Blog 2

In your opinion, why do you think it is important for MOE to develop the three Masterplans for ICT in education?

It is important for MOE to develop the three Masterplans for ICT in education as it encourages students to be more pro-active in their learning and teachers to be more forward-looking, innovative, flexible and adaptable to different settings. ICT could be used for didactic and constructivist purposes without compromising the teacher’s role as the chief facilitator in the classroom. Through ICT-based learning, students are reminded of the need to assume responsibility and ownership over their own learning instead of being complacent, lackadaisical and habitually dependent on their teacher for answers to their queries. Through ICT learning, students are encouraged to make their own investigations into issues that directly affect them instead of being supplied with a ready pool of solutions. ICT allows teachers to easily supervise and monitor their students’ performance and to give instant feedback to them so that they could progress further. It conditions students to reflect on their achievements and to make bold leaps forward in their work. Students should be able to practise applying the skills they learn in the simulated world to the real-world context to gauge the practicality of using ICT in teaching.

There should be authentic learning beyond the classroom in order to develop cognitive skills in students, as well as to raise awareness about the importance of critical, independent thinking. Some ICT tools such as blogging serve as alternative platforms for students to gather their ideas and to organise their thoughts so that they are able to present their findings and arguments about a certain topic in a more orderly fashion.  Besides that, in the process of developing their ideas, it is possible for online guidance to be made available and accessible to them at any time of the day and from wherever they are. Hence, with the assurance of online support from their peers and tutors, students are less likely to be lost and confused with their work. Teachers could then play an instrumental role in directing the students toward the direction of self-directed learning.

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).

My secondary school Geography teacher often used ICT in his lessons in order to offer clear-cut explanations of complex concepts. The colourful, animated diagrams successfully captured our interest and benefitted visual learners tremendously. For instance, he would show us video clips that meticulously demonstrate the specific steps involved in the formation of volcanic structures, as well as illustrate the various factors that contribute to climate change. Sometimes, he would also play documentaries on tsunamis, earthquakes and volcanic explosions that carry essential information that about such phenomena. He encouraged us to take notes as we watch the documentary so as to prepare us for the class discussions that were held almost every tutorial. It certainly made Geography lessons a lot more fun and exciting for most of us, who initially found physical Geography dry and boring. He would also set online quizzes that effectively challenge and test us on our knowledge of the key concepts that have been taught. The quizzes serve as supplementary exercises for us to practise at home in addition to what we have learned in class. He gave us his feedback, comments and explanations to the quizzes via email so that he could focus more on tutorial discussions during lesson time. This ensures that we have sufficient practices to prepare us for the ‘A’ level exams.

Based on your enhanced school experience, how do you think the current Masterplan 3 may affect your role(s) as a beginning teacher ?

As a beginning teacher, I would have to challenge myself to constantly come up with innovative ways to conduct lessons by making the best out of ICT tools that are made available to me. I would also have to be more mindful and attentive to technological changes so as to establish a kind of connection and rapport with my pupils that extends beyond the classroom. I intend on attending IT courses every now and then to keep myself updated with skills and knowledge of using the latest technology that could possibly be applied to classroom teaching. Facebook, for instance, could be used as a platform for holding online debates/ discussions about current affairs and social issues. If the majority of the students in a class are iphone users, the teacher could also learn how to develop iphone applications that are applicable to the subject he/she is teaching for students to access on their phone. Teachers who are more proficient in IT skills could volunteer to share their knowledge and ideas with their colleagues. They should be appointed as ICT mentors and advisers to other teachers who might be struggling to cope with ICT-centric learning. These teachers could tap into their area of expertise so as to offer guidance and support to those who are lagging behind in the use of ICT. In fact, this has already been practised in New Town Secondary School, the school that I have been sent to for my Enhanced School Experience. During one of the professional development meetings, one teacher share with the rest of his colleagues about how he used the discussion forum on AsknLearn as a platform for him to discuss with his students about the impact of social media in the recent General Election. The use of ICT offers a wide array of options for teachers to explore alternative ways of making learning enjoyable and relevant to the lives of their students. When teachers play around with ICT tools, they are also engaging in the process of learning. This promotes a more learner-focused environment that would be beneficial to both teachers and students.