Describe which achievement(s) of the three masterplans for ICT in education are evident in the school/classes that you are attached to for your ESE.
In my stint as a Contract Teacher in Sembawang Primary School, one of the aims of the Department of ICT is to equip pupils with the Baseline ICT skills. This is achieved throughout the curriculum ICT lessons conducted by our in-house ICT trainer.
After the lessons conducted by the trainer, the students were put to the test by utilising what they had learnt in their Project Work. This is in line with one of the vision of the Masterplan 2, which is to allow students to use ICT tools for effective learning.
Also, the School is getting students towards Curriculum 2015 (C2015), which aims to allow students to be self directed learners and learn through collaborative learning. Through the usage of the Google applications, it allows students to be independent learners and at the same time practise collaborative learning by sharing information with one another without the hassle of meeting up in person but just over a click through the vastly developed infrastructure Singapore has built up over the years.
Saturday, July 30, 2011
Blog Post 2:
In your opinion, why do you think it is important for MOE to develop the three Masterplans for ICT in education?
The Ministry of Education (MOE) has developed three master plans for ICT in education. One of the aims of the first master plan is to allow all teachers and students alike to levarage and tap on the readily available ICT tools in the world so as to enhance the teaching and learning experience. Through the provision of basic hardwares and softwares, MOE has provided a basic infrastructure in schools for school leaders and teachers to tap on. However, there was also a need to build up the ICT competencies of educators alike. Hence, trainings were provided for teachers in order to allow them to have the basic skills necessary for delivery of lessons in schools.
With this, MOE came up with the second master plan in scaffolding the usage of ICT in teaching and learning. Teachers were encouraged to deliver lessons in schools using ICT as a platform to engage students. Also, the usage of ICT may also allow teachers to customise their lessons to the students needs. In this way, teaching and learning in schools become a more interactive and enjoyable process.
The third master plan aims to develop students in the usage of ICT tools, leading to independent learning to equip themselves with all the demands and competencies to deal with the ever changing landscape of the world. In order for our students to thrive in the future, it is of utmost importance for them to pick up self-efficacy, which is to be resilient and learn independently. In the era of seamless technology, information can be gathered through simple searches on the World Wide Web. Once an individual practises self-efficacy, he will attempt to gather information through the Internet and other sources. However, students must also realise that information gathered from unreliable sources on the Internet may not be accurate, although it is the fastest and the most convenient way of looking up things, even on the move with the emergence of Smart Phones.
All in all, the usage of ICT not only allows students to learn independently. It also enables teachers and students alike in collaborative learning and promotes sharing of ideas too. This will be essential in every students’ lives, especially in this ever changing world of information technology.
Has any of the Masterplans impacted you as a student? Share your experience of how ICT had been used in the classes you attended as a student (if applicable).
I was fortunate enough to witness the 3 Master Plans in action both as a student and as a student teacher. In 1997 when I was in Primary 5, I attended my first ICT lesson in learning how to operate the Microsoft Windows and the Microsoft Word and PowerPoint. These courses kick started the usage of ICT when we were working on Young Scientists Projects back in Primary 5 and 6.
As I progressed, more and more courses related to ICT were made available to us. In Secondary School, I attended courses in both softwares and the hardwares.
Resource management and information management were enhanced by using various ICT tools such as learning management systems and online portals as I progressed along my journey in education.
Based on your enhanced school experience, how do you think the current Masterplan 3 may affect your role(s) as a beginning teacher ?
The current Masterplan 3 has been ongoing since 2009 and my role as a beginning teacher in time to come will be a very impactful one since Masterplan 3 has been in the pipeline when I graduate next year.
The need to engage students in meaningful learning is one of the key challenges I faced while teaching as a Contract Teacher. Through the usage of ICT tools such as online blogging, e-learning and collaborative learning in Google platforms, leanring has been taken from the old fashioned whiteboard and textbooks style to the computer laboratories and even whilst at home.
