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Background: Recognizing the declining interest of school students in Physics, this study sought to explore the situation in England, Hong Kong and Singapore. Purpose: To ascertain students' views about various aspects of physics. Sample: A total of 2719 students participated in this study. Design and methods: A survey approach was used to ascertain the views of students. It was earlier validated in one of the countries. The Rasch model was used to treat the survey data. Results: On the utilitarian factor, the students from Hong Kong and Singapore held significantly negative attitudes towards career prospects for physics graduates. To them, obtaining a degree in physics would not, as compared to other subjects, appreciably assist them vocationally, which was in contrast to the view held by the students in England. On the intrinsic factor, while the students from all three countries found physics to be interesting, it did not appear to significantly motivate them to want to continue with physics at tertiary level. Nevertheless, they asserted that good grades do motivate them to study physics. On the social aspect, the students from the three countries endorsed significantly positively on the influence of their physics teachers in inspiring them to study physics, with the students from Singapore and Hong Kong endorsing slightly higher agreement. The former group also reported that their close friends generally think that physics is 'uncool' while those from England felt otherwise. Students' views were similar in terms of parental influence, with parents significantly discouraging them from studying physics at tertiary level. They did not exhibit significantly different views on subject matter. Enrichment activities and laboratory work were important to them in nurturing and maintaining interest in physics Conclusion: The survey data has provided useful insights on students' views of various aspects of Physics in the three countries.

Purpose: Singapore's education system is known for its robust curriculum and excellent results. It is also a system of keen competitiveness and high pressure. This article addresses how such an education system responds to the issue of student well-being. Design/Approach/Methods: This article analyses the recent initiatives and shift in education philosophy in Singapore's education system, which have a bearing on the issue of student well-being. Findings: This article argues that while there are direct efforts to address student well-being, the direction Singapore is taking is to pursue a holistic education paradigm, in which education is engaging, joyful, meaningful, and values-based. This article also argues that such a paradigm goes beyond the current well-being agenda and is aligned with a view that education should be about wholeness and purpose. While there are challenges associated with these changes, the Singapore experience suggests that the more we focus on holistic education, rather than interpret student well-being narrowly, the more wellness the students may actually and eventually experience. Originality/Value: This article brings to readers learning points from Singapore regarding student well-being, as the country grapples with change to develop a generation of young people, whose "beings" are and will continue to be "well."

This study investigated how teacher mastery goals and self-efficacy mediate the relationship between transformational leadership and teacher outcomes (work engagement, engagement in professional learning, job satisfaction, and intention to quit). A sample of teachers in Singapore (n = 495) completed an online questionnaire. We conducted path analysis to test the hypothesized model based on person measures obtained in Rasch analysis. We found that transformational leadership was associated positively with teacher mastery goals and self-efficacy, both of which partially mediated the relationship between transformational leadership and teacher outcomes. The findings enhance our understanding of the motivational mechanism between transformational leadership and teacher outcomes.

Why people are drawn to teaching has been a focal research area. However, previous studies seem to centre on the traditional conceptualisations of intrinsic, altruistic, and extrinsic motivations as well as some other similar categorisations. This study attempts to discuss the issue from a different conceptual stance, proposing a distinction between the "triggers" and the "drivers". The influences on the motivation for joining teaching were explored through in-depth interviews with 26 student teachers. Results show that student teachers' motivations for joining teaching in Singapore may differ in important ways from that of their counterparts in other places. More importantly, the results highlighted differences between "triggers" and "drivers" as well as the inter-relatedness between them. Some practical implications are drawn for teacher education both within Singapore and internationally.

The COVID-19 pandemic has caused great disruption in schooling around the world. This has triggered me to reflect on educational change in Singapore and some related issues the pandemic has raised. Using "Timely Change, Timeless Constants" as an organizing framework, this paper examines the educational changes that are happening in Singapore and amidst such changes, the timeless constants that should be affirmed. In particular, the move towards a blended learning approach needs to help students develop the capacity for independent learning, not just replicate classroom teaching in the virtual medium. Also, despite needing to adapt very quickly to the pandemic, Singapore should continue to build its education system in a balanced and steady manner, reaffirming the important roles that school leaders, teachers and schools play in the society. Some of these points are applicable to other parts of the world.

