For your third post, 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. You
may want to refer to your blog post about your ESE.
In Masterplan (MP) 1, the 4 goals set about have been fulfilled through my observations in the school. The school is well connected in terms of communications and management. There are four computer laboratories which are used by teachers to conduct certain classes, and during humanities week, the students were all highly encouraged to go to the labs during their recess breaks to try out certain online games that will test their historical and geographical knowledge. Netbooks were available for use to teachers who did not have their own laptops, for me, as it was rather inconvenient to lug my heavy one to school, being granted access to it was very useful for lesson planning. In addition, for certain upper secondary classes, macbooks were brought into class for them to use for research and presentations.
The two goals in MP 2 were also observed in my secondary school that I was posted to. Both students and teachers have been found to be more than proficient and competent in the use of basic ICT tools. I was particularly impressed with how students are not only proficient in it, but actually spent so much of their time dabbling with the social media. This also made me realized that this is a key to understanding the children of this generation.
MP 3 is still a work in progress but the learning partnership between students and teachers have been observed in the classes I attended. While the students are less initiative from this school, the teachers put in more effort to engage them and try to extend their learning beyond the classroom, as observed during the activities conducted in Humanities week. The school has also brought into coordinators to assess students based on what type of learners they are and the reports generated and given to every class’ form teacher so that they can better understand and provide the necessary structures in which provide a more efficient way of learning and collaboration for the students.
Wednesday, August 3, 2011
post 2
• In your opinion, why do you think it is important for MOE to develop the three Masterplans for ICT in education?
It is imperative to develop a masterplan for ICT in education as there is always a need to have a (grand) overall plan for any big project as it provides a goal to work towards, as well as guidelines on how to work towards it. The first master plan (1997-2003) has laid the foundations to which schools can use as a guideline. Since then, most, if not all schools are better equipped with computers and the likes which enable them to make use of ICT in order to conduct lessons and/or elective lessons. I decided to go to the website to find out more about the goals and this is what I got:
• Enhance linkages between the school and the world around it
• Generate innovative processes in education
• Enhance creative thinking, lifelong learning and social responsibility
• Promote administrative and management excellence in the education system
As cliché as it sounds, we live in a highly globalised and connected world. Communications is key and hence there is a greater need to promote this particular function. At the same time, ICT was set to enhance creative thinking and lifelong learning. But somehow I have an issue with social responsibility. Is the goal stretching it too far? Or perhaps the master plan aims to have the students taught virtual social responsibility?
The second master plan led to the achievement of several goals:
• Students surveyed were competent in the use of basic ICT tools, namely, Internet, email, word processing and presentations, with almost all of students knowing how to use the Internet.
• Teachers were proficient in the use of the basic tools, namely, productivity tools, Internet and email, with two-thirds of teachers comfortable in using existing ICT tools and resources to support classroom teaching.
• The ICT implementation in 80% of our schools have met the mp2 outcomes, with about 15% having exceeded the mp2 outcomes. There was a flexible network environment to allow schools to experiment with new technologies such as wireless network. All schools have funds to attain a student to computer ratio of 6.5:1 for Primary schools and 4:1 for Secondary schools and JCs.
MP 2 has enabled schools to work towards the goals mentioned in order to ensure that all students, teachers and support staff in schools are better equipped with ICT knowledge and tools.
MP 3 will not only enable students to be more initiative in their own learning using ICT effectively, but also become more discerning and responsible, in accordance to MP 1. Teachers’ roles as mediators and guides will be effectively brought out with ICT learning journeys as they teach and nurture students to be responsible users.
• 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).
The use of powerpoint slides became a necessity amongst teachers in my secondary school days and it was useful to a certain extent. We were encouraged to use powerpoint for our own class presentations, as it extended our management and our own learning beyond the classroom, as we had to conduct research outside school hours. It led to self-directed learning (SDL) as we could apply what we learnt in class to our projects and assignments, and enabled us to explore alternatives and formulate questions and answers. This also resulted in more reflective SDL. More often than not, SDL was accompanied by collaborative learning (CoL) where working in groups was highly encouraged in order to have better brainstorm sessions and creative questions or answers generated. It was also a simple way to chase the boredom of the subject away. However, I personally felt that powerpoint was overused and sometimes, it was no different from the old ways of the OHP. I guess teachers today try to think up of more creative and engaging ways to conduct their lessons but at least when I was in secondary and JC, it was the beginning of the ICT masterplans and in the beginning stages, a lot of improvements could have been made, in retrospect.
