Teacher deliberation within the context of Singaporean curricular change: pre- and in-service PE teachers’ perceptions of outdoor education

ABSTRACT

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 curriculum. Findings revealed the teachers' prioritization of high elements and adventure activities within residential camps. Then, the teachers linked these ‘risky’ and ‘unfamiliar’ activities with transferrable learning outcomes, mostly in line with students' personal and social development. The more experienced teachers in the cohort tended to advocate that OE could be situated within local school and community environs. Yet, this envisioning of OE within a place-based learning model reflected limited understanding of this concept. We conclude by suggesting that curriculum designers and teacher educators should draw upon pre- and in-service PE teachers' perceptions of OE. It is imperative that these teachers' key concerns and beliefs, which currently structure their work in this recently formalized subject area, are used to contextualize the extensive curricular change and professional learning endeavors that are being implemented by the education ministry.

KEYWORDS:

• Outdoor education
• place-based learning
• Physical Education
• curriculum change
• teacher pedagogy

Acknowledgments

We would like to thank the teachers and seminar participants who generously contributed their knowledge to enrich our understandings of Outdoor Education in Singapore. We also express our gratitude to Dr. Susanna Ho, Ms. Chew Ting Ching, Dr. Jennifer Tan, Dr. Imelda Caleon and Mr. Tan Hong Boon for their valuable time, contributions and support to our inquiry process. We additionally want to thank the editors and the reviewers for their insightful remarks on this manuscript. This paper refers to data from the research project ‘Development of an Outdoor Education curriculum in Singapore through a “deliberative” perspective – Inclusion of the commonplace of the teacher’ (OER 43/12 MT), funded by the Education Research Funding Program, National Institute of Education (NIE), Nanyang Technological University, Singapore. The views expressed in this paper are solely those of the authors and do not necessarily represent the views of NIE or members of the Ministry of Education (MOE).

Disclosure statement

This paper refers to data from the research project ‘Development of an Outdoor Education curriculum in Singapore through a “deliberative” perspective - Inclusion of the commonplace of the teacher’ [OER 43/12 MT], funded by the Education Research Funding programme, National Institute of Education (NIE), Nanyang Technological University, Singapore. The views expressed in this paper are solely those of the authors and do not necessarily represent the views of NIE or the Ministry of Education in Singapore.

Notes

¹ In Singapore, both primary and secondary schools employ PE specialists that are charged with teaching OE.

² The National Institute of Education (NIE) is the only teacher education provider in Singapore.

Additional information

Funding

National Institute of Education (NIE), Nanyang Technological University, Singapore: Education Research Funding Program [Grant Number OER 43/12 MT].

Notes on contributors

Matthew Atencio

Dr. Matthew Atencio is an assistant professor of kinesiology in the College of Education and Allied Studies at California State University East Bay. His research and teaching involves examining curricular change policies and practices within the fields of Physical Education and Outdoor Education, as well as various practices associated with locally-based youth sport cultures.

Yuen Sze Michelle Tan

Dr. Yuen Sze Michelle Tan is an assistant professor in the Department of Curriculum and Pedagogy at the University of British Columbia, Canada. Her research interests include curriculum innovation and reform, collaborative teacher inquiry, and teacher professional development. She has published in the areas of teacher education, Outdoor Education, and science education.