1.1 THE PROGRESS OF SMART
SCHOOL IN MALAYSIA
The Malaysia Smart
School is a learning institution that has been systemically reinvented in terms
of a teaching-learning practices and school management in order to prepare
children for the Information Age. As we know, our country needs to make
critical transformation like Japan that use 100% technology in education. The
progress of Smart School made so far is the schooling culture has been change
from one that is memory-based to one that is informed, thinking, creative and
caring through leading-edge technology. In the pilot, the Smart School
Integrated Solution (SSIS) was rolled out to 87 schools in the country at the
cost of about RM 300 million. The Smart School is implemented by the Ministry
of Education (MoE), Malaysia. Then, there are four waves of the Smart School
implementation plan are wave 1 from 1999 to 2002, the implementation on 87
schools, wave 2 from 2002 to 2005, lessons learnt from the pilot, wave 3 from
2005 to 2010, extending the digital transformation to all and wave 4 from 2010
to 2020, technology becomes an integral part of the nation’s learning process.
Firstly,
from 1999 to 2002, the 87 pilots schools were identified to act as the nucleus
for the eventual roll-out of Smart Schools concepts, materials, skills and
technologies. As stated in the Smart School Conceptual Blueprint, the Smart
School concept is a work in progress and remains open to evolutionary
refinement, including advances in pedagogy and improvements in information
technology. To date 2005, there have been several enhancement efforts by
various parties to expand the role of ICT in Malaysian schools. There are
mainly the ICT-enabled teaching of Science and Mathematics in English (PPSMI),
the government’s school computerization project aimed at equipping all schools
with PC’s and a computer lab. As with the PPSMI, the SSIS must make the
transition to English for Science and Mathematics teaching. As the PPSMI
produces teaching courseware and the SSIS produces learning courseware, a
combination of the two will strengthen teaching-learning in the classroom.
Then,
from 2002 until 2005, in order to implement ICT-integrated teaching more
effectively and to obtain all stakeholders’ support to the nationwide
implementation of the Smart Schools. After that, The Smart Schools Management
System (SSMS) holds the promise of a total, comprehensive and complete approach
to learning. Measures to improve the SSMS and schools’ transition to a
knowledge culture will be facilitated strongly. While improving the
user-friendly aspect of the SSMS, steps will also be taken to integrate
parallel efforts such as the PPSMI, the school computerization program and the
School-Net project.
Besides,
timeline from 2005 until 2020, following the Pilot Project in 1999 until 2002,
the MoE has developed a visionary plan for the roll out the Smart School during
2006 until 2010. The plan to “make all schools smart by 2010” will leverage on
all the initiatives MoE has undertaken prior to and since 1999, as well as
future initiatives. Thus, by 2010, the target is to have 10,000 Smart Schools
in Malaysia. Hence, each of the 10,000 schools turning smart in 2010 will have
many facilities, such as wireless, notebooks for all teachers (for subjects of
Science and Mathematics in English) and broadband access. Moreover, under this
period, teachers will undergo a programmed of Continuous Professional Development
(CPD) as they will be continuously trained to enhance the teachers’ competency
in integrating ICT in teaching and learning. Training of teachers by 2010 will
cover educational TV, smart teaching learning and a module on integrating the
ICT initiatives in a lesson.
A
long-term implementation plan for the period 2005-2020 will set performance
targets that will have to be met by the major players. The plan would have to
get the approval and full backing of the government in terms of its commitments
to the goals of the Smart Schools. Having relevant policies in place is an
important factor to enhance implementation. Support will also be provided in
terms of making available the necessary human, financial and physical resources
required by the initiatives. In other hand, other government agencies, such as
the Ministry of National and Rural Development, Tenaga Nasional Berhad can play
significant roles, especially in providing for the needs of rural areas. This
will have a positive impact on the Smart School.
