Science Teacher Preparation: A comparative study of Malaysia and Singapore

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Science Teacher Preparation: A comparative study of Malaysia and Singapore

Introduction

Debate about the quality teachers has been a hot topic in many nations since years ago.

However, there is little consensus in regard to the sources and reasons behind the supposedly

low quality of teaching in schools hence, the best strategies to improve teachers quality is

through proper trainings among the in-service teachers or pre-service teachers. Since the mid

1990s, the world has been constantly changing around us and this fact has challenged the

Ministry of Education (MOE) to make fundamental paradigm shifts in the strategic direction

of the education system so that it is geared to meet the needs of Malaysia in the 21st century

(PIPP, 2006). First, globalization is rapidly redirecting the economic landscape and

redefining the international workplace in which nations have to work. Second, technological

change is speeding up as a result it changes the ways the individuals live and work. Third,

intellectual capital increasingly will become the basis for competitive advantage among

companies and nations. Therefore, education in Malaysia must equip successive generations

to thrive in an intensely competitive global marketplace, to instil them with moral attitudes,

enterprising and innovative mindsets, and to ensure they are technologically savvy, flexible

and willing to continually learn and upgrade their skills. To succeed in this endeavour,

Malaysia crucially needs a high-quality teaching workforce with the values, instincts, life

skills and competencies on which we entrust them with the heavy responsibilities of

moulding the lives of our young generation. The MOE is aware of the need to equip

Malaysian schools with quality teachers to cope with the realities of the 21st

century (Asariah,

2007). Since embarking on the Smart School, Cluster School, High Performance School in

the blueprints of Pelan Induk Pembangunan Pendidikan (PIPP) and Pelan Pembangunan

Pendidikan Malaysia (PPPM), the MOE has regarded teachers as central to this whole change

process and as exemplary role models in seeking out new ideas, learning and practices, and

continuously innovating and refreshing their own knowledge. The MOE‘s goal of building up

a qualified teaching force is achieved through a process of careful and detailed planning,

aggressive teacher recruitment, comprehensive training and effective teacher retention. The

purpose of this paper is to describe on similarities and differences in the preparation of

primary science teachers in Malaysia and Singapore and finding mutual lessons for sustaining

improvement in science teacher preparation that can be learnt from both countries.

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Limitation of this study

This paper will discuss the preparations and qualification for pre-service science teachers

who involve in teaching pupils in national primary education in Malaysia and Singapore.

However it focuses on the context of Institute of Teacher Education in Malaysia (Institut

Pendidikan Guru -IPG) and National Institute of Education (NIE) in Singapore for

undergraduate Science Education (Primary) full time programme only. It does not aim to give

definition on scientific literacy and its relation with teacher preparations. All comparisons are

based on library research only.

Why compare between Malaysia and Singapore

The main reason to compare these two counties is to understand the strength of Singapore in

promoting education in the country until it is listed among the best country in TIMSS and

PISA surveys in 2009. In TIMSS 2009 results, Malaysia‘s performance had slipped to below

the international average in both Mathematics and Science (PPPM, 2013) with a

proportionate drop in ranking. Critically, 18% and 20% of Malaysia‘s students failed to meet

the minimum proficiency level in science and mathematics. These students were identified as

possessing only limited mastery of mathematics and science literacy (PPPM, 2013). Table 1

shows the comparison of PISA 2009, Malaysia against other countries.

Table 1: Comparison of Malaysia‘s PISA 2009+ ranking against other countries

Source: Malaysia Education Blueprint 2013-2025

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A difference of 38 points on the PISA scale is equivalent to one year of schooling. A

comparison of scores shows that 15-year-olds in Singapore, South Korea, Hong Kong, and

Shanghai are performing as though they have had 3 or more years of schooling than 15-year-

olds in Malaysia (PPPM, 2013). Despite wide acceptance that the world is becoming a global

village, the mass of comparative studies have tended to reflect a regionalist tendency such as

teacher education. While a regionalist approach has its advantages, not least of which is the

intended co-operation in matters of economic development, there seems to be a growing

disengagement between developed and less developed countries in matters of educational

development, thus widening rather than narrowing the gap between the two worlds. In

addition, the case of the Malaysia and Singapore is sufficiently compelling given the past

relationship that they once had been ruled by the same system of education and have almost

the same cultural and multi-national background so some similarities and differences can be

use to improve the education systems in both countries. Now let us have some overviews on

Malaysian and Singapore education system.

