Sports, Health & Leisure
The School of Sports, Health & Leisure (SHL) offered two diploma programmes in its inaugural year, namely:
• Diploma in Sports and Exercise Sciences (DSES)
• Diploma in Sports and Leisure Management (DSLM)
At the end of AY06-07, SHL had an enrolment of 210 students and 21 staff.
In AY07-08, SHL will be offering a third diploma programme - Diploma in Outdoor & Adventure Learning (DOAL) with an initial intake of 100 students. The diploma was designed, with input from industry partners, to cater to the needs of aspiring outdoor and adventure instructors for the growing number of service providers in this field. It has been endorsed by Outward Bound Singapore, Singapore Mountaineering Federation, Singapore Canoe Federation, NParks, SAFRA, Co-Curricular Activity Branch, MOE, Singapore Tourism Board and adventure tourism companies.
To cater to growing demands from industry for more education and training programmes in SHL-related disciplines, CET programmes have been proposed to the Polytechnic Academic Committee (PAC). When approved, SHL will launch the following Specialist Diplomas (SD) - SD in Sports and Exercise Science, SD in Sports and Leisure Management and SD in Outdoor and Adventure Learning. These disciplines are anchored in SHL’s current diplomas.
Collaborations
Three staff members from the DOAL team were invited to be associate trainers with Outward Bound Singapore (OBS) through RP’s Industry Associate Scheme (IAS). This collaboration enables staff to stay current with industry practices and expertise.
SHL, in partnership with the Office of Student and Graduates Affairs (OSG), will be managing a new Adventure Learning Centre to be established by July 2007. Discussions with OBS are ongoing to institute an MOU for mutual benefits. The DOAL team has meanwhile successfully won a tender by OBS valued at S$50,000 to study on the impact of adventure learning programmes by OBS.
SHL is in discussion with the Singapore Sports School (SSS) to establish an athlete support services framework which will support elite athletes from SSS to further their diploma education in RP.
SHL is also engaged in active discussions with the Singapore Sports Council (SSC) to provide continuing education for coaches. Currently, six academic staff of SHL are on the panel of lecturers for SSC’s National Coaching Accreditation Programme. Two academic staff are also serving on the Coaching Advisory Committee of the SSC.
In April 2006, the DSLM team completed a S$50,000 consultancy project for SSC to analyse the training needs of SSC High Participation Service Providers. The findings from the project have enabled SSC to better understand the current mindset of these service providers and in turn provide relevant and sustainable training initiatives.
The DSES team, in collaboration with SAS, was awarded S$210,000 by the Singapore Totalisator Board for a project titled ‘Optimal Fluid and Electrolyte Replacement Following Exhaustive Physical Exertion’. Other collaborators in this project include the potential FSI partner and the Defence Medical Environmental Research Institute (DMERI).
Events
RP’s Principal, SHL director and a manager from OPI made a study trip to nine universities in the UK in January 2007. The objective of the trip was to advance discussions with potential Foreign Specialised Institutes (FSI) partners on FSI arrangements and areas of curriculum articulation, student and staff development, exchange programmes, and research collaborations. The team visited the Brunel University, Loughborough University, University of Ulster, University of Wales in Cardiff, University of Edinburgh, University of Stirling, Northumbria University, Sheffield Hallam University, and the University of Southampton.
A member from the DSLM team presented a paper entitled “Developing Leisure Professionals – The Problem-based Learning Approach” at the 9th World Leisure Congress in Hangzhou, China. This presentation helped to raise the awareness of a new tertiary education for training leisure professionals in Singapore as well as showcased the unique pedagogy of RP’s education. Many of the findings mirror similar research carried out by academics in the area of leisure in Brazil, Korea and China.
SHL staff attended the Educational Research Association of Singapore Conference held in March 2007. A member from the DOAL team presented a paper entitled “What Do We Get Out Of Adventure Experiences: Case Studies of the Singapore Experience” at the International Conference on Character Development through Service and Experiential Learning held at NIE. The presentation shared on the outcomes of adventure programmes conducted in Singapore.
Outreach
SHL is participating in the Raffles Research Programmes, the MOE Science Mentorship Programme and the SAS’ Scientific Mentorship programme. These programmes aim to develop pupils’ interest and talent in scientific research and provide opportunities for them to learn about the latest research developments. More than 10 students from Raffles Institution, Raffles Girls’ School and Hwa Chong Institution are currently being mentored.
In support of RP’s outreach initiatives, SHL has made presentations at the SSS, Compassvale Secondary School, Fajar Secondary School and Mayflower Secondary School at their public and career awareness talks and assembly talks. SHL has also initiated discussions with several secondary schools for their students to participate in CE opportunities such as in the provision of sports services and adventure learning programmes to be rolled out in the later half of 2007.