Background: Recognizing the declining interest of school students in Physics, this study sought to explore the situation in England, Hong Kong and Singapore. Purpose: To ascertain students' views about various aspects of physics. Sample: A total of 2719 students participated in this study. Design and methods: A survey approach was used to ascertain the views of students. It was earlier validated in one of the countries. The Rasch model was used to treat the survey data. Results: On the utilitarian factor, the students from Hong Kong and Singapore held significantly negative attitudes towards career prospects for physics graduates. To them, obtaining a degree in physics would not, as compared to other subjects, appreciably assist them vocationally, which was in contrast to the view held by the students in England. On the intrinsic factor, while the students from all three countries found physics to be interesting, it did not appear to significantly motivate them to want to continue with physics at tertiary level. Nevertheless, they asserted that good grades do motivate them to study physics. On the social aspect, the students from the three countries endorsed significantly positively on the influence of their physics teachers in inspiring them to study physics, with the students from Singapore and Hong Kong endorsing slightly higher agreement. The former group also reported that their close friends generally think that physics is 'uncool' while those from England felt otherwise. Students' views were similar in terms of parental influence, with parents significantly discouraging them from studying physics at tertiary level. They did not exhibit significantly different views on subject matter. Enrichment activities and laboratory work were important to them in nurturing and maintaining interest in physics Conclusion: The survey data has provided useful insights on students' views of various aspects of Physics in the three countries. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In today's world, teaching and learning processes inevitably involve the application of information and communication technology (ICT). It seems reasonable to expect personal attributes such as cognitive playfulness to be associated with consistent application of ICT. Using survey responses from Singapore students in a teacher education programme (n = 450), structural equation modelling (SEM) found that the effect of cognitive playfulness on the perceived importance of ICT was mediated by risk taking orientation, but the mediation effect was not observed with perceived competence in ICT use. Academic self-concept had negligible relation with the two ICT variables. As personal attributes may not be malleable whereas risk taking orientation can be nurtured, the mediating role of risk taking implies a useful direction for teacher education to enhance student teachers' risk taking attitudes for promoting the application of modern technologies as pedagogical tools in schools.

There was no literature on online counselling with Asian primary school children, and the aim of this exploratory qualitative study was to contribute to the literature by providing information on the online Live Chat counselling experiences of 23 primary school children in Singapore. Eight themes and three sub-themes themes in four categories emerged from the data. The children were motivated to seek help for their problems, and they enjoyed good therapeutic alliances with their counsellors, whom they described as trustworthy and supportive of their emotional and practical needs. They found the online counselling experience helpful because they were able to obtain solutions to their problems. We are able to conclude that online counselling with primary school children has utility in the Singapore context.