Overview of the Malaysia Education System

The mission of education in Malaysia is to ―develop individual potential through quality

education‖ that is to produce loyal and united Malaysians who are devout, honourable,

knowledgeable, competent and contented, provide manpower for the development needs of

the nation and provide educational opportunities to all Malaysians (PIPP,2010). The Ministry

of Education is responsible in reviewing and approving school education curriculum. Every

child in Malaysia undergoes at least 11 years of general education, comprising six years of

primary (elementary) education and five years of secondary education. In October 2011, the

Ministry of Education launched a comprehensive review of the education system in Malaysia

in order to develop a new National Education Blueprint, PPPM (PPPM,2013). This decision

was made in the context of rising international education standards, the Government‘s

aspiration of better preparing Malaysia‘s children for the needs of the 21st century, and

increased public and parental expectations of education policy. Since then the medium of

instructions use in teaching science has shifted from English language to Malay Language in

the public schools as to fulfil the demands from most of the Malaysian educators and parents.

Students have to sit for major national examinations at the end of their primary and two major

national examinations in secondary education .

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Overview of the Singapore Education System

When Singapore gained its independence in 1965, most of its population of two million

people were unskilled and illiterate. The government invested in education, and by the early

1970s, all children had access to lower secondary education. The mission of education in

Singapore is to ―mould the future of the nation‖—that is, to shape the learning of young

people who will determine the future of the nation. As a system, the key advantage of

Singapore education is that it is well structured and efficient in providing educational

pathways and differently paced curricula to cater to the different needs, capabilities, aptitudes

and learning modalities of students. To do so, the system identifies as early as possible the

different abilities and interests of students and then ―mass customizes‖ flexible educational

programs to cater to the varying requirements of each group of students. Singapore‘s

education system therefore is geared towards broad-based holistic education allowing

students to draw from a diversity of knowledge, learning experiences and opportunities so

that they can pursue their passions and develop special talents. The goal also is to nurture and

prepare Singaporeans to go forward with a strong social conscience and mindset so that they

will be ready to compete in the highly innovational, highly entrepreneurial economy of the

future (Chen, 2000; Lee, 2006;MOE, 1999; Shanmugaratnam 2001). Every child in Singapore

undergoes at least 10 years of general education, comprising six years of primary

(elementary) education and four years of secondary (high school). Singapore has a policy of

bilingualism, where students learn in English but are taught the language of their ethnicity,

referred to as their "mother tongue" (Hodge, 2007). Students have to sit for major national

examinations at the end of their primary and secondary education. Just like Malaysia,

Singapore is also practises a centralised education system which control by the Ministry of

Education.

Primary Education

The duration for primary education in both countries is similar which involve six years

education in general. However in Singapore, the pupils of the primary level go through two

stages: (a) a four-year foundation stage, from primary one to four (grades 1 – 4); and (b) a

two year orientation stage from primary five to six (grades 5 and 6). The emphasis during the

foundation stage is on basic literacy in English and their mother tongue (i.e., Chinese, Malay

and Tamil languages) and Mathematics. Arts and crafts, health and physical education, moral

education, music, science and social studies are included in the curriculum to ensure that

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students have a good grounding across different areas of study. Similar to Singapore, the

pupils in Malaysia also go through two levels known as Level One and Level Two. Level

One comprises of year 1 to year 3 and Level Two consists of Year 4 until Year 6. Science is

introduce to the pupils since Year One. Currently the Level One is using new curriculum

known as Kurikulum Standard Sekolah Rendah (KSSR) which is implemented in 2011 and

Level Two is still using the Kurikulum Bersepadu Sekolah Rendah (KBSR) which will be

eliminated in stages starting from next year. Furthermore, primary education seeks to provide

pupils with moral values and life skills, and to develop pupils‘ thinking and communication

skills. The table 2 below shows the subjects offered in the primary schools in Malaysia and

Singapore.

