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Aims of General Paper

Anonymous — Thu, 19 Feb 2009 04:02:55 CST

From the syllabus document

The syllabus aims to enable candidates to achieve the following outcomes:

Understand better the world in which they live by fostering a critical awareness of continuity and change in the human experience

Demonstrate their understanding of the nature of knowledge by appreciating the interrelationship of ideas from across disciplines
Broaden their global outlook while enabling them to remain mindful of shared historical and social experiences both within Singapore and regionally
Develop maturity of thought and apply critical reading and creative thinking skills
Develop the skills of clear, accurate and effective communication
Develop the skills of evaluation of arguments and opinions
Promote extensive and independent reading and research.

Skills

Anonymous — Thu, 19 Feb 2009 04:00:29 CST

Thinking skills

Critical Thinking Web - OpenCourseWare on critical thinking, logic, and creativity maintained by Dr. Joe Lau at the Philosophy Department, The University of Hong Kong.

PESTLE and SWOT - Helps you brainstorm about an issue and organise your ideas

A Theory of Argumentation developed by Stephen Toulmin - for both reading and writing

Analysing Issues - a page in this wiki

Reading skills

Writing skills

Logical Argument in College Writing - by D. G. Jerz of Seton University. Informative, but contains dead links and lacks emphasis on paragraphing

A extensive and well written handbook on writing argumentative and interpretative essays by Ian Johnston, Malaspina University College

Topics and Issues

Anonymous — Thu, 19 Feb 2009 03:57:42 CST

In General Paper, we discuss and read about issues on which people have different, usually contradicting views, and examine the basis for these opinions.

The topic areas listed in the syllabus for the exam in 2009 are:

Historical, social, economic, political and philosophical topics

Science including its history, philosophy, general principles, current developments and applications
Mathematical and geographical topics
Literature and language
Arts and crafts
Topics of local interest and national concern

A list of online resources for information on specific issues is found at the bottom of this page.

The website for the Cooperative Research Centre for Innovative Dairy Products (Australia) has a good guide for the study of issues in its GenEd section, which allows copying for educational use. The more relevant information is collated with some modification below and on the Analysing Issues page.

What is an issue?

An issue is a matter or topic of concern that might arise from a significant event, development or process and about which there are differing views or perspectives.
It is useful to transform the topic from a statement to a question as this can help you to identify different responses. For example:

Topic	Statement of Issue	Issue as a question
Cloning	Cloning in beef cattle	Should cloning of beef cattle be permitted?
Transformation (GMO’s)	Insertion of foreign genes into sugar beet to convey herbicide tolerance	Should sugar beet be genetically modified to become herbicide tolerant?

Analysing issues

Click here for an extensive guide on how to analyse issues.

Online Resources

Global Issues - Social, Political, Economic and Environmental Issues That Affect Us All
Helpful links can be found on this textbook site for 'Becoming a Critical Thinker' by Vincent Ryan Ruggiero

Main Page

gimster — Sat, 26 Jan 2008 09:18:49 CST

The General Paper wiki is the wiki companion to the General Paper blog.

Lesson Ideas

gimster — Fri, 25 Jan 2008 17:39:36 CST

High school lesson plans from Religion & Ethics Weekly, PBS

Collaboration

Some strategies are useful when writing collaboratively. New Century College lists some of these strategies.

Facilitation

Goodpractice.net has a good list of ideas in its trainer's toolkit but you need to be a member to access the full description

Icebreakers & Warm Ups - to introduce students to each other or to kick-start a lesson

Energisers - to rejuvenate a flagging group, stimulate creativity or introduce a degree of fun into a training session

Review & Evaluation exercises - suitable for use at the end of any training session or workshop

This page by Henley College Coventry Student Services has a range of teaching and learning resources- icebreakers, trust, energisers, issue-based exercises, communication exercises, teamwork exercises. Unfortunately, the activities are packaged as Word documents and require downloading and opening using Microsoft Word, which takes a bit more time. I have therefore unpacked and included some of them in this wiki with my comments.

Teaching with Movies

Click here to go to the page on teaching using movies.

