Wednesday 20 July 2011

Linking the ICT Masterplans to my ESE

Bartley Secondary School (BSS) has implemented various ICT platforms for both teachers and students. To start off with the basics, every classroom is equipped with a projector as well as audio speakers, so that teachers are able to connect their mobile devices easily, and conduct lessons through these mediums. In my case, I have found it extremely useful since I teach Music, and need to make use of music videos from Youtube and the like.

There are 4 computer labs as well as an iMac lab in the library. While the computer labs are used mainly for subjects such as CPA and EBS, the mainstream subject teachers sometimes use the lab for content learning, although perhaps not so often. Subjects such as Science, Mathematics and even English are no longer restricted to the classroom. As mentioned in an earlier post, Science teachers sometimes use PhET applications to introduce concepts via java applications. Math teachers teach their students sometimes using Heymath as a platform, so as to spice up the lessons. Students studying English get a chance to hone their vocal skills through podcasts in the iMac lab, making varied uses of ICT platforms in the school.

From the observations above, I would conclude that BSS has definitely achieved the baseline ICT standards. Both teacher and student are generally proficient in the use of basic ICT tools. A huge number would make use of Microsoft Powerpoint in order to conduct lessons, so as to create a greater visual impact with the students. Likewise, students sometimes make use of the lab in order to finish assignments on word processing software, or perhaps do research making use of online sources such as Wikipedia or Youtube. Even the ICT infrastructure is getting a major upgrade, as the school is setting up a campus wireless network this August, thus making it more convenient for everyone to be able to connect to the internet.

Students in the iMac lab
Music lesson conducted in PC lab
The appointment of ICT champions in the school proved to be also valuable in spearheading the use of ICT in the various departments. A teacher representative from each department is identified, and tries to push for ICT implementation within the department. He or she monitors the implementation of these lessons amongst their colleagues.

Pair work at the PC lab

Everyone in BSS has a role to play, and the students also play a part by taking up a leadership role known as student ICT ambassadors. These appointments are created mainly to help better serve the teachers in the classroom, and to help troubleshoot any problems encountered during the lesson. They are trained by the TAs in the school, and even go through sessions in areas such as cyberwellness, thus promoting the safe and responsible usage of the computer and internet.

Definitely, there are some manifestations of Masterplan 3 as well within the school. There are E-learning days set aside during the school semester, where students are to access a portal known as MCOnline (Marshall Cavendish Online) and access their lessons from there. Likewise, teachers undergo training sessions on the use of the portal, so that they are able to set up ICT infused lessons for the students to undergo. Currently, the use of this platform is still not prevalent amongst the teachers but I believe that its use would become more common in the future. Other training sessions include courses such as the use of Junglebyte, so as to help facilitate the teachers in conducting ICT infused lessons. This program allows teachers to monitor the students online activity easily, as well as collate and send out assignments via the program. 

With all these platforms available, however, the biggest obstacle BSS faces is to open up the idea of implementing more ICT infused lessons to the teachers. The baseline standards already exist, but it would take a change in mindset amongst some of the teachers in order to fully utilize ICT. There will be those who still believe firmly in the chalk and board method, and there were even debates amongst themselves (in forums) whether or not we have become too dependent on technology to teach. After all, our forefathers did perfectly fine without them. Are we so different that we need to change our methods drastically to suit the needs of the current generation? It is something that is still up for discussion.

In my humble opinion, BSS still has quite a ways to go before it fully harnesses the power of ICT. The HOD-ICT and the ICT champions however, are striving towards empowering the staff with the knowledge and mindset, that ICT can be a very powerful tool in educating our students, and perhaps in the years to come, it may become reality after all.

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