Table 2: Comparison of subjects taught in primary schools in Malaysia and Singapore

Subjects Offered In The Primary Schools according to level

Year/ grade Malaysia Singapore

1 1. Malay language

2. English language

3. ,Chinese, and Tamil

languages)

4. Mathematics,

5. World of Arts,

6. World of science and

Technology

7. Ethnic Languages i.e Iban

and Kadazan Languages

(Optional),

8. Physical education,

9. Islamic Education / Moral

Education

Note* The study of science is

introduced in Primary One

(children aged seven onwards)

1. English language

2. Chinese, Malay and Tamil

languages (known as CMT)

3. Mathematics. 4. Music, Art and crafts;

5. Civics and Moral Education

(CME) and

6. Physical Education

Note* The study of science is introduced

in Primary Three (children aged

eight/nine onwards)

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4 1. Malay Language

2. English Language

3. Mathematics

4. Science

5. Islamic/Moral Education

6. Music Education

7. Physical Education,

8. Arts

9. Living Skills

10. Civic and Citizenship

Education And

11. Local Study.

5 1. English;

2. Chinese, Malay or Tamil; CMT

3. Mathematics

4. Science

5. Social studies

6. Art and crafts

7. music

8. Physical Education (PE); and

9. Civics And Moral Education

(CME).

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Role of the Ministry of Education

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Responsibility for appointing teachers to meet the needs of the Malaysia and Singapore

school systems lay primarily on their Ministry of Educations respectively. The Singapore

MOE uses feedback gathered annually from schools as well as its own data to plan for

personnel needs and also attempts to do strategic forecasting to resolve both short-term needs

and long-term system requirements such as planning for new schools, initiatives and

programs (Shanmugaratnam, 2004). Since 2004, the profession has been increasing about

1,900 teachers per year, and will continue to recruit close to that number every year over the

next five years (Shanmugaratnam, 2004). The Singapore teaching force stands at 28,500 in

2005, up from 24,600 in 2001, and is on track to reaching 30,000 by 2010 (Shanmugaratnam,

2006a). The MOE seeks to recruit teachers from the top one-third of each cohort of

Singaporeans. This means the MOE attracts recruits from university-degree holders and those

who have done well in the polytechnical schools to be trained teaching in National Institute

of education (NIE) (Teo, 2000). Similar to Singapore, the Malaysian Ministry of Education

has mandated the Malaysia Institute of Education ( Institut Pendidikan Guru Malaysia-IPGM)

to train the pre-service primary schools teachers and Division of Teacher Education (

Bahagian Pendidikan Guru- BPG) to train the in-service teachers for both primary and

secondary teachers. In 2005, there was about 190,314 teachers working in the Malaysian

primary schools and only 6.1 per cent of them were graduates teachers (Malaysia Education

Blueprint, 2013). By 2010, MOE challenge is to increase teacher qualifications with a target

of 50 per cent of teachers are graduates trained. Malaysian MOE has created a new history

when upgraded the 27 Teacher Training Colleges to the Institute of Teacher Education

(Institut Pendidikan Guru-IPG) which was approved by the Cabinet on July 13, 2005.

Subsequently, in 2007, the first intake of the 4-year degree-level course comprising 3725

students enrolled for the Bachelor of Teaching (PISMP) programme. The IPG is conducting

the education degree programmes for the primary school teachers. The next section will

describe the academic qualifications required to become a teacher in detail

Academic Qualifications Required for Teaching

“If you want to see growth in this country, then teaching has to be the thing. You’ve got to

work with the most valuable resource this country has, where you can direct and mould the

intellect of so many people”. Author :Unknown

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Each day increasing number of applications in teaching profession is very significant.

