Much More Than Academic Abilities

Academic abilities play a critical role not only in school settings but also in practical work situations and other problem-solving contexts that involve important intellectual task demands. However, we will not achieve the intended positive outcomes if we give too much emphasis to academic abilities and neglect non-academic attributes such as personality, interests, motivations, values, information-processing styles, self-concepts and attitudes.

What non-academic factors do we need to pay more attention to? How do we approach the issues and effect changes with meaningful impact? What is the relationship between education, work and various notions of success? How are academic and non-academic factors related to civil society and politics, and what lessons can we learn from mistakes and successes in the ways we use or treat these related abilities, attributes or attitudes?

This book explores these and other issues about going beyond academic abilities. The book is organised into four parts. Part 1 provides an overview of the issues in conceptualising and assessing academic abilities and non-academic attributes. Part 2 discusses education in Singapore and the adaptive Singapore workforce. Part 3 analyses the relationships linking academic abilities and non-academic factors to civil society and politics. Part 4 addresses specific questions on staff and public engagement, similarities and differences across public, private and people sectors, dealing with feedback and viewpoints, political and public service leadership, and relationships between people and government.

This book will provide new perspectives and possibilities on what it means to say 'much more than academic abilities', as we aspire to live a better life, make a positive difference to others, and build a stronger society.

Contents:

• About the Editor

• About the Contributors

• Preface

• Part I:

  • Abilities and Attitudes Make a Difference (Mohamad Maliki Bin Osman)
  • Beyond Academic Abilities (David Chan)
  • Panel Discussion 1 (Mohamad Maliki Bin Osman, David Chan and Melissa Kwee)

• Part II:

  • Education in Singapore: It's More Than Academic Achievements (Tan Tai Yong)
  • Adaptive Singapore Workforce: Skills and Non-Academic Attributes (Ng Cher Pong)
  • Panel Discussion 2 (Tan Tai Yong, Ng Cher Pong and Lim Lai Cheng)

• Part III:

  • Civil Society in Singapore: The Problem of Academic Abilities (Kanwaljit Soin)
  • Civil Society and Politics in Singapore: Do 'Straight As' Help or Hurt? (Laurence Lien)
  • Panel Discussion 3 (Kanwaljit Soin, Laurence Lien and Jeremy Lim)

• Part IV:

  • Closing Panel Discussion: Much More Than Academic Abilities (Lim Soo Ping, Mildred Tan, Han Fook Kwang, Arun Mahizhnan and David Chan)

Readership: General public, parents, educators, teachers, students and anyone interesting in knowing issues beyond academic abilities in Singapore.
Key Features:

• This is the first comprehensive volume that examines the various social and behavioural issues concerning the relative importance of academic abilities versus non-academic attributes in Singapore. These issues have continuously received wide public and policy attention both in and outside Singapore
• The speakers and panelists are leaders in their respective areas and they approach the topic by providing an informative review, presenting a state-of-the-art analysis, identifying critical unresolved issues and proposing innovative solutions to the problems identified
• The speakers and panelists are very well-known locally and internationally, including academics, practitioners and public intellectuals. The wealth and diversity of experience, reputation and influence of this set of authors will provide a very wide reach and multiplier effect in the readership market
• The book, based on the presentations and panel discussions in the BSI Conference held in February 2019, is written in an active style which will make it highly engaging for the reader