Development and implementation of the three Masterplans for ICT in education is indeed very crucial for the provision of a holistic learning in the education system as well as to improve the education system in line with the development of technology and media. The expansion of technology and media is evidently impacting our lives today and it is inevitably for technology and media to be cast out from the education system as well. The influence of these two advancement giants should therefore be grasped and exploited to the advantage of the education system, the teaching workforce as well as the students. Implementation of the three Masterplans in ICT therefore ensures that technology and media could be used to the advantage of the students and teachers to ensure that a better learning takes place and one that is in line with the expectation and running of the world in this new technological age.
Masterplan 1 for instance kicked start by ensuring that the platform is build for the usage of technology and ICT in schools through the provision of one computer terminal to be shared among 6 students. Such came at an age where computers were still not a household item and is therefore reflective of the importance MOE placed upon the need to familiarise the students with the usage from an early age in the primary schools. Such was evident from my very own experience where the computer terminals placed in every classroom provided the students with learning opportunities to discover new things on our own through conducting the searches online within the confines of our own classrooms. Such was later coupled with the need to attend courses such as the basic usage of Microsoft word, power point and much more to equip students with the necessary skills needed for the advancement towards Masterplan 2.
Masterplan 2 implemented in 2002, pushes the boundary even further by allowing capacity building whereby teachers are able to craft their own ICT lesson and usage to best suit their teaching method and facilitating their students. Such has become a common norm in schools today whereby the usage of ICT has become an everyday tool that aids the learning of the students. This was very much evident even in my secondary school and junior college days whereby different teachers have different methods of integration of ICT to facilitate their teaching. Watching of YouTube videos have become a common learning tool that aids learning and helps broaden learning to beyond the confines of the classrooms. Masterplan 2 has impacted me the most simple because its large scale integration has shifted learning to a level that is both fun and engaging. Such is seen not only through the usage of videos screening but also the platform to broadcast and podcast in Innova Junior College as past of the speak good English campaign. The more conventional method of speaking properly in class has given way to the more sophisticated broadcast and podcast that provide me with the platform to experience it for myself and as the saying goes “ experience is the best teacher”, Masterplan 2 helps students to experience learning responsibility and through a rather self directed approach which in my opinion strengthen and facilitate learning beyond the ability of the usage of the textbook.
The current Masterplan 3, in my opinion, not only worked upon the goals of the above mentioned Masterplans but also fine tune the strings of education to further achieve a higher standard in education in line with the expectations of the ministry, the nation and the parents. Such is done without dismissing the holistic development of the child. Based on my Enhance School Experience (ESE), the current Masterplan 3 will definitely affect my role(s) as a beginning teacher as it provides me the challenge of not only delivering education to the students but also the need to constantly upgrade myself to fit the needs of Masterplan 3. This is done to ensure that teaching and learning are both taking place for myself as the teacher and also for the students. The self directed learning model for the students mentioned in Masterplan 3 is something I find remarkably interesting simply because it takes education to the next level whereby students are no longer expected to just absorb the education that is being delivered by the teacher but are also needed to be constantly responsibly for their very own learning. Such has been practises in East Spring Secondary School whereby students are often given the opportunity to be responsible for their own learning through the usage of ICT. This is mainly seen through the e-learning day held for the lower secondary students. Students are given assignments to be completed at home without the need to turn up for school. These assignments are however not the conventional assignments but rather one that required the students to search for the answers online and thus develop their own thinking and analysing skills through the processing of the information gathered online. In addition to that, the Masterplan 3 requires the implementation of student teacher learning partnership and this is something that will affect my role as a beginning teacher greatly as I therefore have to be constantly aware of the need to craft ICT lessons that not only encourage self directed learning but also one that involves partnership in the students. This requires establishment of good rapport with the students and the identification of the needs of the students. As a beginning teacher, I believe Masterplan 3 will not only provide a more solid platform for myself as the educator to develop and craft my lessons to engage the students and provide a very exciting environment whereby the world is the classroom but at the same time challenging me to identify and meet the needs of the different students through monitored self directed learning.
3 comments:
I do agree that with each new masterplan, it improves and finetunes its predecessor... MP1 has laid the foundations, MP2 has brought it further by making sure every school is well-equipped/teachers gone through training.. MP3 brings it all together by making sure there is a close teacher-student relationship and ensures SDL at the same time. It quite ties in with collaborative learning, as there is supposed to be partnership between teacher and student.. I too believe that MP 3 will enable us beginning teachers to reach out to the students and create a more engaging environment for the students!
Hi Rafiqa,
I enjoyed reading about your own personal experiences with ICT usage as a student. I am actually quite surprised to learn that podcast was used at the JC level (and I feel a bit envious actually)because my own personal experience in JC was, overall, one in which 'innovative' (and hence, potentially 'risky') techniques of teaching and learning were avoided in favor of more 'tried and tested' methods-- after all JC is a very brief course of 2 years culminating in a pen-and-paper examination (A levels). Based on your sharing, I actually believe that there is potential for lessons to be transformed at the JC level, without losing the content/goals/objectives of preparing the students for a major exam. Perhaps all that remains is for more schools to be willing to take (calculated) risks, to make forays into methods that stray from the well-travelled paths.
I agree with Pamela- I was also surprised to learn that you had ICT implemented in your JC lessons because (and this is probably because my tutors were Luddites) in my experience there was still very little emphasis on integrating technology into the classroom at that time. I guess it's a clear indication of how quickly things can change in the space of 5 years. The technologies that we could potentially have in classrooms today (e.g. interactive white board) never fail to amaze me. Kinda makes you wonder how things will be like in another 5 years when we are at MP4!
Post a Comment