Teaching is one of the highly respected profession by the nations especially in Malaysia and

Singapore. The recruitments of trainee teachers in Malaysia is basically based on the

academic achievement of the applicants. Only the best candidates in academic and softskill

will be recruited. In Singapore the interested applicants are invited to attend ―Teaching as a

Career‖ recruitment seminars organized by the Singapore MOE and held regularly during the

year. The admission criteria for primary science graduate teachers can include any one of the

following academic qualifications: (a) the General Certificate of Education (GCE)

‗Advanced‘ level (Grade 12) passes at least two subjects with H1 level including General

Paper at H2 level, minimum grade C6 in at least five subjects including English Language

and pass Mother Tongue language ‗B‘; or (b) a International Baccalaureate diploma holders.

While in Malaysian context, the admission criteria is relatively strict and rigid such as

applicant has to pass in the pre-requisite teaching programme examination which only

conducted by the IPG. Refer Table 2 for entry requirements.

Table 2: Comparison of entry requirement for teacher preparation programmes in Malaysia

and Singapore

Malaysia Singapore

1. Pass the pre-requisite teaching

programme examination conducted

by the IPG

1. Pass GCE ―A‖ level with certain

requirements

2. Pass Diploma in International

Baccalaureate

In both cases once the individuals meet the academic qualifications, they are then shortlisted

for the interview process, wherein each application is considered in competition with that of

other applicants. The interviewers seek to learn more about the following qualities in an

individual:

• passion for teaching

• ability to communicate well with others

• creative and innovative spirit

• confidence

• leadership qualities

• good role model

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Recruitment, training and deployment of teachers in Singapore and Malaysia are quite

similar. First, it is important to emphasize that individuals who are hired as trainee teachers

are regarded as full civil-servant employees (called General Education Officers in Singapore

and Graduate Education Service Officer in Malaysia) of the ministry. Therefore, all trainee

teachers are guaranteed teaching positions and are automatically deployed to schools upon

completion of training at NIE and IPG. Second, as civil servants, all trainee teachers in

Singapore receive a full monthly salary, including Central Provident Fund4 (CPF)

contributions, year-end bonuses, NIE tuition grant, and other benefits due all civil service

employees even when they are undergoing NIE training. Depending on the individual‘s

qualifications, pedagogical training, working experience and gender, a teacher‘s starting

salary ranges from $1,020 to $2,0606 (U.S.) a month (Tan & Wong, 2011). However in

Malaysia, the trainee teachers receive book and living allowances which cost approximately

about $ 170 USD monthly throughout their four years study programme. The starting salary

for the Malaysian teachers who graduate from the IPG is similar to the local university which

ranges from $ 716 USD to $789 USD. Third, all individuals hired but untrained teachers in

Singapore will be sponsored to attend the NIE for their pedagogical training in the subject

areas and grade levels that they have been hired for, similarly in Malaysia the teachers of the

same cases are also sponsored to attend degree programme in IPG via a distance learning

education programme during the weekends. Finally, because of this huge capital investment

in them in terms of salaries and tuition grants, trainee teachers are required to serve a so

called teaching bond, ranging from three to four years, after they graduate from teacher

training institute in Singapore and five years in Malaysia.

Role of the IPG and NIE in Teacher Training

The aim of establishing ITEs is to further enhance the quality of teacher education in

Malaysia (Almacen , 2010). In order to increase the number of graduate teachers and provide

quality teachers, the role of the teacher training institutes (IPGs) in Malaysia have been

shifted from training teachers in certificate and diploma levels to degree level. IPG plays an

important role in providing pre-and in-service training for primary school teachers in

Malaysia. Currently there are 27 IPGs across the country with the number of 3,129 lecturers

and the enrolment of 28.755 trainee- teachers (PIPP,2006). All the IPGs are control by a

headquarter administration known as IPGM in Cyberjaya and lead by a Rektor. In order to

improve teacher qualifications to the graduate level and to ensure the quality teaching, a

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guideline of Malaysian Quality Framework is used in developing the curriculum used in the

IPGs. MOE challenge is to rebranding and linking IPG with famous universities and colleges

abroad as well as in states such as creating Program Ijazah Sarjana Muda Perguruan

(PISMP). The PISMP curriculum was formulated centrally by the IPG Curriculum Council

and accredited by Malaysian Qualification Agency, MQA (Asariah, 2009). PISMP consists of

18 majoring courses and one of those is Primary Science Education. IPGs work with IPGM to

define academic qualification standards for hiring different categories of teachers and BPG

provides input into the interview-selection process to the IPGs for students‘ recruitment.

