| Are 'Learning Journeys' different from school excursions?
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School excursions tend to be more ad-hoc in nature, and seen as 'one-off' events, and perhaps as a diversion from the formal curriculum, especially during the post-examination periods. The concept of 'Learning Journeys', however, repositions school excursions as an integral part of the learning experience of the pupil, to be seen as an extension of the formal curriculum.
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| What benefits will pupils gain from going on 'Learning Journeys'?
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The term 'Learning Journeys' is an umbrella term applied to the pedagogical concept of experiential learning through visits to different organisations. Since 'Learning Journeys' should be multi-disciplinary in approach and one journey can carry learning objectives of a few curricular areas at the same time, they help to make real and concrete what has been learnt in schools and broaden the mental horizons of pupils. Besides, visiting key organisations is an important means to understand what makes Singapore tick and instil pride in our achievements. Our pupils will also understand the hard work, commitment, determination and courage required for us to overcome the many constraints Singapore faces.
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| How rigidly must schools observe the recommended levels for visit to each organisation?
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Schools are encouraged to observe the recommended levels as far as possible to avoid pupils inadvertently visiting an organisation twice or more during their period of schooling. The purpose of grouping these organisations is to ensure that these visits are age-group relevant and pupils would be better able to appreciate the workings of the organisations they visit. However, these are essentially recommendations. Schools can choose to visit organisations outside the recommended age group, as long as they judge it to be relevant and useful for the lessons they are working on.
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| How often are schools expected to conduct these visits?
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Each pupil should be given the opportunity to go on various 'Learning Journeys' in National Education at least once per year so that from Primary Four to Secondary Four, pupils would have visited about seven organisations and would have a clearer idea of different facets of Singapore.
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| Can teachers afford to conduct 'Learning Journeys' when the curriculum is so demanding?
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Teachers should conduct 'Learning Journeys' as an integral part of the curriculum. When teachers use each Learning Journey to meet curricular objectives of a number of subjects at one time, in a multi-disciplinary approach, it becomes a powerful teaching tool that maximises the lessons that the pupils can learn and optimises the time and effort expended.
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| If the visits are conducted as part of the lessons of certain
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The NE elements come in the commentary of the guides appointed by each organisation to take the pupils around. However, pupils need to be primed to pick up these points. Hence it is important for teachers to hold pre-visit briefings. There are background notes written with the necessary NE messages for teachers so that their lessons can incorporate the relevant NE lessons. They can be found in the NE Website and are more detailed than those in the Central Booking System.
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| Are 'Learning Journeys' the responsibility of the NE co-ordinator or NE committee only?
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When schools approach 'Learning Journeys' in a multi-disciplinary way, the various departments will have a role to play in deciding the organisations to be visited and the learning objectives of each Learning Journey.
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| Must schools maintain the 1-teacher-to-20-pupil ratio for 'Learning Journeys'?
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For 'Learning Journeys' which do not pose safety-risks and therefore not require close supervision, the guidelines allow for adult-supervisors (e.g. parents) to replace teachers as chaperones to meet the 1:20 ratio. Nevertheless, there must be at least one teacher who is overall in charge.
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| I have forgotten my school's password. What should I do?
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Teachers : Please obtain the school id and password from your NE/LJ coordinator.
NE/LJ coordinators : Please click "Forget Your Password" and fill-in your email address. An auto reply will be send to you if you're registered NE coordinator or representative.
If you are new NE/LJ coordinator, please email your request including the full name of your school, using your edumail account to Miss Siti Suhana Saad. The school id and password will be emailed back to you in 3 working days. Please keep them safely.
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