In Singapore, an ageing population with increasing chronic disease burden and complex social circumstances have strained the healthcare system. For the health system to run more efficiently, patients should be appropriately sited according to their medical needs. In Singapore, community hospitals serve as an intermediate inpatient facility managing patients with sub-acute and rehabilitation care needs. Our policy brief uncovers the gaps in transforming community hospital care models and offers actionable steps to unlock the community hospital chokepoints in Singapore's health system. The future community hospitals can accommodate higher acuity but medically stable patients, while patients who do not require inpatient rehabilitation care can be appropriately sited to community partners, if policy, resourcing and technology factors are addressed. An evidence-based, stepwise approach involving all stakeholders will be required to pilot and evaluate new models before large-scale change. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Simple Summary: The management of the axilla for post-mastectomy breast cancer patients who develop a chest wall recurrence (CWR) remains to be established. This study aimed to determine if omitting axillary staging surgery for these patients resulted in an increased risk of second recurrence. A total of 194 patients with CWR, with a median follow-up of 59.5 (IQR 27.3–105) months, were analysed. There was no statistically significant difference in second recurrences between patients with or without axillary surgery during the excision of the CWR. Background: The management of the axilla in breast cancer patients with isolated chest wall recurrence (CWR) after mastectomy remains controversial. Although sentinel lymph node biopsy (SLNB) for restaging is feasible, its role is unclear. We aimed to determine if the omission of axillary restaging surgery in female patients with operable presumably isolated CWRs could result in an increased risk of second recurrences. Methods: In this retrospective multicentre study, patients who developed CWRs were reviewed. We excluded patients with suspected or concomitant regional/distant metastases, bilateral cancers and patients without CWR surgery. Patients' demographics, pathological data and subsequent recurrences were collected from a prospective database and were compared between patients with axillary lymph node dissection (ALND) and/or SLNB versus no axillary operation at CWR. Findings: A total of 194 patients with CWRs were eligible. The median age at CWR was 56.0 (IQR 47.0–67.0) years old. At recurrence, 8 (4.1%), 5 (2.6%) and 181 (93.3%) patients had ALND, SLNB and no axillary operation, respectively. Patients with no axillary surgery during CWR were associated with, at primary cancer, a lower incidence of ductal carcinoma in situ as diagnosis (p = 0.007) and older age (p = 0.022). Subsequent ipsilateral axillary (p = 0.768) and second recurrences (p = 0.061) were not statistically different between patients with and without axillary surgery at CWR on median follow-up of 59.5 (IQR 27.3–105) months. Interpretation: In patients without evidence of concomitant regional or distant metastasis at CWR diagnosis, omission of axillary restaging surgery was not associated with an increased ipsilateral axillary or second recurrences on long-term follow-up. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Introduction: Given that mental illness stigma is a common occurrence amongst people with mental illness and caregivers (CGs) can be a potential victim of stigma themselves, there is a need to examine caregivers' perspective on the phenomenon. This study is part of a larger study which aims to qualitatively examine the concept of mental illness stigma amongst different stakeholders in Singapore. Methods: Focus group discussions (FGDs) were conducted amongst 21 informal caregivers to explore the experience of stigma encountered by them and their care recipients, and how it may implicate their caregiving experience. Both inductive and deductive thematic analyses were employed to analyze the data. Results: Three overarching themes of stigma encounters that may have implication on caregiving experience were identified: 1) Stigma within the family; 2) Structural stigma; and 3) Stigma by association. Experience of stigma within family (e.g., social exclusion and lack of understanding) limits the caregiving supports available to CGs. CGs also took up a mediating role between their care recipients and other family who may hold stigmatizing views. Witnessing their care recipients being subjected to structural disadvantages (e.g., employment, school, and mandatory conscription) can induce emotional stresses amongst CGs and motivate them to protest and seek redress on their behalf. Furthermore, encounters of stigma themselves (e.g., being judged or blamed for their loved one's condition) also led to feelings of guilt and self-blame amongst the CGs. Discussion: These findings can aid the formulation of interventions in informing CGs on what to expect on their caregiving journey and supporting them in dealing with issues relating to stigma and highlight the importance of anti-stigma efforts in organizational settings such as schools, corporations, and government agencies. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Introduction: Paroxysmal nocturnal haemoglobinuria (PNH) is a rare haematologic disease characterised by intravascular haemolysis, thrombophilia and bone marrow failure. There is a lack of established clinical guidance on the screening, diagnosis and management of PNH in Singapore. A relatively low level of awareness among healthcare professionals regarding PNH manifestations further contributes to diagnostic delays. Additionally, limited access to complement inhibitors, like eculizumab, may delay treatment and impact patient outcomes. Method: Nine haematologists from different institutions in Singapore convened to formulate evidence- based consensus recommendations for optimising the diagnosis and management of patients with PNH and improving access to novel treatments. The experts reviewed the existing literature and international guidelines published from January 2010 to July 2023, focusing on 7 clinical questions spanning PNH screening, diagnostic criteria, investigations, treatment and monitoring of subclinical and classic disease, PNH with underlying bone marrow disorders, and PNH in pregnancy. A total of 181 papers were reviewed to formulate the statements. All experts voted on the statements via 2 rounds of Delphi and convened for an expert panel discussion to finetune the recommendations. Results: Sixteen statements have been formulated for optimising the screening, diagnosis and management of PNH. Upon confirmation of PNH diagnosis, individuals with active haemolysis and/or thrombosis should be considered for anti-complement therapy, with eculizumab being the only approved drug in Singapore. Conclusion: The current recommendations aim to guide the clinicians in optimising the screening, diagnosis and management of PNH in Singapore. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

