[BLOG 2] Opinions on MOE Masterplans for ICT in Education

Technological advancement over the 20^th and 21^st century have brought-about wireless global interconnectivity, a great deal of real time information sharing and most certainly, altering lifestyles and creating new cultures and habits. With the upcoming (and continuous improving) of the Googles, the YouTubes and Wikipedias, knowledge can be acquired over the Internet with the click of the mouse. With popular social utility online tools such as Facebook, Tweeter and MSN messenger, barriers between one another have been broken down and we now have the ability to alway ‘keep-in-touch’, or even resolve an issue with a touch on our iPhones and Blackberries.

More so in Singapore: our handphone usage (1436 subscription per 1000 population, 2010. See: http://www.singstat.gov.sg/stats/keyind.html) and Internet usage (74% of population households, 2005. See: http://www.singstat.gov.sg/pubn/papers/people/ssnmar06-pg17-19.pdf) are among the uppermost crust globally. It is not difficult to see our children playing with computer tablets on the public transports, or hear them talk about the latest MMORPG or Facebook games during their recess times. We now live in a face paced society that demands resourceful and efficient workers and leaders, and more often than not, we have turned to technology to help us improve our productivity, value-add our products & services and enhance our very livelihood.

In all, Information-Communication Technology (ICT) is already interwoven with our daily lives, and more so for the future generations! It is wise for us teachers, educators, parents, the education system as a whole, to realize the potential of using ICT as a tool in the development and nurturing of our children’s learning. The 3 Masterplans (MP) implemented by MOE aims to engage our pupils’ through innovative and experiential ICT resources and teaching, ultimately training and equipping them with the necessary skills for life long learning. I feel that it is important that for us to continue to work on and follow through the MP as whiteboard teaching and endless worksheets can no longer work be a one size fit all teaching method. Pupils of any given class have got different learning abilities and difficulties, and ICT provides teachers an avenue to help enhance the abilities of fast learners, and at the same time improve the capabilities of slower ones.

Also, with all the advantages that the Internet offers, it has its fair share of poisons. It offers instantaneous access to online gambling, pornography, radical religious and philosophical teachings, graphic images of violence, articles or comics littered with expletives and many others. The problem of cyber bullying is also prominent with the uprising of the many social media tools available. These are areas that we do not wish our children to venture into, and we need to guide them and equip them with the correct knowledge of the know-hows and what-to, and what-not-to-dos. It is important that the MP acknowledges this and places an emphasis on cyber wellness to safeguard our future generations against such vices.

As a primary school student, computers were a scarcity in my school and lessons were dominated by chalkboard and OHP deliveries. However, during my P5 and P6 years, the school underwent major renovations at the top level of the building to incorporate a computer lab. When it was eventually done, every pupil were so excited to go into the lab and use the computers. I remember attending a keyboard-typing class in the lab, where a typing software was used to teach us how to type quickly and accurately through simple instructions and typing games. It was my first time using a computer and that lesson really impressed upon me as I was able to challenge my friends to typing competitions and we had a ball of time. It was then that I learnt that I can just hold down on the ‘shift’ button to type a capital letter, instead of having to ‘caps lock’ every time. That was some 14-15 years back, but that particular lesson and the famed computer lab really helped open me to the world of keyboards, computers, Windows and Information Technology.

Now, as I train to be a primary school teacher, I feel that it’s important that I keep myself updated with the newest technological trends and teaching pedagogies. To know what are the hottest games/news/lingo/etc. available can also mean that I have another avenue to connect with my pupils and to have a better understanding of their inner world and challenges. To be trained and equipped with the latest technologies/pedagogies/resources available can also mean that I am able to deliver more interesting and meaningful lessons to my class in the classroom, and out of it.