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| Mr
Tharman Shanmugaratnam, Minister for Education and
Prof Leo Tan, Director of NIE, jointly launch the
BackPack.NET Centre. |
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A world’s first, the Centre has been specifically designed to
showcase to educators, students and policy makers how technology
will influence pedagogical methods and improve the learning
environment for future generations of students in Singapore
schools and beyond. NIE and MOE will leverage on the Centre
to research and test new technologies for use in teaching tomorrow’s
children.
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| Students
pore over their work using tablet PCs. |
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Indeed, since the launch of the first IT MasterPlan in 1997,
schools have moved far ahead to integrate IT into their curriculum.
The Classroom of the Future at the Centre consists of five different
learning scenarios, each demonstrating and testing technologies
for use in learning. It introduces the concept of virtual classrooms
which provide a highly interactive learning environment for
students, anytime, anywhere.
(Click to read more about each scenario.)
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The teacher uses technology, such as a classroom
management system, to take attendance automatically.
Using tablet PCs in place of printed textbooks
to conduct lessons and quizzes, he conducts
a lively session. A task is assigned to the
students to work on a worldwide research project
on blood disorders. |
| • |
The students reach home. The Home Intelligence
System living room is voice activated and AV
devices are controlled by speech. The students
proceed to work on their assignments at home,
collaborating with their classmates through
seamless video conferencing. |
| • |
The students are on board the transporter
(a mode of transportation) to get to the Bio-Medical
Lab. Here, they are still able to communicate
with devices that are available in public places.
The students can log on, retrieve their work
space, check their messages and continue with
their learning process. |
| • |
The students will have their blood samples
analysed here. Data is recalled, analysed and
communicated to a research scientist from overseas.
The students collaborate and participate in
the world-wide research. |
| • |
Finally, the students celebrate their learning
in a cafe. Group leaders present their findings
on the project with the equipment available. |
|
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| Proudly
showing off a piece of digital art made possible
with IT. |
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Students from the schools in the pilot programme were truly
enthusiastic about the new learning tools in their hands. For
example, the stylus interface of the tablet PC enables students
to scribble their thoughts, correct mistakes, record notes and
organise their learning easily and conveniently.
Sec 2 student Joycelyn Chua of Crescent Girls' gave the unequivocal
thumbs-up to the new way of learning with tablet PCs. She declared,
"I'm now very interested and motivated in my studies. My
teachers use various programmes to teach the class. We can easily
draw mind maps, do visuals, interact with our teachers and friends.
It is so much more fun to learn and I absorb lessons better."
Monk's Hill Secondary student Yan Er Qing said, "My friends
and I can do research by ourselves and be more independent learners.
And this applies to all subjects."
From the teacher's perspective, Ms Sheralyn Woon, Head of Department
(IT) at Crescent Girls' was positive about the versatility and
usefulness of the tablet PC in motivating her students. She
said, "These devices are very empowering, and with them,
the creativity of the students really show through."
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