Incorporating technology in teaching and learning has been the most talked-about issue since the last two decades . In 2003 when ICT in the classroom had been launched by the Ministry of Education with the implementation of PPSMI (Teaching and Learning of Science and Mathematics in English). Millions of ringgit had been invested in the education sector in the form of ICT equipment like notebooks, LCD projectors and some media soft-ware. Teachers were also sent for courses to the master the skills in ICT-based pedagogy.
The implementation of ICT in education had not stopped just there. The setting up of government agencies like MOSTI and MDEC have been indicators to the seriousness of the government in this respect. The two agencies have been organizing activities nationwide to boost the country's commitment in ICT. Elements of ICT have been integrated in language activities like The Cybersafe Challenge Trophy which is held annually at national level.
Back in the classroom, teachers are alerted or urged to implement ICT in their lessons. We cannot turn our backs on the global explosion of ICT craze. The business must go on as moulded by the current lifestyle. Students have gone gadget-wise, so do the teachers. If the students are smartphone nerds, teachers must be ready to adapt to the current trend. Now, I am not talking about practising social applications like 'What's Up', we-chat and as such. We are talking about managing the classroom materials in a much bigger scale where the materials are abundant and accessible at anytime, anywhere!
The technology race between Apple and Samsung is all about innovation in communication. So, it is us who shall decide what we are going to do to get the best out of it. The two giants are achieving their sales targets. Likewise, we should use the technology to reach our goals in the classroom.
A friend of mine once asked, "Do you produce results with your innovation in strategy and approach?"
I replied, "We wouldn't know if an A grade student is going to be successful in life as compared to Bill Gates and Steve Jobbs. They are people who are interested in providing what the people need. Simply, I am talking about getting the students engaged in their lessons and experience current style both in living and learning."
He could not understand what I meant until I started to demonstrate to him how I could harness and control a few powerhouse of information links like Wikipedia, National Geography and Newsweek; to name a few. The animation of my fingers tapping on the screen tells it all! Simple! All you have to do is get the best info sites in one place, just like a 'Megamall of numerous business outlets under one roof!' He was still not convinced and did not understand. I then left him to experience the oncoming changes himself. I could not reach him just then.
I am trying to provide what the students fancy. This also enables me to use materials stylistically; materials online could be exploited, that is downloaded and edited, tailored for my own need. Now, I cannot just cut out articles from newspapers to scrap and use them when the time comes. It is timely that I obtain materials based on my current needs and not collecting them and decide the theme later. I just could not tell the newspaper to print what I need! Looking up,the net gives me information by choice. The net is a generous consultant which provides selective search for almost anything at all.
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