Prof Tan Oon Seng Presents Keynote on “The Paths to Learning Success for Each and Everyone”

On 7 December 2021, an European conference on “The Paths to Learning Success for Each and Everyone” was organised by the Vytautas Magnus University, Lithuania. The conference was supported by the European Commission, as well as the Research Council of Lithuania. Over 145 academics from Lithuania and other invited EU and international countries attended to present or participate at the conference.

The diverse attendance allowed for extensive coverage of a variety of topics in education, including (a) lessons learnt from Covid-19 about adapting teaching and learning, (b) addressing inclusiveness and vulnerability in Covid-19, (c) distance learning, (d) digital and technology advancement for student learning, (e) learning about students attitudes and experiences in distance learning, (f) assessment system for empowering individual progress, (g) longitudinal studies highlighting well-being of learners, (h) overcoming emotional and educational difficulties, and (i) challenges of self-directed learning.

Prof Tan Oon Seng, Centre Director of the Centre for Research in Child Development, NIE, gave the first keynote presentation with the help of NIE Research Assistant Ms Jallene Chua. Prof Tan shared about Singapore’s journey through the Covid-19 pandemic and how having the right mindset and values-set is integral towards handling the crisis. This was rooted in two key principles: science and social responsibility, which were very much applied in education. Prof Tan and Ms Chua highlighted how adaptive, flexible, coordinated and responsive policies and practices helped to ensure minimal loss of learning for Singaporean students, develop professional development amongst teachers for online pedagogy and teaching, and to help vulnerable students whose learning opportunities are disadvantaged during the pandemic.