A Personal Reflections on Past and Present Learning Environment

Learning points of session 1
I thought the first session was an eye opener, in that it gives me an overview of what to expects for the next 5 days. I am introduce to blogging and lessonbox, which are new to me. Incidentally, both my children who are in their teens fall under this new generation of bloggers. As a father, I now can immersed in their blogging world...
I also get to realise my management styles. Knowing this inadvertantly gives me an understandings of the strengths and weaknesses of the “Commanding“ style of management. The lecture adds an indepth understandings in “How people Learn“ The perspective on Learning Environment, which explains the relationships of The community in regards to Learner-centred; Knowledge-centred and Assessment-centred.

What is a good learning environment? You may ask...

In the past, SAF have always ignored the importance of the Learning Environment, which directly and indirectly affected the learners' learning capacities and abilities. We have come along way, learning from mistakes and adopting the MOE approach in considering learning evironment during military lessons.

An effective learning environment is a place where trainer has clear expectations of the students' behaviour, good instructional skills, and where the students felt a sense of belonging and empowerment. On the other hand, an ineffective learning environment is a place where the expectations were unclear and students do not have a sense of belonging and purpose. School learning environment is very much depend on the students, trainers as well as military school's vision.I find that my school's Homeroom system is a classical example of effective learning environment. Each classes have thier own unique tastes which suit both to the students and trainers. It gives ownership and sense of belonging to the class. Also, Trainers need to know and identify the different learning styles(needs)of their students and cater to them accordingly. As trainers, we have to design, experiment,reflect (both trainers and students) and improve on our strategies that we use in our classroom. Trainers have to embark on new avenues to tap on the students talents. In order to that, we have to equip ourselves with different modes of assessing,innovative lessons and creative skills.

All SAF Military Schools must create a better learning culture and embark on different approaches to achieve this effective learning environment. Nowadays, the students are better equipped in I.T. skills and are exposed to different media, thus it is important that we cater to the different needs of learning styles which will create a effective learning environment.

In the Officer Cadet School, there are Internet and Intranet LAN connections in the cadets' accomodations for interactions amongst trainers, fellow cadets and even with their friends and loved ones. These softwares and hardwares allow the cadets to read up prior to their lessons/lectures. Thus, saving time and trees in the process. The intuitive programmes in the Intranet also encouraged peer learning and checking of progress by our trainers through surveys and assessments within each lessons/topics. The additional time saved is used for more practical lessons in the field where they practiced what was read and taught previously. Thus, we were able to reduced the whole Officer Cadet course from 42 weeks previously to 38 weeks. Overall, reducing the Officers' National Service liability from 2 and a half years to 2 years with effect from 2007.

As a trainer myself, I see the education scene changing in leaps and bounds over the past 20 years. Trainers were taught to understand their students and look into their personal needs (Maslow's Hieriechy of Needs) so as to bring out a sense of belonging, build up their self-esteem and empower leadership qualities in each cadet. Trainers must also adopt correct teaching strategies, methodologies and sound pedagogy to cater for the different abilities in the class. With the use of IT such as Internet, blogging, on-line chit-chat; and interactive CD Roms, lessons come alive, interesting and interactive.