Singapore's 21st Century-The Future of Learning

November 13, 2013.

Singapore’s 21^st Century-The Future of Learning

The first video, “Singapore’s 21st Century, Teaching Strategies”, describes the importance of technology in the present. Ngee Ann Secondary School is one of the seven “Future Schools” in the country. This school emphasizes the use of technology, digital media, and integration.

When I was watching the video, I was surprised seeing how this school is equipped.

It is true that kids live in a different world nowadays. I agree when they referred to how savvy kids need to be when using technology. At the same time, I think in the differences that exist between the United States and Singapore the area of education. Singapore being a country with high technology, must prepare their students to meet the needs of its workforce. Therefore, my question is: How do they fund education to have schools like Ngee Ann Secondary provide these sophisticated classrooms? When I think of the USA, I reflect and the first thing coming to my mind is the disparity in financial resources that our schools have.

In the video, The Future of learning, I like the expressed views.

“Learning is just beginning”, the students do not have to be taught as an identical people. It is very interesting to listen how all these experts share their ideas to have a more meaningful education. Technology during this time is very important because it is accessing information in a more extensive way, helping students to collaborate and communicate globally. The analysis in reference to standardized testing and how this idea corrupts the principle of education is very interesting. I agree when they say that standardized testing does not reflect what students know and how important it really is for students, parents, teachers, and administrators.

Millennium Promise and Coursera, two of online sites mentioned in the video are very interesting to search. Millennium Promise’s mission is to provide the operational platform and resource mobilization for the Millennium Villages Project, which empowers communities to lift themselves out of extreme poverty.

Coursera is a social entrepreneurship company that partners with the top universities in the world to offer courses online for anyone to take, for free.

They offer a wide variety of topics. Coursera Headquarters is located in Mountain View, Ca.

Yes, this is the beginning to redirect education. As prospective teachers, we must take the advantages offered by technology. Our role also must focus in helping and engaging students to be creative and reflexive thinkers and to motivate students to find the meaning of education and to use technology in an intelligent way.

I hope that in the future of Santa Clara County, the gap among school districts

comes to an end. We can maybe have a well equipped school like Ngee Ann Secondary School in Singapore. It is our job to work for the future of a better education.