a bit too much)/role-playing the secondary school students we're going to be teaching. Like the kids, I was easily bored by the information overload at the URA museum and avoided almost all the words, only looking at the pictures, videos and models. Based on this wisdom, I would definitely design my worksheets for LJs such that they don't focus too much on the nitty-gritty or the the words and more on the big picture or on the multimodals like the pictures, video and models. I also saw how important recces are in planning LJs so you see where exactly you need permission to stand in the lobby of the building etc. I think we could get away with being shooed by security (honestly one of my favourite parts of the LJ, so fun!), but for a class of 40, I'm sure it requires contacting the building management beforehand etc.

There was a group of kids on a fieldtrip from Northland Primary I think, and Christon and I observed/stalked them for a while. I noticed how well the teacher controlled them, leading them like a tour guide and asking them questions at their level to get them thinking. I would perhaps do the same, keeping the "tour" segment to no more than 10 minutes then letting them roam around on their own on the condition that they behave themselves. I also learnt the importance of keeping to time and giving clear instructions, making sure everyone knows that we're supposed to gather at X at a certain time. 

I really like planning events, so I will definitely plan LJs in future to bring my kids out of the classroom. I know it shouldn't be just for fun and it should be meaningful and educational etc but why shouldn't it be fun too? The kids deserve a memorable experience and I think as long as you can keep them under control, you can have some pretty fun activities! You could also always cheat (somewhat) and just engage a vendor for your field trips of course, but I think organizing it yourself would be rewarding too. The preparation will kill you though, so I think teaming up with several colleagues would help ease the burden and give the kids a variety of activities from various subjects, from English, Maths/Logic (how many steps/stairs are there in the One Raffles Place building?), Art, History, Geography, maybe even Home Economics (they could make sandwiches in Home Ec to eat by the Singapore River) etc. The possibilities are endless! Perhaps like in the chapter by Faisal Aman a whole package could be organized weaving in topics required to be covered in curriculum so the LJs are relevant and not one-off.

Reflection 3

1. What did you enjoy about it?
If I had the opportunity to join the class (since I was not around), I'm sure I would enjoy being to various cultural points and carrying out the activities relevant to each point, like doing the poem Old House At Ang Siang Hill when we are there. What is meaningful is that this is a Literature learning journey, not a typical history field trip lesson, so the activities are catered towards making learning Literature meaningful and interesting. When we think of culture, we should not just think of history, but the style and flavour of it, which is what literature is able to bring out.

2. What interdisciplinary possibilities are there?
I feel that learning journeys are more catered towards the humanities side, so perhaps history or geography might match nicely with this learning journey for Literature. On the other hand, it should not be too difficult to include mathematics or science elements in this learning journey, so it will have to depend on the activities decided, and how the places we go to and the activities designed can be appropriately linked to them.

3. What did I learn from it?
 I guess the most important thing I can learn is that a learning journey need not necessarily be like a history field trip. Had I joined the class, it would be the first field trip that is not organized by the History or Social Studies department. Also, from the videos recorded of my classmates, I infer that secondary school students would be camera shy, and also shy in general about doing activities in public, so this has to be taken into consideration when planning activities. It would be easier if students are made to perform in larger groups, if there is any need of them to do so, and/or be recorded by the camera. This is because by gathering students in larger groups to perform, such as reciting a poem, they will have more courage as a group and be less shy.


4. How can you design and use learning journeys for effective learning in and out of your classrooms?
 Learning journeys and field trips are often cast aside until after exams or nearing the holiday period, so for effective learning, they have to be integrated as part of the Unit Plan and Scheme of Work. This is in order for them to be implemented as something that is not additional, but necessary for students' learning progress in the curriculum. After all, "the Literature field trip... presupposes something of a paradigm shift from the kinds of critical approaches to literary criticism that had hitherto informed Literature-in-English as taught in Singapore secondary schools" (Whitehead and Tang 206), and many may find it difficult to accept that this field trip/ learning journey can benefit students' learning in Literature, what with the traditional form of teaching- via content-heavy, exam-focused approach. With that, proper forms of assessments also have to be designed to ensure that we are able to evaluate our students even as they are participating in the learning journey, instead of doing academic work in the classroom. 
Activities that are designed for the students should also be relevant to helping students learn more about literature and/or the Singaporean culture, even though they are to be conducted outdoors. A problem I foresee is that these activities for the learning journey that are designed by teachers are extremely fun and interesting, but lack relevance to the essential and sub-inquiry questions in the unit plan or overall scheme of work. Therefore, the activities planned have to address the 2 main questions of "What do we want to teach our students?" and "How can this be taught through the learning journey?".

Velvet