Supporting Lifelong Learning with FlexiMasters at NIE
Calling all teachers! Here's your chance to chart a continuing education pathway at your own learning pace, and stack your micro-credentials towards a full Master's degree. Find out how.
FlexiMasters is an initiative by NTU designed to encourage lifelong learning while meeting the personal learning needs of working adults. Not only does it allow individuals to select from a wide-spectrum of multi-disciplinary courses offer across NTU, it also offers them flexibility to adjust the learning pace based on their needs and requirements.
As the name suggests, what’s really attractive about FlexiMasters is the fact that learners can accumulate credits from their prescribed courses, and where appropriate, transfer the credits towards earning a full Master’s degree. Singaporeans and Permanent Residents can enjoy up to 70% of course fee funding, supported by SkillsFuture Singapore (SSG). Singaporeans aged 40 and above can enjoy subsidies up to 90% of the course fee.
As of April 2022, NIE offers 16 FlexiMasters and 18 Graduate Certificates. With topics ranging from training in advanced pedagogical practices, science and early childhood education, technology for teaching and learning, physical activity and health, and even drama education — there is no better time for those in education and education-related professions to broaden their skill sets and fulfil their aspiration to complete a Master’s programme.
Already, the take-up rate for NIE’s Continuing Education and Training (CET) courses has more than doubled — from 48 learners in the August 2020 semester, to 104 learners in the January 2022 semester. The growth in interest and enrollment in our micro-credential courses has encouraged us to expand our micro-credential course offerings and explore greater optionality and flexibility for adult learners.
Given the constant shifts in economic focus and the growing relevance of lifelong learning, NIE fully understands why today’s working adults may prefer to commit to standalone courses that are stackable towards a postgraduate degree. Therefore, NIE’s FlexiMasters courses are intended to be less research-focused, while imbuing academic and skills-based curriculum as well as the opportunity for specialisation, for individuals seeking career advancement or professional development.
Pursuing CET at NIE: Taking it one step at a time
Currently an educator in a primary school, Ms Tan Sini completed the FlexiMasters in Learning and Development and is now pursuing the Master of Education (Developmental Psychology) at NIE. Ms Tan had opted to complete her further studies via micro-credential as she was unsure if she would be able to cope with a Master's programme due to her work and family commitments. The micro-credential pathway allowed her to pace her learning more flexibly.
“The FlexiMasters programme at NIE was a good stepping stone for me to try one of the courses in a related Master's programme to understand the expectations without feeling the pressure to complete the programme. It was a good dipstick for me to find out if I could manage my time and preparation for my studies, while keeping different learning pathways open. If the workload of the courses is manageable, there is flexibility under FlexiMasters to transfer my credits and progress to a related Master's programme as long as it is within the timeframe stipulated. I am thankful for the wonderful learning experience gained through FlexiMasters at NIE, as the programme structure has helped me to upskill and achieve my personal aspirations.
My lecturers in NIE have been encouraging us to apply what we have learnt in their courses, offering generous insights and possible solutions to challenges we face in our work. The advice has been deeply relevant and authentic, due to their vast experiences collaborating with various schools, agencies and ministries. This has made it easier for me to apply what I've learnt at NIE, as well as offer fresh ideas to help my colleagues in their work.”
Ms Tan Sini, Master of Education (Developmental Psychology)
July 2021 intake
