February 17, 2024

3:41 pm

Family

Family – Tech Education for Children

Tech Me to School

What Edumall tech revolution means to parents

You know your IM from iN2015. You have a family blog, and you play Warcraft like a pro (almost). So you think you’re tech-savvy? Your kids are light years ahead, riding on a technological supernova in schools.

All around the island, educational institutions are harnessing the power of IT for everyday tasks like homework, as well as ground-breaking projects.

Take, for instance, Fuhua Primary, which has used Pocket PCs (PDAs or Personal Digital Assistants) and Flashloggers (integrated data logging systems) to promote an inquiry-based approach in the learning of science.

It started with the Primary 5 and 6 cohorts in 2004 and extended it to the Primary 3 and 4 cohorts last year.

The pay-off: it gave pupils more time to plan and design experiments, as well as analyse data.

Meanwhile, pupils at Hong Kah Primary School publish their learning journals online at a blog site (www.multiply.com). “Blogging adds value to the learning process as pupils are captivated by the new form of writing and communication,” says Leslie Lai, the school’s IT head, in an article published on the Ministry of Education’s website.

“Pupils also make use of the online discussion tools that are available on the website to discuss topics posed by the teachers.”

Students in River Valley High, Monks Hill Secondary, Crescent Girls’ and Catholic High have access to tablet PCs so they can study in a digital classroom environment and download information from the Internet wherever they may be. They are part of the BackPack.NET Pilots and Trials initiative (a strategic collaboration between IDA and Microsoft).

And early this year, Anglican High bought 5 SMART Interactive Whiteboards (IWBs) — a tool that combines a projector, computer and whiteboard, and which operates much like a touch-screen device.

Jimmy Tan, the school’s science teacher and IWB coordinator, says this means students are no longer passive learners. “Students are able to learn better and faster. It changes the dynamics of the entire class,” he says.

The future of school

Expect even more changes in the next nine years. In June, the government unveiled Intelligent Nation 2015, or iN2015 — a 10-year, multi-billion dollar infocomm masterplan to transform Singapore into an Intelligent Nation and Global City by 2015.

Its plans for homes and schools include:

At least 90 per cent of homes will have broadband access (up from 54 per cent now)
Every household with school-going children, no matter how poor, should have a computer with Internet access. Students will have anytime, anywhere connectivity and access to digital resources
15 to 20 per cent of schools will be designated as Experimental Schools, which will try out innovations applications in teaching.
Another five per cent will be Schools of the Future, leading the technology charge. Does IT work?
But how have parents reacted to the fast-paced changes? “It’s almost like something out of a science fiction novel… at least the ones I read during my childhood days,” laughs Cynthia Tan, a teacher in her 30s and mother of two preschoolers.Rita Tan, on the other hand, was impressed when her son’s Primary 4 form teacher set up a class website last year.

“It allowed the students to put in their blogs, and used it to remind them of their daily homework. This also served as a tool for parents to monitor their children’s work and happenings in class,” says the 37-year-old brand manager. Now in Primary 5 at Kuo Chuan Presbyterian Primary School, Randal subscribes to a programme developed by LEAD, which is recommended by the school for supplementary/enrichment purposes. LEAD, or Learning EDvantage is a company that develops and provides e-learning solutions like Digital Textbooks, e-programmes and –syllabuses. “He’s now a more confident learner, particularly since refresher and quick reference materials are also more readily available,” says Rita, who has a younger son aged three.

Angela Quek, whose sons are in Primary 3 and 6 at St Andrew’s Junior School, also thinks IT has helped her kids learn. “My children do not really like to read books. But when it’s on the computer, they have no problem reading and searching for more information.

My older boy, Mathias, is also able to do simple class presentations using PowerPoint. “During the June and December school holidays, the school will usually give out a ‘Holiday Homework Package’ for every level. It’s usually printed worksheets. But they are required to go to the Internet to search for answers. It keeps them occupied during the holidays. “The statistics bear her out.

The Ministry Of Education’s Evaluation of Implementation of Masterplan for IT in Education Report 2001 showed that more than two-thirds of the pupils surveyed agreed that “the use of IT increases their knowledge”.
But while technology is fast becoming an intrinsic part of school, it is ultimately only a tool. Rita says, “Honestly, [e-learning] has not had much effect on my son’s academic performance in school. Tuition and assessment books are, by far, still the most effective tools. “Those who will succeed in the 21st century are those who can “learn, unlearn, and relearn”, said futurist Alvin Toffler. To this end, teachers and parents still have an important role to play in developing the ‘heartware’ of the 21st century child – the EQ and CQ factors that determine true winners in life.

Participating Schools in Edumall

1. 芽笼美以美小学 Geylang Methodist Primary

2. 湖滨小学 Lakeside Primary

3. 巴耶利峇美以美女子小学Paya Lebar Methodist Girls’ Primary

4. 先驱小学 Pioneer Primary

5. 圣若瑟书院附小 St. Joseph Institution Junior (2008-2013)

6. 裕华小学 Yuhua Primary (2008-2015)

7. 云海中学 Coral Secondary (2008-2013)

8. 青景中学 Green View Secondary (2008-2011)

9. 海星天主教中学 Hai Sing Catholic High (2008-2013)

10.励志中学 Pasir Ris Crest Secondary (2008-2010)

11. 百德小学 Bukit View Primary

12. 大众小学 Dazhong Primary (2009-2012)

13. 联华小学 LianHua Primary (2009-2013)

14. 伊丽莎白公主小学 Princess Elizabeth Primary

15. 孺廊小学 Rulang Primary (2009-2015)

16. 圣安东尼小学 St. Anthony’s Primary (2009-2014)

