Polytechnic education in Singapore : an exploration of pedagogies for a polytechnic

• Main Author: Narayananayar, Vijayan
• Other Authors: Scaife, Jon A.
• Published: University of Sheffield 2017
• Subjects: 607.1
• Online Access: https://ethos.bl.uk/OrderDetails.do?uin=uk.bl.ethos.725323

Polytechnic education in Singapore is currently going through a watershed period. The redesign of economic development in Singapore is necessitating changes to many institutions and establishments within the county. Polytechnic education that nurtures 45% of each school-going cohort to be job-ready upon graduation is emerging as a critical player in these changes. The establishment of SkillsFuture Council and various national level reports with particular reference to polytechnic education are signposts of the watershed period. Polytechnics, with an astute focus on applied study orientation since their inception, have served the needs of the Singapore economy well. Over the past five decades, polytechnics have gained a reputation of preparing job-ready graduates for industry. Pedagogy plays a crucial role in the process of nurturing polytechnic graduates for the demands of the industry. However, the scarcity of published research on polytechnic education and pedagogies indicates a need for research in this area. Hence, my research is focused on reviewing current pedagogical practices and clarifying the developments required for the impending changes affecting polytechnic education in Singapore. Adopting a constructivist conceptual framework, the study sought evidence for Polytechnic pedagogical needs through interviews with staff, i.e. the key stakeholders. The principal findings from my study highlights a need: (i) for clarity of definition and the principles underpinning pedagogy for Polytechnic; (ii) to emphasise the role of constructivist principles in aiding future pedagogy development for the polytechnic; (iii) to prepare students for workplace learning; (iv) to do an in-depth profile of polytechnic students; (v) to renew the graduate profile of polytechnic graduates; and (vi) to encourage educational research and the establishment of professional learning communities within the polytechnic.