Case Study

The case study below describes when Singapore was still in the heightened alert phase of COVID-19, and before restrictions were eased.

Diana is a 48-year-old Singaporean woman who has been working as a nurse for the past 25 years. She is about to start on a part-time undergraduate degree in Psychology and is now planning for her first semester at university.

As a frontline worker in a public hospital, Diana is finding it challenging keeping up with the increased demands at work brought about by the COVID-19 pandemic. She also struggles with adapting to the volatility of the safe management measures as this meant that she had to make alternative arrangements for her study and family if her work schedule had
to change at short notice.

She found herself becoming more isolated socially as hospital staff were not allowed to cross work zones or to mingle during mealtimes at work. In addition, she worries about her father who is living in Malaysia as she had not been able to visit him for the past two years due to closure of the borders. Her only consolation is that her sister lives an hour away from their father, and helps by dropping by a few times a week to check on him.

At home, her teenage son, Jerome is constantly “hiding” in his bedroom with the door locked. Diana finds this very disconcerting, especially since Jerome refuses to respond to her knocking on his door. Recently, Diana received calls from Jerome’s form teacher, informing her that Jerome had not been submitting his homework across different subjects.

The academic semester is starting for Diana, and she feels anxious as she is unsure of how to begin preparing for her new learning journey. She is also worried that she will not be able to learn effectively as classes will be delivered via an online mode.

She recalls a particular year during her schooling journey when she did not do well and wonder if that episode will repeat itself. She confides in her husband about the challenges she faces, and he advises her not to embark on the part-time study programme. Her husband’s response made her feel very alone in her educational journey.

You are required to include at least FIVE (5) journal articles to substantiate your answers. Provide a reference list at the end of the ECA.

a. Using Bronfenbrenner’s systems theory, discuss the factors that may impact Diana as an adult learner. Illustrate the various systems using specific examples relevant to Diana. If necessary, you may comment on the limitations of the background information available on Diana’s home/work situation, and how this additional information can add to our understanding of her challenges.

b. Suppose you are Diana’s class instructor. She has written to you expressing her worries about learning via an online mode. Examine some appropriate classroom management strategies that you can apply to foster a positive sense of classroom community. Discuss your answers with reference to how you can achieve this given an online mode of classroom delivery.