With an ever-changing education landscape, creating an effective teaching and learning classroom environment has to evolve rapidly as well.

Understanding the constant need to adapt and adopt  new pedagogies and teaching methods, Dr Poh Soon Koh recognises the importance to be responsive to learners’ needs. Dr Poh Soon Koh is a recipient of the Tan Poey Quee Doctor in Education Book Prize for Best Dissertation award of 2021. He joined the National Institute of Education, Nanyang Technological University, Singapore (NIE NTU, Singapore) as a full-time lecturer with the English Language & Literature (ELL) Academic Group after having headed departments in secondary schools. The courses he teaches in NIE NTU, Singapore prepare prospective teachers to teach the English language in secondary schools. As a lecturer, he is constantly reminded of the challenges that beginning teachers have in applying what they had learnt in NIE to their classrooms. His interest in theory-practice gap in learning was piqued when he supervised student-teachers during their practicum. This inspired him to enroll in the Doctor in Education (EdD) programme offered by NIE.

When asked what attracted him to the EdD programme, Dr Poh emphasized that the coursework of his chosen programme was the main reason that attracted him to pursue his doctoral studies at NIE. “I felt that the coursework would immediately provide me direct access to the world of research without having to spend a large amount of time groping on my own,” said Dr Poh. Dr Poh also shared that what set NIE apart from other institutions was that it offered him the professional knowledge of the local education context and a wide variety of opportunities to interact with scholars with international perspectives who have conducted research in Singapore schools. “The studies that came out of NIE have gained international standing,” he added.

In addition, NIE’s dynamic and diverse learning methods were what made Dr Poh felt about its distinctiveness: “Each tutor conducted their courses in different ways. Some conducted it in a seminar style; some used small group discussions with a tutor providing guidance to each group; some allowed participants to direct inquiries during class time,” he recalled. In particular, the diverse professions of students from the public and private sectors offered new perspectives and ideas from a variety of viewpoints and wide-ranging personal and professional experiences. This encouraged students to explore their areas of research interest in novel and refreshing ways that were beyond what they were accustomed to.

Dr Poh was always proud to become part of NIE. Apart from NIE’s strong relationship with the Ministry of Education, Singapore which facilitated the classroom research conducted in Singapore schools, Dr Poh expressed that the best part of being a student of NIE for him was being conferred his doctorate degree by an institution that is globally recognized for its excellence in research, and its strong academic standing at both the local and international levels.

Focusing on the interesting facets that he had experienced as an NIE postgraduate student, Dr Poh said NIE delivered on its reputation – not just for its academic standards, but also in bolstering students’ personal development. He shared that many discussions, dialogues and exchanges conducted had broadened the space for students to nurture their learning, thinking and reflecting. All of these have substantially impacted him to become an independent and self-directed learner. “I remember the discussions I had with my supervisor. She allowed me full rein to manage different stages of my dissertation work and allowed me to pace myself. I was tempted to just follow her ideas, but she was careful to give me the space to develop my own perspectives.”

As an educator, Dr Poh felt the importance to go beyond research. The opportunity to work as a full-time lecturer in NIE in mentoring prospective teachers to teach English made him realise the challenges beginning teachers faced as they master the concepts of contemporary pedagogies that were meant to prepare them for a learning environment that changes rapidly. This fueled his interest in developing the skills and capabilities of teachers to bridge the gap between theory and practice. As part of his EdD dissertation, he examined the social discourses and the cultural practices that predisposed three beginning teachers of the English language to think and act in certain ways that were not always aligned with what they were taught. “My dissertation goal was to find the answer to the question: Why many beginning teachers do not always put into practice what they have learned in their teacher preparation programme?”

When asked if he would recommend the programmes at NIE, Dr Poh was affirmative. The academic rigor in NIE provides ample challenges and opportunities to develop and grow in both personal and professional capacities. He highlighted that “NIE certainly offers something that would be relevant to your professional needs. Find it and prepare to work hard in a positive way.”

Being a practitioner, Dr Poh recognised that NIE has supported his professional career trajectories and provides him the opportunity to be an effective teacher educator and researcher. The EdD programme also created a platform that stimulated his critical thinking skills by providing quality resources and excellent frameworks which eventually guided him in his research and passion. “I can think more deeply at the conceptual level. As a practitioner, I am now able to understand the many factors that contribute to the challenges teachers face in their teaching.”

The NIE Doctor in Education programme has a strong reputation in teacher education and educational research. With the mission of nurturing leaders to positively impact education professions, it is targeted at professionals who have a commitment to make improvements at their workplace, and in extending and honing their professional expertise in their respective fields of education in both research and practice domains. Applications for NIE NTU’s January 2023 intake are now open until 15 June 2022. To apply, visit www.nie.edu.sg/jan2023.

The National Institute of Education (NIE), is an autonomous institute under the Nanyang Technological University (NTU), Singapore. It has been consistently ranked amongst the top 20 education institutions in the world and top 3 in Asia by Quacquarelli Symonds (QS) ranking. For more information on the range of graduate programmes offered by NIE, please visit www.nie.edu.sg/ge.