While teacher retention is a pressing issue for many jurisdictions, Singapore has a relatively low teacher attrition rate. Drawing on the experiences of student teachers from the sole institute for pre-service teacher education in Singapore, this article argues that it is important to expose teacher candidates to a substantial period of school experience as part of the teacher recruitment process. Before they are officially enrolled into pre-service teacher education, the Ministry of Education in Singapore requires all teacher candidates in the Postgraduate Diploma of Education program to go through a compulsory school stint. The authors' research findings show that this exposure to the realities and complexities of teaching can be an important contributor to teacher retention in terms of assessing and promoting teacher candidates' resilient qualities, such as "passion for teaching," "self-efficacy beliefs," and "positive emotion." In other words, early field experiences can help teacher candidates understand themselves as teachers and assess their own suitability for a teaching career. This study sheds new light on the policies and practices of teacher retention and teacher recruitment strategies.

We report here on a comparative study of middle school students' attitudes towards science involving three countries: England, Singapore and the U.S.A. Complete attitudinal data sets from TIMSS (Trends in International Mathematics and Science Study) 2011 were used, thus giving a very large sample size (N = 20,246), compared to other studies in the journal literature. The Rasch model was used to analyse the data, and the findings have shed some useful light on not only how the Western and Asian students responded on a comparative basis in the various scales related to attitudes but also on the validity, reliability, and unidimensionality of the attitudes instrument used in TIMSS 2011. There may be a need for TIMSS test developers to consider doing away with negatively phrased items in the attitudes instrument and phrasing these positively as the Rasch framework shows that response bias is associated with these statements.

This cross-cultural study, utilizing a structured instructional behavior rating form, examined distinguishing and comparable teaching practices in secondary gifted classrooms in Singapore and the United States. Teachers from Singapore (n = 67) and teachers from the United States (n = 33) in 5 subject domains including math, science, English, social studies, and second language were observed. The study showed that Singapore teachers demonstrated a higher level of effectiveness than American teachers in both general teacher behaviors and differentiation strategies. The level of instructional effectiveness appeared to be positively related to the number of years of teaching experience and training in differentiation practices for the gifted. (Contains 1 figure, 5 tables and 2 end notes.)

The Singaporean education system is undergoing many changes in order to develop schools and nation which cultivate learning and education. A crucial success factor to these initiatives is the teacher. Singapore needs reflective teachers who can continually reflect upon their own practices to find better ways of teaching as well as maintain their purpose and direction amid a sea of changes. This article describes attempts during the years of 2002 to 2004 to develop trainee teachers into more reflective teachers at the National Institute of Education (NIE), focusing specifically on the experience of two revamped pre-service teacher education modules. The experience suggests that a social constructivist approach, in which trainee teachers discuss and debate critical issues impinging on their professional practice, is more successful than the traditional "tell and regurgitate" approach, in developing reflective teachers.

