Character and Citizenship Conference 2011 - NIE, Singapore

Through my new role as a co-sponsor of SAS Service Council this year  I am learning many things that I did not know. I just spent the last 2 days on the campus of Nanyang Technical University and the National Institute of Education at the CCE Conference and I am glad I had this opportunity to learn some new things as well as confirm some things I believe about service learning. Much of this conference was focused on character, morals and citizenship which of course led to many presentations that were about service learning. I was pleased with the conference and what it had to offer. One thing I would love to accomplish this year is that when I attend a conference I want to reflect on any new learning that occurred for me.

1. Lee Wing On - Education for Future Oriented Citizenship: The implications of education for the 21st century competencies - He talked about teaching beyond knowledge, and develop attributes for a future-oriented society. Those attributes would be a confident, self-directed learner, active contributor, concerned citizen. The MOE is putting together a curriculum that will address these.
2. Ms Cathryn Berger Kaye - http://www.abcdbooks.org/ Moving from Ideas to Actions: Five Stages of Service Learning for Civic Engagement. This presenter IS the guru of Service Learning and she had so many examples of service learning in the curriculum for the attendees.  The five stages include Investigation, Preparation, Action, Reflection and Demonstration. She recommended literature to service. ( need to find resources for HS Students )
3. Dr. Angeline Khoo - Video games as moral educators? This presentation tied into one that was put on by Alex from Digital Frontiers last year. She is a professor that has learned how to play and live in the World of Warcraft. She discussed that players are confronted by issues of moral dilemmas and decision making, social obligations and responsibilities, perspective-taking and empathy, perseverance and delayed gratification. She has a book out called - 
4. Break out Session - Developing Leadership to Serve: The Singapore American School experience with Athelia and Emma - Their presentation can be found here - Part 1 - http://youtu.be/ktU9e_9eNfY, Part 2 - http://youtu.be/Ps_Iw5MlPfo, Part 3 - http://youtu.be/szi4y8nwwq8
5.  Youth Expedition Programme: A Sharing of Experiences to Kotagiri, India R. Subramaniam, Joy Singh. He shared his experiences of student community service in India.
6.  Children at Promise: An Alternative Paradigm for Character Development Timothy Stuart, Mona Stuart, Singapore American School, Singapore
7. Professor James Arthur - University of Birmingham, UK - 
8. Panel of 3 youth that have made a difference - Hannah Taylor of the Ladybug Foundation, http://www.audiblehearts.sg/
9. Building 21st century competences
10. Service learning and academic results