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Research and Knowledge | |
* |
It is unrealistic to expect the variety of information and
areas of knowledge in the Liberal Studies syllabus to be handled by
a single teacher. |
* | Teachers with different
expertise, e.g. Science, Geography, Economics and Social Studies, will
have to be involved. |
* | Relevant teachers will have to work in teams to research on and prepare the teaching materials. |
Assessment and Liberal
Studies
In Liberal Studies, students are required to demonstrate not only subject
knowledge, but also presentation skills as this enhances their learning. For
teachers, a variety of presentation formats combined with the strengths and
weaknesses of different groups can present a challenge in the assessment of
student performance, the criteria for which are still under consideration
by relevant sections within the government. For example, a possible set of
presentations that a teacher might have to assess for an assignment like the
one on red fire ants could include:-
* Group 1: | presents its project in the form of
an in-depth essay, well supported with informative graphs, facts and
figures as well as photos. |
* Group 2: | produces a short video
with visually striking images of red fire ant nests, interviews with
flower market vendors, affected residents and property agents. The presentation
is interesting but research effort is weak when compared with Group
1. |
* Group 3: | gives a PowerPoint Presentation with interesting images and adequate supporting data but weak presentation skills. The PowerPoint delivery does not synchronise with the oral presentation. |
The diversity of presentation modes used by students is something
to be encouraged, yet it clearly presents a challenge to the teacher in providing
feedback on performance and reliable assessment of the quality of learning
demonstrated.