by Ang Yiying

TEACHERS are encouraged to become more involved in designing and researching their own teaching, learning contexts and practices, said Ms Grace Fu, senior minister of state for national development and education at the opening of the third Redesigning Pedagogy International Conference on Monday.

The biennual conference, organised by the National Institute of Education from Monday to Wednesday, was attended by about 1,200 participants - about two thirds of whom are teachers and education officers - from 27 countries.

A keynote address by Professor David Berliner from the Arizona State University in the United States highlighted the unintended consequences of a preoccupation of test scores on reading and mathematics in the US: undermining motivation in students, less time given to other subjects like social studies, history, art, physical education and science.

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