• Based on your enhanced school experience, how do you think the current Masterplan 3 may affect your role(s) as a beginning teacher ?
Based on the current goals of MP 3, where:
To promote self-directed learning, teachers will establish or provide:
1. Student-teacher learning partnership
2. Experiences for extension of students' learning
3. Conditions for students' self management and monitoring of their learning
To promote collaborative learning, teachers will establish or provide:
1. Assessment of individual and group learning
2. Structures for collaboration among students
3. Structures for effective group processes
I will definitely need to have a good working relationship with the students. In order to do so, it is imperative to first establish a sincere and respectful environment within and outside the classroom. As a beginning teacher, it might be difficult to sometimes control the class, so there must be a constant self reminder that I should not lose my cool and shout at the students in class.
To provide an environment where students are more encouraged to conduct their own learning process, I should monitor their friendships with each other in order to see if certain group members are working well together and to always be updated with their progress. While programs such as e-learning or research conducted at home is to be encouraged, I must also make sure that students are initiative enough to do their work after class and school. Charts have to been filled up to check their improvements (or not) in order for me to cater to the different learning speed of my class.
It is imperative to develop a masterplan for ICT in education as there is always a need to have a (grand) overall plan for any big project as it provides a goal to work towards, as well as guidelines on how to work towards it. The first master plan (1997-2003) has laid the foundations to which schools can use as a guideline. Since then, most, if not all schools are better equipped with computers and the likes which enable them to make use of ICT in order to conduct lessons and/or elective lessons. I decided to go to the website to find out more about the goals and this is what I got:
• Enhance linkages between the school and the world around it
• Generate innovative processes in education
• Enhance creative thinking, lifelong learning and social responsibility
• Promote administrative and management excellence in the education system
As cliché as it sounds, we live in a highly globalised and connected world. Communications is key and hence there is a greater need to promote this particular function. At the same time, ICT was set to enhance creative thinking and lifelong learning. But somehow I have an issue with social responsibility. Is the goal stretching it too far? Or perhaps the master plan aims to have the students taught virtual social responsibility?
The second master plan led to the achievement of several goals:
• Students surveyed were competent in the use of basic ICT tools, namely, Internet, email, word processing and presentations, with almost all of students knowing how to use the Internet.
• Teachers were proficient in the use of the basic tools, namely, productivity tools, Internet and email, with two-thirds of teachers comfortable in using existing ICT tools and resources to support classroom teaching.
• The ICT implementation in 80% of our schools have met the mp2 outcomes, with about 15% having exceeded the mp2 outcomes. There was a flexible network environment to allow schools to experiment with new technologies such as wireless network. All schools have funds to attain a student to computer ratio of 6.5:1 for Primary schools and 4:1 for Secondary schools and JCs.
MP 2 has enabled schools to work towards the goals mentioned in order to ensure that all students, teachers and support staff in schools are better equipped with ICT knowledge and tools.
MP 3 will not only enable students to be more initiative in their own learning using ICT effectively, but also become more discerning and responsible, in accordance to MP 1. Teachers’ roles as mediators and guides will be effectively brought out with ICT learning journeys as they teach and nurture students to be responsible users.
• 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).
The use of powerpoint slides became a necessity amongst teachers in my secondary school days and it was useful to a certain extent. We were encouraged to use powerpoint for our own class presentations, as it extended our management and our own learning beyond the classroom, as we had to conduct research outside school hours. It led to self-directed learning (SDL) as we could apply what we learnt in class to our projects and assignments, and enabled us to explore alternatives and formulate questions and answers. This also resulted in more reflective SDL. More often than not, SDL was accompanied by collaborative learning (CoL) where working in groups was highly encouraged in order to have better brainstorm sessions and creative questions or answers generated. It was also a simple way to chase the boredom of the subject away. However, I personally felt that powerpoint was overused and sometimes, it was no different from the old ways of the OHP. I guess teachers today try to think up of more creative and engaging ways to conduct their lessons but at least when I was in secondary and JC, it was the beginning of the ICT masterplans and in the beginning stages, a lot of improvements could have been made, in retrospect.
