Role of Science Education in Role of Science Education in knowledge-based economy: knowledge-based economy:

Experiences from Experiences from

Singapore Singapore R. Subramaniam and Leo Tan Wee HinR. Subramaniam and Leo Tan Wee Hin

Singapore National Academy of ScienceSingapore National Academy of Science

Factors driving innovations Factors driving innovations in science education in science education

Globalization Globalization Information and Communication Information and Communication

Technologies Technologies Capitalism Capitalism DownsizingDownsizing OutsourcingOutsourcing Off-shoringOff-shoring New developments in science & New developments in science &

technology technology

Need for Innovations Need for Innovations

In knowledge-based economy, In knowledge-based economy, creativity, innovation, inventiveness creativity, innovation, inventiveness and entrepreneurship are crucial and entrepreneurship are crucial

Curricula need to prepare students to Curricula need to prepare students to be effective participants in new be effective participants in new economy economy

For a country to remain relevant in this For a country to remain relevant in this age of globalization, science curricula age of globalization, science curricula has to be internationally competitive has to be internationally competitive

Inquiry learning Inquiry learning

Learning of science has often little Learning of science has often little to do with the way science to do with the way science knowledge is created knowledge is created

Inquiry learning mirrors the way Inquiry learning mirrors the way scientists work, and so can be useful scientists work, and so can be useful in getting students to be interested in getting students to be interested in science in science

Institutional-based inquiry Institutional-based inquiry learning initiatives in learning initiatives in

Singapore Singapore Young Scientist Badge – primary students Young Scientist Badge – primary students

can get the requisite ‘I am a Young Scientist’ can get the requisite ‘I am a Young Scientist’ Badge in any of 15 disciplines by engaging in Badge in any of 15 disciplines by engaging in project work that entails completion of a set project work that entails completion of a set of investigative tasks of investigative tasks

Tan Kah Kee Young Inventor’s Award – Tan Kah Kee Young Inventor’s Award – annual event to ferret out inventions lurking annual event to ferret out inventions lurking in students’ mindsin students’ minds

Sony Creative Science Award – annual event Sony Creative Science Award – annual event to encourage primary students to invent toys to encourage primary students to invent toys based on scientific principles based on scientific principles

Young Scientist Activity Young Scientist Activity CardCard

Aeroponics Technology: Aeroponics Technology: Project-based inquiry Project-based inquiry

learninglearning Method of growing plants whereby roots are Method of growing plants whereby roots are

suspended in mid-air and sprayed with a fine suspended in mid-air and sprayed with a fine mist of nutrients mist of nutrients

Singapore has achieved landmark recognition Singapore has achieved landmark recognition in using this technology to grow crops in its in using this technology to grow crops in its land-scarce island under protected conditions land-scarce island under protected conditions using minimal water using minimal water

School-based projects on aeroponics help to School-based projects on aeroponics help to reinforce the point that ‘thinking out of the reinforce the point that ‘thinking out of the box’ can provide unorthodox solutions to box’ can provide unorthodox solutions to problems problems

Aeroponics Technology Aeroponics Technology (cont’d)(cont’d)

Sowing seeds of Sowing seeds of entrepreneurship among entrepreneurship among

students students Challenges of new economy Challenges of new economy

(i)(i) Because of globalization, downsizing, corporate Because of globalization, downsizing, corporate restructuring and outsourcing, jobs are taking restructuring and outsourcing, jobs are taking flightflight

(ii)(ii) Many jobs are moving up the value chain while Many jobs are moving up the value chain while scopes of other jobs are coalescing to create scopes of other jobs are coalescing to create less number of jobs less number of jobs

(iii)(iii) Jobs may not be that easy to get in the new Jobs may not be that easy to get in the new economy economy

Those who are creative, entrepreneurial and Those who are creative, entrepreneurial and inventive will ride the new wave in the economy inventive will ride the new wave in the economy

Inculcating Inculcating entrepreneurship and entrepreneurship and

research among students in research among students in Singapore Singapore

(a) Rise of student entrepreneurs(a) Rise of student entrepreneurs

(b) Setting up of research (b) Setting up of research laboratories in schools laboratories in schools

Student Businessmen!Student Businessmen!

DNA test kit developed by DNA test kit developed by students students

Orchid Hybridization ProgramOrchid Hybridization Program

Nurtures scientific temper and Nurtures scientific temper and technopreneurship among students technopreneurship among students

Trains teachers in simple genetic Trains teachers in simple genetic techniques firsttechniques first

Students then taught to create new Students then taught to create new strains of orchids strains of orchids

Rewards availableRewards available

Rewards in Orchid Rewards in Orchid Hybridization ProgrammeHybridization Programme

Students can register new strain of Students can register new strain of orchid at the Royal Horticultural Society orchid at the Royal Horticultural Society in London in London

Can name it after themselves Can name it after themselves Can name it after their school Can name it after their school Can sell it to orchid nurseries Can sell it to orchid nurseries Can auction it in order to raise funds for Can auction it in order to raise funds for

the school the school Can sell it to organizations wishing to Can sell it to organizations wishing to

boost their corporate identity further boost their corporate identity further

Orchid named after a Orchid named after a schoolschool

Research internships for Research internships for school students school students

National University of Singapore and National University of Singapore and Nanyang Technological University in Nanyang Technological University in Singapore represent a concentration of Singapore represent a concentration of talent and expertisetalent and expertise

Scientists are natural role models for Scientists are natural role models for science students science students

Two initiatives in place for school Two initiatives in place for school students to work with scientists on their students to work with scientists on their research: Science Research Programme research: Science Research Programme of NUS and Technology, Engineering & of NUS and Technology, Engineering & Research Programme of NTUResearch Programme of NTU

Summarizing comments Summarizing comments

Science education needs to prepare students to be Science education needs to prepare students to be active participants in new economy active participants in new economy

Nation building is very much dependent on having Nation building is very much dependent on having people with skills in science, mathematics and people with skills in science, mathematics and technology technology

Innovations in teaching and learning can stimulate the Innovations in teaching and learning can stimulate the mind and promote interest in the sciencesmind and promote interest in the sciences

Science offers immense opportunities to create new Science offers immense opportunities to create new products and ideas which can provide a country an products and ideas which can provide a country an economic advantageeconomic advantage

In the knowledge-based economy, people with ideas, In the knowledge-based economy, people with ideas, those who can create new products, and those who are those who can create new products, and those who are entrepreneurial will help their countries to move entrepreneurial will help their countries to move forwardforward