Making connections between ESE and the Masterplans for ICT in school
The 1st ICT master plan focuses on having the infrastructure and multimedia resources while preparing teachers to be ICT literate. In the school I was attached in for my ESE, all the teachers have went through training and are able to use ICT as pedagogical tools. As the school uses an online learning management system, teachers are able to use this system to post notes, quizzes and announcements for students. They are able to notify parents on the student’s progress and students can also submit online reflections for what they have participated in school. The school has computer rooms and computers in the library where they can access the systems. The art room also has a digital media room where art students can use the computers as and when they need.
In the 2nd ICT master plan, the focus is shifted to developing school ownership, experimentation and research on innovative practices. Schools also try to inculcate independence and discipline through e-learning. In this school, students are expected to actively check the learning management system for new learning materials or to look out for announcements regarding the various subjects they are taking. They are often tasked do online quizzes in the comfort of their own home and such online systems are useful in helping them get almost immediate feedback for their learning.
From the 3rd master plan, emphasis is placed on collaboration, response and discussion. This is evident in the various blogs set up by each subject. Students are given assignments, reading materials and videos to aid their learning. These are all uploaded on the blogs which they are expected to check from time to time. They also take charge by creating their own blogs to chart their progress in self-directed learning assignments. These blogs are linked back to the main subject blogs where both students and teachers can instantly check and comment. The role of the teacher is changed, from being a repository for information to a facilitator for learning where the student takes ownership and initiates own learning.
Increasingly, teachers are also communicating with students via social platforms such as Facebook. Some teachers in this school set up Facebook pages for the class and post interesting articles or videos for the subject. Students can then comment on these resources. By using these social platforms which are close to the students’ lives, they are more inclined to check regularly and voice out their opinions. Even the usually shy students were more willing to comment. In this way, learning is extended beyond curriculum time and inspires them to find out more about the subject in their free time.
Tuesday, August 2, 2011
Masterplans for ICT in Education
As a student, I was very excited when I was in primary 5 and my school had its new computer room. It was my first experience using computers to work on our school projects. That was the first time we learnt how to use Microsoft word and Powerpoint and thereafter started our journey with using information technology to aid us in learning.
It did not hit us at that time that these were essential skills that will help us in our working life so radically. Over the years, with the introduction of various Master plans, ICT has been constantly changing to suit the needs of the students. It is especially essential now that, almost all jobs require IT skills and students need to stay relevant to prepare them for the challenges of their future career. It is also a vital platform for students to learn, not just from the teachers in the classroom, but anytime, anywhere from the world.
Personally, I think ICT is crucial for 2 main reasons. One, it helps to equip students with the necessary skills required in the workplace as most jobs work require some knowledge of IT skills. It also brings the world to them, making them active learners. They are no longer passive, waiting for information to be delivered to them. Any question they have, they are able to ‘google’ it. This active learning attitude is probably the most important skill I have learnt over the years since the ICT master plan has been introduced.
Secondly, I feel that ICT enables collaborative learning. It allows us to continue working on what we left off in school, continue discussions or heated debates, all in the comfort of our own homes. It does not totally replace human contact, but it definitely brought the world smaller.
ICT is especially essential in educating our youths as the challenges of the new economy often means more is expected of the students. The younger generation is well-versed with the latest technologies and is constantly bombarded by too much information. They need to harness this advantage and manage their learning. It is also beneficial if they can learn to be selective and make good use of technology instead of being manipulated by it. Using ICT in classrooms encourages them to learn and be aware of such learning, so that ICT will engage and not distract.
As a beginning teacher, I think ICT can be used as a constructive tool to engage and communicate with the students. During my ESE, I have seen how teachers are using blogs to encourage discussion out of class, using Facebook to answer students’ questions and twitter to disseminate information instantly. Such tools are tools that many students are already familiar with, and when it is infused with learning, make learning more appealing and meaningful.
As a student, I was very excited when I was in primary 5 and my school had its new computer room. It was my first experience using computers to work on our school projects. That was the first time we learnt how to use Microsoft word and Powerpoint and thereafter started our journey with using information technology to aid us in learning.