Background: It is known that many surgeons encounter intraoperative adverse events which can result in Second Victim Syndrome (SVS), with significant detriment to their emotional and physical health. There is, however, a paucity of Asian studies in this space. The present study thus aimed to explore the degree to which the experience of an adverse event is common among surgeons in Singapore, as well as its impact, and factors affecting their responses and perceived support systems. Methods: A self-administered survey was sent to surgeons at four large tertiary hospitals. The 42-item questionnaire used a systematic closed and open approach, to assess: Personal experience with intraoperative adverse events, emotional, psychological and physical impact of these events and perceived support systems. Results: The response rate was 57.5% (n = 196). Most respondents were male (54.8%), between 35 and 44 years old, and holding the senior consultant position. In the past 12 months alone, 68.9% recalled an adverse event. The emotional impact was significant, including sadness (63.1%), guilt (53.1%) and anxiety (45.4%). Speaking to colleagues was the most helpful support source (66.7%) and almost all surgeons did not receive counselling (93.3%), with the majority deeming it unnecessary (72.2%). Notably, 68.1% of the surgeons had positive takeaways, gaining new insight and improving vigilance towards errors. Both gender and surgeon experience did not affect the likelihood of errors and emotional impact, but more experienced surgeons were less likely to have positive takeaways (p = 0.035). Individuals may become advocates for patient safety, while simultaneously championing the cause of psychological support for others. Conclusions: Intraoperative adverse events are prevalent and its emotional impact is significant, regardless of the surgeon's experience or gender. While colleagues and peer discussions are a pillar of support, healthcare institutions should do more to address the impact and ensuing consequences. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Vitamin D plays an essential role in bone and mineral metabolism. There is increased interest in understanding prevalence of Vitamin D deficiency in pregnancy as many studies report association of low vitamin D levels with obstetric complications and neonatal sequelae. There is a paucity of studies in Singapore evaluating levels of vitamin D levels during the first trimester of pregnancies. We aim to study the prevalence of vitamin D insufficiency in this population. Our study assessed vitamin D levels in these women. Vitamin D (Plasma 25(OH)D concentration) levels in multiracial women during the first trimester were collected via venepuncture at their booking antenatal visit. They were stratified into sufficient ≥30ng/ml, insufficient ≥20ng/ml and <30ng/ml, moderately deficient ≥10ng/ml and <20ng/ml and severely deficient <10ng/ml. 93 women were included in this study. Only 2.2% of our study population had sufficient vitamin D levels. In women who had insufficient levels, the heavier the weight, the more likely to be vitamin D deficient. Interestingly, we also note that the older the patient, the less likely they are to be deficient. In women with periconceptual multivitamin supplementation, the average vitamin D level for those with supplementation was 2.10ng/ml higher than those without. Majority of patients were recruited from a single study member's patient pool who were mostly Chinese. Prevalence of Vitamin D deficiency in general obstetric patients with higher BMI and darker skinned patients may be even lower in Singapore. The high prevalence of Vitamin D insufficiency in our patients prove that it is a prominent problem in our population. We aim to implement screening of vitamin D levels as part of antenatal investigations in the first trimester and recommend supplementation as required. We also hope to evaluate the association of low vitamin D levels with obstetric or neonatal complications further understanding its implications. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Students' attitude towards science (SAS) is often a subject of investigation in science education research. Survey of rating scale is commonly used in the study of SAS. The present study illustrates how Rasch analysis can be used to provide psychometric information of SAS rating scales. The analyses were conducted on a 20-item SAS scale used in an existing dataset of "The Trends in International Mathematics and Science Study" (TIMSS) (2011). Data of all the eight-grade participants from Hong Kong and Singapore (N = 9942) were retrieved for analyses. Additional insights from Rasch analysis that are not commonly available from conventional test and item analyses were discussed, such as invariance measurement of SAS, unidimensionality of SAS construct, optimum utilization of SAS rating categories, and item difficulty hierarchy in the SAS scale. Recommendations on how TIMSS items on the measurement of SAS can be better designed were discussed. The study also highlights the importance of using Rasch estimates for statistical parametric tests (e.g. ANOVA, t-test) that are common in science education research for group comparisons.

