Adult Learning Collaboratory

About the ALC

A groundbreaking initiative by the Institute for Adult Learning (IAL), the Adult Learning Collaboratory (ALC) is a first-of-its-kind, crucial social innovation that aims to energise the adult learning landscape in Singapore & beyond. Set up to tackle the complex challenges in adult learning, the ALC is a collaborative platform with an open-innovation ecosystem involving diverse stakeholders, including enterprises, education and training institutes, educators, researchers and policymakers. Drawing on IAL’s body of research, these stakeholders will engage in co-framing of issues, co-creation of innovative solutions, and iterative cycles of experimentation in real world settings.

As a start, the ALC will focus on seeking innovative solutions to address these three challenges:

A brief description of the three key domains for distributed experimentation: 

1. Digital Capability Development for an AI-Augmented future 

The Collaboratory aims to empower workers in the digital age by addressing the challenges they face in evolving their occupational practice using digital tools. We will co-develop a digital capability development approach that incorporates skills and the broader capabilities of an individual's participation in the development of digital technologies, ensuring that workers are upskilled rather than deskilled, and organisations’ capacity and productivity are enhanced.

2. New-Age Business Transformation

The Collaboratory’s effort to rejuvenate businesses through employee empowerment and bottom-up innovation. The focus is on the approaches that can be taken to activate their workforce to grow the business in new ways while demanding higher skills, thereby growing the pipeline of strong businesses and quality jobs in the economy. 

3. Future-Oriented Pedagogies

The Collaboratory seeks to equip the Training and Adult Education (TAE) sector and beyond with pedagogies to adapt to the evolving complexities of the workforce. The distributed experimentation aims to test future-oriented pedagogies that cultivate learners who are able to work with the emergent, unknown and complex.

The Collaboratory is a first of its kind initiative which combines the concepts of both ‘collaboration’ and ‘laboratory’. It seeks to unite ecosystem players to tackle complex challenges in adult learning through a dynamic process of testing, experimentation, and iteration. IAL’s extensive research in jobs, skills and learning over the years will provide a strong foundation of knowledge to generate new solutions.

More than 20 ecosystem players have joined as collaboratory partners to innovate and test new solutions at distributed experiment sites[1] across Singapore. These early collaborators include large and small enterprises, Institutes of Higher Learning, training providers, adult educators and technologists. Their experiments will focus on three critical domains: future-oriented pedagogies, digital capability development for an AI-augmented future, and new-age business transformation. These collaborative efforts seek to benefit adult learning working in diverse sectors.

What We Do

Leveraging IAL's extensive research and insights, Collaboratory Partners will engage in a dynamic process of testing, experimenting, and iteratively refining solutions in real-world settings. This use-centric, co-creation and experimentation approach, valuing successes and mistakes, ensures high-fidelity innovations that are research-backed and tailored for real-world application.

This figure summarises the use-centric and collaborative nature of ALC process which starts with the introductory exploration with partners which is then followed by the co-framing process of ideating and conceptualizing challenge statement(s) to be pursued. The third step is the ‘Pre-Sprint’ which prepares co-innovators for the Sprint in the next step. The pre-sprint includes determining experimentation ideas, resources, timelines and metrics of the sprint. The fourth step is the ‘Test-site Sprint’ where experimentation is conducted.  The fifth step is the ‘Use-site Sprint’ stage where pathways to scaling are developed.

Supporting the community of innovators, a 3,500-square-foot physical facility has been set up at the Lifelong Learning Institute. Launched on 1 August 2024, it will be dedicated to encouraging intensive dialogue and idea generation, house a theatrette for experimental work, showcase innovations, and facilitate local and international outreach in adult learning.

The Collaboratory features an experimental theatrette equipped to generate learning analytics, Functional Near-Infrared Spectroscopy (fNIRS) equipment for brain-level monitoring of adult learning, and collaborative spaces for joint ideation, to provide essential technological support for the community.