1.2 CHALLENGES FACED SINCE THE INCEPTION OF
SMART SCHOOL
Malaysia is fast moving towards becoming a united and
fully developed nation by the year 2020. Towards this end, Malaysia need to
strategize and take step to ensure that the nation will achieve its goals. However, Malaysia need to be innovative to
venture into new fields and focus on new emphasis in order to be able to
compete with other developed nations. Extra efforts must be taken to face new
challenges ahead in this era. Challenges which the nation need to face
are mostly from globalization and liberalization as well as from the rapid
development of information and communication technology. The great challenge
Malaysia is facing at the moment is to extend the concept of smart learning to
all schools (there are about 8000 primary schools and 3000 secondary schools).
With the rise of K-economy, the new economic challenges and the knowledge-based
workforce, Malaysia needs to manage its education system in a more creative and
innovative manner.
Firstly, teachers are now faced with the
challenge of dealing with a learning environment, which is borderless, offers
multi-modal learning pathways, and resource rich. The implies that the teacher
needs to understand how an ICT-based learning environment as intended by the
Smart School education concept affects the student’s training and
learning. Teachers also need more training on ICT programs than the
students. It’s important to ensure teachers capability to deliver their curriculum and so that all teachers
can contribute towards achieving the nation’s educational direction and goals
together. Thus, a great need to train and retrain teachers to the new concept
of teaching-learning. Teaching should be student-centered whereby learners are
allowed to access knowledge at their own pace. Teachers should be innovative
and use the internet as an important resource.
In addition, limitation of infrastructure, such
as computer labs and continuous limitations to access the network hamper the
effectiveness of technology supported teaching and learning. So, the extension
of the smart school concept; Teaching–learning processes should be run. It
helps the students learn effectively and efficiently. It also enable students
to self-accessed and self-directed learning. It also cognitively, attractive,
motivates and encourage students to learn and active participation. Moreover,
combinations of network-based, teacher based and courseware materials will
become more attractive.
Next, students nowadays are passive. It is also
one of the challenges that we faced today. They hope everything from their
teacher. Although the teacher is mainly responsible for what takes in the
learning environment, the students should also play an active role in
determining the direction of their learning by virtue of their participation
and activities. Apart from that, majority of the parents are not involved in
this project. Most of them busy with their work so that can upgrade their life.
In their opinion, this programmers is the work for government. Thus, they do
not care about it.
Then, schools are supposed to have enough
technical expertise or technology coordinator to maintain the ICT
infrastructure. Besides that, they also responsible for supporting teachers in
the overall deployment of multimedia and other technologies in the delivery of
Smart School teaching. It is because, sometimes the old teacher do not know how
to used the computer. So, we need technical expertise to help and guide
teachers in delivering effective technology supported instruction. Apart from
that, 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.
After that, the problem of face breakdown of
electricity supply also should be considered. Thus, the authorities should play
their roles in improving the management of smart school. The constant breakdown
of electricity supply especially in the rural schools. This is due to the
inability of the existing system in schools to cope with increase usage of
electricity. For an example, Tenaga Nasional Berhad (TNB) has already held the
powetron electricity generation project to overcome the problem of Sabah’s
electricity supply shortage.
2.
SMART
SCHOOL INITIATIVE
The Smart School
initiatives has five main goals which focus on the need to develop a skilled
work force for the Information Age and to promote goals of the National
Philosophy of Education which is produce thinking and technology-literate
workforce, democratize education, increase participation of stakeholders,
provide all-around development of the individual and provide opportunities to
enhance individual strengths and abilities. All this should be achieved to make
sure the Smart School in Malaysia is the best around the world.
All around development
of individual include intellectual, physical, emotional and spiritual. This
element of individual development is important for student to achieve their
goals in the future. As a student, they should know their needs for the balance
development in their life. Strategies that can be taken are provided a broad
curriculum for all students and teach values and language across the
curriculum. By the way, students are able to active with their curriculum
activities such as club and sports. This provide student to achieve the first
goals of Smart School which is all around development of individuals. Next is
emphasized thinking skills. Thinking skills is about the way student should
think to resolve the problem. Student should be creative and think widely
across their mind. At the end, they can generate a new idea or theory for
future development of our country.
