UNIVERSITI PENDIDIKAN SULTAN IDRIS

INFROMATION AND TECHNOLOGY IN

BIOLOGY

PROBLEM BASED LEARING

NAME MATRIX NUMBER

NOR FATIHAH BINTI MD NOR

MUHAMMAD SHAKIR BIN CHE SOH D20081032384

LEE TACK HOOI D20081032349

SITUATION GIVEN:

Malaysian Smart School

In 1996, Malaysia identified information and communication technology (ICT) as one of

the key foundations for its projects transition from a production – based economy to a
knowledge – based economy by 2020. The Smart Schools initiative is one of the flagship
applications that are part of Malaysia’s Multimedia Super Corridor (MSC) project. The
Government of Malaysia aims to capitalize on the presence of leading – edge technologies and
the rapid development of MSC’s infrastructure to jump – start deployment of enabling
technology to schools. This was done by creating a group of 90 pilot Smart Schools in 1999 that
will serve as the nucleus for the eventual nation – wide rollout of Smart school teaching
concepts and materials, skills and technologies. By 2010, all primary and secondary schools in
Malaysia will be Smart Schools.

As a senior officer from Ministry of Education, prepare a presentation to a group of

science teachers from Brunei who is interested to know about the use of technology as enabler
contained in the Smart School Concept. You also need to provide an overview of the progress
made so far and challenges faced since the inception of Smart Schools in Malaysia.

FILA CHART:

Facts Ideas Issues action

-Malaysia government - Malaysia want to - what is the smart Literatur

aims to capitalize be develop nation school concept e review
technologies on
- the uses of ICT - in what ways the ICT is
internet,
- ICT change from during teaching apply in Smart School
books
production-based and learning
- what are the and
economy
- to produce the advantages using ICT as journals
- primary and new generation enabler.
secondary school will which are ICT
- what is the progress of
be smart school literate
the Smart School since
- government create a - all schools are their inception
group of 90 pilot smart equipped with
- what kind of support did
school in1999 computer lab.
Ministry of Education
- smart school - life long learners. provided to the school
initiative is one of the
- what are challenges
flagship application
and how were they
- a group of science overcome
teacher from Brunei
- why was smart school
interested to know
introduced
about Smart school
concepts on teaching - how many components
learning component are there in smart school
and the used of concepts
technology

GROUP 5: What Kind Of Support Does The Ministry Of Education Provided To The Schools?

First of all, a very good morning and welcome especially to all of the beloved teachers
that had travelled from Brunei to Malaysia. Before I continue, I would like to introduce myself. I
am Joseph Beaton, a senior officer from the Ministry of Education in Malaysia. Today I would
like to represent the ministry to give a short speech about the information and technology in
Malaysia specifically about the supports that the ministry provided to the schools in Malaysia.

When we talk about support, allocation of money will be the first aspect that crosses our
mind. This is very true because without money we can barely start on the technology that had
been introduced to us. However, money alone is not enough to support the whole development
of the technology in Malaysia especially in the education field. We still need the allocation of the
people that are expert in this field to conduct and teach the student (new generation) to use the
technology that had been introduce to the world. Not just that, we might as well need to get the
supplier of all the material and apparatus that are needed in conducting the learning process of
using the technology. Without the supplier, there is no point of just having a lump sum of
allocated money from the government or the ministry.

Ladies and Gentlemen,

In Malaysia, actually the application of the Information and Technology was introduce to
schools in the 19th century. However, a large step was taken to develop the information and
technology in the schools in Malaysia in 1999 where the government through the Ministry of
Education had launched 90 pilot Smart Schools throughout Malaysia. To carry out this pilot test,
the government actually had allocated a large sum of money from the annual budget to develop
this project. That is why it is not a surprising that the government has allocated RM136.80 billion
in 2006 for information and technology budget. A large sum of money was allocated to develop
this technology in education field because the basic components or the hardware and software
in the market are quite expensive. Most of the rural areas in Malaysia are not able to support
this kind of technology. Thus, the ministry had try to allocate money to most of the rural area to
aid them to obtain the basic needs in fulfilling the quest of education with information and
technology.

Other than that, we as the education ministry actually also try to promote teach school
with a computer laboratory. By promoting this computer laboratory, we hope that the student
that does not have a computer at their home is able to experience on this new technology. As
the next generation that will lead our country in the future, our student need to grab hold on the
technologies that had been introduced in the world. We also encourage each of the school that
has the computer laboratory will let their student to spent one hour in a week to enter the
computer laboratory and learnt to use the computer and manage the free ware that can be
obtain through internet.

