At SUSS, learning goes beyond four walls, and for our Early Childhood Education and Social Work undergraduates, it went beyond Singapore, too! Last November, 52 students from SUSS and foreign education institutions in Vietnam and Indonesia came together virtually to participate in the second run of the Overseas Experience (Hybrid) Programme to learn about the Early Childhood landscape in the region.
Here was what they were up to during the ten-day programme:
Speakers from the two countries such as Little Em’s, an organisation under Global Embassy Vietnam and Universitas Indonesia, were invited to share their knowledge and experiences pertaining to Early Childhood Education. Little Em’s shared the ideas behind the famed ‘Reggio’s 100 Languages of Children’ and how it has been localised to the Vietnamese context.
Participants also embarked on virtual learning journeys to learn local cultural habits such as the Circle Culture in Vietnam and visited different cultural locations such as Bali and Kupang in Indonesia. Foreign participants also went on a learning journey about Singapore’s Kampong Glam and Riverside Walk to gain better understanding of our history.
Getting creative:
Participants used materials such as twigs, leaves, root vegetables and even kitchen sponges as print patterns!
Due to the hybrid nature of this programme, SUSS students attended most of the Indonesian sessions in-person at our SUSS campus. They created special batik stamps using kitchen sponges and root vegetables, and stamped prints on recycled clothing.
There were activities such as weaving of the Anyaman, creating the traditional Barong Mask (an Indonesian mythical beast) using coloured clay as well as learning and performing the Maumere dance in their groups!
A Balinese Experience: Participants, including facilitators, kneaded clay to complete the traditional Indonesian Barong Mask
The Masterpieces: Here are the final products of some of the participants’ batik prints (left) and Barong Masks (right)! Overall, participants learnt about the Early Childhood landscape in the region, how different preschools serve their community and the types of hands-on activities that teachers can plan to support children’s learning in Aesthetic and Creative Expressions.
Social Work students also benefited from this multi-disciplinary learning experience, as they can apply what they have learnt from the programme when they start working with families and children during their practicum or work attachments.
“The virtual programme is well-designed. I learnt a lot from the programme about early childhood education, Indonesian culture, and how to adapt the culture into learning activities. The atmosphere during the programme was also fun and full of enthusiasm. It was also exciting to meet new friends from Singapore. Definitely worth the time!” - Ranindya Sarah Bestari (Universitas Indonesia)
“I signed up because I was eager to gain more perspectives about the ECE landscape in other countries. It was exciting to learn about beliefs and practices that are similar to and different from the Singaporean context. Despite its virtual nature, the programme tapped on a variety of online platforms and hands-on experiences to deliver engaging and creative sessions aligned to its learning outcomes.
Through various heart-warming interactions with different individuals (i.e., speakers, locals, students from different disciplines), I discovered the value of the community in the success of any Early Childhood Education (ECE) programme. My greatest takeaway is definitely the conviction to tap on the assets of the local community when I commence my teaching career! I'm very grateful for the opportunity to participate in both runs!” - Lim Yong Ping (SUSS Early Childhood Education Year 3 Student)
Keep a lookout for the next run of the Overseas Experience Programme that will appear under the #CONVERGE programme series!
Check out our page for more programmes by SUSS’ Office of Global Programmes!