In Singapore, the National Institute of Education (NIE) was established on 1 July 1991 as an

institute of the Nanyang Technological University (NTU). At present, NIE is a sole teacher-

training institution in Singapore whose primary role is training of all teachers for Singapore

local schools. NIE has an autonomous in managing the education system with its own council

and director. MOE hires the teachers, NIE train them. NIE works with MOE to define

academic qualification standards for hiring different categories of teachers and provides input

into the interview-selection process .NIE faculty are invited to be involved in the numerous

MOE curriculum-review committees, and help make recommendations for any curriculum

changes and initiatives. Such curricular changes are reflected in timely revisions to NIE‘s

teacher preparation programs, so that teachers are current in their knowledge and qualified.

This applies both to the training of new teachers and professional development for over

26,000 practicing teachers in the education system.

Bachelor of Science Education (Primary) Offered by IPG and NIE to Train Teachers

There are several programmes offered by IPG and NIE to the pre-service and in-service

teachers in both countries. The teaching-preparation programs help individuals to obtain a

teaching qualification (or certification) to enable him or her to teach in the school systems in

these countries. Table 3 shows the Bachelor of Science Education (Primary) offered in IPG

and NIE.

Table 3: Programmes offered in IPG and NIE

IPG NIE

(a) Bachelor of Teaching (Arts/Science

Primary Education)-

(a) Bachelor of Arts/Science (Education)

(BA[Ed]/BSc[Ed]) –

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The main focus of this study is to look into the Bachelor of Primary Science Education

(General) programme offered by these two institutions. There are some similarities and

differences which can be derived from this study. Both programmes require a four-year

duration but with different input of academic and non-academic curriculums. However there

are three similar elements that becoming three key aspects in these two teacher education

institutes which are subject matter, professional element and practical experience of teaching.

All the teacher-education programs offered by NIE generally offer several main components

of study with the following approximate distribution:

(a) Education studies (20%)

(b) Curriculum studies (50%)

(c) Practicum (25%)

(d) Language enhancement and academic discourse skills (05%)

However the main curriculum component in IPG is different from NIE based on the

requirements of Malaysian context and the education system implemented. The programme

conducts by IPG is known as Program Ijazah Sarjana Muda Perguruan (PISMP). The

following is the distribution of the PISMP components:

(a) Compulsory Course (17%)

(b) Professional study (20%)

(c) Majoring Course (34%)

(d) Elective Course (18%)

(e) Practicum and Professional Practice (11%)

Both programmes emphasize more on the subject matter where NIE has allocated 70% (a +

b) of the whole course for education and curriculum studies while IPG allocates 69 % for

course content which comprises of compulsory, majoring and elective studies (a + c + d). In

education studies (in IPG‘s context this course is allocated in compulsory course), trainee

teachers learn the key concepts and principles of education that are essential for effective

teaching and reflective practice in schools. These courses also give the trainee teachers the

opportunity for in-depth study of some significant aspects of education. Curriculum studies

modules are designed to provide teachers with the pedagogical skills to teach specific

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subjects in schools. However the total unit for whole program conducted by IPG is 133 credit

hours while NIE requires only 86 Academic Unit.

The following Tables compare the whole curriculum structure of PISMP and BSc(Ed)

programmes according to academic year in both cases studied.

