Using a convenience sample of 289 teachers in Singapore, this study examined: (1) whether there were significant differences between teachers' perceptions of principal's and immediate supervisor's empowering behaviours; and (2) teachers' perceptions of principal's and immediate supervisor's empowering behaviours in relation to teachers'…

Because there has been very little past research into gifted students' science learning environments, especially in Singapore, we selected from four established questionnaires six learning environment scales that are consistent with Van Tassel-Baska and Stambaugh's guidelines for gifted education. These scales were modified slightly to enhance…

Science is for all students in all countries; and this is a principle of equity. An explicit aim of science education is to create a high level of scientific literacy so that students have a greater understanding of science content knowledge that is associated with life, the physical world and earth sciences. As 21st century citizens, it is…

Singapore's education system has often been characterised as exam-oriented. This paper describes efforts ("windmills") made by the Government to constructively respond to the "winds of change" in the education system. A committee called the Primary Education Review and Implementation (PERI) Committee was appointed to study and…

Nonlinear Pedagogy is an exploratory approach to teaching and learning Physical Education that can be potentially effective to help children acquire relevant twenty-first century competencies. Underpinned by Ecological Dynamics, the focus of Nonlinear Pedagogy is on the learner and includes the provision of less prescriptive instructions and…

This collaborative inquiry, as part of action research, is framed within the unique context of two researchers working closely alongside two policy-makers (research collaborators) to explore how teachers could enter more profoundly into a curriculum discourse. Drawing from Reid's concept of curriculum deliberation as located within institutional…

In this study, we sought to examine the perceptions of teachers and other school professionals towards the inclusion of secondary school students with special educational needs (SEN), and the associated factors. The Sentiments, Attitudes and Concerns about Inclusive Education Revised scale (SACIE-R) was completed by 131 teachers and school…

As part of a study examining how teachers in Singapore select and use examples for teaching mathematics, 121 teachers from 24 secondary schools responded to three open-ended questions about the use of examples in teaching. The results show that students' abilities and the difficulty level of the examples were among the topmost considerations…

The study featured in this paper investigates pre- and in-service Physical Education (PE) teachers' diverse views of OE (Outdoor Education) against the backdrop of numerous curricular changes underpinning Singaporean education. We highlight the potential challenges Singaporean schools and teachers may face in implementing the newly formalized OE…

Including children with learning difficulties and disabilities in regular classrooms continues to be a challenge for teachers. This study investigated the perceptions of kindergarten teachers and learning support educators (LSEd) towards including children with developmental needs and or learning difficulties in pre-schools in Singapore. A total…

Teachers' attitudes and beliefs on classroom management contribute significantly to student learning and development. Despite its importance, research in this aspect, however, has still been stymied by the difficulty of measuring teachers' classroom management attitudes and beliefs. Psychometrically sound instruments to measure teachers' classroom…

Provision of an individually responsive education requires a comprehensive understanding of the inner worlds of learners, such as their feelings and thoughts. However, this is difficult to achieve when learners, such as those with Autism Spectrum Disorders (ASD) and cognitive difficulties, have problems with communication. To address this issue,…

Successful transition from preschool to primary school is believed to have long-term positive effects on a child's academic performance and social competence. In this study, data were gathered from preschool teachers, primary schoolteachers and parents through the use of questionnaires and semi-structured interviews, on their perceptions and…

Multicultural music education is often approached simply through the exposure of students to different world musics. This "cultural supermarket" approach to teaching diversity in the classrooms is re-examined in this study by drawing attention to the need for a broader curriculum reform. Using the Singapore primary school music teachers…

The notion of technological pedagogical content knowledge (TPACK) has recently emerged as a key theoretical framework that could help explain the complexity involved when teachers integrate ICT into classroom teaching. While the framework has been employed in hundreds of published studies, surveys of teachers' TPACK for specific subject matter,…