Besides, provision to develop
individual strengths and abilities. Individual strengths and abilities are very
important towards student because they have many obstacles that should be faced
to success in their study. Provide elective in the curriculum and allow for
vertical integration (virtual express class) can though the student to face the
reality nowadays. They should alert with the environment and try to adapt with
the surrounding. Brilliant student should know their strengths and abilities to
make sure their weakness can be cover and try to develop a new skill to protect
their original strengths and abilities. Teachers are ready to guide and help is
necessary for students to develop their own strengths and abilities.
Next, produce a
thinking and technology-literate workforce. An integrated set of strategies
will be employed to achieve this goals are teach thinking across the curriculum
and apply technology in teaching and learning. Application of technology in
teaching and learning is the best way to implement student to approach this
goal because students are able to communicate with the world and positively can
bring something new to Malaysia specifically. Malaysia need someone that can
think widely and know about technology nowadays because in these era, world is
using technology and this is the right position of our country to be and
posited beside the best country in the world such as Japan and United State.
Malaysia can compete with the others country if this issues is taking seriously
by our government to successfully develop The Malaysia Smart School.
After that, democratize
education also the goal of The Malaysia Smart School. An integrated set of
strategies will be employed to achieve this goals are provide equal access to
learning opportunities and provide for differing abilities, styles and paces of
learning. Different people have different style of study. So, as a good teacher
they should know and try to make a new thing and variation their style of
teaching to make sure student are not boring with them. Student also a
teenagers and they are attracted with the new thing especially about
technology. The school environment is important because teacher should know and
play their role to attract student during teaching process with the school
environment. As a student, they also know their part and try to fulfill their
own hope and if the education provided is suitable, they can go through and the
goal of Smart School is achieved.
Last but not least is increasing
participation of stakeholders. There are some strategies to fulfill the last
goals of The Malaysia Smart School which is create awareness of what happens in
schools, enable easy and speedy communication with the school using technology
and provide opportunities for stakeholders to participate. We should take an
action before anything bad is happen in the future. Prevention is better than
cure. It is the best word can be said to show that we should awareness of what
happens in schools. To success this goals, we should easy and speedy
communication with the school using technology. Parents and community can
easily get the information about their children and schools. This is the best
way for parents to know about the curriculum and academic achievement of their
children.
The school management
should provide opportunities for stakeholders such as parents and community to
participate. This can increase participation of stakeholders if the
opportunities provided to the stakeholders are successfully full by the school
management. The relationship between community and the school is closer and
fulfill the objective of The Malaysia Smart School. All this goals should be
achieved to make sure the Smart School in Malaysia is the best around the
world.
The successful of Smart
School is not depends on the planning of the project, but the responsibility of
stakeholders in many aspect that taking care across the Smart School
programmed. The stakeholders can deliver services with ease and facilitate
processes, they need to identify common goals that alike Smart objective. One
of the main goals in Smart School is to increase participation of stakeholders.
In other word, all citizens have responsibility in increasing the level of
national education in the world view.
The government has
provide much money to set up teaching and learning facilities especially
teaching aid like desktop, laptop, projector, internet connection, hardware and
education software. Smart School also provides opportunities to enhance
individual strength and abilities. Every assessment or work given is point to
this objective. Some of them might be given through online. So, teachers,
students and parents should be able to access on-line assessment items. This
smart school assessment will be flexible and learner friendly, while assuring
the quality of the assessment information by using multiple approaches and
instruments. This is important to make sure the students also can undergo their
learning at anywhere, anytime and anyone can help them.
The teacher is an
important component in the teaching and learning situation. His or her
knowledge, skills and attitude are equipments in creating the best conditions
for their students learning. What we can say here is, the teacher is an
important factor that can determine and influence the future of young people
than do the members of other professions. So, we can consider that teachers
play an important role to provide education and other moral good human
behaviors to students.
Good and creative
teacher is a person who can designed their own creative teaching methods and
play with emotions, factual data and moral values broaden the learning
experience and make it more relevant to everyday life situations. If the role
of a teacher is to teach, the role of a student must be to learn. However, it
has been agreed that learning is not only an exercise in reading and reciting
facts, but in gaining a deeper insight of events and situations. Through the
use of drama and dramatic conventions a teacher does not only teach and learn
the materials but also the why and how the materials do.