Through interactions with colleagues around me while I was teaching during my Contract stint, I realised that teachers may find conducting lessons using ICT tools a hassle as it takes time for teachers to move students to the computer laboratories and also battling with the perennial problem of pupils forgetting their passwords). However, with familiarity comes ease. Pupils, once familiar with what they need to do in the computer lab, will be easier to handle. Same goes with their passwords, they would not forget so easily if they are given the opportunity to use them. Like adults, they too, need password-management skills!
Hence, the key role for me once I become a beginning teacher will be to enhance learning through the usage of various ICT tools available and to positively influence my colleagues around me.
The Ministry of Education (MOE) has developed three master plans for ICT in education. One of the aims of the first master plan is to allow all teachers and students alike to levarage and tap on the readily available ICT tools in the world so as to enhance the teaching and learning experience. Through the provision of basic hardwares and softwares, MOE has provided a basic infrastructure in schools for school leaders and teachers to tap on. However, there was also a need to build up the ICT competencies of educators alike. Hence, trainings were provided for teachers in order to allow them to have the basic skills necessary for delivery of lessons in schools.
With this, MOE came up with the second master plan in scaffolding the usage of ICT in teaching and learning. Teachers were encouraged to deliver lessons in schools using ICT as a platform to engage students. Also, the usage of ICT may also allow teachers to customise their lessons to the students needs. In this way, teaching and learning in schools become a more interactive and enjoyable process.
The third master plan aims to develop students in the usage of ICT tools, leading to independent learning to equip themselves with all the demands and competencies to deal with the ever changing landscape of the world. In order for our students to thrive in the future, it is of utmost importance for them to pick up self-efficacy, which is to be resilient and learn independently. In the era of seamless technology, information can be gathered through simple searches on the World Wide Web. Once an individual practises self-efficacy, he will attempt to gather information through the Internet and other sources. However, students must also realise that information gathered from unreliable sources on the Internet may not be accurate, although it is the fastest and the most convenient way of looking up things, even on the move with the emergence of Smart Phones.
All in all, the usage of ICT not only allows students to learn independently. It also enables teachers and students alike in collaborative learning and promotes sharing of ideas too. This will be essential in every students’ lives, especially in this ever changing world of information technology.
Has any of the Masterplans impacted you as a student? Share your experience of how ICT had been used in the classes you attended as a student (if applicable).
I was fortunate enough to witness the 3 Master Plans in action both as a student and as a student teacher. In 1997 when I was in Primary 5, I attended my first ICT lesson in learning how to operate the Microsoft Windows and the Microsoft Word and PowerPoint. These courses kick started the usage of ICT when we were working on Young Scientists Projects back in Primary 5 and 6.
As I progressed, more and more courses related to ICT were made available to us. In Secondary School, I attended courses in both softwares and the hardwares.
Resource management and information management were enhanced by using various ICT tools such as learning management systems and online portals as I progressed along my journey in education.
Based on your enhanced school experience, how do you think the current Masterplan 3 may affect your role(s) as a beginning teacher ?
The current Masterplan 3 has been ongoing since 2009 and my role as a beginning teacher in time to come will be a very impactful one since Masterplan 3 has been in the pipeline when I graduate next year.
The need to engage students in meaningful learning is one of the key challenges I faced while teaching as a Contract Teacher. Through the usage of ICT tools such as online blogging, e-learning and collaborative learning in Google platforms, leanring has been taken from the old fashioned whiteboard and textbooks style to the computer laboratories and even whilst at home.
Through interactions with colleagues around me while I was teaching during my Contract stint, I realised that teachers may find conducting lessons using ICT tools a hassle as it takes time for teachers to move students to the computer laboratories and also battling with the perennial problem of pupils forgetting their passwords). However, with familiarity comes ease. Pupils, once familiar with what they need to do in the computer lab, will be easier to handle. Same goes with their passwords, they would not forget so easily if they are given the opportunity to use them. Like adults, they too, need password-management skills!
Hence, the key role for me once I become a beginning teacher will be to enhance learning through the usage of various ICT tools available and to positively influence my colleagues around me.
