Learning Tools

Speakers: Associate Professor Vanessa Liu, Mr Chee Wai Meng, Dr Sheryl Chua Hwee Chin

Moderator: Dr Yao Shih-Ying

The availability of generative artificial intelligence (gen AI) tools (e.g., ChatGPT) in recent years has raised concerns about assessment practices in tertiary education. Scholars and institutions of higher learning across the world have proposed guidelines for the design and use of assessments, such as incorporating contextual elements into assessment design, increasing the emphasis on the assessment process, etc. In this session, faculty members from different disciplines will discuss their assessment practices at SUSS in light of the affordances of gen AI and share their reflections.

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Speakers: Nicholas Lee Nam Aik, Kritikaa Subramaniam, Muhammad Syukrie Sulaiman, Naazneen Ashfur Ali, Tan Sok Leng, Jonathan David Tang Zhi Yuan

Moderator: Dr Evelyn Gay

Join us as we delve into the heart of student experiences at SUSS. This Teaching and Learning conversation will feature student representatives from 1SUSS, a student body that acts as the voices of students. These students will share their insights on a survey conducted by 1SUSS in 2023 in collaboration with Student Life. The survey gathered 213 responses aimed at gaining a deeper understanding of student perspectives on important topics such as Student Programs and Learning Support. This session will highlight the results of the survey, offering members of the audience the opportunity to engage directly with student feedback.

Expect an enlightening exchange of ideas and perspectives that promises to enrich our teaching strategies and foster an even more supportive and responsive learning atmosphere for our students. The audience will have the chance to interact, ask questions, and take away actionable insights to better align educational practices with student needs and aspirations.

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Speakers: Associate Professor, Emily Ortega

In the education industry, there is a parallel between elite sport and academic performance – a relentless pursuit for success. Like athletes, students are expected strive to achieve excellence in their learning and achieve good grades under high stress situations, like athletes winning gold medals. Similarly, academics too are expected to perform at their very best to embark in the highest levels as they are constantly evaluated on how well they teach and publish research papers. In this workshop, strategies from elite sport will be shared to help educators (and their students) to better cope with the stressors and improve mental health in this hyper-competitive environment. Educators will learn about the science of performing under pressure, such as the importance of breathing techniques to manage the Autonomic Nervous System’s response to stress, as well as strategies to help coach students to better manage academic stress.

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Speakers: Mr Cedric Chew, Ms Chia Ming Huei, Ms Alli Ruthirapathi

Moderator: Associate Professor, Jennifer Yeo

Every pedagogical strategy has a purpose – a deliberate spark that ignites motivation and curiosity. In this panel discussion, recipients of the Outstanding Teaching Award will delve into the intricate tapestry of their pedagogical reasoning behind their innovative teaching practices, and how these practices have fostered student engagement and elevated learning outcomes. 

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Speakers: Assoc Prof Jimmy Wong, Dr Wang Yue, Dr Lye Che Yee

Moderator: Lecturer, Dr Yao Shih-Ying

Since the release of ChatGPT, there has been a significant advancement in the field of natural language professing and generative AI (gAI). It has then been quickly followed by further development and release of GPT-4 and similar models which can greatly enhance human capabilities by creating content such as texts, images, audio and much more. This session will explore practical gAI applications, from automated text generation to visual and audio content creation. We will also delve into its applications on student learning and research. Join us to get a firsthand look at a few gAI tools (e.g., GPT-4, GPTs, Synthesia, Heygen, Elicit AI) in action, showcasing their ability to kickstart inspiration and streamline workflows. Discover how gAI can amplify your creativity and efficiency, and learn about the collaborative interplay between gAI and human input to stay ahead in this rapidly evolving landscape.

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Generative AI Tools that were showcased during the presentation:

• GPT-4
• GPTs
• Synthesia
• Heygen
• Elicit AI
• Scispace
• Virtual Brain
• Prompts from GitHub to develop GPTs

Speakers: Conor O'Sullivan, Daniel Mccrea

Moderator: Senior Lecturer, Dr Lye Che Yee

In the ever-evolving landscape of education, the incorporation of Artificial Intelligence (AI) has paved the way for a more personalised and efficient learning experience through Adaptive Learning Systems. This talk aims to illuminate the concept, significance and practicalities of adaptive learning within university settings, providing insights into its potential to enhance personalised learning experiences. We will discuss the key theories and technologies of adaptive learning, and how it can improve learning and teaching in universities. We will also delve into how the adaptive learning courses get built, demonstrating the step-by-step approach on how to move from your current course materials to a fully Adaptive Learning System.

