2011 AQ – parks and green spaces

The AQ is often problematic, not because students cannot evaluate (providing insight – the so what? factor) but because they have no fact base from which to build their claims.

Honestly, there is a difference between extrapolating your evaluation from an authentic knowledge base and generalised ‘fake’ knowledge base – one which rehashes the characteristics of Singapore (small, urban, highly stressed, fast paced)

1. Complete the AQ with any 3 evaluated points (2 in support, 1 as balance). Download AQ – Generalising from factual knowledge:

2. Write a conclusion that sums up your sentiments.

3. Email me the assignment: laureentoh.cjc@gmail.com

You should use the “What will home in 2030 look like” article as one form of knowledge base, others include google-able search terms like:

Singapore Nature Society, green corridor, Nparks, Singapore Green Plan 2012, Park Connector network, Art and Heritage Parks, waterways/riverine parks, names of nature reserves, activities that take place- Shakespeare in the Park, Ballet under the stars, concerts, community events in parks, neighbourhood parks, eco-havens, retail and commercial use of areas like Gardens by the Bay, central catchment zones etc etc

Sample AQ (modified) response

The Economist discusses several concerns of social networking in the workplace and its impact on businesses.

How relevant are any TWO concerns with regard to young people in your society? Use your own reasons and examples to support your answer.

Firstly, you need to identify 2 concerns you wish to address and explicitly state these. In your response question, you should carefully consider which of the concerns (already identified in the summary) are most readily applicable or relevant – what occurs in the workplace is also a an area of concern for young people.

Here are the list of concerns

1.Can it really deliver genuine benefits?

2.broadcast politically incorrect comments.

3.Informal groups of workers to spring up that managers cannot control.

4.Make unfair judgements of people/assess them/Spying on others

Sample response for 1 point. 

The concern that the use of social networks may result in the broadcasting of politically incorrect comments [identifying the argument from the text] is a behaviour that deserves our concern with regard to the youths’ social media habits. [give reasons] In Singapore,  the youth are heavy users of the social media with Facebook and Twitter ranking as the top two social media platforms. This is partly a result of a tech-savvy childhood where digital conversations and net-based relationships are the norm, coupled with the fact that smartphone and internet usage or access is readily available in our wired nation.  As a result, Singaporean youth are used to expressing themselves online through forums, blogs and more commonly, leaving a stream of comments on each other’s facebook accounts or responding instantaneously to a tweet.  It is also the lack of other platforms to express themselves freely that propel teens to go online and complain about what they believe are unfair school policies, or societal concerns. They wrongly believe that the Internet space is an unmonitored, free space for self expression when in fact, the government does clamp down on what it deems as insidious speech. [giving examples] Such an attitude is clearly evident as there have been many cases of youth making insensitive comments online such as the recent case of a teenager lamenting that Singaporean men are “weak” after a National Service man died from smoke inhalation, or incidents of racist slurs, calling foreign workers of a different race “dogs”. It is an issue of concern that young Singaporeans lack a sense of control about their comments, as a result of being so accustomed to conversing casually online.