CDTL began the academic year 1999/2000 with two fresh initiatives to help NUS students. The first was the inauguration of Learning for Success, a series of monthly workshops for students aimed at communicating strategies to enhance their learning skills. Stresses A/Prof Daphne Pan, CDTL’s Director, “We are a centre for development of teaching AND learning. Though efforts at improving teaching will have an impact on learning, we want also to promote initiatives that are primarily focused on learners. The appointment of the Associate Directors and CDTL Affililiates has increased CDTL’s resources significantly and makes it possible to implement something that has long been on the agenda.”Learning for Success workshops that have been conducted thus far were:

• July 1999: ‘Stress Management in the Next Millennium’, by Dr Ken Ung Eng Khean, Dept of Psychological Medicine
  
• August 1999: ‘Time Management’, by Mrs Ma Kheng Min, Human Resource Management Unit
  
• September 1999: ‘Can Students Learn to Think Critically in Spite of Education?’, Prof K. P. Mohanan, CDTL
  
• October 1999: ‘Write Right—Make Yourself Understood’, Ms Christina Low, CDTL

The feedback received indicated that those who attended generally enjoyed these workshops and found them useful, and there is the desire for longer, more in-depth sessions, possibly with each topic extended into a series of workshops.

Given the recent national concern over standards of English usage, the second CDTL initiative was very timely. In October 1999 after five months of exhaustive preparation, The Write Right Guide was published for distribution to students across campus. Written by Ms Christina Low, CDTL’s Publications Officer, and A/Prof Pan, this handbook aims to increase awareness of commonly occurring mistakes in written English and suggests ways to avoid them. Says Christina, “The handbook is meant for all NUS students. Regardless of their discipline, writing is a necessary skill. Once alerted to common mistakes in writing, they are more likely to produce more comprehensible written assignments and clearer written communication in their future workplaces.”

To promote awareness of the guide, Christina also conducted several student workshops (see above) that were enthusiastically attended. In addition, we are pleased to have received much encouragement from several NUS teaching staff members who have warmly welcomed the publication of the handbook and given crucial feedback on how to improve the next edition of the guide due at the start of the next academic year.