Introduction: In 2022, the Minister for Health of Singapore launched Healthier SG, a national strategy in championing the shift towards a population health approach. Method: The Singapore Heart Foundation conducted a series of roundtable discussions, also attended by representatives of the Singapore Cardiac Society and the Chapter of Cardiologists of the Academy of Medicine Singapore. During the meetings, the authors formulated interventions supportive of Healthier SG that specifically aimed to uplift the state of cardiovascular (CV) preventive care in Singapore. Results: In line with Healthier SG, the authors propose a 3-pronged approach ("Healthier Heart SG") to augment the success of Healthier SG in achieving good CV outcomes. This proposal includes the following components: (1) a call to update the standards of care in addressing the 5 main modifiable risk factors of cardiovascular disease (CVD); (2) patient education through cooperation between healthcare professionals and community partners for a whole-of-system approach; and (3) support for integrated care, including access to cardiac rehabilitation in the community, improved referral processes and access to nutrition/dietetics counselling and tobacco cessation, optimal use of information technology, and continued CV research. Conclusion: Healthier Heart SG would bring the standards of care and CV care delivery in Singapore closer to achieving the vision of proactive prevention of CVD and CV morbidity and mortality. This can only be achieved through the concerted efforts of healthcare professionals, policymakers and community partners, coupled with the cooperation of community members. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The field of positive psychology has identified brief interventions that increase individuals' well-being and decrease depressive symptoms. An example is the best possible self (BPS) activity. It is a writing exercise that asks participants to project themselves into the future, and imagine they have met all their goals in every domain of their life. The first objective of this study was to examine the effectiveness of BPS in increasing subjective well-being of youths in an Asian context. 191 participants were recruited from an institute of higher learning in Singapore. Classes were randomly assigned to either the experimental or control group. The experimental group was given instructions for the BPS intervention while the control group was asked to write about their past week. Participants completed two sessions that were 1 month apart. Results indicated that for the first session, the experimental group exhibited a significantly larger decrease in negative affect compared to the control group. Analyses of change scores indicated that changes in positive affect were related to changes in optimism scores whereas changes in negative affect were related to changes in life satisfaction and depressive symptoms. Implications of the findings are discussed.

This paper presents the findings of an exploratory research project that examines what aspiring principals in Singapore think a good principal is, based on a framework of personal, interpersonal, and organizational dimensions of school leadership. According to the findings, a good principal has a moral purpose centered on personal values, a humble disposition, and exudes wisdom. He or she exhibits excellent relational skills, engages in people development, and develops trust among staff. He or she also develops a positive school culture for teaching and learning, builds fruitful relationships with stakeholders, and manages complex issues competently. The findings also suggest that the idea of a good principal is more about who the person is and what he or she stands for, rather than what he or she is capable of. Moreover, while Singapore principals are capable of making hard-nosed decisions and delivering results, they are actually motivated by the ideals of education. This study offers some empirical evidence of the attributes of a "good" principal in the Singapore context.

The rise of interest in the learning organization (LO) concept attests to the value of learning by individuals and organizations for continuous improvement and adaptability to the ever-changing environment. Although the LO concept originated from business contexts, it was subsequently extended to educational organizations, particularly to schools. This paper presents research on the way LO is practised by a school in Singapore that subscribes to the LO philosophy. Using Ortenblad's four integrated LO aspects (organizational learning, learning at work, learning climate and learning structure) as a framework of analysis, the research shows that the school practises the four aspects in a way that is unique to its school context, but that wider cultural factors have to be taken into account when interpreting LO in an Asian school context.

This paper presents the findings of a research project that examines how middle leaders in Singapore schools understand "quality education" and how they think quality education can be achieved. From the perspective of these middle leaders, quality education emphasises holistic development, equips students with the knowledge and skills for the future, inculcates students with the right values and imbues students with a positive learning attitude. Quality education is delivered by good teachers, enabled by good teaching and learning processes and facilitated by a conducive learning environment. The challenge of achieving quality education is to find the balance between lofty ideals and ground realities. One critical implication of the research findings is that policymakers should appeal to the ideals of practitioners to drive change.

In this article, we examine quality teachers through teacher leadership development. Using Singapore as an illustrative case, we describe the redefinition of the teaching profession to include deliberate structures and multiple pathways designed to nurture teacher leaders, and the role of teacher leaders in supporting education reform. We go on to outline possible lessons or principles that could be educative to other systems regardless of local context or particulars. We end with reflections about the priorities that should be focal in the continuing quest for educational excellence--and equity--whether in Singapore or elsewhere in the world.

