Experiential Learning in the NUSC

Assoc Prof Peter Thomas Vail | NUS College

NUS College has instituted an ambitious program of experiential learning at NUS in the form of its GEx and IEx courses. The GEx is an immersive international program which aims to “crystalise the foundational learning of global perspectives and world issues” that students undertake as part of the common core curriculum in the NUSC. The IEx is a compulsory Singapore- and regional Southeast Asia-based service learning program in which students design an impact project in collaboration with a selected community and implement it over a two-year span. The GEx and the IEx compel both faculty and students to reimagine university education in all its aspects—including student/teacher roles, strategies for assessment, and even the purpose of education more broadly. This lecture will elucidate the College’s understanding of, and rationale for, experiential education, especially in our international offerings, and will discuss the challenges faced in implementing such a demanding curriculum.

Biodata:
A/P Peter Vail trained as a cultural anthropologist and sociolinguist, with regional interests in Thailand, Laos and Cambodia. He joined NUS in 2009, initially in the University Scholars Programme and more recently in the NUSC. He helped design, and currently serves as Pillar Coordinator for, the IEx Impact Experience course, and teaches a range of courses, including both IEx and GEx in addition to courses in linguistic anthropology and development issues.

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Offered by the Centre for Teaching, Learning and Teachnology (CTLT)

Intended Learning Outcomes