Blog Post 1: Enhanced School Experience: Classroom Observations of ICT Use
(I) Specific Observations
School Name: Sembawang Primary School
Class: 5 Achievement
Profile of the class: The class consists of 39 High Ability students with all of the them taking Standard Subjects.
Subject: Integrated Project Work (IPW)
What ICT tools are used in the lesson?
Google Apps
Describe how ICT is used for teaching and learning in the lesson.
In Sembawang Primary School, all students are being given an e-mail account using the sbps.sg domain. In this way, students can make use of the various tools in the google account for collaborative learning and to keep in contact with both the teachers and classmates alike even after graduation. This account also serves as a communication tool between teachers and students and vice versa.
The students in this class are using the google docs to share and store information among their peers. Prior to gathering information required for the IPW on terarriums, the students in this class have been grouped in gropus of 5. After which, they will come up with research questions related to the topic of interest and use the Internet as a tool to obtain their findings.
In order to facilitate sharing and consolidation of information, the group leaders of each group will create a google doc and share it with their group members and teachers respectively. Each student will be assigned some questions to research on and their work will be colour coded in the document. Information gathered by the students will then be input into the google doc which the leader has created.
After which, this documents will be reviewed by the teacher and the teacher will pick up specific interesting findings to share with the entire class. In order for everyone to learn from one another, all the students in the class will be granted access to each groups’ work at the end of the lesson.
(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.)
Interview with Miss Tok San San, SH/ICT
“At Sembawang Primary School, the focus of the ICT department is to equip pupils with the Baseline ICT skills and it is done through out of curriculum ICT lessons conducted by our in-house ICT trainer. Why? ICT skills are essential to the pupils as a form of life-skills, when they move up to Secondary school or more importantly, into the workforce later on in life. So much work, communications is done using ICT that to be effective, I feel that ICT competence plays a great part.
However, as with any skill set, learning the skills is not enough to build competency but practice is pertinent too. After the ICT trainer imparts the skills to the pupils, subject teachers should reinforce the skills through providing opportunities in their lessons to put what they had learnt into use.
This is where reality bites. The intent of MOE policies may be good and while teachers may understand the importance of preparing our pupils for the future, nothing beats the immediate outcomes that we have to achieve - academic results.
Teachers generally find that conducting ICT lessons is time-consuming (having to move the entire class to the computer lab and settling them down in a new environment and also battling with the perennial problem of pupils forgetting their passwords). However, with familiarity comes ease. Pupils, once familiar with what they need to do in the computer lab, will be easier to handle. Same goes with their passwords, they would not forget so easily if they are given the opportunity to use them. Like adults, they too, need password-management skills!
Also, outcomes in ICT competency-building is not tested or critical at PSLE (yet). Hence, like the other non-core subjects, take a backseat when pitched against EMS & MT. MOE is looking into building in assessment of MT using ICT though, so this may change things. =)
Years back, teachers' ICT competency may be a hindrance to them conducting ICT-based lessons but I feel that this is no longer the case. We have ICT certification courses to help teachers build up their ICT competence, say in basic Microsoft Office tools and MOE initiatives like the ICT Mentor Programme.
What is stopping teachers is more of their mindset. Being so used to using the whiteboard and textbook/ workbook, teachers generally prefer the traditional way of imparting knowledge to the pupils. It doesn't feel secure to let the pupils find out certain information on their own or let the pupils learn a topic through elearning.
However, a good sign is that more teachers are turning to the Internet as a platform for their pupils to conduct research. Teachers now recognize the abundance of info available on the Internet and the next level would be to have them to guide the pupils to discern what is relevant info and what is not.
With the provision of learning management system like Asknlearn, teachers are also beginning to make of tools such as online tests and quizzes (with autu-marking functions), elessons, blogs etc to make teaching and learning interesting for the pupils.
It takes time for a new mindset/ way of doing things to change. The use of ICT in T&L is evolving in the classroom and teachers nowadays are more receptive to introducing technology in the classroom, having seen the convenience and impact on the pupils.