This paper presents the results of an exploratory research project about the perception of aspiring principals regarding the challenges of beginning principals and the support that they need. These aspiring principals are participants on the Leaders in Education Programme (LEP) in Singapore. According to the research findings, the LEP participants perceived that the main challenges they were likely to face if and when appointed as principals would be adapting to a new environment and role; working with staff and other stakeholders; and meeting the expectations of others while trying to live true to one's values. The support they felt they would need as beginning principals was a network of professional peers; guidance from an experienced mentor; and access to the expertise of academics and continuous professional development platforms. Interestingly, while Singapore appears to have a reputation for a focus on examination results and quality assurance measures, the participants hardly mentioned any challenges or need for support in these areas. The paper calls for a greater level of understanding and support for beginning principals in doing an increasingly demanding job in a highly complex environment.

This study explored an under-researched area in science education--the university programmes preferred by high school students who take physical science subjects and the reasons that matter in their preferences. A total of 1,071 upper secondary and pre-university students in Singapore, who take physical science subjects among their range of subjects, participated in this study. A survey method was adopted and the Rasch model was used to analyse the data. Overall, Business Studies was ranked as the predominant choice; nonetheless, scientific programmes such as Science, Engineering, and Mathematics are generally still well liked by the students. When gender differences were examined, we found that students largely followed gender-typical programme preferences, in which males tend to incline towards Engineering while females tend to incline towards Arts and Social Sciences. Students prefer a university programme based on their individual interest and ability, with career aspiration and remuneration coming next. Interestingly, females place greater emphasis on career aspiration than males. Some implications of the study are discussed.

This study investigated the relationships of students' incremental beliefs of math ability to their achievement emotions, classroom engagement and math achievement. A sample of 273 secondary students in Singapore were administered measures of incremental beliefs of math ability, math enjoyment, pride, boredom and anxiety, as well as math classroom attention and disruption. In addition, students' end-of-year math achievement scores were collected from school records. The hypothesised mediation model was supported in structural equation modelling analysis. Incremental beliefs of math ability were associated positively with math enjoyment and pride, and negatively with math boredom and anxiety. Achievement emotions fully mediated the relationships of incremental beliefs of math ability to classroom engagement and math achievement. Incremental beliefs of math ability were associated positively with classroom attention through math enjoyment and pride, negatively with classroom disruption through math anxiety and positively with math achievement through the two outcome-related emotions, math pride and anxiety. The findings and implications are discussed in the academic context of Singapore.

This article reports a case of Hantavirus haemorrhagic fever and renal syndrome (HFRS) caused by the Hantaan virus in Singapore. The patient, a 59-year-old Malaysian man, presented with fever, myalgia, confusion, and unsteady gait. Although he had no history of direct rodent exposure, he reported consuming cow urine during his travels to a rural area in Malaysia. The patient's serum was tested and found to be reactive for Hantaan virus antibodies. Hantavirus infections are rarely reported in Singapore and Malaysia, but underdiagnosis may be possible due to the challenges in testing. The mainstay of treatment for HFRS is supportive care. [Extracted from the article]

The tiny, multicultural nation of Singapore has a long history of provisions for gifted students. Beliefs about ability and talent development are strongly influenced by traditional Confucian perspectives that view environmental factors as dominant in the development of talent. Early identification is not stressed and working hard is emphasized at home and school. Like many other countries, Singapore has been broadening its conceptions of giftedness and diversifying its talent development efforts in recent years. The government has recently announced its vision to achieve global recognition and leadership for outstanding accomplishment in the arts and sports and continues its unwavering pursuit of global leadership in science and technology. Here we describe the various ways this broadening and diversification is reflected in programming, instruction, and research in gifted education.

School accountability is such a familiar concept in many education systems that questions about what it actually means and entails are rather uncommon, especially to busy practitioners on the ground. This paper reports a research that examines each of the questions of what and to whom Singapore schools are accountable, from the point of practitioners holding leadership positions in Singapore schools. This research was a qualitative study with a sample of 36 vice-principals. This analysis was enriched and interpreted with a literature-based discussion, which pointed out the implications of the research findings. According to the findings, the participants felt that Singapore schools were accountable for students' holistic development; site, funding and staff management; national survival and nation building; and humanity and the future. Singapore schools were accountable to students, parents, country and citizens, and themselves. Interestingly, for a system that was reputed for its academic achievement, none of the participants mentioned examination results directly but referred to the importance of holistic education. The findings also suggested an inseparability of the concepts "accountability" and "responsibility" in the participants' minds.

