Changing attitudes about online continuing education and training: A Singapore case study

Billett, Stephen; Leow, Anthony; Chua, Shuyi; Le, Anh Hai

doi:10.1177/14779714221084346

Cited by 11 publications

(4 citation statements)

References 19 publications

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“…This exploratory investigation is part of a larger project in which CET graduates (Billett, Leow, Shuyi, & Le, 2022;Leow et al, 2022) and educators, and employers of staff who participate in CET programmes were interviewed. This paper reports on the view of employers.…”

Section: Methodsmentioning

confidence: 99%

Employers’ perspectives of effective continuing education and training in Singapore

Leow

Chua

Billett

et al. 2023

HESWBL

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PurposeEmployers often claim that the lack of employee competence is a limitation in their enterprises’ success and viability. Consequently, employers are important stakeholders in considerations for workforce continuing education and training (CET) policies and practices. Hence, the authors undertook an exploratory investigation to understand how employers perceive provisions of CET offered through tertiary education institutions and how they might be improved.Design/methodology/approachOverall, 40 employers from a range of industry sectors in Singapore were surveyed and interviewed about effective CET for their employees.FindingsThese employers reported preferring one-on-one training in the workplace and being willing to invest in their employees’ training so long employees remained committed to their companies. They value online education, but prefer that it is combined with workplace or face-to-face learning experiences. They proposed effective CET trainers as those with relevant industry knowledge and teaching skills and effective CET learners as those who were self-motivated, goal oriented and open-minded.Originality/valueA study of such nature that focusses on the perspectives of employers, as opposed to employees and educators, has not been undertaken before in Singapore. Given Singapore’s increasing emphasis on lifelong learning and the workplace as a vital site for that learning, the lessons learnt here transcend national boundaries and may serve as a useful reference for other countries that seek to provide inclusive and equitable quality education and lifelong learning for all.

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Section: Methodsmentioning

confidence: 99%

Employers’ perspectives of effective continuing education and training in Singapore

Leow

Chua

Billett

et al. 2023

HESWBL

Self Cite

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show abstract

“…There have been studies into the attitudes of various groups towards online and blended learning in Singapore. Billett et al (2022) performed surveys and interviews in multiple phases before and after the onset of the COVID-19 pandemic to understand how working-age adults view lifelong learning. They found that more than 50% of recent graduates from CETs found blended learning to be the most effective mode of delivery, with a rising trend across the years.…”

Section: Expediting Measurable Implementations Of Blended Learningmentioning

confidence: 99%

Advancing Lifelong Learning in the Digital Age: A Narrative Review of Singapore’s SkillsFuture Programme

Lim,

Yap,

Lai

et al. 2024

Social Sciences

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Amidst the fourth industrial revolution, marked by swift technological advancements and changing economic environments, lifelong learning has risen as an essential cornerstone for developing people and society. Adult education, with a particular focus on skills learning, is vital in equipping individuals with the necessary competencies to navigate the dynamic demands of the modern workforce. This paper provides a qualitative analysis and commentary on the case study of Singapore’s SkillsFuture movement, an exemplary national initiative to promote skills learning among adults. Intending to reach a wide audience in educational science, we investigate the effectiveness and impact of this comprehensive programme and its implications for other countries. This article contributes to educational science and policy development by illustrating the importance of investing in adult education and skills development. By comprehensively studying the SkillsFuture experience, we offer valuable insights into establishing effective and inclusive lifelong learning ecosystems to foster a culture of continuous learning, equipping individuals to adapt and thrive in a volatile, uncertain, complex, and ambiguous global landscape.

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“…Such an increase parallels a broader trend towards online, hybrid or blended teaching in HEIs which started conceiving them as viable alternatives rather than as 'less-than-ideal' options (Gourlay, 2023 p.62). For instance, Billet and colleagues found that after Covid-19 adult learners from a variety of professions in Singapore became more open to online courses and saw them as convenient and effective (Billett et al, 2023). Others have also found that teachers in Germany tend to be increasingly satisfied with online PD courses (Meyer et al, 2023).…”

Section: Profe Ss I Onal De Velopment and Online Cour S E S For Time-...mentioning

confidence: 99%

In search of time: Higher education teachers' experience of an online professional development course

Poderi,

Popov,

Møller

2024

Euro J of Education

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This article investigates teachers' lived experiences of an online professional development (OPD) course in Denmark – that is, Teknosofikum – through a hermeneutic phenomenological perspective, and it relies on the interpretive analysis of 15 semi‐structured interviews. The article's contribution focuses on the theme of ‘time’ and highlights it as a multifaceted construct that plays a relevant role in learning. By relying on the ideas of temporal structuring and multiple temporalities, the article shows that OPD courses and HE teachers' engagement nest themselves into pre‐existing and complex nexus of commitments and duties, each of which has its own temporality and rhythm, along with longer‐term aspirations for pedagogical development. As time emerged as a relevant aspect characterizing OPD course design and HE teachers' experiences, the article provides simple recommendations for ‘time‐aware’ OPD courses.

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Changing attitudes about online continuing education and training: A Singapore case study

Cited by 11 publications

References 19 publications

Employers’ perspectives of effective continuing education and training in Singapore

Employers’ perspectives of effective continuing education and training in Singapore

Advancing Lifelong Learning in the Digital Age: A Narrative Review of Singapore’s SkillsFuture Programme

In search of time: Higher education teachers' experience of an online professional development course

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