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).
Based on your enhanced school experience, how do you think the current Masterplan 3 may affect your role(s) as a beginning teacher ?
Prior to year 2000, the whole world is very concerned of the year 2K virus/gap that could cripple many computers and systems. IT experts have instilled fears that such breakdown will cause chaos due to the dependence of computers. As a result, millions of dollars are poured in by big organisations to prevent the forecasted catastrophic events.
Technology is advancing and it is obvious that the world would become more and more relying on IT and our lives have become totally inseparable with IT anymore. It is also a general belief that we should leverage on IT and motivate Singaporeans not just to upgrade their skill to enhance our country competitiveness but also be consciously staying ahead of other developed countries. With our labour skills and its high literacy level, it is possible to implement more sophisticated systems.
With the fear of wrong implementation and increase reliance of IT, to have a ICT masterplan is critically important. First of all, it is a framework of what we need and want, how to implement by stages, when is the appropriate timeframe for different stages, where to start with (future school or government school). With it, the transition during the implementation minimise confusing to the existing and future batch of students. It also provide sufficient time for staff training and integrate these skills into the curriculum. Lastly, the masterplan stagger the built-up of infrastructure (people, hardware and software).
During the implementation, newer technology such as open source program, better internet speed and icloud, just to name some. Within the timeframe, it could enable certain cost saving especially with the free open source and fine tune the details of implementation.
The masterplan helps us to focus and prevent us from going to wrong direction when we analysis the advancement of technology.
The aim of ICT is to let our students be exposed to the usage of technologies in daily lives as well as early as possible hand-on experience and develop habit of continual learning through computers. Unfortunately, I was a secondary student from 1983-1986 and had no chance to be exposed to ICT. In those years, only Computer Club (ECA) students were able to use the computer lab. During ESE, I could see ICT had embedded into the school daily life. For example, Broadrick has daily English Breakfast during morning assembly to show students short clip of confusing words(powerpoint), common misspelt words and also podcast to promote school’s values.
The school is also conducting home e-learning for Sec 1 and Sec 2. Teachers are briefed to prepare and upload relevant lesson materials. These students will login to the school system and follow the lessons. Teacher will be on standby and answer any ad-hoc enquires.
As a beginning teacher, I feel it provide a platform for teachers to share among the peers. Students today are different from out batch. We should not confine them to our learning or teaching. With ICT, we could develop students to become a self-directed learners. They could use IT outside the class and gain in-depth knowledge or clarify something which the teacher may not have the time to explain. Thus, students need not to wait the next school day to clarify with teacher. This, however, could result in widening gap between students, which is a good problem to have.
I agree that the entire world is becoming more ‘virtually connected’. ICT helps to integrate our normal lives with our virtual selves. Working at home is made possible with the pervasive use of IT. Our students are lucky to be born in this era, where they are happily bombarded with elements of IT. Using ICT tools comes naturally to them. ICT Masterplan is a guide that prevents the wrong use of technology. This is what most of us as teachers as well as parents are afraid of. We have seen many cases of virtual fraud and deception cases to last throughout our lives and yet it is still happening. So we as beginning teachers have the responsibility to impart skills that help students differentiate information from the huge array that is available to them and to choose wisely.
ReplyDeleteICT masterplan may be a boon or a bane. A boon as what you pointed out that it guides and prevents the wrong use of technology. But on the other side of the coin, it may be a disadvantage as it may stagnate IT development to probably the models or routes/directions that it has chartered for the Singapore schools. What if there may be a better idea or that we may need to transgress to take a different route as who can tell the ICT's fate in 2015 as its fast changing. Just like Lynde's example on the school trying to approve tablet PC for the students in year 2008 only to find out now that we have the Ipad...
ReplyDeleteSo sometimes i feel we should evaluate our policies / IT skills / or directions ahead to take on the devil's advocate to see if they be relevant/ applicable in the future.