It did not hit us at that time that these were essential skills that will help us in our working life so radically. Over the years, with the introduction of various Master plans, ICT has been constantly changing to suit the needs of the students. It is especially essential now that, almost all jobs require IT skills and students need to stay relevant to prepare them for the challenges of their future career. It is also a vital platform for students to learn, not just from the teachers in the classroom, but anytime, anywhere from the world.
Personally, I think ICT is crucial for 2 main reasons. One, it helps to equip students with the necessary skills required in the workplace as most jobs work require some knowledge of IT skills. It also brings the world to them, making them active learners. They are no longer passive, waiting for information to be delivered to them. Any question they have, they are able to ‘google’ it. This active learning attitude is probably the most important skill I have learnt over the years since the ICT master plan has been introduced.
Secondly, I feel that ICT enables collaborative learning. It allows us to continue working on what we left off in school, continue discussions or heated debates, all in the comfort of our own homes. It does not totally replace human contact, but it definitely brought the world smaller.
ICT is especially essential in educating our youths as the challenges of the new economy often means more is expected of the students. The younger generation is well-versed with the latest technologies and is constantly bombarded by too much information. They need to harness this advantage and manage their learning. It is also beneficial if they can learn to be selective and make good use of technology instead of being manipulated by it. Using ICT in classrooms encourages them to learn and be aware of such learning, so that ICT will engage and not distract.
As a beginning teacher, I think ICT can be used as a constructive tool to engage and communicate with the students. During my ESE, I have seen how teachers are using blogs to encourage discussion out of class, using Facebook to answer students’ questions and twitter to disseminate information instantly. Such tools are tools that many students are already familiar with, and when it is infused with learning, make learning more appealing and meaningful.
My Enhanced School Experience
PREPARATORY TASK FOR ICT FOR MEANINGFUL LEARNING Enhanced School Experience: Classroom Observations of ICT Use
(I) Specific Observation
School Name: Yishun Junior College
Class: JC 2
Profile of the class:
(For e.g., the students’ academic abilities, stream and other characteristics)
6 H2 Art students taking Study of Visual Arts (SOVA) as 40% of their final art grade. These students are from different classes and only have art lessons together 5 periods a week. They are generally quite responsive in class and are able to discuss about art works. According to their teacher, their abilities vary quite drastically as some find it harder to grasp the subject due to language problems.
Subject: H2 Art
What ICT tools are used in the lesson?
SOVA website
Describe how ICT is used for teaching and learning in the lesson.
The art teacher created a website to facilitate learning during ICT. The SOVA website helps learning in many areas. First it is an information depository, where readings and notes by teachers can be downloaded. Students can download them anytime, anywhere and prepare for lessons before the actual lessons. Secondly, students were each allocated a few artists to research on during the holidays and their findings were uploaded so that all the students can share these resources outside lesson time. Assignments are often uploaded online as well, so that they can check and refer to these instructions even if they forgot to bring their worksheets. Students who are absent can also refer to the website to check what they have missed.
In the lesson observed, the teacher has finished the syllabus and was starting to do some revision questions with the students. Past year questions were posted on the SOVA website and the website is subsequently used for teaching. The teacher had a discussion with them for one of the question. When there were parts of content information that the students have difficulty remembering, the teacher would access the website and play videos or open up websites and resources that they have previously went through from the website to help them. Students were more stimulated by the images and seemed able to point out details of paintings for discussion more easily than when given printed assignments.
As the lesson was only 50 minutes, the students did not manage to finish discussing the other questions. Outside lesson time, students could still post their opinions on how to answer the questions, points they would include, essay structure they would adopt or even stand they would take. The students were able to interact with their classmates outside of classroom time and comment on each other’s work. The teacher also checks the website regularly to monitor the discussion and add in points that they have missed.
(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.)
The teachers in this school generally are very receptive to the use of ICT for teaching and learning. For example, all subjects in the Arts department have each built a website so that learning resources can be shared with students and the website acts as a teaching tool during some of the lessons as well. There were a few sharing on the use of ICT during staff meetings for that teachers can share their best practices and talk about issues encountered.
Many teachers are also communicating with students via social platforms such as Facebook or in their respective subject blogs. Students are encouraged to ask questions during their revision at home and the shy students also find it easier to voice out their opinions in online discussions. Student’s projects and assignments were uploaded and everyone can easily comment on them. This builds up the ownership students feel for their work. For example a science tutor in the school shared that he asked his students to make short videos to explain physics theories. All of them were very excited and they posted the videos on Facebook for sharing. The other students were able to comment and vote for the best video. In this way, students are engaged in learning, actively creating their own works and learning from their friends’ works.
