First, a summary of the main points in the article.

Singapore Needs Thinkers

Singapore has a strong education system. However, the general perception is that Singapore education produces students who are “exam smart”, rather than critical and creative thinkers.

Singapore “must get away from the idea that it is only the people at the top who should be thinking, and [that] the job of everyone else is to do as [they are] told.”
(Prime minister Goh Chok Tong, 1997).

The economic well-being of the country depends on the people’s ability to cope with the changes brought about by globalization and the rapid development in technologies. Singapore believes that the learning of creative thinking is essential.

Use of IT to Support Thinking and Learning

Educational technologies have too often tried to do the thinking for learners, to act like teachers and guide the learning. However, the thinking and self-regulation of learning should be the responsibility of the learner, not the computer.

The appropriate role for a computer system is not that of a teacher/expert, but rather a “Mindtool”.

Constructivism

Rather than just telling students the answer, constructivist learning environments engage learners in knowledge construction through collaborative activities that embed learning in a meaningful context and through reflection on what has been learned through conversation with other learners.

For the full paper:

» The Role of ICT in a Constructivist Approach to the Teaching of Thinking Skills
(PDF, 200 kB, 19 pages)

Footnote: David Chan is currently the Director of the Ngee Ann Polytechnic Library.