Table 4: Year 1 curriculum structure for PISMP and BScEd (General Primary) NIE

programmes

CATEGORY IPG NIE

Compulsory Course/

Education Studies Asia and Islamic civilisation

Co-curricular management

English Language

Proficiency I

English Language

Proficiency II

Malay Language Literacy

Numerical Literacy

Co-curriculum : Games

Critical Perspective On

Education

Theories and

Applications for Learning

and Teaching

ICT for meaningful

Learning

Language Subject

Academic Discourse Skills

Major Subject/

Academic subject

Life and Living Processes

Children Learning in

Science

Exploring materials

Curriculum and Pedagogy

for Primary Science

AS1 Subject; Select one

subject either:

Biology,

Chemistry,

Mathematics or

Physics

Elective course/

Curriculum studies

Elective I-PE

Physical Education Basic

Movement

Professional study Philosophy and Education

in Malaysia

Children Development

Behaviour and Classroom

Management

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programmes

CATEGORY IPG NIE

Compulsory Course/

Education Studies Ethnic Relationship

Arts in Education

Co-curricular – Uniform

Unit I

Co-curricular – Uniform

Unit II

Social Context of

Teaching and Learning

Language Subject

Communication Skills

for Teachers

Major Subject/ Academic

subject

Physics in Context

Working and Thinking

Scientifically

Ecosystem and Biodiversity

Planning and teaching

Primary science


subject either

Biology,

Chemistry,

Mathematics or

Physics

Elective course/

Curriculum studies

Elective I-PE

Curriculum and Pedagogy

for Physical Education

Anatomy and Physiology

Elective II-BM

Primary School Bahasa

Melayu Curriculum Study

Primary School Bahasa

Melayu Teaching Method

Select any 3 curriculum

Studies areas- arts,

English Language,

Maths, Music, science,

social studies.

Curriculum And

Pedagogy For

Primary Science

Professional study /subject

knowledge

Technology in Teaching

and Learning

Select any 3 curriculum

studies areas English

Language , Maths,

Music, science, social

studies

Topics in Physical

Science for Primary

Science Teaching

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programmes

CATEGORY IPG NIE

Compulsory Course/

Education Studies Co-curricular – Athletic

Co-curricular – Club and

Society

Teaching and

managing learners at

the Primary Level.

Essential Course

Multicultural Studies:

Appreciating &

Valuing Differences


subject

Energetic Chemistry

Earth and Space

Assessment in Science

Teaching

Lab Management and

resources


subject either

:

Biology,

Chemistry,

Mathematics or

Physics

Elective course/

Curriculum studies

Elective I-PE

PE and Games Management

and Administration

Elective II-BM

Bahasa Melayu Teaching

Skills

Bahasa Melayu Primary

School Assessment

Further studies in

selected Curriculum

Studies subject in Year

2- Arts, English

Language, Maths,

Music, Science, Social

Studies

Assessment Modes

and Resources

management in

Primary Science

Professional study /

subject knowledge

Behaviour and Classroom

Management

Further studies in

selected Subject

Knowledge areas

aligned to 3 selected

subjects-English

Language, Maths,


Studies

Topics in Biological

Science for Primary

Science Teaching

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Table 7: Year 4 Curriculum Structure for PISMP and BScEd (General Primary) NIE

programmes

CATEGORY IPG NIE

Compulsory Course/

Curriculum Studies

Further studies in selected

Curriculum Studies

subjects in Year 2- Arts,

English Language, Maths,


Studies:

Innovations in Design

and Practices for

Primary science


subject

Action Research I

Science, technology and

Society

Action Research II


subject either

:

Biology,

Chemistry,

Mathematics or

Physics

Elective course/ Elective

set

Current Trend, Issues

and Challenges in

Primary Science

Professional study Guidance and Counselling

for children

Leadership and Teacher

Professional Development

Teacher and Current

Challenges

Teaching Curriculum

When examining Tables 4, 5, 6, and 7 the teacher preparation curriculum of IPG is more

structured and does not allow much freedom to the trainee teachers to choose the subjects

they wish to study. The majoring subjects for the PISMP programme is more like a general

science content rather than science majoring such as Physics, Chemistry or Biology. The

elective subjects are already determined by the IPG conducting the programme. According to

Below (2012) the conventional teacher preparation does not allow future teachers to gain

significant mastery in one of the areas in science such as Biology, Chemistry, or Physics.

