Advanced Elective Module (AEM)

AEM is basically an initiative by MOE and all polytechnics to provide enrichment modules for upper secondary school students. Schools intending to offer AEM to their students will need to seek approval from their cluster superintendant. I have presented some pertinent information below. You may check with MOE for the full document or email me for the softcopy (includes the approval process).

Characteristics of the Advanced Elective Modules
(adapted from the Press Release on 7 Mar 2006)

1. Advanced Elective Modules (AEMs) are elective courses in applied areas that will be developed by the polytechnics. AEMs will give students the opportunity to experience and benefit from practice-oriented learning in fields as diverse as digital media and entrepreneurship.

2. The key characteristics of the Advanced Elective Modules are:
a. To be offered by some secondary schools in collaboration with Polytechnics;
b. To be developed typically as 40-hour courses;
c. To be taught by Polytechnic instructors and could be conducted either at schools or at polytechnics, depending on the facilities required;
d. To be delivered in a similar approach to polytechnic courses, which involve a higher practical component as well as more group work. AEMs will also employ assessment approaches that are similar to those found in polytechnics, e.g. project work, group assignments and oral presentations; and
e. To ensure consistency in standards of AEMs offered by different institutions, the polytechnics will also form an Academic Panel to coordinate the development of AEMs.

3. In terms of recognition, the AEMs offered by students:
a. Will be reflected in School Holistic Report Card; and
b. May be used for polytechnic admission under the Joint Polytechnic Special Admissions Exercise (JPSAE) and the Direct Polytechnic Admission (DPA) exercise.