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Paint your future In RP!Republic Polytechnic
- AnthonySingapore
- Republic Polytechnic, Singapore
- Diploma In Business Application
- Vocational Study (Certificates and Diplomas)
- 2011
Republic Polytechnic (RP) life is definitely one of my best and enjoyable experiences so far. I had many opportunities to gain exposure to new experiences and experiencing the unique PBL pedagogy! After going through four semesters in RP, and as I continue to reflect on my life so far, I came to a realization that not many people will regard RP as one of their twelve choices because of the fact that RP is the youngest Polytechnic. However, students have to understand that the learning style and environment is certainly different compared to other Polytechnic, and how beneficial is it to them if they are not of the group who is good at studying but a group which is good in oral presenting and communication. RP, because of this unique PBL education system, had made me to become a better presenter, and someone who thinks critically when faced a problem.
The selection process wasn’t smooth and easy for me as I focus and signed up for other Polytechnics’ courses and attractions. I didn’t manage to get what I wished for, and was then posted to RP. The selection process of the institution was done by the Ministry of Education, which they will base on the choices that the students had opted for, and allocate them to the respective institution. I was posted to RP, and got into a course named Diploma in Business Application. This was my selection process experience.
There are many financial schemes to help the students who come from a lower income family. Students will get to enjoy RP’s education with the school supporting them financially on certain situations. There are also many scholarships and monetary awards awarded to students who have done brilliantly in their academic and Co-curricular Activities, which is also known as clubs and Interest Group (IG) in RP. These students will be recognized by the School Management and advisors of the IG. All these awards are available so as to help to encourage the Republicans to excel in both Academic and engagement activities.
I am currently studying a Diploma in Business Application, majoring in both Information Technology and Business and Finance studies. The total number of years for this diploma is 3. Every day, there will be a problem trigger assigned to a class of 25 students, divided into 5 teams. The day started in the morning, also known as the first meeting, where the students will found out about what the problem trigger is all about, and brainstorm as a team to discuss how to go about solving the problem statement. Moving on to the first study period, students are encouraged to continue to do research for their findings on the problem trigger. During the second meeting, the teacher, known as a facilitator will generate discussions within the teams, and class. The main job of the facilitator is to facilitate the class, and to generate discussions to help the students to think greater beyond the surface. After this meeting, the students are dismissed for their second breakout which will last for about 2 hours. During these 2 hours, the students are required to produce and prepare a presentation of their findings, solutions and justification as a team, and get it presented in the third meeting. When the third meeting commence, all teams are to pay attention to what was presented, and questions the findings of the presenting team. The facilitator also help the presenting team to make sure if they had learnt something for the whole day by questioning and give critical comments and questions about the presented contents. At the end of the day, to sum up the whole day’s process, the facilitator will present the ideal solution and theories to the problem trigger and explain on certain key learning issues. Each day, the students will go through all these processes, and be graded by the respective facilitator for their performances and efforts in all three meetings. There will also be grading for the understanding tests which all students have to go through it compulsory. At the end of the semesters, all these grades will be compiled and calculated into GPA. Beside this, RP also included a Professional Profiling project for the second year students to do a business profile on any company or organization. There are also 2 Final Year Projects for the third year (also the graduating batch). Above all these, RP had implemented a system where all students have to complete 40 activities points before graduating. Failure to accomplish this section, students will have to be retained and continue to finish up this section before graduating with a diploma.
Currently I am the President of Student Ambassador, and an Education Club. Student Ambassador is an Interest Group which I joined because of what it has to offer. This IG provides a variety of channels for me to excel, such as planning and executions of events within School or externally, ushering on big and important occasions such as President of Singapore visit. In this IG, I had personally planned big and major events such as a family camp with external parties, RP Talent Fiesta in RP itself, collaborated with Esplanade for ushering and many more. Basically, what this IG is doing mainly is to represent RP internally within school and externally as student leaders. We have connections with organizations and institutions as far as NUS and Siglap Community Center. Because of this, I am also able to build a wider network of friends. Because of Student Ambassador, I was chosen to join in the Educational Club as a President as well. This club focuses more on the education of the students in RP. The club offers workshops to help the students to conquer their understanding tests, and how to make full use of all the available resources that is given to them such as worksheets to solve their problem trigger. This club, will also be the main group to promote RP’s unique PBL pedagogy to the public and internally, to let people what PBL is all about and the benefits in which PBL pedagogy offers. In short, we are the ambassadors of PBL pedagogy. We are also known as Student Facilitators in class to help to build and encouraging a learning atmosphere in class.
Studying Diploma in Business Application allows me to have many varieties of options for which working sector I want to work in. options such as the IT industries, Banking and Finance or any Accounting Sector or hotel service and hospitality sector. There are many career talks organized as well to help students to have more information about their respective career prospects of the diploma they are studying. RP also have connections with certain companies and organizations in which there are many students who are recognized had gone to and work. Much more, there are many organizations out there in the working world seeking for young and fresh graduates who have a great team work and strong leadership in leading projects and RP is currently producing such students. Definitely, the job prospects for the students of RP is very bright, should the students did well both academically and in their IG.
If you are studying right now or you have completed your studies, then help future students by sharing your experiences.