1. Education opens the door to a whole realm of knowledge and information. The knowledge-based economy of today will greatly benefit from the presence of self-motivated and independent cultivators of knowledge, who can actively and effectively contribute to the society. The Masterplans for ICT which have been developed by the Ministry of Education are making a great contribution to the fields of knowledge acquisition and learning. Each individual, whether a pupil or a teacher, is being exposed to a plethora of new cultures, by virtue of the ICT tools. This not only broadens their horizons, but also allows them to gain multiple perspectives on a single issue, which is so essential for the optimum functioning of human minds. Knowledge has become much more readily accessible, as a result of which learning has become an immediate and hassle-free process. Dynamism has become a key-word to describe the class-room culture, because both the students and teachers alike are constantly upgrading themselves and sharing their new findings with one another. The proper use of technology enables people to become more pro-active and responsible. Young students begin to realise the value of the internet and its multiple uses from an early age. With adequate guidance from their teachers, they are able to recognise the need to browse safe, reliable and relevant web pages, as opposed to counter-productive ones. Hence, the three Masterplans, which have been so thoughtfully devised by the MOE, have helped education and learning transcend the limits of the classroom. People are now becoming trained and equipped with the knowledge to learn everywhere and anywhere, because information is now literally on their fingertips, and they can conduct their own research responsibly and intelligently.
2. I have unfortunately not had the opportunity to make use of the MOE ICT Masterplans as a student, because I have studied overseas.
3.I most certainly believe that the ICT Masterplan 3 will have a very positive impact on my role as a teacher. I think one of the most important aspects of this particular Masterplan, is to oversee the maturing process of the students. The teacher will be able to guide them to make them responsible citizens, with critical thinking skills. This Masterplan aims to establish a salubrious learning atmosphere, where the students have to be able to work and communicate with one another. The teacher can make full use of the Masterplan 3, to facilitate this process among students. I observed several collective learning platforms during my E.S.E., such as group blogs, where the students were allowed to post their views and opinions on literary texts, and hence help enrich one another by exchanging ideas and interpretations. They can even discuss aspects of cyber wellness with one another, so that they know where and how to find the most appropriate information, relevant for their courses, and which websites to avoid. Teachers are always ready to guide students, but each individual must be encouraged to cultivate knowledge and critical learning skills on his/her own, and share their opinions with one another as well. This can be achieved by implementing Masterplan 3, of the ICT programme.
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ReplyDeleteYou mentioned how technology is now so readily available to our students. Does this pose a likelihood for them to over-rely on technology? For instance, sometimes, certain information can only be found in books, and other critical journals that cannot be found online. However, when students develop the attitude that they can find anything on the internet, some of them will tend to exclude or overlook these other sources. Hence, I think we need to also emphasize that not all information can be found on the internet.