Evaluation use is a complex and multifaceted construct comprising domains of findings and process use and sub-categories of instrumental use, conceptual use, and persuasive (legitimative/symbolic) use. It is an important aspect of evaluation practice which has received much attention from evaluation scholars and practitioners. However, evaluation and evaluation use in countries outside North America, Europe and Australasia is under-investigated. This study proposes to make a modest contribution to understanding evaluation practices in an Asian context through investigating the value and utility of program evaluation as perceived by officials in selected Singapore social sector ministries. Singapore is a democratic country but has retained the characteristics of a highly centralized state. In addition, Confucian values are very important for the political leaders and Singapore society. A modified explanatory sequential mixed methods design was used to address the research questions. Both quantitative and qualitative data were collected through a questionnaire with both closed-ended and open-ended questions. The questionnaire was followed up with interviews to provide additional depth and explanations related to the results from the questionnaire. The questionnaire, based on current theories and the applicability of these evaluation theories to Singapore, was sent through email to officers in two social sector ministries in Singapore - Ministry of Culture, Community and Youth (MCCY) and Ministry of Education (MOE), and 120 valid responses were obtained. Results were analyzed by examining the internal structure and bifactor model underlying the questionnaire. The hypothesized bifactor model comprised a general factor, Perceptions of Evaluation, and two sub-factors – Value of Program Evaluation and Purposes of Program Evaluation. The score on Perceptions of Program Evaluation was regressed on respondents’ background variables to investigate factors that affected their perceptions. Qualitative findings from the open-ended questions and the interviews were analyzed separately and integrated with the quantitative results. The questionnaire functioned well for the respondents, indicating the applicability of existing scholarship on program evaluation to the Singapore context. However, there were a few items that were not respond to as hypothesized. Unique aspects of the context in Singapore social sector ministries might have been the reason for the responses to these items. In addition, the results suggested that a modified bifactor model (with purposes split into internal and external to the program) would fit the data better. On the whole, respondents perceived program evaluation positively (Mean = 1.58, SD = 0.52 on a scale from minus three to three with zero as the mid-point) and emphasized the value of program evaluation for learning and improvement. However, respondents seemed to have reservations with going through the evaluation process. Factors influencing the respondents’ perceptions were layered, and included such factors as officers’ characteristics and experiences, bosses, evaluators, corporate values, organizational structure, societal values and political climate. Officers’ experiences with program evaluation emerged as an important factor, particularly experiences related to benefitting from program evaluation. Given the Confucianism based, highly centralized Singapore state, there might be gaps in current literature to inform and understand the evaluation practices within this and similar contexts. Further studies would be needed to investigate the extent of influence and the mechanisms through which the factors affect perceptions of program evaluation in the Singapore context.

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The island state of Singapore in Southeast Asia has a history of film censorship, one of several techniques in state repression it uses as a furtherance of state power. Yet, Singapore's success also depends on being open to global information and cultural flows. Drawing from queer theory, this thesis examines a recent case study of film censorship in Singapore, the 2010 film, The Kids are All Right. The thesis examines laws and regulations in Singapore to understand how films are interpellated into objects of moral danger, and also the reaction of some progressive Singaporeans to the censorship. The thesis also discusses the contradictions between state censorship and the recognition of its circumvention through copyright infringement and piracy. Finally, the thesis makes some suggestions about steps that can be taken to resist against film censorship, as well as directions for future research.

Personal handheld mobile technology represents a growing topic of interest for K-12 educators. Devices such as iPads, tablets, and smartphones, in particular, are becoming more ubiquitous in society and prevalent in classrooms of children of all ages. The ease of access, combined with growing functionality and capacity of these devices creates opportunities that were previously unimaginable. Professional educators are beginning to recognize the value such devices offer for enriching and expanding opportunities for learning both inside and outside of the classroom. The views of educators and students regarding mobile technology have been well documented in existing literature. What is less clear is how parents view personal mobile technology when applied to formal and informal learning opportunities. Using quantitative analysis, this study examines the views of parents when mobile technology is utilized in Singaporean third grade classrooms. This study represents a pioneering effort to better understand the evolving role of parents and serves as a foundation for future research to explore the role of parents as partners when personal mobile technology is used for learning. The constructs identified in this study reveal that parents do believe technology skills are important in the modern age of learning and working.

The central question of this thesis examines how Malaya/Malaysia and Singapore learned and adapted successful terrorist disengagement programs and policies; through their unique and non-military rehabilitation programs. The methodology is a comparative case study analysis of Malaysia and Singapore. In order to understand how the countries of Malaya/Malaysia and Singapore adapted a colonial-era counter-insurgency program to disengage Communist Terrorists into a program that now rehabilitates radicalized Islamist Terrorists, an analysis of the periods of the Malayan Emergency and the post-Cold War era of Malaya/Malaysia and Singapore is necessary. The argument presented in this thesis contends the colonial framework and policies of the Malayan Emergency had a positive impact on Malaysia and Singapore; which both countries have further developed and learned as a foundation for their successful terrorist disengagement programs and policies to counter radical Islamist groups and individuals. The hypothesis is that successful counter-insurgency operations must include disengagement programs, rather than purely military solutions or strategies to ensure countries success in counter-insurgency operations and strategies. The Malaysian counter-insurgency disengagement program and the Singapore counter-insurgency disengagement program can provide lessons for modern day counterinsurgency and counter-terrorism programs and policies.

published_or_final_version / Urban Planning / Master / Master of Science in Urban Planning

published_or_final_version / Comparative Asian Studies / Master / Master of Arts

published_or_final_version / Comparative Asian Studies / Master / Master of Arts

published_or_final_version / Comparative Asian Studies / Master / Master of Arts

published_or_final_version / Comparative Asian Studies / Master / Master of Arts