Therefore teachers who are not mastering in their content knowledge could lead to

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misconception of science subject such as Heat and Temperature. On the other hand, NIE

curriculum is more flexible and provides the students with deeper content knowledge by

letting the students chosing one majoring subject from Year 1 until the Final Year. It is

essential that the curriculum prepares the trainee-teachers both in content knowledge as well

as in the educational practices since many research findings show that teacher understanding

can influence their teaching practice and students‘ comprehensions Subahan (1999), Below

(2012), Sahlbergh (2011). However the IPG curriculum equips the trainee teachers with co-

curriculum subjects which is in-line with the Malaysian Education Ministry initiative to

promote one student one sport programme in order to create healthy and vibrant society.

Besides this, IPG trainee teachers are provided with diversified learning experiences that are

systematically coordinated within and between the different disciplines, both inside and

outside the classroom. In addition, the IPG programme primarily focuses on the integration of

knowledge, skills and noble values. The programme is also practical and contextual where

students acquire hands-on learning via the transfer of theoretical knowledge to real life

situations by having three phases of teaching practicum and one month internship during the

final year. Finally, language enhancement and academic-discourse skills provide teachers

with the oral and written skills necessary for effective communication as teachers in both

classroom teaching and in their professional interaction with others. Both IPG and NIE have

the same vision in producing trainee teachers who have effective communication skills. In

short, this comparison shows that the IPG is producing general science teacher who can teach

two elective subjects but the NIE is producing general teacher who is majoring in one of the

science areas.

Another uniqueness of IPG is the course conducted which is known as Teacher Character

Building or in Bahasa Malaysia also known as Bina Insan Guru (BIG) which aims to give an

early exposure of the ideal characteristics and qualities of teachers which incorporate the six

domains of the BIG curiculum namely; spiritual and teacher-values; knowledgeable and good

deeds; accountability and thrustworthy; high level of endurance; sense of freedom and might;

creative and inovative. Implementation of BIG through camping program emphasized on

learning outside the classroom which is in the context of nature and real situation in an effort

to inculcate knowledge, skills, intelectual force, endurance, values and teaching etiquette.

Besides that, the BIG comprises of six series where students will also be involved in talks,

workshop, seminar with inputs that are in line with the objectives of the camping programme.

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Table 8: Teacher Character Building course in IPG

Course Code Title Course

Category

No. of

credits/duration

Pre-

requisites

WAJ3114 Teacher Character

Building ,TCB I

Core 0 /45 hours

-


Building ,TCB II

Core 0/10 hours

TCB I


Building ,TCB III

Core 0/10 hours

TCB 1I


Building ,TCB IV

Core 0/35 hours

TCB 1II


Building ,TCB V Core

0/10 hours TCB IV


Building ,TCB VI Core

3/10 hours TCB V

Research in Education

IPG‘s commitment in research-based teacher education by implementing Action Research I

and II are some of the important roles in teacher preparation programmes. The trainee

teachers learn to design, conduct and present original action research which is related to

science education issues faced during their Teaching Practicum I and II. This practise is

hoped to enhance the critical thinking and problems solving skills among the teaching

practitioners. However in NIE‘s perspective this commitment is clearly emphasize in the

majoring subject as AS1 subject. The research based on the majoring subject is conducted

during the Final Year. The trainee teachers are exposed to the various stages of research work

and to allow them to supervise and facilitate student projects in school and also to enable

them to take up higher degree by research in the future. The objective of this course is to

provide them with research experience. In this course, the student teacher will be asked to

carry out a short research project, either theoretical or experimental, under the supervision of

an academic staff. They will learn how to formulate a research proposal, process of gathering

data and the technique of analyzing data to draw proper inferences. The action research

conducted by IPG trainers is more to improve teachers‘ practice in education while the

scientific research conducted by NIE trainees is more of a design and innovation in science

education.

