Signature Projects

Abstract:

NIE’s CORE Research Programme  is a large-scale systematic baseline study of actual classroom pedagogies in Singapore’s primary and secondary schools focusing on: How do teachers teach? Why do they teach the way they do? How do students learn?

Following CORE 1 (2004-2007), Core 2 (2009-2014) and CORE 3 (2015-2023), CORE 4 (2023-present) continues to investigate the instructional core (City et al., 2011) of teaching and learning in Singapore classrooms, with a stronger focus on learner perspective, and increasing utility to generate substantive improvements. CORE’s impact is possible through a tight research-practice-policy partnership between MOE and NIE.

Abstract:

Knowledge Building is a theory aimed at fostering collective cognitive responsibility within the classroom, with the goal of advancing knowledge as a community. It aims to restructure education by inducting students into a knowledge-creating culture, where they take collective responsibility for advancing understanding. This approach goes beyond helping students acquire information; it equips them with 21st Century Competencies essential for thriving in a fast-changing world. Our recent efforts focus on bridging research and practice to scale innovative Knowledge Building practices across diverse contexts, translating research into learning and teaching practices that foster deeper learning, critical thinking, and lifelong innovation skills. By leveraging technology, learning analytics, and insights from the science of learning, Knowledge Building initiatives seek to advance the future of education, creating environments where students collaboratively refine ideas and engage constructively with authoritative sources.

Knowledge Building Research

A series of Knowledge Building research initiatives have been developed to deepen understanding of student thinking, learning engagement, and educational neuroscience in a holistic and integrated manner.  

Sustained Creative Discourse. The “Sustained Creative Discourse for Deep Learning” research project explores how students’ novel ideas and productive interactions can enhance collaborative learning in classrooms. It aims to develop a framework and instructional strategies for Sustained Creative Discourse, helping teachers and students deepen inquiry and expand their shared knowledge. The research findings inform classroom discourse practices and teacher professional development, fostering greater student agency and creativity.

Cognitive Flexibility and Knowledge Building. Complementing this is the project, “Investigating the Association Between Pedagogies and Cognitive Flexibility” which explores how various student-centric pedagogies such as Knowledge Building affects students’ abilities to shift between tasks, strategies, and ideas. This research contributes to broader understandings of cognitive flexibility and how it can be nurtured through education.

Multimodal Learning Analytics. In Knowledge Building, where the focus is on the co-construction and improvement of ideas, multimodal learning analytics helps researchers and educators understand how students interact, engage, and contribute in real-time environment. Through our research projects on multimodal learning analytics, we hope to understand students' socio-emotional engagement during various idea-centric processes in Knowledge Building discourse to support the design of smarter tools and evidence-based pedagogical strategies.

 Knowledge Building Community

To transform education through the principles of Knowledge Building, the Knowledge Building Community (KBC) Singapore was founded as a collaborative network of educators, researchers, and students. Professional Learning Teams within schools and Network Learning series to connect educators across schools were formed to support teachers' professional development in the KBC. Through regular meetings and workshops, educators collaboratively analyse students’ ideas, explore Knowledge Building principles and research, discuss challenges, and share effective classroom practices. These ongoing interactions help deepen teachers’ own inquiry while promoting collective growth in Knowledge Building pedagogy. More than 1,000 local as well as international educators and researchers have been engaged in the Knowledge Building Community Network Learning series since 2018. 

Knowledge Building Design Studio 

To bridge the gap in the research-practice nexus and provide a creative infrastructure for practitioners to understand students’ potential, the student Knowledge Building Design Studio (sKBDS) was established in 2019. This innovative research infrastructure brings together students, educators, researchers, and experts to collaboratively address real-world sustainability challenges through the lens of Knowledge Building principles. These biannual studios are designed as immersive, multi-day events where participants engage in inquiry-driven activities, fostering a culture of collective cognitive responsibility and idea improvement. Through platforms like Knowledge Forum, participants document and refine their ideas, demonstrating the integration of technology in facilitating deep, collaborative learning. Being student-driven, sKBDS promotes cross-community Knowledge Building, connects researchers to students and expands research collaboration with schools and external institutions. This experiential learning model fosters knowledge co-creation beyond the classroom and has gained international recognition as a bridge between research and practice.

For more information about the KB community, please click here.

Abstract:

This is a suite of research and development studies to develop and use a Collaborative Video Annotation & Analytical Environment to Enhance Blended Teacher PD (CoVAAPD) ICT environment to enhance blended professional learning for Physical Education (PE) teachers.

As a form of technology-mediated learning, CoVAAPD has enabled PESTA coaches to deepen PE teachers’ socio-cognitive engagement and encourage rich peer interactions and knowledge construction. Research translation was enabled by stakeholder partnerships, fulfilling practice gaps, allowing for stakeholder customisation and securing buy-in. CoVAAPD is now scaled up to the system through SLS integration.

Please click here for more information about CoVAAPD.