EDUCATION

PRESENTATION

Joshua LimNeo Jia Hao

Yu Sheng JieZhang Aolun

ICT in schools

What is ICT?

Information and communication technologies

Masterplans

The first Masterplan for ICT in Education (1997–2002) laid a strong foundation for schools to harness ICT, particularly in the provision of basic ICT infrastructure and in equipping teachers with a basic level of ICT integration competency.

Masterplans

The second Masterplan for ICT in Education (2003–2008) built on this foundation to strive for an effective and pervasive use of ICT in education by, for example, strengthening the integration of ICT into the curriculum, establishing baseline ICT standards for students and seeding innovative use of ICT among schools.

Masterplans

The third Masterplan for ICT in Education (2009-2014) represents a continuum of the vision of the first and second Masterplans, which is to enrich and transform the learning environments of our students and equip them with the critical competencies and dispositions to succeed in a knowledge economy.

Why ICT?

Equip students with skills and attributes

– needed to enhance Singapore’s position in the 21st century

develop students’ competencies for self-directed and collaborative learning

Customised learning experiences

Strategies of ICT

Participation in web2.0 collaborative learning environments (eg wikis)

Online group discussions Online research

Benefits

Provides wider learning space

– students learn in authentic environment Engagement in learning through ICT

tools

– deepen their understanding of concepts, collaboratively review and create knowledge with peers within and beyond their classrooms

Make for a more e-ready citizenry

Problems

Distractions

– students distracted by emails, blogs, YouTube videos even online games

Unable to distinguish the real world from the virtual world

– too much time spent on online learning Theft

– laptops classified under valuables

Example: Hwa Chong FutureSchool Key Focus - Enabling Self-Directed

Learning in a Borderless World Aims to combine technology with new

ways of learning to create educational value

Learning transcends boundaries between subjects, classrooms, schools, countries and cultures.

IP in schools

What is IP?

Integrated Programme Provides seamless secondary and pre-

tertiary education

Which are the IP schools?

Present: RI RGS HCI NYGH ACS(I) NUS High DHS RVHS VJC NJC

Future: SJI VS SCGS Catholic High Cedar Girls’ MGS St. Nicholas Girls’

Who is eligible?

Top 10% of the cohort DSA applicants

Why IP?

Allow students to benefit from a less structured system

– Still need to follow MOE’s core syllabus

•Stretch potential of students

– More time freed for enrichment courses

Rationale

MOE realised that the majority of the top 10%of the cohort enter university

– Allay fears that student do not have ‘O’ levels to back on/act as a safety net

Broad-based education to maximize students’ potentials and capabilities

– Exposed to more subjects instead of focusing on a few for the ‘O’ levels

Assumptions

– Are we assuming that IP is suitable for EVERYONE of the top 10% of the cohort?

Pupils who clearly need guidance are advised against joining the IP

– Freedom provided in the IP may not benefit them

Pupils out of this 10% range may have potential, just that their PSLE performance was not ideal

– Appeal; apply though DSA

Problems inferred

Students from non-IP schools hard to get into IP JCs after ‘O’ levels

Fate of pupils decided at such a young age

– As a result disadvantaged Only the brightest students would get

into IP

– Cause differentiation in the system

Solution

4-year IP schools

– Programme starts in Secondary 3

– Chance for those late bloomers to join the IP

Talent and Exam meritocracy

Talent Meritocracy

Benefits

Promote creativity

– Students get to select to pursue their own passions by discovering their own talents

Develop niche areas of students Challenging the conventional way

– innovate and apply theories to real life situations

Provide freedom for independent learning Develop passion for learning

Disadvantage

Too much freedom may be taken for granted

– students with little self-discipline will end up wasting their time playing games and not using it effectively to study

Exam Meritocracy(Singapore)

Benefits

Realize the importance of studying to prepare them for the future

Pragmatic

Standardized way of testing students

Disadvantages

results-oriented – study is forced Limits students’ creativity Meritocracy– stick to convention, afraid

to innovate

Disadvantages(cont’d)

Stress

– high expectations result in overstressing the child

hierarchy - core subjects being of upmost importance

– Students’ niche areas are not developed – hidden potential not unleashed

References

http://www3.moe.edu.sg/jcreview/JC_Upp_Sec_Review_Report.pdf

http://app.sis.moe.gov.sg/schinfo/ipProg.asp

http://www.ida.gov.sg/insg/post/Singapore-unveils-third-Masterplan-for-ICT-in-Education.aspx

THE END