Students are also able to share their thoughts and difficulties through such platforms. Many teachers have shared that they know more about their students’ problems through online social platforms as students are more inclined to share their problems when they do not have to face the teachers one to one. This helps the teachers to identify the problems earlier.
The school also actively encourages the use of online learning management systems. All records of academic and co-curriculum activities progress are uploaded on these students. Lecture slides, notes, readings and announcements are also posted so that students can have access to them easily. Online quizzes are conducted so that the students can get immediate feedback. This system is also made accessible to parents so that they can track their child’s learning.
PREPARATORY TASK FOR ICT FOR MEANINGFUL LEARNING Enhanced School Experience: Classroom Observations of ICT Use
(I) Specific Observation
School Name: Yishun Junior College
Class: JC 2
Profile of the class:
(For e.g., the students’ academic abilities, stream and other characteristics)
6 H2 Art students taking Study of Visual Arts (SOVA) as 40% of their final art grade. These students are from different classes and only have art lessons together 5 periods a week. They are generally quite responsive in class and are able to discuss about art works. According to their teacher, their abilities vary quite drastically as some find it harder to grasp the subject due to language problems.
Subject: H2 Art
What ICT tools are used in the lesson?
SOVA website
Describe how ICT is used for teaching and learning in the lesson.
The art teacher created a website to facilitate learning during ICT. The SOVA website helps learning in many areas. First it is an information depository, where readings and notes by teachers can be downloaded. Students can download them anytime, anywhere and prepare for lessons before the actual lessons. Secondly, students were each allocated a few artists to research on during the holidays and their findings were uploaded so that all the students can share these resources outside lesson time. Assignments are often uploaded online as well, so that they can check and refer to these instructions even if they forgot to bring their worksheets. Students who are absent can also refer to the website to check what they have missed.
In the lesson observed, the teacher has finished the syllabus and was starting to do some revision questions with the students. Past year questions were posted on the SOVA website and the website is subsequently used for teaching. The teacher had a discussion with them for one of the question. When there were parts of content information that the students have difficulty remembering, the teacher would access the website and play videos or open up websites and resources that they have previously went through from the website to help them. Students were more stimulated by the images and seemed able to point out details of paintings for discussion more easily than when given printed assignments.
As the lesson was only 50 minutes, the students did not manage to finish discussing the other questions. Outside lesson time, students could still post their opinions on how to answer the questions, points they would include, essay structure they would adopt or even stand they would take. The students were able to interact with their classmates outside of classroom time and comment on each other’s work. The teacher also checks the website regularly to monitor the discussion and add in points that they have missed.
(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.)
The teachers in this school generally are very receptive to the use of ICT for teaching and learning. For example, all subjects in the Arts department have each built a website so that learning resources can be shared with students and the website acts as a teaching tool during some of the lessons as well. There were a few sharing on the use of ICT during staff meetings for that teachers can share their best practices and talk about issues encountered.
Many teachers are also communicating with students via social platforms such as Facebook or in their respective subject blogs. Students are encouraged to ask questions during their revision at home and the shy students also find it easier to voice out their opinions in online discussions. Student’s projects and assignments were uploaded and everyone can easily comment on them. This builds up the ownership students feel for their work. For example a science tutor in the school shared that he asked his students to make short videos to explain physics theories. All of them were very excited and they posted the videos on Facebook for sharing. The other students were able to comment and vote for the best video. In this way, students are engaged in learning, actively creating their own works and learning from their friends’ works.
Students are also able to share their thoughts and difficulties through such platforms. Many teachers have shared that they know more about their students’ problems through online social platforms as students are more inclined to share their problems when they do not have to face the teachers one to one. This helps the teachers to identify the problems earlier.
The school also actively encourages the use of online learning management systems. All records of academic and co-curriculum activities progress are uploaded on these students. Lecture slides, notes, readings and announcements are also posted so that students can have access to them easily. Online quizzes are conducted so that the students can get immediate feedback. This system is also made accessible to parents so that they can track their child’s learning.
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