Smart School teachers
need to learn to facilitate and encourage students in taking charge of their
own learning. Teachers will continue to be the students mentor. Each student
will have one or several virtual mentors who can be accessed anytime they want
like in class and through the online. These mentors will monitor the online
activities of their area, offering advice, suggestions and feedback. Such
mentors will also report any significant happening in the child’s learning to
the parents, teachers and any other interested stakeholders. The teachers not
only teaching, but their work includes as a mentor, manager and reporter. They
are mapping of performance goals with student activities, offering real-time
course corrections, replacing evaluation through periodic tests. Each
transformation that teacher make in the class will continuously until the
objective of Smart School achieve.
The changing from
normal school to smart school will need changing the culture of school, moving
away from classic memory-based learning. It give a chance for students to
thinking, be creative, and caring in all students. So, the students need more
exercise on each topic and have responsibility on their own education and their
future. It is because Smart School gives opportunity to students to decide
their way but still under teacher attention. Here, the students can explore the
knowledge with their own creativity.
The ways of the student
works play the major role to determine the successful of Smart School. The
students should participate actively in all teaching and learning process. If
the students become passive in class, the expansion of knowledge and
transferring knowledge is not occurring perfectly. The students mind set to
achieve glory in their education must set in the early age. They must work
harder and not depend on someone to explore something new in their life.
In the smart learning
scenario, students will make extensive use of facilities that can help them
learn in the school as well as away from it. They must know that the
facilitator or teachers is useful for them in each learning activities. The
students also must courage to work in distributed, collaborative groups,
playing a more proactive role in the teaching-learning process. It is for their
future life especially in their work time. Learning will eventually become
student-centric, with the students becoming experts in managing the learning
environment. The power of controlling is given to them by the teacher because
the teacher has become as facilitators who only giving help and clues for them
to make an exploration of knowledge easier.
When parents are
involved in their children's education, both children and parents are likely to
benefit. Parents can play the major role in helping Smart School provide
individualized education for students. Research has shown that students do
better when their parents are involved. Researchers reports that parents
participation in their children's schooling frequently enhances children's
self-esteem, improves children's academic achievement, improves parent-child
relationships, helps parents develop positive attitudes towards school and a
better understanding of the schooling process.
Despite these advantages,
it is not always easy for parents to find time and energy to become involved or
to arrange their time with schedules for school events. Some of them might
sense as an uncomfortable experience and have their hands full with a job and
other children. Recently, teachers and other school staff have made special
efforts to increase communication with parents and encourage involvement in
children's learning experiences via technology progress by the government.
Parents are welcome in
school like to involve in teaching-learning, participating in developing of
educational materials and planning the assessment for their children. Parental
involvement can be seen to fall into three types, behavioral, intellectual and
personal. Actively participating parents help their children in their academic
development by going to schools and participating or supporting school
programs. The caring parents can also motivate teachers to become more careful
in dealing with particular student. It is also give opportunity for parents and
teachers to take care more on the students.
Time that has spends by
the parents in the school is a very quality time. Parents should give some time
in this field because their children are in the transforming time to the more
matured in life. But, parents must be widely acknowledge and accepted, in order
to create significant buy-in for parents to assume a much stronger role in the
Smart School education process. This process is not at school only, but also at
home. The parents also must monitoring their children progress, become a guider
who are motivating and counseling children in each time.
The understanding
parents are need in planning and working of Smart School. Even teachers can
supervise their children, parents are should not giving fully responsibility to
the teachers only because parents also have their own responsibility on their
child. While it is possible for a teacher to implement such a parent
involvement program alone, it is much easier if the school and the whole is
committed to the Smart School program. Administrative staff can relieve some of
the burden of implementing a comprehensive parent involvement program, and can
offer help and support to teachers.
The effectiveness of
teaching and learning is depending on the skill and knowledge of the teachers.