17. 圣母圣诞圣婴女校 CHIJ Our Lady Of Nativity

18. 海格女校 Haig Girls’ School

19. 柏盛小学 Macpherson Primary

20. 美以美女校 Methodist Girls’ School （Primary ）(2010-2014)

21. 远景小学 North Vista Primary

22. 士林小学 Si Ling Primary

23. 丹绒加东小学 Tanjong Katong Primary (2010-2014)

24. 维新小学 West View Primary (2010-2015)

25. 康岭小学Casuarina Primary (2011-2015)

26. 凤山小学 Fengshan Primary (2011-2015)

27. 工商小学 Gongshang Primary

28. 義安小学 Ngee Ann Primary (2011-2013)

29. 奥匹拉小学 Opera Estate Primary

30. 培英小学 Peiying Primary

31. 新加坡国际学校（香港）Singapore International School (Hong Kong) (2010-2012)

32. 四德女子中学 Cedar Girls’ Secondary (2011-2014)

33. 加东修道院女校 CHIJ Katong Convent Secondary (2011-2014)

34. 裕廊景中学 Jurongville Secondary

35. 圣安东尼女校（中学）St Anthony’s Canossian Secondary (2011-2012)

36. 圣若瑟书院 St Joseph’s Insitution (2011-2012)

37. 淡马锡中学 Temasek Secondary (2011-2014)

38. 永康中学 Yio Chu Kang Secondary (2011-2012)

39. 耘青中学 Yuan Ching Secondary (2011-2015)

40. 尤索夫依萨中学 Yusof Ishak Secondary (2011-2015)

41. 嘉诺撒仁爱会小学 Cannosa Convent Primary (2012-2013)

42. 圣婴女子小学（大芭窑）CHIJ （Toa Payoh）Primary (2012-2013) (2015-)

43. 大智小学 First Toa Payoh Primary

44. 先锋小学 Frontier Primary

45. 蒙福小学 Monfort Junior School (2012-2015)

46. 侨南小学 Qiaonan Primary (2012-2014)

47. 养正小学 Yangzheng Primary

48. 杨厝港小学 Yio Chu Kang Primary

49. 武吉班让政府中学 Bukit Panjang Govt High School (2012-2012)

50. 南华中学 Nan Hua High School (2012-2013)

51. 裕廊西中学 Jurong West Secondary (2012-2014)

52. 协和中学 Unity Secondary

53. 博理小学 Balestier Hill Primary

54. 康培小学 Canberra Primary (2013-2015)

55. 康达小学 Cantonment Primary

56. 圣尼格拉女校 CHIJ St Nicholas Girls’ School

57. 辅华小学 Fuhua Primary (2013-2015)

58. 新华小学 Northland Primary

59. 北源小学 North Spring Primary (2013-2013)

60. 圣安德烈小学 St Andrew’s Junior School

61. 林景小学 Woodgrove Primary

62. 育智小学 Yew Tee Primary

63. 义顺小学 Yishun Primary

64. 锦文中学 Clementi Town Secondary

65. 蒙福中学 Montfort Secondary (2013-2014)

66. 武吉班让小学 Bukit Panjang Primary (2014-2015)

67. 花菲卫理小学 Fairfield Methodist School (Primary)

68. 丰伟小学 Fernvale Primary

69. 马西岭小学 Marsiling Primary (2014-2015)

70. 美华小学 Mayflower Primary

71. 树群小学 Shunqun Primary (2014-2015)

72. 伟林小学 Wellington Primary (2014-2015)

73. 群立中学 Greenridge Secondary

74. 南华小学 Nan Hua Primary

75. 拉丁马士小学 Radin Mas Primary

76. 聚英小学 Juying Primary

77. 女皇镇小学 Queenstown Primary (2015-2015)

78. 城景小学 Townville Primary (2015-2015)

79. 介民小学 Jiemin Primary

80. 光洋小学 Guangyang Primary (2015-2015)

81. 德林小学 Guangyang Primary (2016-)

Experiments on Chinese Language Teaching in the Information Technology Environment

The Educational Technology Division (ETD), MOE, started a collaborative project with 10 schools with a view of levelling up the competency level of our pupils in the target language.

10’C leverages the use of ICT to promote pupils’ interest in the Chinese Language, and to improve on their reading and writing skills in an interactive environment. 10’C adopts a student-centred model which is well-balanced with teachers’ guidance and facilitation, as advocated by Professor He Ke Kang from the School of Educational Technology, Beijing Normal University. It facilitates independent, differentiated learning and peer interaction.

In the 10’C project, pupils use networked computers to access extended reading materials and create different pieces of writing, all of which are specially designed to reinforce the respective lesson objectives stated in the syllabus. With its focus on language use, the programme provides ample opportunities for pupils to consolidate and expand their learning, as well as experience incremental successes in their writing.

The use of computer-assisted writing enables pupils to leverage their knowledge of hanyu pinyin to express themselves via text input.

This is especially helpful to pupils who may have passive competency in the target language, but not the ability to manage the written Chinese text on their own. Such a facility has helped unleash pupils’ potential in writing, especially amongst those at the lower primary level. Such an approach also encourages pupils to learn and create in a non-threatening environment.

The programme is in concert with MOE’s “Teach Less, Learn More” initiative where much of the learning takes place collaboratively and intuitively, and is carried out according to the pace at which the pupil learns. In addition, the focus of the project is aligned to the primary Chinese Language syllabus (2007) guidelines that emphasize authentic language use, and independent and differentiated learning.

ETD has specially set up a centralised e-learning platform for 10’C. The platform has the following features:　

A rich repository of multimedia reading resources

Customisable individual home pages and blogs for teachers and pupils in the programme
A “billboard” for students to showcase their works
Functions such as editing, posting comments and rating for peer evaluation