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Speakers: Dr Leslie Teo, Mr Brian Lim

Moderator: Provost, Professor Robbie Goh

Explore the transformative potential of Large Language Models (LLMs) and General Artificial Intelligence (GEnAI) in academia. This talk elucidates the technologies' capabilities, examining their pivotal role in augmenting teaching, research, and student learning experiences within university settings. We'll delve into how educators can leverage LLMs and GEnAI to generate dynamic learning materials, expedite research processes, and facilitate personalized educational journeys. We'll also critically address the ethical and practical challenges, such as misuse, bias, and accessibility, ensuring a mindful and responsible adoption of these technological marvels in academic contexts.

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Speaker: Dr Nicholas de Cruz

Moderator: Senior Lecturer, Dr Lin Feng

Since the Covid pandemic, the integration of digital tools into classroom settings has become increasingly commonplace. In this conversation, Dr. Nicholas will share his experiences of utilizing Miro, a visual collaboration software, to enhance students’ learning experiences. He will focus on four aspects of Miro’s application:

1. Strategies for facilitating learning and fostering metacognitive awareness
2. Techniques for cultivating intellectual camaraderie and promoting critical thinking
3. Approaches to creating an environment that enables immediate skill application following theoretical instruction and
4. Methods for implementing formative assessment and providing constructive feedback

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Speakers: Student Representatives from OneSUSS

Moderator: Lecturer, Dr Evelyn Gay

Join us for a thought-provoking sharing session where SUSS students will engage in discussions about their personal learning experiences, the dynamics of effective group work, and the use of Edtech tools to create a more engaging, dynamic and stimulating learning environment. This event aims to provide faculty an open window into student perspectives for the purpose of identifying good teaching practices, areas for improvement, as well as innovative approaches that can enhance students’ educational journey at SUSS.

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Speaker: Dr Yao Shih-Ying

Moderator: Senior Lecturer, Dr Ho Yan Yin

Microlearning has gained increasing attention in the field of adult learning in recent years. Adult learners oftentimes need to juggle work, study, and family obligations in their busy lives. A microlearning approach aims to deliver learning materials in short units that can be accessed via mobile devices (e.g., smart phones) and provides learners with great flexibility to learn anywhere and anytime at their own pace.

In this presentation, Dr Yao will share a recent study that evaluates the use of microlearning as a revision technique for adult students in an undergraduate course at SUSS. A microlearning module was designed and implemented via Gnowbe (i.e., an online microlearning platform) to help students review key concepts and be prepared for the end-of-course assessment. To evaluate the utility of this microlearning module, survey and test data concerning the following aspects were collected: students’ perception, learning experience, and potential improvement in knowledge and confidence in the use of the microlearning module.

Lessons learnt from this study provide practical implications for using microlearning to enhance adult students’ learning experience and outcome in higher education settings. ls on collaboration, teamwork, and communication, to prepare them for the workplace.

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Speaker: Prof Michelle Picard

Moderator: Senior Lecturer, Dr Lye Che Yee

Group-based assignments (GBA) can potentially develop students’ skills on collaboration, teamwork, and communication, to prepare them for the workplace. Despite the best intentions of GBA, instructors’ and students’ experiences with GBA have been less than ideal. 

This session intends to discuss some of the following questions in relation to GBA:

1. Why GBA and what are the challenges? 
2. How have some higher education institutions addressed the challenges of GBA?
3. How might GBA work if some students refuse to contribute? (e.g., freeloading problem) 
4. How might educators within higher education use GBA to support learning and assessment?
5. How might curriculum and assessment be redesigned to make full use of the benefits of GBA? What are some considerations?