Teaching with music - Check out the Summer Teacher Institute lesson plans at Rock and Roll Hall of Fame + Museum

Using YouTube
This post at the Digital Ethnography blog tells us why we should use YouTube for education and how we can use it.

WebQuests
A WebQuest is an inquiry-oriented lesson format in which most or all the information that learners work with comes from the web. Click here to go to the page on WebQuests.

WebQuests

gimster — Mon, 21 Jan 2008 03:04:46 CST

A WebQuest is an inquiry-oriented lesson format in which most or all the information that learners work with comes from the web.

As usual, the Wikipedia article is a good place to start.

WebQuest.org - appears to be the leading authority on WebQuests. However, quite a few of the links don't work.
zWebquest is a web-based software for creating WebQuests. No knowledge of HTML code required and hosting is free. However, accounts without completed WebQuests will be deleted after 60 days from registration will be deleted.

WebQuests for Reflection and Conceptual Change: Variations on a Popular Model for Guided Inquiry - This 2002 paper presents modifications to the WebQuest model drawing on primarily on schema theory.

Examples
International Humanitarian Organizations - can be used for GP with little modification.
Political Debate
Snapshot in Time - about teen culture. Dated 2000, so some links don't work. Nevertheless, the design of the webquest is exemplary.
Human Cloning - hosted by Mc Graw-Hill (Glencoe). Interesting survey task component - can be modified for learning about online surveys. Found via this NIE review page.
Evaluating Bias in Advertisments - Yet another polished webquest hosted by Glencoe. Links to fun, informative sites.
Terrorist or Freedom Fighter? - A WebQuest on Telling the Difference - Looks excellent for GP. I've updated the links, with very slight modification to the content and attached it to this page.
Social Security: A New Challenge for the 21st Century
Globalisation - what does it mean for me? - Designed for Australian students. Can be adapted.

Recommended Websites

gimster — Sat, 19 Jan 2008 16:40:25 CST

The links to websites that are very relevant to GP in a general way. Include a brief description.

Blogs
The General Paper

Social Bookmark Lists
Gimster's del.icio.us links - The many links gimster collected over the past few years. Tagged based on topic areas or skills.

Current affairs
BlogTV.sg

Topic magazines

Vocabulary

Writing skills

Reading skills

Thinking and learning skills

Teaching with Movies

gimster — Fri, 18 Jan 2008 22:23:44 CST

Teach with Movies - Subscription site with lessons plans in many subjects, from elementary to high school. Some free resources available, such as the standard discussion questions and projects and standard ethics questions to use with any film.

Geography at the movies - collates short movies for geography teachers to use for free; some topics are very relevant to GP

Gattaca

Bioethics lesson plans

Ethics in the science classroom
GIFT action plan

Race For The Double Helix

Recommended by a course at Immaculata University

Recommended Resources

gimster — Fri, 18 Jan 2008 21:49:53 CST

Resources that are relevant to GP in a general way. Those that are specific to a topic area, skill or lesson idea are included on the specific page instead.

Recommend Resources for teaching Theory of Knowledge

Go to the Son of Citation Machine website for help with bibliography entries.

Websites

Books

Multimedia

Historical, social, economic, political and philosophical topics

gimster — Wed, 16 Jan 2008 01:40:07 CST

History

Wikipedia articles on History, Historiography and Philosophy of History
Three lectures on Historigraphy originally delivered by Russel Tarr
Open2.net webpage on the nature of history

Sport

Sports issues - Articles and discussions at suite101.com
Sport Issues - Sport & Recreation, Department of Planning and Community Development, Victoria, Australia

Analysing Issues

gimster — Tue, 15 Jan 2008 05:13:50 CST

The analysis of an issue involves consideration of a number of aspects such as shown in the issues map below. It is unlikely that one issue involves all aspects or has every kind of implication shown. Identify those that are most relevant to the issue you are considering and that generate both arguments for and against.

Click on the image to go the web page and view the interactive diagram with explanations.

The following are the steps to take for a complete study of an issue:

1. What is the topic?
Identify a topic relevant to the content requirements of the curriculum and that has provoked public debate. The debate might centre on the consequences of an action, development or event. It might focus on those putting forward their points of view and wanting to influence the debate to their advantage.

