Blog #3: Connections between your ESE and MOE Masterplans for ICT in Education

My ESE experience allows me to experience first-hand, the implementation of MOE ICT master plans. However, from what I experienced in WSS, I realised that there is room for improvement in the streamlining process of the ICT master plans in various participating schools in Singapore. In WSS, they are still in the process of grappling with acquiring sufficient resources, and facilities that could facilitate implementation of ICT. With only one MAC lab (with about 20 MACbook) in place, and one common computer lab, it can be very difficult to conduct ICT-driven lessons for classes such as mine with an enrolment of 43 students in the class. To ensure effective learning, adequate foundation and infrastructure must be in place before a program can be implemented.

However, I learnt that the school will be given 20 more MACbook after this year, which I foresee will help the teachers in the conducting of ICT lessons immensely! However improvements could still be made in terms of the number of computer labs, and teaching resources so that classes will not have to compete for the use of the labs and they could use computer labs simultaneously.

The students in WSS are also given the chance to create their own podcast during English Language lesson which was very heartening to hear. However, I heard of sabotage cases where students will intentionally damage another student’s podcast. Thus, with the use of ICT, adequate infrastructure should be in place, as in the physical safety measures in the lab itself, and also, internet safety for safe surfing. It will help counter malicious and illegal use of students’ personal information in the internet and personal files. With proper and adequate safety measures in place, schools will not be caught in dilemma of whether they should allow more notorious classes to use the computer labs in school or not, as students will not be able to engage in acts of mischief in the labs.

Blog #2: opinions on MOE Masterplans for ICT in Education

The three MOE ICT master plans has developed and adapted itself to the changing, globalised world over the past decade. From mere systemic use of IT, MOE sought to develop the use of ICT to fully maximize its potential in the education scene. The three Moe master plan ultimately seeks to empower students and enable independent learning that are in-depth and personalized. It aims to promote a culture of life-long learning, and learning that can take place anytime, anywhere.

I’m impressed with the implementation of the ICT master plan in that it was not a half-hearted attempt. MOE went all the way to fulfill their objectives for ICT with training programme not only for the students, or selected teacher trainers in an institution but for the entire school. Each teacher are to receive at least 30 hours of training and targets were set for all schools to have ICT-enabled lessons for up to 30% of curriculum time. The ICT budget was also set in place in their bid to fully back their ICT plans. This commits the MOE to realise the goals of the ICT, because it not only equips the school, but also creates a culture that will be more accepting with the concept of ICT learning and teaching. It lessen inertia to the use of ICT for the older generation of teaching staffs, and in time to come, the future generations will find the use of ICT a breeze.

With the future generation of more tech-savvy students, they will find it exceptionally rewarding and engaging if they could utilise their IT skills in learning. ICT will most definitely ensure a more holistic development of the students by giving them the chance in taking ownership of their learning. Promotion of independent learning will rectify the culture of restrictive classroom lessons, and spoon-feeding strategy that have long plague the education system. With the full participation in ICT, students will find that they could develop their intellectual as well as asethetic abilities.

Blog #1: ESE Report

ENHANCED SCHOOL EXPERIENCE:

PREPARATORY TASK FOR ICT FOR MEANINGFUL LEARNING

Enhanced School Experience: Classroom Observations of ICT Use

(I) Specific Observations

School Name: Whitley Secondary School

Class: 2N2

Profile of the class: (For e.g., the students’ academic abilities, stream and other characteristics) The class makes up of 43 fourteen year old normal academic students. The students in the class are able to follow the lesson; however they tend to get restless and distracted easily. 2N2 was also notorious in school for being hyperactive and mischevious.

Subject: History

What ICT tools are used in the lesson? Use of powerpoint slides, audiovisual such as videos. Computer labs for hands-on experiential learning on the students’ part.

Describe how ICT is used for teaching and learning in the lesson. Depending on the needs of the teachers’ scheme of work and the class profile, different ICT tools are utilized to ensure maximal learning. As the class is a relatively restless group, the use of audiovisual enable the engagement of students’ attention. I personally find that the use of powerpoint slides allows the versatility of my lesson. While it enables clear presentation of information and contents, powerpoint presentation also has different functions that allow insertion of pictures, videos, or special effects that is exceptionally useful in the production of an interesting lesson. These various tool are nonetheless still a rather passive forming of learning on the part of the students, hence, in conjunction with the MOE ICT masterplan, the school especially set up computer labs for various prominent subject such as English language com lab, and Mac lab. The Mac lab features Mac computers which are useful to develop students’ aesthetic abilities. These labs allow students to learn independently and actively participate in the learning process with the hands-on opportunity. The school is still in the process of developing resources and program to utilize these labs more efficiently. Students are also periodically scheduled to have their lessons in computer labs to create podcast and so on. This allows for independent learning for the students.

(II) General Observation:

How do teachers in the school feel about the use of ICT for teaching and learning? (For this question, you may want to speak to the HOD/ICT and other teachers you know in the school.)

Teachers in Whitley Secondary express a range of comfort level with ICT tool for teaching and learning. Most of the teachers are better versed and more comfortable with powerpoint slides, and are able to maximize its uses. However, the teachers tend to over-rely on powerpoint slides/videos as the basis for their lessons, and neglect the possibility of using other form of medium for teaching such as conducting in-class activities and so on.