This aspect is the major factor that can determine the successful of a smart
school before taking other factor. The skill is the ability of someone to do
something and the knowledge in this view is the information that the teachers
have. The continuous professional development of teacher in their knowledge and
skills will benefit their students.
The important things of
teacher duty are to prepare students for the Information Age. There are a few
strategies that the teachers must take care. Firstly, they must provide all
round developments with provision for individual abilities, offering a broad
curriculum for all, with electives, that is vertically integrated,
multidisciplinary and interdisciplinary. To provide all this kind of behaviors,
the teachers must provide all this with them before can teach others. The skill
that the teachers need is the psychology skills to influence the students. To
understand the teenagers behavior, the educators must study the teenagers
development theory. From that, teacher might use soft skill to bring and guide
the students on a right way.
The second perfect
strategy is emphasized intellectual, emotional, spiritual, and physical growth,
concentrating on thinking, developing and applying values, and using correct
language across the curriculum. Teachers who work in Smart School must
encourage their students to have good critical thinking. Despite giving much
knowledge to their students, they also must know how to understand each learned
by their self. In developing students mind set, the teachers also can applying
good moral values in each aspect of learning due to the government principle to
provide integral human for nation in the future. In this millennium era, the
teenagers had confused with their identity especially in their acting and
language. They had influence with the west culture. The major thing that we can
see is mixing language. Malaysian will lose their identity if the younger do
not appreciate what they have. All this kind of acting can be change by the
teachers, they should use appropriate language in class. It is important to
foster the teenagers to use correct language, but some term in some language
need word or sentence in others language to explain it. So, it can be excuse.
The Smart School had
been developed in such powerful and had big impact of their curriculum. The
smart school curriculums are meaningful, socially responsible, multicultural,
reflective, holistic, global, open ended, goal-based and technologically. The
educator must know each kind of Malaysian culture in a large aspect. So, the
curriculum itself shall promote holistic learning and allowing children to
progress at their own paces.
The institution that
provide teachers must produce teachers with technology literate that can think
critically, encouraging thought and creativity across the curriculum and
applying technology effectively in teaching and learning. Before entering any
class, teachers are responsible to know and study about the issue that will
discuss with their students. It is involve how to use a computer, projector,
microphone, speaker, scanner or other equipments that can be use in the class.
Have a creative ways of delivering will make a good attractions to the students
to focus to the teacher in each second of learning time. Although the teacher
has ability to use the digital media in their class, they also must know how to
manage the instrument correctly like maintain the ability of the instruments.
The other skill, knows
how to be democratize in learning. They must offering equal access to learning
opportunity and accommodating differing learning abilities, styles and paces.
Its mean, they must manage each step they take in class to make sure the
facilities provide is enough for every students. It also to prevent buyers for
some student especially the passive students and minority races.
Our education system
had go several revolution in making a world class of education system. The
expansion of Malaysia Education must follow the recent world expansion
especially the expansion of latest technology. Introduction to technology in
education field like Smart School is one of the steps to achieve National
Vision and increasing the value of national education. To achieve this kind of
golden goals, all participants are responsible to create thus education vision
successful. If these visions are successful, it will give benefit to Malaysia
totally. Finally, developing national education is not only government or
Ministry of Education responsibility, but all Malaysian are involved in
bringing national education through excellent.
3.
TEACHING
AND LEARNING COMPONENT WITHIN THE MALAYSIAN SMART SCHOOL
The
idea of Smart Schools is dedicated to the task of regaining excellence in
Malaysia education. It restructures Malaysian education as evidenced by
changing the teaching and learning environments in schools in order to prepare
children for the Information Age. There are several components in the Malaysian
Smart School. One of the components in the teaching-learning processes which
are the core of the Smart School. The processes relating to curriculum,
pedagogy, assessments, and teaching-learning materials, are reinvented to help
students learn more effectively and efficiently. The school enable students to
practice self-accessed and self-directed learning at their own learning pace.