2. What is the issue?
What is the issue? Frame the topic or development or event as a question. Does this question provoke a range of different responses? If not, try to frame a different question for the same topic. If that fails, think of another topic!

Are there any parallel issues that could model how you approach the issue you have chosen? For example, a calf, Rameses II, was cloned in Victoria, Australia in 2002. Could the issues associated with the cloning of Dolly the sheep in July 1996 be helpful as a parallel for your issue?

In another example, the genetic material inserted into the genome of the cow is from the same species. What might not be an appropriate parallel issue is the insertion of genes into the genome of, for example, tomatoes to enable them to survive handling and packaging. In this case, genes from a different species are introduced. However, some of the issues that arise from this example of the application of gene technology might be useful to consider in relation to your example.

3. What concepts need to be known to understand the issue?
You will need to describe and explain the concepts to assist the audience (for your presentation, or your reader, if you are writing an essay) to understand the issue and implications.

In the example given where additional lactation genes are inserted into the genome of dairy cows, the bioscience might include more detailed descriptions and explanations.

Use graphic organisers to help you to plan and sequence your ideas so that they are logical and coherent. Be able to identify the techniques and technologies of the application. For example, the process of genetically modifying an organism involves a number of different techniques. What are they?

4. Who are the stakeholders?
Identify the interested parties who:

might be affected by the development, application or phenomenon and who express concern or support
wish to drive or prevent the development and who wish to influence decisions to suit their purposes.

5. What aspects need to be considered?
Draw an issues map to help you identify aspects relevant to the issue you are studying. (You could use Freemind, a free mind-mapping software) Use the issues map as a guide. Develop and modify it as you investigate further.

6. What are the implications?
Think of the perspectives, biases and vested interests that different stakeholders bring to the issue. Implications could include commercial, scientific, industrial, environmental, medical and political agendas.

A concept map might be useful to brainstorm your ideas. (You could use Cmap, a free concept map software.) Are there links between different stakeholders or between different implications? If you think so, draw a line between them. In a few words on the line, state what the link is.

7. Frame the focus questions
Devise questions that relate to the different implications you are going to consider.

Three are given in this example:

Genetic modification of dairy cows to increase milk yield.

What would be the effect of increasing milk yield on

a) dairy farmers?
b) dairy manufacturers?

c) consumers?

Begin to think of arguments put forward by stakeholders as 'for' and 'against'.

8. Access informationSearch the Internet using Google or other search engines. Check Wikipedia as a first stop.

GenEd Web provides information relating to the science and techniques of gene technology. It also links to sites that provide opinions on controversial aspects of their application.

Bioscience and technologies (Click Here) describe and explain in general terms the bioscience and technologies associated with gene technology in the dairy industry. Select what is relevant to your issue. You might need to refer to your text or other sources for more specific information on particular techniques. Make sure that you transform information into your own words.

Making connections - information (Click Here) these external links are organised under general headings. Information and opinions relating to a specific topic might also be found in other categories. As you browse, scan the information to get a sense of whether it might be useful. Do not attempt to read all the information in one go. Note down what you might want to refer to later.

9. Record informationRecord information relating to your focus questions or sub-topics. Make sure you select key points and write in your own words. At this stage, dot points would be adequate. Note the source of information (URL) in the reference column and the date that you accessed it.

Examples of referencing are given below.

Referencing texts: Author, (date of publication), title of publication in italics, publisher, place of publication eg Hardy, A (2002), Demystifying genes, Hypothetical Publishing, Canberra.

Referencing websites: If provided: Author, (date of publication in brackets), title of article/publication in italics, URL, [date of access] Otherwise: URL, and [date of access] eg Tatham, B. Embryo multiplication and transfer (cloning) in Cattle breeding technologies (Acrobat Reader required) http://www.genaust.com.au/emt.pdf [1/01/2003]

The Son of Citation Machine can help you format your referencing. The above examples are in APA format.

10. Evaluate informationNot all the information that you have accessed might be appropriate. The questions below, not necessarily in order, might help with your evaluation.

