Do the terms ‘RJ’, ‘PDT’, ‘PBL’, ‘6P’ sound familiar to you? If it does, you’re probably from Republic Poly (RP) just like me and these are things that you hear everyday.
If it doesn’t, welcome to the world of RP acronyms!
RJ (Reflection journal), PDT (Problem Definition Template) and 6P (6 Presentations) are some of the things that make RP learning different from other Polys.
Even as I’m recalling these terms, I sigh with mixed feelings of relief and misery, both glad that the ordeal of Poly life has ended, yet upset when I look back at my experiences. I did not expect myself to be using this learning style, and the experience has been nothing short of traumatising.
Graphics by sketchify, Infographic by Hannah Chua
RP uses PBL (Problem-Based Learning) to encourage students to develop problem-solving skills instead of just absorbing facts. In every module, there will be a case study or problem statement introduced and we have to solve it using knowledge gleaned from the lesson. At the end of the lesson, each group will take turns to present their findings, before the lecturer wraps up the class.
While other Polys may be more flexible as students are free to do their own work for the rest of the day, RP usually requires us to submit our RJ by 11:59 pm. In most cases, the RJ is a reflection question based on the lesson and we have to answer it with what we’ve learnt and showcase our thought process.
The lecturer (also known as the facilitator) only facilitates the learning process, so what we get out of the lesson is largely determined by our own involvement, such as participating actively in class, asking questions and sharing our thoughts with our classmates.
A learning style not everyone may like
As RP students, for the majority of the time, we don’t come into class knowing what we’re about to learn. For everyone, learning takes place on the day itself, but I often feel like I'm one of the few dumb people in the class who does not know what’s going on. Everyone either seems to know everything or are quick to learn.
This feeling only intensified when the Covid pandemic struck and made learning go online. I felt that things were moving at an even faster pace, and I was shocked by how much my friends know about the topics as compared to me.
For example, one of the activities in class was to answer a question on Padlet (an online collaborative learning platform). I took a difficult module on International and Cross-Cultural Marketing where most of the marketing terms and concepts used were foreign to me. While I struggled to keep up with the different modules and new content taught, it seemed like everyone else’s Padlet entry was well thought out and explained clearly.
As I compared myself to my peers, I felt intimidated by how advanced they are, as they expressed themselves eloquently and their thought process was more thorough than mine. As a result, I was constantly stressed out by the pressure from my classmates.
This learning style forced me to conduct research and share my knowledge extensively in a short time of time. This led to a burnout because I was constantly stressed about the competition and struggled to craft a presentation on something that I did not have a complete understanding of.
What I’ve learnt from my RP days
It was only much later in Poly that I saw the need to read up notes for my modules and get resources from seniors in advance if I wanted to survive and thrive in class.
Some things you could do to prepare yourself before class would be to ask your seniors and your friends who have already taken that module, for the 6P notes and worksheets. With these, you can read in advance and have a clearer understanding of what would be taught, because it can be rather overwhelming entering class not knowing anything at all!
If you ever feel like you’re going through a tough time in school like how I was, I encourage you to not be afraid to ask questions or seek help, because no one else would know if you’re struggling.
I’ve learnt that school is the best environment for you to make mistakes and learn because that’s exactly why you are there! If I could change one thing, I would have been bolder to express my thoughts in class, instead of feeling the need to have a complete understanding of everything and pursuing perfection before I do anything. I admit that inadequacy and failure doesn't feel good, but take these processes as baby steps for personal growth .
While everyone else might be competing with one another, strive to stay humble and learn from others. If possible, do help your classmates out while also learning yourself.
So do not be afraid to speak up and see things from different perspectives through your peers and facilitators (lecturers). Poly can get ‘’sian’’ but even if things don’t look like they are going anywhere, keep trying and pushing on!
As you look back, I believe that you will be able to see how much you’ve grown, especially in terms of your soft skills such as communication, teamwork and resilience.
Hang in there, you’ve got this!