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Speakers: Dr Rachel Forsyth and Dr Lye Che Yee

Moderator: Senior Lecturer, Dr Lyndon Lim

While ChatGPT has generated many conversations throughout all levels within the education sector, many have centred around the validity of assessment scores, now that it can provide plagiarism-free solutions at the click of a button. This session intends to discuss possible responses to some of the following questions in relation to assessment and ChatGPT:

1. What can ChatGPT do for students and teachers?
2. How have some institutions responded to the use of ChatGPT?
3. How might educators within higher education use ChatGPT to support learning and even assessment?
4. How might assessment be re-conceptualised or redesigned in light of what ChatGPT is capable of?
5. How might we continue to assess with confidence in light of developments of ChatGPT?

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Speakers: Dr Bi Xiaofang

Moderator: Director, A/P Renee Tan

IAL embarked on a Critical Core Skills profiling and development study since 2021 to understand how CCS are distributed and developed in the general Singaporean workforce. A CCS instrument was developed to measure the importance and self-efficacy of CCS in the workforce. 2000 workers were surveyed and profiled into seven occuptation groups baesd on different patterns of CCS importance.

In this conversation, findings from a POC project applying the CCS instrument will be shared. In addition, IAL will share a development pathway of CCS for selected participants of the study. Practical recommendaitons of how training could facilitate the development of CCS will also be discussed.

Reflection Questions:

What are some of your takeaways from this T&L Conversation? Here are some reflection questions to guide you as you review the recording:

1. What are some of the critical core skills that can be inculcated in my courses?
2. What behaviours do my students need to demonstrate their competencies in some of the critical core skills?

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Speakers: A/P Chui Yoon Ping, A/P Emily Ortega and Ms Celine Ooi

Moderator: Lecturer, Dr Lin Feng

SUSS prides itself for providing theoretically sound curriculum that enables students to be industry-ready and apply what they have learned in theory to solve real problems at work. Thus, SUSS engages Associate Faculty (AFs) who are well-respected within their fields of expertise. However, having industry experts does not always mean that theory and practice are well linked int he classrooms. The Theory-Practice Link (T-P Link) strategic planninh committee was charged with the responsibility to strengthen the T-P Link in our courses.

In this conversation, the committee will share with us the Theory-Practice Link Framework they have developed. They will also present the result of the pilot study that looked at how T-P Link is being applied in some courses across five schools. Pedagogical strategies that could strengthen T-P Link will be discussed.

Reflection Questions

What are some of your takeaways from this T&L Conversation? Here are some reflection questions to guide you as you review the recording:

1. How can I apply the T-P Link framework into my course delivery?
2. Have I provided sufficient opportunities for my students to apply their learning as close to real world context as possible?

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Speakers: Student Representatives from OneSUSS

Moderator: Lecturer, Dr Chew Yi Wei

Student are unique individuals with their own personalities, dispositions, expectations and hopes. They come with a panoply of learning styles, needs and wants. The learning experience, therefore, is at once varied and subjective, individual and collective.

This session is critical as it exciting as SUSS students from different disciplines engage in a frank conversation about what matters to them. They will discuss a range of issues from assessment support, design, implementation, and feedback, to being in an environment of safety, trust and encouragement - all this within the context of what encapsulates a meaningful, valuable and fulfilling learning experience.

Reflection Questions

What are some of your takeaways from this T&L Conversation? Here are some reflection questions to guide you as you review the recording:

1. How else can I provide a safe space for my learners?
2. Have I provided timely feedback for learners' improvement?

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Speakers: Dr Juuso Henrik Nieminen

Moderator: Senior Lecturer, Dr Lyndon Lim

Student self-assessment is commonly introduced as an assessment practice that helps students to regulate their own learning and boost their learning. An extensive amount of research has unpacked how self-assessment could best promote learning and reflection through the use of rubrics, self-assessment forms and multiple sources of feedback. However, such approaches tend to treat self-assessment as a mechanical practice, which is reflected in how students often find self-assessment meaningless even while realising its learning potential. In this session, self-assessment is reframed as a social, cultural and disciplinary practice. Specifically, the following questions will be discussed within the context of higher education:

1. Why and when might self-assessment be done?
2. How might self-assessment be designed to achieve maximum learning benefits and prepare students for the unknown futures in the 'knowledge societies'?
3. how might we address common challenges of self-assessment?