Do you have sufficient information to provide a range of views?
Is it authentic? (relevant to the context of the issue)
Is it authoritative? (reliable, accurate, current)
Is it expressed as opinion or fact? If opinion, is it supported by fact or could it be by investigating further?
Is the language objective or emotive?
Is the use of scientific terminology appropriate?
Is the level of language and expression appropriate for your understanding?
Can you identify biases and vested interests of the various stakeholders?
Do you have sufficient information to provided balanced arguments?

11. Select and synthesise informationOn the basis of your evaluation, select information that provides arguments and counter-arguments for various stakeholders. Use the Stakeholder Arguments worksheet to help you.

Ensure you have a balanced range of perspectives.

12. Frame the 'for and against' arguments put forward by different stakeholdersBase these arguments on the focus questions you devised in step 7. You may have modified the list of focus questions in the course of your research.

13. Organise information appropriate to the audience and format
How are you presenting your study? For example is the format a:

Newspaper article
Report to a community organisation
Brochure
Poster
Website
Electronic presentation (slides and accompanying notes)
Essay
Oral presentation with accompanying visual aids, or
A paper providing advice to a policy-making body

Decide how you will organise and sequence the information according to the format.
Draw a storyboard or an outline diagram of the layout. Decide where you will locate the information to provide coherent and logical communication of your study.

14. Present the issue
Regardless of the particular format, include:

Introduction (short, concise)
Statement of the issue
How the issue arose (history: eg when, what, why, who?)
Treatment by the media
Body of the report (useful to use sub-headings)
Use communication techniques appropriate to the purpose, audience and format of the product.
Conclusion (Brief summary of points of view, position if required. You might need to include questions still remaining and implications for the future.)

Here's a more concise list of tips from this textbook site that also recommends some of sites for information on specific issues:
Tips for Evaluating Issues (These suggestions supplement but do not replace the five-step approach for analyzing issues presented in Chapter 4 of the textbook)

Consult viewpoints on both sides (or, where appropriate, various sides) of the issue.
Understand the points each author makes about the issue and the evidence and reasoning offered in support of those points.
Determine whether any evidence has been omitted or misinterpreted.
Decide which viewpoint is most reasonable in light of the evidence. (Be sure to consider the possibility that the best viewpoint is one that differs in some respects from the viewpoints expressed by the authors.)

Explain your decision and the thinking that supports it. (Be sensitive to the questions and challenges others might raise about your view.)

Energisers

gimster — Sat, 05 Jan 2008 23:38:19 CST

Energisers are a great way of rejuvenating a tired group of students and will also develop individual skills. Use energisers when students are familiar with one another as there is a great deal of physical contact involved. Set time limits on some of the exercises, thereby implementing an element of time management.

Wizards, giants and dwarves - fun and builds team decision-making
Orange and lemons – lifts the energy levels of tired teams
Line game - tests listening and communication skills
Noughts and Crosses (Tic-tac-toe) - studentsform lines of three by listening and working together
Tied in Knots - students untie themselves and form a circle by teamwork and communication
Tie a Knot - students work together in tying a knot
Turn a Carpet - students turn a carpet over completely without stepping off it
Mushroom Tag - energises and warms up a team

Comment: Physical contact might be an issue. Open space needed for movement.

Mushroom tag

gimster — Sat, 05 Jan 2008 23:16:37 CST

Objective – To energise and warm up a team.

One person is it and tries to tag the others. Once tagged they should stand still with their arms out like a mushroom. They can be untagged by other students running under their arms.

Develop this on by having two people doing the tagging, then three or more. Just a fun way of running about!

Turn a carpet

gimster — Sat, 05 Jan 2008 23:14:55 CST

Objective – To turn a carpet over completely without stepping off it.

Using a rectangular piece of carpet, a rug or blanket. The students will have to stand on one side and turn the carpet over without stepping off it. Give the students a reasonable amount of time for planning and practise. Time starts when they all step onto the carpet. They can still plan when they have started, but will find it much more difficult when they get going.

The carpet must be fully reversed and the team all stand on the reverse side to finish. This activity may take several attempts before the students can complete it. If they can’t solve it with their first attempt, then keep coming back to it throughout their course until they do!

Tie a knot

gimster — Sat, 05 Jan 2008 23:12:35 CST

Objective – To work together in tying a knot.

