ICT in schools

1. ICT in schools Done by: Jonathan Koh Samuel Ng Chua Jie Han Sha Yi Cheng

2. What is ICT • Information and communication technologies • All technical means used to handle information and aid communication • General term for all kinds of technologies which enable users to create and access information. • A combination of information technology and communications technology.

3. Moving into ICT • Second industrial revolution(SIR) 1981 • Move from labour-intensive industries to knowledge based industries • Develop Singapore into a modern industries economy based on science, techonolgy, skills and knowledge • In order to attract high-tech industries

4. Why? • Rising wages due to labour shortage • Labour intensive industries were no longer competitive • Economies of other countries at that time were moving into labour-intensive industries • China, Malaysia, Thailand • They had a lot of manpower resulting in lower wages • Singapore had limited resources and was unable to compete with others

5. ICT development in Singapore • Plans • National Computerisation Plan (1980-1986) • National IT Plan (1986-1991) • IT2000 (1992-1999) • e-Government Action Plan I & Infocomm 21 (2000-2003) • e-Government Action Plan II & Connected Singapore (2003-2006) • iN2015 (2006-2015)

6. ICT in Schools • Core objectives • All pupils have the opportunity to achieve computer literacy and to equip themselves for participation in the information society • Teachers are supported to develop and renew their professional skills, so as to enable them to utilise ICTs as part of the learning environment.

7. Environment • School-wide network • Internet access • Teacher– notebook ratio 1:1 • At least one techinal assistant per school • Computer labs • ICT integrated into 30% of our curriculum time

8. Use of ICT in School • 3 Masterplans • (1997-2002)– Preparing for innovations • (2003-2008)– Seeding innovations • (2009-2014)– Teach less, learn more

9. Masterplan 1 • Basic infrastructure(ICT) • Add-on to curriculum • Mainly CD-ROM based digital learning resources • Headquarters driven implementation with centralised provisions • Budget: $2 Billion

10. Masterplan 1 • Laid a strong foundation for schools to harness ICT, • Especially in the provision of basic ICT infrastructure and in equipping teachers with a basic level of ICT integration competency. 

11. Masterplan 2 • Built on this foundation to strive for an effective and pervasive use of ICT in education • Strengthen the integration of ICT into the curriculum • Establish ICT standards for students • Seeding innovative uses of ICT among schools • Budget: $600 Million

12. Masterplan 3 • Aim • Encourage more self-directed questioning and learning • An interactive environment using senses to enhance content transmission and retention • Tailor learning experiences according to the way that each student learns best • Enable students to learn anywhere

13. Masterplan 3 • A continuation of the vision of the first and second Masterplans, • Enrich and transform the learning environments of our students • Equip them with the critical skills(IT) to succeed in a knowledge economy.

14. Masterplan 3 • Further improve on Teachers’ ICT skills • Upgrade schools' ICT infrastructure to keep up with developments • Bandwidth at schools will be increased to 1Gbps -- empower students anywhere and anytime through mobile learning

15. Masterplan 3 • edumall2.0 • Providing a platform for teachers to teach students • “wide range of digital resources including full length videos, video clips, interactive websites, multimedia activities, lesson plans and visual, aural and textual archived resources” • Quote from: http://www.ida.gov.sg/insg/post/Singapore-unveils-third-Masterplan-for-ICT-in-Education.aspx

16. Pros • Better access to learning resources • With ICT, students are able to access educational resources anytime, anywhere with internet access • Searching for data will be faster, need not look for books– time consuming • Internet provides a large knowledge “pool” to learn from

17. Pros • Collaborative learning • With better communications due to the internet, students are able to communicate and discuss over long distance (MSN, Skype) • Google documents– everyone can contribute to a document at the same time • Improve project work-- efficiency

18. Pros • Interactive learning environment • ICT allows students to access information through videos, podcasts and other interactive media • Engages and make students interested in learning • Enjoyable learning experience • Retention of information will be greater

19. Pros • Prepare students for work • The working world is using IT • As processing and compiling data would be faster– Higher work efficiency • Students with IT skills would have higher value to companies • Better job opportunities

20. Cons • High costs • Even though computers are becoming cheaper with time, it is still expensive • One notebook= AVG $1000 • ICT needs frequent updating and maintenance of existing infrastructure • Not everyone is able to afford • Unable to implement throughout all schools

21. Cons • Teacher training • Many teachers are not used to using ICT in teaching • Lack IT skills • Resistant to the use of IT • Use IT in class for the sake of complying with school curriculum • Require to go for ICT training which would take time and resources

22. Cons • DISTRACTIONS! • Internet has brought many distractions such as social networking sites, online streaming of videos(youtube) and music • Students would spend more time on entertainment than studies • Without discipline, students’ grade could suffer

23. References • http://info.worldbank.org/etools/docs/library/243155/day1Session2_Thiam%20Seng%20Koh.pdf • http://www.ida.gov.sg/insg/post/Singapore-unveils-third-Masterplan-for-ICT-in-Education.aspx • http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Information_and_communication_technologies • http://www.ncte.ie/AbouttheNCTE/ICTPolicy/ • http://www.newman.ac.uk/Students_websites/~s.r.i.whitton/Advantages%20&%20disadvantages.htm • http://blog.nus.edu.sg/allaboutict/2010/11/14/ict-development-in-singapore/