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Teaching Practicum

Teacher training is considered to be as a powerful means of professional development for

teachers and convenient approach to teacher education (Sharma, 2007). Teachers with longer

teaching experience influence student achievement more significantly (Greenwald, Hedges

and Lane 1996 and Rowan 2002). This has been used to justify longer periods of teaching

practice and school experience and is sometimes considered as being suggestive of the

greater importance attached to this phase of training over other aspects. According to

Salhberg (2011) 15-25 percent of teachers‘ overall preparation time proves trainee teachers

are competence to work with the students. In the IPG context, the trainee teachers have to

complete three phases of teaching practise, four phases of School Based Experience and six

phases of Teacher Human Development programmes. Three phases of Teaching Practise

which comprise of 120 hours accumulated time and 4 weeks of internship training are

expected to produce committed and accountable trainee teachers in Malaysia. Even though

the percentage of Practicum and Professional Practice stated in the Academic Manual as 11

percent but the time allocated is equivalent to 25 percent of the whole components of the

curriculum since the Teacher Human Development programme is an accumulated programme

and is considered as 3 hour credits only. In NIE, The Practicum is spread throughout the

entire programme and is developmental in nature. It comprises four school attachment

periods, i.e., School Experience (SE), Teaching Assistantship (TA), Teaching Practice 1

(TP1) and Teaching Practice 2 (TP2).. Table 9 and Table 10 simplify the comparison of

Teaching Practicum conducted by IPG and NIE.

Table 9: Teaching Practicum conducted by IPG


Category

No. of

credits/duration

Pre-

requisites

SBE3101 School Based

Experience I-

professional Studies

Core 0/1 weeks

THD VI


Experience II- major

subject

Core 0/1 weeks

SBEI


Experience III-

Elective I

Core 0/1 weeks

SBEII


Experience IV- Core

0/1 weeks SBEIII

18


Category

No. of

credits/duration

Pre-

requisites

Elective IV

PRK 3101 Teaching Practice

Phase I Core

2/4 weeks SBEIV


Phase II Core

4/8 weeks TPI


Phase III Core

6/12 weeks TPII

INT3101 Internship Core 2/4 weeks

TPIII

Total time spent for the whole practicum

component 32 weeks

Table 10: Teaching Practicum conducted by NIE.


Category

No. of AUs

/hours

Pre-requisites

APR102 School

Experience

Core 0 /2 weeks -

APR202 Teaching

Assistantship

Core 3/ 5 weeks SE

APR302 Teaching

Practice 1

Core 6 / 5 weeks TA

APR402 Teaching

Practice 2

Core 12 / 10 weeks TP1

Total time spent for the whole practicum

component

22 weeks

Overall the IPG‘s trainees undergo a longer period of practicum process compared to the NIE

trainees. It is hoped that the IPG would produce better quality teachers in dealing with

younger children and able to recognise the need for reasoning skills in a social context, to

teach children how to relate the science concepts in the classroom in order to solve the

problem in the real life (Rychen & Salganik, 2003).

19

Conclusion

Education is an effective means for social reconstruction and to a great extent it offers

solutions to the problems faced by the society (Almacen, 2010). Access to quality education

for all is also universally advocated for resolving problems of economic, social, cultural,

political, ecological or educational. The teacher education curriculum reformed by the IPG is

one of the initiatives done by the Malaysian MoE in order to improve scientific literacy of the

Malaysian students. When the first batch of PISMP students graduated from the IPGs in 2010

it is hoped that these groups of teachers could contribute to upgrade the ranking of Malaysia

in PISA and TIMSS internationally. In written, Malaysia is comparatively equivalent to

Singapore in the teachers preparation programme however the study on the effectiveness of

the programme is not explored. More benchmarking to NIE or sending Malaysian trainee

teachers to NIE can be done in order to learn the ways of science teachers are prepared. Well

prepared teachers who are versed in quality of instruction and assessment could eliminate

some issues in science education. Teachers‘ strong competence and preparedness are the

prerequisites for professional autonomy that makes teaching a valued career . Only those who

are passionate and competence in teaching should be made teachers for our Malaysian

students and those criteria should be implemented compulsory and revised periodically as

licence to teach in order to achieve the world standard education quality.

20

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Science Teacher Preparation: A comparative study of Malaysia and Singapore

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