Practical implications of such reframing will also be discussed in the presentation.

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Speakers: Prof Robbie Goh, A/P Rita Padawangi and A/P Ferlin Jayatissa

Moderator: Senior Lecturer, Dr Lyndon Lim

What is a teaching portfolio? How might it help in teaching practice? How might it be used for career advancement? Join us as Prof Goh shares strategies and his experiences on building a teaching portflio. SUSS Award for Teaching Excellence winners A/P Padawangi and A/P Jayatissa will also share how their reflection processes in writing their 2-page narrative (A snapshot of a teaching portfolio) for the award helped enhanced their teaching.

Reflection Questions

What are some of your takeaways from this T&L Conversation? Here are some reflection questions to guide you as you review the recording:

1. How else can I build my teaching portfolio?
2. How does maintaining a teaching portoflio aid in my career at SUSS?

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Speaker: Students from SBIZ & SLAW

Moderator: Senior Lecturer, Ho Yan Yin

Just like how feedback helps our students to learn, feedback from our students about our teaching can also help us improve our classroom practices. This dialogue session gave us an opportunity to have an open conversation with our students about their experience of our teaching approaches. Their so that we can better engage with our students in the classroom.

Reflection Questions

What are some of your takeaways from this T&L Conversation? Here are some reflection questions to guide you as you review the recording:

1. Have I orchestrated the use of breakout rooms appropriately?
2. Have I provided sufficient feedback to my students?
3. What else can I do for learners to be more engaged?

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Speaker: Professor Chris Dede, Harvard University

Moderator: Professor Robbie Goh, Provost, SUSS

“Intermittent lifelong learning is not going to work in the next half century”, asserted Professor Dede as he started his sharing at the T&L Conversation. Prof Dede shared how technological advancement will continue to disrupt the way we work and live, and how it is paramount that individuals learn continuously rather than episodically. Prof Dede also discussed the need for universities to rethink the ‘business’ that universities are in – to not just prepare students for their first job, but to develop required dispositions that will carry them through for the entire course of their career life.

Reflection Questions

What are some of your takeaways from this T&L Conversation? Here are some reflection questions to guide you as you review the recording:

1. How can we best prepare our students for multiple careers over the course of their lifetime?
2. How can we develop students’ judgement and decision-making skills?
3. How can we engineer learning so that our students can be more actively involved in the learning process?

Click here to download the Presentation Slides.

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Speaker: Tan Lee Cheng

In an article published by Professor Adam Grant from Wharton, he coined “languishing” as a feeling that can dull motivation and focus; and as the pandemic drags on, languishing has become a dominant emotion of 2021. Pre-pandemic, Lee Cheng describe students who respond to her questions with a shrug, a blank look or stubborn silence as having that ”meh” feeling. Over the past two years, during the pandemic, these students fell behind a sea of black screen over zoom. Unseen and unheard, she sensed their meh feeling even more acutely. In this sharing, Lee Cheng shares her insights and experience on how she motivates her students, in particular, those who are struggling with that “meh” feeling.

Reflection Questions

What are some of your takeaways from this In-Conversation with TLC? Here are some reflection questions to guide you as you review the recording:

1. How could I adopt and adapt the strategies shared to the context of my teaching?
2. What other strategies could I adopt to motivate my students behind the Zoom screen?

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Speaker: Padma D/O Jairam

Learning Agility is often described as "knowing what to do when you don’t know what to do". In this session, Ms Padma, our Teaching Award Recipient shares how she aspires to model and nurture three aspects of Learning Agility in her students – Mental Agility, People Agility and Self-Awareness. Apart from talking about the challenges she faces when incorporating learning agility into her counselling sessions, she will also discuss strategies she uses to hone her students’ skills in learning agility. Participants are also invited to share their experiences on how Learning Agility can be used in the teaching of their individual subjects and across the disciplines.

Reflection Questions

What are some of your takeaways from this In-Conversation with TLC? Here are some reflection questions to guide you as you review the recording:

1. Why is Learning Agility even more important in the current climate?
2. How can we build students’ skills in learning agility in our content areas?
3. What strategies can we put in place to build students’ learning agility?