Ladies and gentlemen,

As we know, the education system in Malaysia nowadays is more towards exam –

oriented. This situation actually is not favoring the boys because boys actually prefer the pattern
of study which is more interactive. By just using the technique of chalk and talk will make them
bored and they will not concentrate in the class during the teaching and learning process. In
other words, the teaching and learning process is a failure. However, this situation can be
prevented by introduction and application of the some new technologies when a teacher
conducting the teaching process. For example is the usage of the power point presentation. On
the ministry, we try to obtain some of the teaching courseware which is created by the
professionals to make teaching and learning process easier and more effective. When the
teaching software was firstly introduced, it was barely used by the school teachers because at
that moment, most of the school is not fully equipped with the required technologies. The
situation is quite different today as most of the school teachers are using the teaching
courseware in class. By using this kind of courseware, teacher can conduct the class better
because they are able to interact with the students. Thus, the ministry had provided science and
mathematics teacher with a few compact discs (CDs) that has the teaching courseware in it
early of the year. We hope that teaching and learning process will be better and more interactive
for the students.

Although, we might able to equip the teachers and schools with the teaching
courseware, it will be pointless if the schools do not have the equipments such as the projectors
and screens. These two components actually is the basic needs if a teacher wants to use the
teaching courseware or the power point presentation in the teaching and learning process.
However, we are not able to provide each and every of the classroom in all of the schools in
Malaysia with these two components. A large sum of money must be allocated to make it
possible to equipped each of the classroom with the lcd projector and screen. As a solution, the
ministry of education will try to equip most of the school with a few mobile projectors and
screen. These two components are kept in a trolley and it is mobile. Thus, most of the teachers
in the schools will be able to conduct the class using the teaching courseware.

Ladies and gentlemen,

All of these new technologies actually had been firstly introduced in the pilot project of
Smart School in Malaysia. The Smart School is conducted based in the concept of using the
latest technologies in conducting the teaching and learning process in the classroom. We hope
that by changing the method of teaching in school, our country will be able to mould out the nest
generation which is more production and able to stand with the emerging wave of globalization.
The introduction of the Smart Schools in Malaysia actually also is a way of support shown by
the ministry in promoting the usage of information and technologies in the education system in
Malaysia. Hopefully through this project, our country will be able to see our next generation
becoming more towards technology friendly and not toward technophobic.

However, each of the Smart Schools, there needs to be Technology coordinator who will
be responsible for supporting teachers in the overall deployment of multimedia and other
technologies in the deliveries of Smart School teaching. The technology coordinator is entrusted
to guide and help train teachers in delivering effective technology supported instruction. Thus
the technology coordinator should be a teacher with skills in integration of technology for
enhancement of information gathering, instruction, management processes and communication.
Other responsibilities of the technology coordinator include assisting the principal in the
management software applications as well as keeping abreast with development in education
technology . Apart from the pedagogical issues the technology coordinator will also supervise
maintenance of all technical equipment and liaise with the school technical support staff team
for equipment repair, replacement and facility upgrading as and when necessary.

Teacher development will be the most critical component as teachers will be the primary
deliverers of Smart School teaching. A comprehensive teacher education programmed
incorporating best practices in technology supported learning will be critical to the success of
the Smart School initiative. These teachers will need intensive training on Information
Technology skills and technology integration into classroom instructions to enhance thinking
and creativity. In addition, Smart Schools teachers need to be trained as “guides on the side”,
facilitating and encouraging students to take charge of their own learning .The training should
allow participants to explore a wide variety of areas and strategies as well as the opportunities
to engage in practicum that represent the reality they would face. Continuous learning is a
crucial ingredient as it is necessary for teachers to keep abreast of development in their
professional practices and to be confident with technology. The pre-service and in-service
professional development programmed will have new emphases in nurturing the qualities and
practices of teachers in order for them to function in a technology enriched environment.

Last but not least, the above statement is a few supports that the ministry of the
education is able to provide to the schools in Malaysia. I believe that the ministry will try to do
their best in equipping each and every school in our country with the latest informatics
technology. Actually, the introduction of the new technologies to the society is a very hard jobs
depending on the acceptance of the society on that particular technology. However, a senior
officer in the ministry I see a bright future for the information and technology (ICT) to develop in
Malaysia. Thus, I would like to promote this new technology to out neighboring country, Brunei.
Hopefully, my speech today will give all of you some useful informations. Thank you.