Ongoing Projects

1. Fei Siong Group:

Every Hawker, a Hawkerpreneur

Thriving Businesses and Alternative Careers in an AI Age

Fei Siong Group is driving forward its vision of a thriving hawker trade, collaborating with the IAL research team and industry specialists to strengthen its Hawkerpreneur programme. This innovative initiative empowers aspiring young hawkers to embrace a new era of entrepreneurship by equipping them with vital skills such as digital literacy, market analysis, and customer engagement – with most skills picked up through work. 

By mastering these cutting-edge techniques, participants not only enhance their operational efficiency and profitability but also make the hawker trade a viable alternative pathway of success for Singaporeans, ensuring they thrive as essential contributors to Singapore's vibrant culinary landscape.

“In nurturing younger hawkerpreneurs, we focus on more than just business skills. We emphasise the importance of innovation, adaptability, and continuous learning. Our goal is to work with the ecosystem to test strategies for young entrepreneurs to thrive, blending tradition with modern practices for sustained success.”  Joe Sng, Associate Director, Fei Siong Group

2. Singapore Academy of Law:

Lawyers for the Future

Shaping shifts in Identity & Agency

The Singapore Academy of Law aims to boost lawyer training by enacting future-oriented pedagogies in their training programmes to equip lawyers with the dispositions and skills needed to navigate the complexities of modern legal practice. 

By emphasising collaborative approaches and exploring digital tools training, this initiative aims to equip the current generation of junior lawyers with enhanced skills for an AI-impacted future. This will not only advance their professional development but also elevate the quality of legal services provided to the community. 

IAL hopes to expand and scale these successful teaching methods across SAL and beyond.

“The ALC’s unique approach of joint experimentation on future-oriented pedagogies at different sites is a productive approach to help our trainers deliver their lessons in a more effective and impactful manner. This transformative approach to adult learning will shorten the learning runway for our young lawyers, and ease the pressure to balance family, work, leisure and continuing professional development.”  Mrs Delphine Loo, Chief Legal Officer and Senior Director of Learning & Development (Singapore Academy of Law

3. Singapore Polytechnic: 

Shaping Future-Oriented Digital Marketers

Singapore Polytechnic puts its Specialist Diploma in Digital Marketing and Analytics up for co-experimentation. Its educators walk alongside IAL researchers to create and test how future-oriented pedagogies can support its digital marketeers to stay ahead in an industry characterised by rapid technological advancements and shifting consumer behaviours. The aim is to nurture digital marketeers who can be more confident to anticipate and adapt to future trends, harness new technologies such as AI and machine learning, and engage with diverse and global audiences in meaningful ways. This approach will prepare learners to lead and innovate in the future of marketing, strengthening their employability in an age of AI. The goal is to expand and scale successful practices to more programmes across the School of Business and beyond. 

"We are excited to partner with the Adult Learning Collaboratory to leverage forward-thinking teaching methods that enhance our learners' sense of identity, agency, and connection. By integrating these innovative approaches across diverse contexts and collaboratively designing assessments with industry partners, we ensure that our students not only acquire relevant knowledge but also develop the skills and confidence needed to succeed in the evolving workforce of the future." Mr Lucas Tok, Acting Director of the School of Business, Singapore Polytechnic

Our Team

Principal Specialists

Dr Parveen Sandhu	Parveen is Founder and Head of Learning at Surge Consulting, a consultancy specialising in the design and implementation of small and large scale learning and change projects. She holds several positions at IAL-SUSS, including Adult Educator Mentor, Certified Workplace Learning and Performance (CWLP) consultant, and Associate Faculty for the Master in Boundary Crossing Learning and Leadership programme. As a Principal Specialist for the Adult Learning Collaboratory, Parveen designs and implements activities with partner organisations to experiment with methodologies for future-oriented learning.	Ms Praise Mok	Praise has nearly 20 years experience in the Learning and Development industry and has been an agent of innovation and change at ROHEI. With her unique brand of creativity and clarity of understanding, Praise oversees the ideation process for contextualising learning and development interventions, ensuring they are relevant, purposeful and effective.  Praise is a practitioner, speaker and contributor particularly in topics relating to experiential learning design that support transfer to the workplace. She contributed a chapter referencing ROHEI as a case study “How We Use Experiential Learning to Engage Learners’ Hearts as Well as Minds” in the book “The Field Guide to the 6Ds: How to Use the Six Disciplines to Transform Learning into Business Results” by Andy Jefferson (Author), Roy V. H. Pollock (Author), Calhoun W. Wick (Author). Praise has also been involved in brokering key partnership engagements that have strengthened ROHEI's product offerings in culture, leadership development and tech-enabled learning transfer.

