Teach Less, Learn More: A Paradigm Through Collaborative Learning in Science

The Inception of TLLM

The TLLM education approach was first conceptualized by Singapore’s Prime Minister Lee Hsien Loong in 2004 during the National Day Rally. Lee hoped to streamline Singapore’s education by reducing rote learning and adopt teaching methods that would engage learners and prepare them for the future. The Singapore TLLM initiative envisioned that education could be reshaped by striking a balance between academic and non-academic pursuance, which involves expansion of the curriculum, shaping various soft skills, attributes and multiple intelligences. The emphasis of TLLM in education is to ensure that learners are to be successful in the 21^st century. The approach aims to make learning more diverse and flexible through the incorporation of integrated programs in schools, including specialized areas of interest such as Sports, Arts, Mathematics and Science. Meanwhile, in alignment with this TLLM approach, some schools in Singapore moved practical studies including Filmmaking, Designing, IT, Nutrition and Cooking for children as exam subjects or electives, in order to provide learners various career pursuit pathways.

The TLLM approach started as a prototype in Singapore involving 29 schools in 2006, and slowly expanded to 327 schools in 2011. Though this initiative encourages innovative teaching and learning pedagogy, teachers spent more time in preparation for the classes. Besides, teachers have difficulty in balancing the application of TLLM objectives and the need to cover the syllabus and preparing learners for examination as there is a more considerable emphasis in Singapore for grades and academic performance. Nevertheless, the Singapore Education Ministry found that TLLM initiatives enhanced learners’ engagement and teachers’ professionalism. Based on the analysis, learners claimed that learning becomes more interesting and exciting as they were more attentive and participated actively.

Similarly, the Malaysian education system has grown to have an equal focus on technical and vocational training, along with traditional academic pathways. The Malaysia Education blueprint 2013-2025 has highlighted the significance of striking a balance between knowledge and skills together with ethics and morality that are being built around qualities such as leadership skills, national identity, language competency, thinking skills and knowledge. The aim is to produce holistic, entrepreneurial and balanced graduates who are values-driven and job creators. With that, the Ministry and higher learning institutions have focused on providing an integrated and comprehensive educational system that is personalized, addresses learners’ needs in addition to a better learning involvement. TLLM approach may not be clarified substantively in the blueprint; nevertheless, it demands teaching to be more than imparting textbook knowledge and to inspire learners to learn in creative ways.