2nd Blog entry: Masterplans for ICT in Education

For your second post, share what you think about the following:

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

- 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?

In my perspective, it is pertinent that MOE directs it growth towards the development of the three Masterplans for ICT in education. In face of the constant growth of all cities in the world, it is important for our nation to grow together as well. The answer to growing stronger in face of the aggressive competition against other nations is educating all citizens of Singapore in the area of technology and the Internet. I agree with the concept of ‘ICT for all’ as it will mean that all Singaporeans, regardless of age, ethnicity or religion, will get to learn how to cope with the constant changing technological advancement. With all citizens being well equipped with technological skills, the nation is then able to move forward and towards a more developed literacy for all.

Taking a step back, I shall touch on the foundation years of ICT in education of Singapore. When MOE first launched its vision “Thinking Schools, Learning Nation”, it encompassed 4 overarching goals it hoped to attain. The 1^st goal is to enhance linkages between the school and the world around it, so as to expand and enrich the learning environment. As mentioned, the world is in constant changes in the IT arena, and that our world has gradually become a global village, hence this sense of connectedness and connectivity is very pertinent to staying relevant. The 2^nd goal is to encourage creative thinking, lifelong learning and social responsibility. This goal allowed students to engage in a sort of self-directed learning where they are given the ICT tools/mediums to explore on their own so as to be engaged in higher-order thinking. The 3^rd goal is to generate innovation in education – by using ICT effectively, teachers could further explore other uses of ICT to actively engage the students in the classroom. The last goal is to promote administrative and management excellence in the education system. Masterplan 1 was very crucial, especially as a foundation level for Masterplan 2, which was launched in year 2003. The important ICT infrastructure set up in Masterplan 1 allowed Masterplan 2 to engage both students and teachers even more effectively. From the video presentation, I gather that Masterplan 2 allowed more active participation to both mainstream and elite schools (ICT for All), and that all schools could enjoy greater autonomy in deciding on the ICT provisions for the students. This also meant that the schools could enjoy greater sense of ownership of their learning. Masterplan 2 was very successful as all students have learnt some of the ICT skills by acquiring them in school. This has attained the aim of having “ICT for All”. Masterplan 3 is equally pertinent as ICT usage is a continuous process for Singapore’s educational system – by wanting to learn more at a comfortable pace. Masterplan 3 particularly highlights on 2 learning aspects – Self-Directed Learning and Collaborative Learning. In this new arena of technological advancements, students can now go on to the Internet to search for additional resources, or even ask for aid online. This self-directed learning process of going online to search for additional resources can be attributed to the attainment goals of Masterplan 1 and Masterplan 2. These 2 new learning aspects also coincided with MOE’s concept of “Teach Less, Learn More” under the “Thinking Schools, Learning Nation” vision. With the emphasis on Self-Directed Learning and Collaborative Learning, students learn more about ownership of learning. Personally, I feel that ICT should encompass a huge portion of both the teachers and students’ learning of knowledge. With the emphasis on ICT, MOE’s vision is more clearly directed towards a conducive learning in face of the competitive market in the global village. As ICT is continuously upgraded with new social platforms or mediums, or even new innovative methods to teach and learn, all schools should, in accordance with MOE’s vision, build a good ICT infrastructure and have holistic support for students and teachers in ICT learning.

At the age of 24, my student years have been impacted greatly by both Masterplan 1 and Masterplan 2 during my pre-university years. I remember vividly that my primary school teachers used CD-ROMs to cultivate our understanding towards Music and other subjects as well. Besides using the CD-ROMs, I also remember that the national television would broadcast several educational programmes on certain channels and that all of us watched during our school time. We were also given some videos to watch during school time, which I thought it was very interesting. In my secondary school days, a different set of ICT tools were used for our learning. I remember going up to the Over Head Projector (OHP) to answer my teachers’ questions on the transparency sheets. Much later, my teachers started using the visualizer, together with the projector to flash their materials on the screen that was shone on the whiteboard. The latter technological tool was a better one because all my friends and I could focus on 1 particular big screen. Sometimes, my teacher would use her/his personal laptop to connect with the screen and visualizer. When I was a student, I was very interested whenever my teacher used her laptop to screen her materials. We would watch videos and discuss about the videos. I was even more attentive when materials were prepared visually for me to study. Also, I learnt to use the scientific calculator during Science lessons, and had to key in the coordinates to get the right values and the final results. Though ICT was already used in classroom, my normal school lessons were still very much driven by hardcore drilling doing examination papers.

Based on my Enhanced School Experience in Bedok Town Secondary, I believe the current Masterplan 3 has a great impact on me as a beginning teacher. In Bedok Town Secondary, the beginning teachers are more impactful in their delivery of lessons. They often utilise the ICT tools to engage their students in active participation. The current Masterplan 3 works on the foundation of Masterplans 1 and 2 to deliver an innovative use of ICT in the Singapore educational system. From what I have gathered from Masterplan 3, teachers should be well equipped in mastering ICT. With the skills and knowledge in ICT, the teachers are now facilitators of the students’ learning. Instead of spoon-feeding the students, teachers should facilitate the students in concepts like Self-Directed Learning and Collaborative Learning. In Self-Directed Learning, teachers must first build a rapport with the students, then he/she can faciliatate the learning by the students. Under the Collaborative Learning concept, I believe beginning teachers can use various platforms to promote collaboration among students. In this way, students can learn from one another when they discuss. Also, beginning teachers can use various assessment method to test the students and also to provide feedback on individual and group learning, and performance. This in turn, can help the students to develop communication skill and interpersonal skills more effectively.