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Straits Times
a day ago
- General
- Straits Times
Master's in practice: How special needs educator enhances teaching
Newcastle Australia Institute of Higher Education's globally ranked programmes adapt to Singapore's market needs, while flexible schedules and study grants make upskilling easier for working adults Ms Lun Wei Shi (right), special needs educator at Extraordinary People, helps students like Thaddeus Chew – pictured here with his painting completed live at a community event – find their voice and earn an income through their art. Special needs educator Lun Wei Shi often relies on her handmade 'communication charts' – simple boards with visual icons – to help her students express themselves better. For example, if a student needs to wash their hands, they can point to the corresponding icon. Similarly, Ms Lun can do the same to make sure her instructions are understood clearly. This simple tool supports clearer expression, helping bridge the gap between thoughts and words for people with autism, when everyday communication may feel challenging. It is one of the many practical aids the 33-year-old has designed, after completing the Supporting Communication module in the Master of Special and Inclusive Education offered by the Newcastle Australia Institute of Higher Education (Newcastle Australia). The school, established in Singapore in 2006, is the Asia Pacific hub of the University of Newcastle in Australia (UON). Ms Lun's handmade 'communication charts' display clear visuals for her students to refer to and express their needs with confidence. PHOTO: COURTESY OF LUN WEI SHI 'Australian universities are known for their strengths in the special education sector, and I was considering moving there for studies,' recalls Ms Lun, who is the programme manager and associate psychologist at Extraordinary People, a local charity. The charity supports children and youth with special needs, and she runs its Creative Lab, which aims to empower those with artistic talent to earn a living through their works. When Ms Lun researched her options, she discovered the part-time programme by Newcastle Australia. It appealed to her with its comprehensive theoretical learning and hands-on approach to coursework that ties closely to her day-to-day work. 'A very big factor for me in choosing Newcastle Australia was that its programme is curated for people in the sector. Although it's a programme from Australia, the lecturers have a wealth of knowledge about the Singaporean education system and social service sector,' she adds. 'They are also very intentional in curating our assignments to think about how the various theoretical approaches can be applied in Singapore.' Another tool – a visual schedule – Ms Lun developed shows her students what to expect at different times in class, so they can manage transitions with less anxiety. PHOTO: COURTESY OF LUN WEI SHI Furthermore, Ms Lun was able to tap a study grant that paid a significant portion of her course fees. The grant, which varies, is open to all students enrolled in the institute's master's programmes. For Ms Buanesvari Paarvati, 33, her family's sole breadwinner, the grant encouraged her to enrol in the Master of Business Psychology . The part-time programme is equipping her with the skills to apply psychological theory to real-world leadership and team management at Samaritans of Singapore, a suicide prevention agency, where she is an assistant manager. 'The programme's focus on applied psychology in organisations, such as assessment, change management and leadership, resonated with my professional interests and offered insights I felt could be valuable across various workplace settings,' she explains. Her course is ranked second in Australia for overall satisfaction by graduates, according to the latest Australian government-funded Graduate Outcomes Survey 2021-2023 . At Samaritans of Singapore, assistant manager Buanesvari Paarvati leads a team that provides crisis support to those in need. PHOTO: COURTESY OF BUANESVARI PAARVATI Both Ms Lun and Ms Buanesvari value the flexibility provided by the university, without which it would have been challenging to juggle classes with their unpredictable work schedules. 'If we cannot be physically in the classroom, we can Zoom in,' says Ms Buanesvari, who works shifts. 'The lectures are recorded if we miss a class, and the lecturers are very understanding and give us some leeway with deadlines if unexpected work comes up.' Ms Lun has also been able to balance work and study in the special education sector, where working on weekends is common. 'There've been times when I had to leave early or miss a morning class, so being able to catch up with the recorded sessions really helps,' she says. Such practical support, in addition to the institute's trusted reputation, gives working adults like Ms Lun and Ms Buanesvari the confidence to commit to part-time studies while working full time. Credibility that opens doors In the QS World University Rankings 2025, UON was named as one of the top 250 universities globally, securing the 179th spot. Twelve of its subjects ranked in the top 200 internationally in their respective fields. Moreover, 95 per cent of UON's research is 'at or above world standard', according to the independent Australian government-led Excellence in Research for Australia Report . One example is its Master of Environmental Management and Sustainability , which includes United Nations (UN)-certified modules. These give a boost to those aiming to work in multinational firms, global agencies, or cross-border green finance and sustainability reporting. Times Higher Education also ranks UON's commitment to sustainability and climate action among the top 40 universities in the world for impact, adding to the school's credibility. The ranking is based on how the universities are progressing towards the UN's 17 Sustainable Development Goals. UON has embedded sustainability across its operations and programmes, from supporting research into green energy to shifting away from single-use plastic. As Singapore races to meet its net-zero emissions target by 2050, local demand for sustainability professionals is surging too . With the master's programme, students acquire practical knowledge and credentials increasingly sought after by employers. Beyond sustainability, Newcastle Australia also offers programmes that build capabilities in Singapore's fast-evolving healthcare sector. Its Master of Health Economics, Management and Policy is run by its Newcastle Business School, which is accredited by the Association to Advance Collegiate Schools of Business. This globally recognised accreditation is held by only five per cent of business schools worldwide. Besides gaining in-demand skills to tackle modern healthcare system challenges, Singapore's current and budding healthcare leaders and analysts who take up the master's programme can earn internationally-respected credentials, improving their career prospects. Ms Buanesvari hopes her master's will help her step into senior leadership roles in the social service sector, where she aims to make a bigger impact. PHOTO: COURTESY OF BUANESVARI PAARVATI Ms Lun and Ms Buanesvari are already excited for the opportunities that their respective qualifications will open up for them. 'Having a master's degree is really helpful in honing the trust that others have in you and the work that you are doing as an educator,' Ms Lun notes. Ms Buanesvari, who aspires to take on a key leadership position in the social service sector, adds: 'Beyond the knowledge itself, the master's degree shows a commitment to developing myself. 'It positions me better for senior roles in the future, where I can lead larger teams or even contribute to the strategic planning within the sector. I see it as a stepping stone for me to make a better impact within the sector.'