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Panellists: Eunice Tan and Kenneth Poon

The beauty of the human condition is that everyone is different. We are good at some things and not so good at others. When areas that we are not so good in, start to cause difficulties in areas of our lives, these frequently receive a name or a diagnosis. Over the course of our teaching, we meet students with different difficulties that may affect their optimal learning, both in a physical class setting and in an online environment. During this session, three domains of diversity that may affect the learning of our students are explored. These domains are Social Understanding, Planning and Organisation, as well as Attention. Join our speakers as they share the different learning processes different among learners with special needs, and strategies that we could adopt to engage them effectively in an online learning environment.

Reflection Questions

What are some of your takeaways from this T&L Conversation? Here are some reflection questions to guide you as you review the recording:

1. What are some of the learning processes that you have observed to be different amongst learners with special needs?
2. Recall a time when you had a special needs student. What were some of the strategies that worked or did not work for you?
3. What else could be done to make online learning more effective for our students?

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Panellists: Choong Wuan Nyuk Cheryl and Brandon Koh

In this session, the panellists will share with us their views on:

1. How have they gone beyond using zoom functions (such as poll and breakout room) and integrate other digital tools to better engage students?
2. How have they integrated the synchronous and asynchronous learning in their online teaching?
3. The challenges they faced in online teaching

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Speaker: Yeo Lay

Do you know that SUSS has a digital platform that allows our students to create their own digital folio for learning and development? Do you know that this digital folio platform allows the SUSS faculty, staff and students to connect and learn more about each other?

In this T&L conversation, Yeo Lay, Assistant Director, Centre for Experiential Learning (CEL) will share the value of portfolio, the key features of the digital folio platform adopted by SUSS (known as Portfolium), and the experience of using digital folio by CEL. She will also facilitate a conversation on how faculty can make use of the digital folio platform to enhance teaching and learning, enable students to curate and showcase their works to their peers and potential employers, and how to create a connected life- long learning community within SUSS.

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Speaker: Teo Chew Lee

Research has shown that two things drive productivity in learning: First, a sense of ownership and interest over one's work are keys to improving motivation and self-worth. Second, the way groups work together is critical to how much the group can achieve than the individual expertise that each person brings to the group. We all know that when learners come together to pursue issues and problems that really matter to them, their autonomy and agency skyrockets, the learning outcomes amplified. These learning principles speak as much to the adults in schools, in the workplace, as well as for students in the classroom. These learning principles are also fundamental to Knowledge Building tenets.

In this talk, we will explore the dynamics and conditions of real examples of Knowledge Building classrooms for learners in different contexts and subjects and discuss ways to translate Knowledge Building theories, pedagogy, and technology into practical strategies and approaches in our everyday teaching moves.

Reflection Questions

What are some of your takeaways from this T&L Conversation Session? Here are several reflection questions to guide you as you review the recording:

1. An essential aspect of cultivating Knowledge Building is a safe learning culture that supports idea improvement – What is the learning culture in your classroom now? How might you refine the learning culture in your classroom so that it may effectively facilitate Knowledge Building?
2. What are some ways in which you could implement Knowledge Building in hybrid learning lessons?

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Speaker: Koh Tieh Yong

Have you wondered how an outlier can be spotted other than by a mental or graphical impression? How about the criticisms you have heard about Gaussian assumptions not working well in real-life classes? In this T&L conversation, you do not need mathematics skills beyond the knowledge of averaging and some simple algebra (+, -, *, /) to understand how a "universal" theorem, Chebyshev's Inequality, apply to students' marks. No Gaussian statistics is needed! If you come with a healthy appetite to learn more about "means"and "standard deviations", you will be armed with the skills to sieve out a "remarkable" student or a "rogue" marker quite objectively!

Reflection Questions

What are some of your takeaways from this T&L Conversation Session? Here are several reflection questions to guide you as you review the recording:

1. What are the existing factors in marking practices that may result in slanted moderation?
2. How might the application of the Chebyshev’s theorem, as shared in the Conversation, refine current moderation practices?