ALC Team

Dr Sahara Sadik Deputy Director

As the Deputy Director of the Research Division at IAL, Dr Sahara co-leads research initiatives to shape policy and practice within the CET sector. Her expertise lies in comparative political economy, focusing on the evolving landscape of businesses, jobs, skills, and learning opportunities across different economies. Sahara also leads the Adult Learning Collaboratory, IAL’s research translation unit that serves a community platform for collaborative experimentation. This initiative aims to foster adult learning innovations with demonstrable outcomes. Before joining IAL, Sahara gained experience in corporate communications and policy planning across various government bodies. She holds a Doctor of Philosophy (PhD) in Social Sciences from Cardiff University, a Master of Science (MSc) in Comparative Politics from the London School of Economics and Political Science, and a Bachelor of Arts (Honours) in European Studies and Political Science from the National University of Singapore.

Dr Tommie Chen Head (Ecosystem)

Dr Tommie Chen steers the strategic direction of the collaboratory and its activities towards building a high-trust, high-efficacy ecosystem of co-innovation and co-experimentation. This includes co-conceptualising and implementing the relevant research parameters with stakeholders.

Dr Albert Liau Head (Experimentation)

Dr Albert Liau strategises and drives experimentation in authentic settings using innovative methods. He oversees the design, implementation and evaluation of experiments together with stakeholder communities to generate collaboratory output that enhances adult learning.

Assoc Prof  Priscilla Pang Principal Researcher	A/P Priscilla is the Head of Programme for the Master in Boundary-Crossing Learning and Leadership graduate programme. Her professional background is in applied linguistics and her research interests lie in linguistic ethnography, professional interactions and qualitative research methods.  She has taught diploma-level, undergraduate and graduate students, and supervised graduate research projects. Her interest in professional talk and interactions has led her to study workplace interactions and learning, and she continues to engage in research in these areas.	Dr Chen Zan Principal Researcher	Dr Chen Zan conducts research on learning technologies, capability development of adult educators and workplace learning. She is currently leading a research project to understand the TAE (Training and Adult Education) landscape to support future development of the TAE sector.

Media Reports:

2 Aug

本地首个成人学习协作中心正式启用 应对成人教育领域关键挑战

https://www.8world.com/singapore/adult-learning-collaboratory-2525871

成人学习协作中心启用 助不同领域从业员自我精进

https://www.zaobao.com.sg/news/singapore/story20240801-4411128

New high-tech ‘classroom’ provides insights to hep adults learn better: 

https://www.straitstimes.com/singapore/new-space-launched-to-experiment-with-teaching-and-learning-practices-for-adults

https://media.truescope.com/20240801081922_0fdd8775-c3c5-4ed4-86e5-be97c0668c76.pdf 

1 Feb

https://govinsider.asia/intl-en/article/new-initiative-by-singapores-adult-learning-institute-tackles-innovation-gap-in-adult-education 

19 Jan

CNA, 19 Jan 2024: Institute for Adult Learning launches Adult Learning Collaboratory 

(Broadcast https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AaQG0vR2uu4)

Lianhe Zaobao, 19 Jan 2024: 成人学习学院设成人学习协作中心 促进各方为学习共创创新方案 (Online and Print https://www.zaobao.com.sg/realtime/singapore/story20240119-1463022)

The Straits Times, 19 Jan 2024: New hub to enhance adult learning to be launched in second half of 2024 (Online and Print https://www.straitstimes.com/singapore/new-hub-to-enhance-adult-learning-to-be-launched-in-second-half-of-2024)

Contact Us

Partners play a vital role in the success of our programmes.

If you would like to collaborate or have any queries, please write to us at tommiechensc@ial.edu.sg