As a local student till 2005, my education journey had witnessed the implementation of Masterplans 1 and 2. I could still remember the fascination I had felt when I stepped into my primary school’s air-conditioned computer lab for the very first time. Back then, I was wishing how it would be perfect if every single lesson was conducted there so I could use those amazing machines all the time. Fast forwarding to my days as a university student, that wish seemed to have fulfilled when it dawned on me that all my lecture notes were presented on PowerPoint slides and every assignment was type-written. For that, I am thankful for the smooth transition facilitated by my solid foundation built upon the past decade of ICT training in MOE schools.
Skills aside, I have unknowingly become a technophile, always excited to read about the latest developments and tech toys in Straits Times’ Digital Life and other online news feeds. Unlike the older generation, I am not afraid to embrace new technology. A week before entering the National Institute of Education (NIE), I bought myself a Macbook Air to use as a portable laptop during lessons. Prior to this, I have been a Windows user all my life. Some schools, e.g. Maris Stella High are completely Mac converted and nowadays, more students are owning Macbooks. Thus as a teacher-to-be, I aim to spend my one year in NIE to familiarize myself with the Mac operating system (Mac OS) and pick up the many tips and tricks of the OS.
As a beginning teacher embarking on Masterplan 3, I am no longer a direct beneficiary of ICT curriculum, as now I play a more crucial role in endeavoring to integrate ICT into lesson delivery. ICT is no longer and should not be perceived as a separate entity from subject studies. Not only does ICT go in accordance with the Teach Less, Learn More (TLLM) approach, my efforts to advocate self-directed learning (SDL) and collaborative learning (CoL) via ICT-enriched lessons will go a long way in developing students’ competencies and preparing them for their future professions. With this end goal in mind, I should seek to consistently upgrade and update myself with the necessary ICT skills in this rapidly transforming computer age, so as to be a capable ICT facilitator and advocator in the school environment.
Yes, it's a timely reminder for me too that I will be entering the teaching profession right smack in the middle of MP3! This means I have to be driving the pervasive use of ICT in my lessons and to advocate SDL and CoL in my lesson structure. This spurs me on indeed to improve on my IT skills and to keep abreast with technological advances in ICT.
ReplyDeleteI guess reading your blog entry here really reminds me to brush up my IT skills in the coming year as I am always not a very IT savvy person. I think to really engage our students, teachers not only need to embrace ICT, but embrace it effectively. :）
ReplyDeleteStudents are now exposed to too many cool things (like games) out there and a key point I always tell my students is not to be just passive users of IT (don't just play the games like angry bird). Learn the programming stuff as well and be the developers. They are the so called students from top schools and I would want to push them to achieve higher grounds.
ReplyDeleteAs teachers, we are responsible in building an ICT literate society and prepare our students for the demands of tomorrow. In order to achieve this, we have to first accept and use ICT as a pedagogical tool and harness its educational value.
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