20,000 Early Childhood Educators to Benefit from The First Microlearning Course Jointly Developed by The National Institute Of Early Childhood Development And Temasek Polytechnic


 

20,000 Early Childhood Educators to Benefit from The First Microlearning Course Jointly Developed by The National Institute Of Early Childhood Development And Temasek Polytechnic

Singapore, 12 July 2023 – The National Institute of Early Childhood Development (NIEC) and Temasek Polytechnic (TP) have partnered to develop and deliver an online microlearning course to around 20,000 early childhood practitioners in Singapore over the next two years. This is the first NIEC microlearning course developed specifically for early childhood educators in Singapore. With this, early childhood educators will now be able to learn and upskill on the go anytime and anywhere.

 

1             The online microlearning course, developed by TP and NIEC, with the support of the Early Childhood Development Agency (ECDA) and Ministry of Education (MOE), aims to equip early childhood practitioners with the knowledge and skills to effectively implement the updated Nurturing Early Learners: A Curriculum Framework for Preschool Education in Singapore (NEL Framework 2022) in the education of young children. Developed by MOE, the updated NEL Framework was launched in November 2022 to guide early childhood educators in providing quality teaching and learning to children aged four to six years.

                                                                          

2             Using the online microlearning approach, the course will include short videos, readings, and e-quizzes to provide early childhood practitioners with a flexible way to stay informed on the latest NEL Framework that guides early childhood practices. The online microlearning format will enable bite-sized learning for practitioners at their own time and pace, thus making it easy and convenient for them to fit learning into their busy daily schedules. 

 

3             “The online microlearning format will allow educators to access the training more easily at their own convenience. This will support ongoing efforts to raise the quality of our preschools and ensure a good start for every child,” said Ms Caroline Seng, Director of Professional Development and Standards in the Early Childhood Development Agency.

 

4             This online microlearning course complements and is a pre-requisite for another NIEC course, “Putting NEL Framework 2022 into Practice”, which aims to familiarise Centre Leaders and Curriculum and Pedagogy Specialists with implementing the framework within their centres. 

 

5             The online microlearning course is set to launch in the second half of 2023. Registered early childhood practitioners in Singapore will be able to sign-up for the course through the NIEC website for free.

 

6             “Early childhood educators have the flexibility to learn about the Nurturing Early Learners (NEL) Framework 2022 at a comfortable pace through concise content. This microlearning course enables learners to set aside short durations to learn daily and review their learning as and when they want.” Said Dr Lucy Quek, Dean, Curriculum & Programme, NIEC.

 

7             TP believes in keeping learning accessible, flexible, and convenient to encourage life-long learning and learning on the go. Studies have also shown that bite-sized learning improves knowledge retention because it breaks down content into small, easily digestible units. The accessibility also facilitates on-demand learning as users can access content anytime and anywhere on their mobile devices. To this end, TP has taken the lead in offering more than 160 online microlearning courses since April 2018, the largest number across institutes of higher learning.

 

8             “We are happy to partner with NIEC in developing this micro-learning course. It is an excellent opportunity to combine our respective strengths and create an innovative educational solution that can be scaled quickly to upskill early childhood practitioners. This course will empower the early childhood practitioners with the latest research and practical strategies, ultimately enhancing the quality of early childhood education in Singapore," said Dr Kwan Kian Hoong, Director of Temasek SkillsFuture Academy, Temasek Polytechnic.

 

For more information or to arrange for media interviews with relevant spokespersons, please contact:

 

 

Media Contacts

 

Jayabalan Karthigesu

Corporate Communications Department

Temasek Polytechnic

Karthigesu_jayabalan@tp.edu.sg

Contact: 96656706

 

Alan Ho

Communications and Business Development

National Institute of Early Childhood Development

HO_Yau_Yoong@niec.edu.sg

Contact: 69041868

 

 

About the course: Overview of NEL Framework 2022

 

This course provides participants with an overview of NEL Framework 2022. It highlights key messages of the updated Framework, explores fundamental beliefs about children and explains three key areas of development essential for character building and lifelong learning, namely, values, social and emotional competencies and learning dispositions. Participants will also gain insights into the five learning areas essential for holistic development as well as key ideas of principles that guide educators in the planning, design and facilitation of meaningful learning experiences for children. In addition, participants will learn about the various roles of the educator in nurturing early learners. This course is for early years and preschool educators, Centre Leaders and Curriculum and Pedagogy Specialists who need to stay current with the updated NEL Framework.

 

 

About Temasek Polytechnic (TP)

 

Established in 1990, TP is one of the leading institutions of higher learning in Singapore. Currently it offers 36 full-time diploma courses in the areas of applied science, business, design, engineering, humanities & social sciences and informatics & IT. It also offers over 40 part-time courses, up to the advanced diploma level. TP students undergo a holistic learning system that combines hands-on experience, character education and relevant life skills, in an enriching learning environment.

The Polytechnic has also infused global realities into its programmes and developed a mindset on campus that embraces socio-cultural diversity. Believing in the possibilities of tomorrow, Temasek Polytechnic is committed to co-creating a better world with its stakeholders by nurturing the next generation of values-centred leaders, lifelong learners and future-oriented creators. 

 

For more information, please visit www.tp.edu.sg

 

 

About the National Institute of Early Childhood Development (NIEC)

 

NIEC is the national training institute set up in 2019 by the Ministry of Education to deliver quality training to Singapore’s early childhood (EC) educators at every stage of their career. NIEC provides a full range of certificates and diplomas for post-secondary students and mid-careerists embarking on their EC journey. In-service educators may also take up Post-diplomas and Continuing Professional Development (CPD) courses with NIEC to deepen their EC skills. For more information, please visit www.niec.edu.sg.