• Based on your enhanced school experience, how do you think the current Masterplan 3 may affect your role(s) as a beginning teacher ?
Based on the current goals of MP 3, where:
To promote self-directed learning, teachers will establish or provide:
1. Student-teacher learning partnership
2. Experiences for extension of students' learning
3. Conditions for students' self management and monitoring of their learning
To promote collaborative learning, teachers will establish or provide:
1. Assessment of individual and group learning
2. Structures for collaboration among students
3. Structures for effective group processes
I will definitely need to have a good working relationship with the students. In order to do so, it is imperative to first establish a sincere and respectful environment within and outside the classroom. As a beginning teacher, it might be difficult to sometimes control the class, so there must be a constant self reminder that I should not lose my cool and shout at the students in class.
To provide an environment where students are more encouraged to conduct their own learning process, I should monitor their friendships with each other in order to see if certain group members are working well together and to always be updated with their progress. While programs such as e-learning or research conducted at home is to be encouraged, I must also make sure that students are initiative enough to do their work after class and school. Charts have to been filled up to check their improvements (or not) in order for me to cater to the different learning speed of my class.
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: Bendemeer Secondary school |
| Class: Sec 2NS |
| Profile of the class: (For e.g., the students’ academic abilities, stream and other characteristics) This is a special class created by the school which picks out students who faced many difficulties in their learning process during their secondary one academic year. While the lessons are already taught at a slower pace since these students are from the normal academic stream, they still faced a lot of problems dealing with the speed of the lessons because their command of the English language is very weak and/or their general understanding of lesson content is very bad. Their interest in most subjects are also generally low. However, I was informed that while the previous NS class had many students with attitude problems, the demographics of this year’s batch was different from the last. They are just slower learners who tend to give up easily because they cannot seem to get the right answers; and because their secondary one class was bigger in terms of attendance, there was little chance for the subject teacher to pay them extra attention. |
| Subject: English Literature |
| What ICT tools are used in the lesson? Generally, the way the lessons are conducted in the NS classes differ from the rest of the normal academic stream as observed during my interactions with the different classes. While lesson goes on as per normal in the express as well as normal academic classes, in the NS class, the teacher tries to generate the students’ interests through the use of Youtube videos which animated and brought to life the book they were discussing- Animal Farm. To engage their minds and to help them to understand what is going on in the book, a class activity was preformed which was not only simple to carry out, but it was an alternative form of teaching that encouraged creativity as well as deepen their understanding of the text. |
| Describe how ICT is used for teaching and learning in the lesson. As mentioned, the videos used during class time helps those who are visual learners to better grasp what is being taught in class as the imagery captured in the Youtube videos enable the students to exercise their imagination and visualize the events from the literature book. For those who are kinesthetic learners, the extra hands on activity-which in all aspects were simple to carry out (such as the newspaper game, or building of pyramids using cups)- helped them to empathise with the characters in Animal Farm which they have already observed through the usage of the video previously. ICT was slated to enrich the learning environment of the students through sight, sound and interactivity and what was observed in Secondary 2 NS has demonstrated the positive results of ICT’s educational goals. The literature teacher has made use of this valuable tool to customize the learning approach for these students in order to cater to their learning capabilities. It has also enhanced creative thinking for the students and promoted a different form of teaching strategy for such special classes. |
(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.)
My CT generally believes that ICT is very useful for students who have difficulties in learning and keeping up with the rest of the class. Hence, this program where such special students are identified by their teachers at the end of their first year, and picked out for the NS class in secondary two provides the very opportunity for the teachers to use ICT as a primary tool to engage their interests in the subject. Besides modifying powerpoint slides to make them simpler in language and content for them, and adding in more pictures to increase the visual aspect of the class, videos and sound clips are other tools that are employed to enhance the overall atmosphere of the class in order to provide for a more animated and fun lesson.
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