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National tests, an influential assessment practice in many countries in East Asia, are often blamed as obstacles to good instructional practices. In this paper, the positive impact of assessment, national tests in particular, is discussed using the case of Singapore. The first part of the paper includes an analysis of items from the primary grade national test. It is found that there is a significant emphasis on visualization, number sense, communication and metacognition, and an emerging emphasis on patterning. The impact of allowing students to use calculators in the national test is also discussed. The second part of the paper focuses on the impact of this emphasis on classroom instruction, textbook materials and professional development of teachers. This paper aims to show that, instead of being an obstacle to good instructional practices that develop mathematical thinking, large-scale assessment such as national tests can be the catalyst. (Contains 2 tables and 6 figures.)

Illustrates a modeling approach used by Singapore educators to teach mathematical skills and concepts in a problem-solving environment. (Contains 11 references.) (YDS)

Discusses computer mediated communication in education and reports findings from a study of a teacher training program in Singapore that examined the quality of message ideas, thinking, and interaction in an asynchronous CMC environment. Topics include participation and quantity of individual messages; interaction with peers and lecturers; and thinking and information processing. (Author/LRW)

Purpose: This study aims to show how best practices and baseline surveys influence the development of the audit committees (ACs) in Singapore Listed Companies over the period from 2008 to 2019. Design/methodology/approach: This is a descriptive study of the evolution of the composition and attributes of ACs through data collected from the annual reports of listed companies in Singapore for the period from 2008 to 2019. It analyzes the development of the ACs arising from the best practices in the market and disclosures on ACs over this period. Findings: The results show positive developments in the composition and attributes of ACs as advocated by best practices in the market which are derived from the Singapore Code of Corporate Governance and various studies on the roles and functions of effective ACs. The study also shows that disclosing the extent of compliance of the ACs to best practices helps them to progress. It clearly shows that progressive ACs are influenced by both best practices in the market and disclosure requirements. Practical implications: This study is important for regulation and policy promulgation on ACs to support a well-functioning capital market. This paper strongly encourages capital markets to embark on such baseline surveys to allow them to have a better understanding of the state of the ACs of their listed companies. Originality/value: This is an original descriptive study that provides evidence on the development of ACs over time to converge toward market best practices on ACs. Disclosure of the state of compliance to best practices is a powerful force for progression. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

We used microsatellite markers to characterize the population structure of Coptotermes gestroi (Wasmann), an economically important termite species in the tropics. Eighty-five colonies were sampled from seven countries (Malaysia, Thailand, Singapore, Indonesia, the Philippines, Taiwan, and the United States [Hawaii]). Ten to 20 workers per colony were genotyped using eight variable microsatellite loci. STRUCTURE analysis partitioned the 13 spatially separated populations into four clusters. Individuals in the Peninsular Malaysia and Singapore population groups displayed admixture clusters. There was low genetic differentiation (FST = 0.073) among the Peninsular Malaysia populations, suggesting moderate gene flow among them. Comparatively, there was moderate genetic differentiation (FST = 0.192) and positive correlation between genetic distance and geographic distance among all of the 13 putative populations studied, which suggests limited gene flow among them. There was no significant isolation by distance within the three largest populations (Penang, Kuala Lumpur, and Singapore), presumably because humans aid the dispersal and fragmentation of colonies in these cities. However, significant isolation by distance was found in introduced populations (Taiwan). Population structure analysis demonstrated that C. gestroi populations in Taiwan were likely introduced from the Philippines. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This article reports on the generalisation strategies used by students in a grade five class in an elementary school in Singapore and the factors that seemed to influence the use of these strategies. Each student completed a novel task that required generalisation after which they were interviewed. The findings indicated that the students were using strategies that had been reported in the literature. However, this study was able to provide further understanding into factors that influence generalisation strategy use, which included: (1) the ability to see structures and relationships; (2) prior knowledge; (3) metacognitive strategies; (4) critical-thinking strategies; (5) the use of organizing heuristics such as a table; (6) the use of simplifying heuristics such as trying out simpler cases; (7) task familiarity; and (8) technology. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Focuses on the media laws in Singapore, where its government has been described by the Western media as having a rather poor record for press freedom. Relationship between the press and government; Notion of an adversarial relationship as proper and necessary for a free press; Suggestion that the principal of duty underlies the legitimacy of the government's stance and its rationale behind the policy for the emergence of an accommodating press; Introduction of press ombudsmen.