Use a long rope and a tree or pole; make handholds on the rope so that each student is attached to the rope. Start by standing in one long line. They must walk, duck and dive to tie a knot around the tree/pole. This activity is similar to tied in knots but further develops the problem solving aspects. It becomes frustrating because you have to stay in place on the rope, therefore each student will play a part in organising the others.

Tied in knots

gimster — Sat, 05 Jan 2008 23:03:51 CST

Objective – To untie themselves and form a circle by teamwork and communication.

Get an even number of people to stand in a circle and face inwards. Put their left hand into the middle and take hold of someone else’s hand. Then do the same with the right hand but hold someone else’s hand. They could also do this activity blindfolded. Set a time limit related to the student’s ability and then set them off.

They have to untangle themselves by ducking and diving until they can open themselves out into a full circle without letting go of any hands. Check for people breaking their grips. Listen for leaders, good effective communication and spot uninterested participants and then review these points!

Noughts and Crosses

gimster — Sat, 05 Jan 2008 23:01:49 CST

(Tic-tac-toe)
Objective – To form lines of three by listening and working together.

This energiser is in the format of the game, noughts and crosses, only with humans as either the noughts or crosses.

Set nine chairs out in a square format so that three people can form a line of either noughts or crosses. Split the students into two, one group being noughts and the other crosses and have them number themselves. Equal numbers are needed. Start by shouting out a number. The students must listen for their numbers being called out then run and sit on a vacant chair and try and form a line of three, to win the game. Repeat until the students are re-energised.

Develop the game on by using bingo terms, e.g, on its own number one or by using maths, e.g, six minus two equals…?

Line game

gimster — Sat, 05 Jan 2008 22:57:56 CST

Objective – To test listening and communication skills.

Students stand in a line facing the lecturer, this can be done on any open ground, but a small wall or a plank of wood over water adds an element of trust and team building.

The lecturer asks them to re-arrange themselves in order of their heights. If using a wall or a plank of wood, spot for the students. It will be obvious to see if they have completed the task. Develop the activity on by getting to re-arrange themselves into date of birth order, or distance travelled to college or age.

Further development would be to get them to do it without speaking to each other. Here they would have to solve the problem using a new form of communication.

This activity could be used to gauge people’s understanding of something, where people would place themselves at one end or the other based on the questions, and also as a review where they do the same again or get a partner to place them. Each end could be from 0% to 100%.

Oranges and lemons

gimster — Sat, 05 Jan 2008 22:55:34 CST

Objective – To lift the energy levels of tired teams.

Sit the students in a circle around you or stand on an object, e.g., a stone if outdoors. Tell each person they are either an orange or lemon. Start by asking all the lemons to move places. Nobody can move to a place right next to him or her, they must cross over. You take a place and one person will be left in the middle. They say either orange or lemon and find a place when people move.

Play the game this way for some time, then develop it to what people are wearing, e.g., anyone wearing jeans move now, wearing trainers, etc. Good fun activity to get the students moving again.

This activity may also be used as a reviewing technique by getting people to move if they enjoyed the last activity, learned tolerance and so on!

Comment - Sounds like 'Blow Wind Blow', which is very commonly known in Singapore

Wizards, giants and dwarves

gimster — Sat, 05 Jan 2008 22:39:12 CST

Objective – To build team decision-making and having fun.

The students split into two teams and decide whether they will be a Wizard, a Giant or a Dwarf, then stand facing each other about two yards apart. On a count of three, each group act as a Wizard, Giant or Dwarf and perform the same act. Wizards shake hands in front of their faces, Giants stand tall with their arms up and Dwarfs kneel.

Wizards beat Giants, Giants beat Dwarfs, Dwarfs beat Wizards. Each group try to grab the opponents when they have won. When they lose they must try to get away. Each side tries to collect all the opponents. Set a boundary about ten yards away where the students are safe once past this mark. Same principal as Paper, Scissors and Stone. Repeat until one side has all of the people.

Builds on groups decision making process and is fun.

Comment: Needs space. Participants can't just use the regular paper, scissors and stone gestures because the signal would be too small to be seen clearly two metres away.