In times of uncertainty, university faculties have a duty to prepare school leaders to handle complexity, as the number of variables in the educational system and the interactivity of variables increase exponentially. The Leaders in Education Program (LEP) is a 6-month full-time program at the Singapore National Institute of Education (NIE, which is a part of Nanyang Technological University). The LEP aims to prepare especially selected vice-principals and ministry officers in Singapore for school leadership. The LEP is a collaborative effort between the NIE and the Ministry of Education, an example of a university-government partnership in program development. This article describes the efforts of the LEP in developing the ability of school leaders to deal with complexity. It also examines in detail one particular component of the LEP, the Creative Action Project, to illustrate how this is done in practice, and analyzes the views of participants on their learning through the project.

Lifelong learning is now a recurring topic in national human resource, employment, entrepreneurship and educational reform discourse. In Singapore, the government urges citizens to be lifelong learners to enhance their employability and reminds them that lifelong learning is a survival strategy for the country. This paper presents and analyses Singapore's rhetoric and initiatives on lifelong learning using an adaptation of Power and Maclean's framework of lifelong learning, consisting of the following aspects: a basic human right for individual development and empowerment; a means to better employment prospects and higher income; a strategy for poverty alleviation or closing income gaps; an enabler for social benefits such as higher productivity and social capital; and a "master key" for the achievement of national vision. The paper argues that while there are a considerable number of lifelong learning activities in the country, there is also a degree of eclecticism in its rhetoric and practice.

Asian students often perform well in international science and mathematics assessments. Their attitude toward technical subjects, such as physics, remains curious for many. The present study examines Singapore school students' views on various aspects of physics according to whether they intend to choose physics as an advanced field of study. A sample of 1076 physics students, from 16 secondary schools and junior colleges, participated in this study. The students were categorized as physics choosers or non-choosers according to their indicated intention, as sought in the survey, to study or not to study physics as a major subject at university after their leaving level examinations. Rasch-anchored analysis was employed to interpret the results; the use of Rasch analysis has helped to overcome significantly the psychometric limitations inherent in the treatment of Likert scale type of data using traditional analysis. As expected, the image of physics as a difficult subject surfaced in the samples used in our study. The students recognized unequivocally the utilitarian value of physics: physics is said to enhance career options and is necessary for technological progress to occur in a country. They also showed high interest in school physics--this is so even for students who are not keen to study physics in the future, a finding which is at variance with other studies reported from Western countries. School physics is seen to be relevant, and physics teachers are viewed as being able to foster students' interest in physics. Laboratory work, enrichment activities, and physics textbooks were reported to be important in order to encourage students to like physics. Though the physics choosers showed greater intention in physics, they were generally not inclined to pursue physics-related careers after graduation. Parents and peers at school, on the other hand, are perceived to display unenthusiastic attitudes toward physics. Possible reasons for these are discussed along with the implications of the study. (Contains 8 tables and 4 figures.)

Using Singapore as an example, we argue that schools need to equip and encourage teachers to adopt authentic assessment in teaching and learning so as to develop the students' higher-order thinking. The importance of teaching and assessing higher-order thinking in Singapore classrooms is encapsulated in the vision of "Thinking Schools" launched by the Ministry of Education in 1997. Underpinning this vision is a shift from conventional assessment to authentic assessment. Unlike conventional paper-and-pencil tests that focus on knowledge reproduction and low-level cognitive processing skills in artificial, contrived contexts, authentic assessment tasks underscore knowledge construction, complex thinking, elaborated communication, collaboration and problem solving in authentic contexts. However, the creation of thinking schools in Singapore remains a constant challenge as many teachers tend to rely on conventional assessment and are often ill-prepared to implement authentic assessment. By presenting the findings from a recent empirical study, we propose that schools build teacher capacity by providing ongoing and sustained professional development on authentic assessment for teachers.