To: Mr Ma and Mr Chua
From: Teo Ya Lun, s10064556K of Oversea Immersion Programme
Subject: My learning plan
Date: 4th March 2009
Learning objectives
The first few things I would like to experience and learn in China that consists of their working lifestyle, daily lifestyle, food culture and so on. Although I never been China before but this is the first time I am going together with the school division. This is one of my greatest experiences I ever had. China is a very huge country in Southeast Asia. However the population is many times than our local population in Singapore. Sometimes in Singapore, I won’t learn anything until I had experienced in other countries. People in Singapore are always following the same pattern from one another but I won’t know how many types are there, probably less or more. According to my research for China, I found that the people in China are very friendly and helpful although they do speak louder than us. Unlike in Singapore, sometimes might meet those ridiculous people who make the life more difficulty and toughness. The day when I come to China, the first thing I am interested to find out their food culture. Based on my research, their food became one of the best in the worldwide. So why not I take this opportunity to find out and give it a try on their famous dishes. As learning takes process every day, it takes time to have the habit to make as my daily lifestyle. After knowing from this trip, I intended to motivate myself to learn how people live, how different are they from Singapore and etc. I would intend to use as photo shoot when I travel around during my free hours. I love to travel around so that it makes my learning more interesting rather than just do research in home or library. After back to Singapore, I would like to have my fellow friends and classmates to view all the photos and share with them my experiences as well.
Focus of inquiry
The goals that I have defined are my communication with the people in China, their co-ordination in the area of working and studying and my independence in China. As mentioned above, the reason why I would choose the following two goals. Firstly, as myself is a very quiet person, so when comes to working, it will pretty stress for me to have proper communication with others. So I would like to take this opportunity on communicating outsiders with a proper foundation. Secondly, in order to work in future, the first thing that must seek for cooperation with others. Else it will be much suffered when I am in the working environment. If the cooperation between me and others, it will give a very bad view for the company and may lead a chance of job unsecure. According to the newspaper news, most of them were stated that China is a leading world of today. As myself before in China, I am quite interested to know in their student life and Electronics. As for student life, their lifestyle and our lifestyle are totally different but some are incomparable. The main difference between these two is that they can stay their hostels during the school weeks while ours don’t need in Singapore but they are usually go home once a week or every weekend instead everyday. And for Electronics, some of our electronics devices that made in China and can be found in our local, Singapore. Some of people that may not able to afford for much higher value devices instead the devices that made in China are much cheaper as compare to the original. In order to have the main functions similar to the original, the people and the technologists always produce out with new ideal and new concept in the Electronics industry. The industry itself has been growing rapidly since over the 10 years which is twice of the speed in Singapore.
Questions for inestigations
The five questions that I wanted to find out in China. The followings consist of:
1) How different from our culture in Singapore?
Compare the cultures between them
2) How many languages do they normally speak?
Is it based on only one language, Mandarin?
3) What is their daily routine?
Our daily routine will be exercising, taking nap and etc. What about theirs?
4) Are the people in Wuhan behaving the same way as us?
To know whether it apply to everyone in China
5) Is there anything that similar to Singapore?
In Singapore, we usually would be fined like smoking or littering.
Development of global skills
The three global skills that I want to improve in China. They are open-mindedness, curiosity about other cultures and respect for other beliefs.
The reasons that why I have chosen:
Open-mindedness –Sometimes I may not able to come out with any decision whenever there’s a situation. However, there are certain things which are not based on one’s decision. Therefore, I would like to improve this area whenever any decision that come across in future. With open-mindedness, it allows me to decide better during in the school or in the working life.
Curiosity about other cultures – I have been very curious since I was young. When comes to something new, I am very anxious to find out and know more. Regardless in other cultures, I am glad to know more wherever I travel. It is very good to know more in other countries rather than in Singapore. There are certain things I may not be seen but I believe I will able to see it one day.
Respect for other beliefs – Respecting to each other is a must, however respecting for other beliefs is to be improved as well. Wherever I travel to any places or encounter different type of people, I must respect their beliefs as some people are not really acceptable. Unlike in Singapore, there are things that can be accepted while outside or other countries, it may not. It will end up with unexpected result such as end up fighting, racists and etc if not respect for each other beliefs.
Learning strategies
Based on my character, I am not really a person who enjoys his learning at home or in school. As myself, I would love to learn by looking and hearing at the same time. It allows me to learn more efficient that what I learn from internet or literature. The learning from internet and the learning through experiences is totally different. Learning from internet, it gives me information that based on the truth to analyze with. However learning through experiences has an advantage that allows me to see through its real kind.