School Name: Sembawang Primary School
Class: 5 Achievement
Profile of the class: The class consists of 39 High Ability students with all of the them taking Standard Subjects.
Subject: Integrated Project Work (IPW)
What ICT tools are used in the lesson?
Google Apps
Describe how ICT is used for teaching and learning in the lesson.
In Sembawang Primary School, all students are being given an e-mail account using the sbps.sg domain. In this way, students can make use of the various tools in the google account for collaborative learning and to keep in contact with both the teachers and classmates alike even after graduation. This account also serves as a communication tool between teachers and students and vice versa.
The students in this class are using the google docs to share and store information among their peers. Prior to gathering information required for the IPW on terarriums, the students in this class have been grouped in gropus of 5. After which, they will come up with research questions related to the topic of interest and use the Internet as a tool to obtain their findings.
In order to facilitate sharing and consolidation of information, the group leaders of each group will create a google doc and share it with their group members and teachers respectively. Each student will be assigned some questions to research on and their work will be colour coded in the document. Information gathered by the students will then be input into the google doc which the leader has created.
After which, this documents will be reviewed by the teacher and the teacher will pick up specific interesting findings to share with the entire class. In order for everyone to learn from one another, all the students in the class will be granted access to each groups’ work at the end of the lesson.
(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.)
Interview with Miss Tok San San, SH/ICT
“At Sembawang Primary School, the focus of the ICT department is to equip pupils with the Baseline ICT skills and it is done through out of curriculum ICT lessons conducted by our in-house ICT trainer. Why? ICT skills are essential to the pupils as a form of life-skills, when they move up to Secondary school or more importantly, into the workforce later on in life. So much work, communications is done using ICT that to be effective, I feel that ICT competence plays a great part.
However, as with any skill set, learning the skills is not enough to build competency but practice is pertinent too. After the ICT trainer imparts the skills to the pupils, subject teachers should reinforce the skills through providing opportunities in their lessons to put what they had learnt into use.
This is where reality bites. The intent of MOE policies may be good and while teachers may understand the importance of preparing our pupils for the future, nothing beats the immediate outcomes that we have to achieve - academic results.
Teachers generally find that conducting ICT lessons is time-consuming (having to move the entire class to the computer lab and settling them down in a new environment and also battling with the perennial problem of pupils forgetting their passwords). However, with familiarity comes ease. Pupils, once familiar with what they need to do in the computer lab, will be easier to handle. Same goes with their passwords, they would not forget so easily if they are given the opportunity to use them. Like adults, they too, need password-management skills!
Also, outcomes in ICT competency-building is not tested or critical at PSLE (yet). Hence, like the other non-core subjects, take a backseat when pitched against EMS & MT. MOE is looking into building in assessment of MT using ICT though, so this may change things. =)
Years back, teachers' ICT competency may be a hindrance to them conducting ICT-based lessons but I feel that this is no longer the case. We have ICT certification courses to help teachers build up their ICT competence, say in basic Microsoft Office tools and MOE initiatives like the ICT Mentor Programme.
What is stopping teachers is more of their mindset. Being so used to using the whiteboard and textbook/ workbook, teachers generally prefer the traditional way of imparting knowledge to the pupils. It doesn't feel secure to let the pupils find out certain information on their own or let the pupils learn a topic through elearning.
However, a good sign is that more teachers are turning to the Internet as a platform for their pupils to conduct research. Teachers now recognize the abundance of info available on the Internet and the next level would be to have them to guide the pupils to discern what is relevant info and what is not.
With the provision of learning management system like Asknlearn, teachers are also beginning to make of tools such as online tests and quizzes (with autu-marking functions), elessons, blogs etc to make teaching and learning interesting for the pupils.
It takes time for a new mindset/ way of doing things to change. The use of ICT in T&L is evolving in the classroom and teachers nowadays are more receptive to introducing technology in the classroom, having seen the convenience and impact on the pupils.
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