Washington Post
07-03-2025
- Sport
- Washington Post
Whitman overcomes B-CC with a pair of clutch free throws late in OT
Titian DeRosa embraced the noise. Whitman's senior point guard wanted to be the one standing at the free throw line with less than a second left in a tied overtime game against Bethesda-Chevy Chase on Thursday night in Bethesda. He wanted to hear his home crowd — he beckoned for the Vikings' student section to rise and scream before he calmly stepped to the line and sank the decisive free throws. In a wild back-and-forth Maryland Class 4A West II region final between a pair of Bethesda rivals, DeRosa and the Vikings emerged victorious, 61-58. After drawing a Barons foul on an inbounds pass with nine-tenths of a second left in overtime, DeRosa delivered in the clutch, earning the third-seeded Vikings another home game in the state quarterfinals Saturday against Springbrook. 'Nobody works harder than me, I get up 200 free throws a day, sometimes more,' DeRosa thought to himself while standing at the line. 'This dude just fouled me… that's ballgame.' With the win, the Vikings (20-4) move one step closer to returning to the University of Maryland's Xfinity Center, where they fell in the Maryland Class 4A state title game last season to Frederick. Coach Chris Lun's team overcame a difficult shooting night, making just 4 of 20 attempts from three-point range. 'Our team is so close together, in the huddles we were just talking and staying composed,' said senior Sean Curran, who finished with a team-high 20 points and made all four of the team's threes. 'We knew the whole time we had each other's backs.' Minutes earlier, DeRosa thought he had clinched the win with a pair of free throws for a three-point lead with less than 10 seconds remaining in regulation. But B-CC guard Tim Byrd drew a foul on a layup and converted the three-point play to send the game to overtime. The Barons (13-11), spurred by a 20-point performance from junior Jack Allen, took a two-point lead into the final minute of the overtime period. But DeRosa found his way to the line to tie the game at 58, then drew the last-second foul to take the two-point lead. B-CC then turned the ball over on the ensuing inbounds play which led to a final free throw from senior Evan Brown to ice the game. Two weeks ago, Lun's team walked into the Barons' gym and made a school-record 14 three-pointers in the first half of an eventual 16-point win. With the perimeter shots not falling Thursday, the Vikings found offense from other sources — notably sophomore Max Williams, who had 18 points. 'I prefer us making threes instead of shooting 4 for 20,' Lun said with a smile in the locker room after the game. 'But our guys didn't wilt, they didn't turn on each other when overtime was forced.'
South China Morning Post
03-03-2025
- Business
- South China Morning Post
Hong Kong property: Winland's 5 asset sales show more distress in store
More financially stressed property owners are putting their assets in Hong Kong up for sale at big discounts this year as high borrowing costs weigh on mortgage repayment while experts project further market weakness. Advertisement Savills is helping the Lun family of Winland Group to find a buyer for Winland House, an 84,510 sq ft commercial building in Cheung Sha Wan, for about HK$700 million (US$90 million). The family also hired Savills to sell some units in Lippo Centre in Admiralty for about HK$450 million, or 36 per cent below its acquisition cost eight years ago. The Lun family was also said to have recently sold three floors in Shun Shing Building in Tuen Mun for HK$118 million, and two floors in Odeon Building in North Point for HK$107 million, according to local news reports. 'We have seen a 20 to 30 per cent quarter-on-quarter increase in the stock list,' said Reeves Yan, executive director and head of capital markets at CBRE Hong Kong. 'These property owners wanted to reduce debt to ensure their financial status remained healthy.' 03:39 Shop occupancy recovers in Hong Kong, but vacant stores still visible across the city Shop occupancy recovers in Hong Kong, but vacant stores still visible across the city Policymakers in the US and Hong Kong kept their key interest rates unchanged last month amid new inflation challenges, after lowering them three times last year. The policy uncertainty has become the biggest factor stoking leverage concerns among property owners. Advertisement Borrowing costs were expected to remain high in the next six to 12 months, offering investors little relief on mortgage repayment, Yan added.