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Panellists: Huong Ha, Ng Yaw Tong and Walter Theseira

In this session, the panellists will share with us their views on:

• What "feedback" means for the teacher, and to the student
• The problems that they encountered as instructors, with regard to giving feedback
• Giving feedback across a range of assessment modes
• Good practices on giving feedback

Reflection Questions

What are some of your takeaways from this In-Conversation Session? Here are several reflection questions to guide you as you review the recording:

1. What is your current practice of giving feedback, positive or negative, to students?
2. Are there new strategies/ tips on providing useful feedback to students, that you picked up from our Panellists? What are they, and how do you intend to incorporate the new practice(s) in your class?

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Speaker: Ellen Goel

Have you wondered how starting a business can earn our students a Minor in Entrepreneurship? Have you been tasked to collaborate with industry to develop applied learning courses?

In this T&L conversation, Ellen will share with us her experience developing and managing the Alibaba Cloud - SUSS Entrepreneurship Certificate/Minor. The programme will be an interesting case study on applied education, where the goal is to better prepare our graduates for their future profession.

Ellen will speak about how the programme started in 2017 and how it has supported more than 40 student startups till date out of which 14 teams managed to raise funding from investors of an aggregated amount of more than $8 Million. This conversation is a timely one, given that it falls under the auspices of a very challenging time of major disruptions such as digitization and COVID-19, where small businesses have a hard time to survive and the government is supporting fresh graduates and unemployed PMETs to start businesses.

Ellen will also share her views on the future of education and the startup trends in a post COVID-19 world.

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Speaker: Chew Yi Wei

It is only in the past 15 to 20 years that educators have not only integrated but systematised stories and storytelling as part of teaching and learning. Research has also been done - and continues to be - on the importance and usefulness of stories and storytelling in the classroom both for K-12 and adult learning, albeit more attention being centred on the former. However, with Adult and Lifelong Learning gaining prominence not only in academia but at the workplace as well, more research is needed on this very fertile area in order that it be further developed. The advent and proliferation of digitization (since the Age of the Internet began in the early 1990s) have also provided an added dimension and opportunity for teachers of adult learners to enhance their storytelling pedagogies.

This conversation is therefore a timely one, given that it falls under the auspices of a very exciting time in digitisation in/and Adult and Lifelong Learning Education. We look forward to discussing relevant issues and ideas; and no least, to learn from one another as to how we can utilize digital storytelling as pedagogy - regardless of, and across our individual disciplines.

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Panellists: Khoo Sim Eng, Lim Lily, C. Sangary and Sarah Chew

In this session, SUSS Award for Teaching Excellence 2020 recipients, Sim Eng and Lily will share with us on:

• Role of an instructor in the online class
• Challenges they encountered as instructors during the transition to online teaching
• Resources for online teaching
• Online teaching strategies and what worked for them
• Suggestions to improve the learning experience for students

Along with the award recipients are students, C. Sangary and Sarah Chew, who will share with us their experience with online learning.

Reflection Questions

What are some of your takeaways from this In-Conversation Session? Here are several reflection questions to guide you as you review the recording:

1. What are some teaching strategies that you adopted for your online class, which were different from what you used to practice in the physical class?
2. What are some challenges you encountered when teaching online, and how did you navigate/ overcome them?
3. Are there new strategies/ tips on engaging students in an online class, that you picked up from our Panellists? What are they, and how do you intend to incorporate the new practice(s) in your online teaching?

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Speakers: Lee Wee Chee, Daniel Seah, and Amy Wong

Have you wondered how online teaching has been conducted by our peers during this COVID-19 period? Will their experiences be similar to yours? In this T&L conversation, the speakers will share with us their experiences of teaching online, and the learning points they have gleaned from them.

Specifically, Wee Chee will speak about how IAL tweaked their programmes to support online teaching to protect learning and assessment experiences.

Daniel will share how he structured his lessons, and extol the merits of unpacking online teaching into bite-size chunks, suited for working adults who lack a conducive learning environment at home.

Amy will share her experiences of teaching two different groups of students, namely one who chose to enroll into an online course while the other was "pushed" to do online learning due to the circuit breaker.

The speakers will also share their views on how they will incorporate online learning into their teaching post COVID-19.

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