3.1 Curriculum
Every
school have their own curriculum objectives include the Smart School
curriculum. The main objective is to promote holistic learning. The curriculum
of the Smart School emphasizes seven learning areas. They are language and
communication, science and technology, social studies, physical and health
development, vocational and personal awareness, practical and creative arts,
and values development. Learning areas represent a very important concept in
the Smart Schools. They are designed to help students achieve overall and
balanced development with which the goals are aligned. In Smart Schools
subjects no longer stand alone. In each learning areas, subjects are taught through
various perspectives of knowledge, skills, values, and language. Each subject
is divided into several levels for students with different learning abilities.
Therefore, students may learn at to their own pace.
3.2 Pedagogy
Pedagogy
is also the component of teaching-learning in the Smart School which make the
learning more interesting, motivating, stimulating, and meaningful. It is
because pedagogy involves the student’s minds, spirit, and bodies in the
learning process to prepare them for greater challenges in future. The process
in the Smart School pedagogy involves specific method like student-centered
learning. This innovative and effective method is used to provide different
learning experience for the student. For instance, the possible role of students
and teacher in classroom is range from teacher-centered to student-centered.
Pedagogy has its own learning strategies by mix of appropriate learning to
ensure mastery of basic competencies and promotion holistic development. It
also accommodates individual different learning style to develop great
performance. Besides, pedagogy shall foster a classroom atmosphere that is
compatible with different teaching-learning strategies.
3.3 Assessment
The
other component of the Smart School is assessment which is distinctly different
from other schools. It is element-based, criterion-referenced, and diagnostic.
The system is developed so as to measure student achievement in cognitive
development, communication, social-emotional development, and science and technology.
This assessment will be flexible and learner-friendly, while assuring the
quality of the assessment information by using multiple approaches and
instruments. The integration of technology as a tool enables the on-line
assessment and conducted in various form to perform strength, abilitie, and
knowledge. This assessments also can be open to continued improvement on a
lifetime. Authentic, alternative, and performance are examples of assessment
approaches, while anecdotal records, calendar records, checklists, work
samples, and exhibitions are some examples of assessment instruments.
Certification serves as a learning record and is subject to life-long updating.
3.4 Teaching-Learning Materials (TLMs)
The
last component is the teaching-learning material that is designed for the new
teaching strategies. Smart School teacher must be able to use ICT application
as a tool in teaching and learning process and also consider the students
learning preferences in order to maximize their learning potential. The teaching-learning
materials in Smart School to be compared with the ordinary schools are
cognitively challenging and motivating by combining the best of network-based,
teacher-based, and courseware materials.
4.
TECHNOLOGY
AS AN ENABLER
Technology
infrastructure shall form the basis of the Smart School upon which all of the
applications shall reside and operate. Although the Smart School is curriculum
driven, technology nevertheless plays a crucial role as a prime enabler and one
of the critical success factors for the Smart School. The Technology Infrastructure for the pioneer
Smart Schools may comprise some or all of the following components like
hardware such as end terminal devices and servers, software such as operating
system, graphical user interface, and IT security software. Besides that, Local
Area Network (LAN) components, such as network interfaces, network operating
system, network system management, physical cabling, hubs, routers and access
equipment. In addition, video conferencing and its related components, Non-IT
Support Equipment such as overhead projectors and audiovisual equipment. The
Technology Infrastructure shall be able to support, fulfill and integrate the
Smart School. Its design shall take into account the migration of hardware and
software applications from one level of technology to another. Levels of
Technology are made necessary by differing readiness of infrastructure and
budget
restrictions.
Unfortunately,
there have been disputes as to whether Smart Schools are associated with
information technology (IT), and that smart teaching and learning can be
implemented with or without IT. Gan (2000, p.81) maintains that, on the basis
of the conceptual definition for Smart Schools that rests on the premise to
educate Malaysian children for and with the tools of Information Age, “Smart
Schools without IT will definitely not be able to produce generation of
IT-literate Malaysian[s] ready for the challenges of the Information Age”.
Furthermore, it has been persuasively argued that, “The journey of the Smart
School project might otherwise be a long and gradual one, but we can now use
technology to take us there quickly and efficiently” (SSPT, 1997a, p.37). The
corollary that stems from such argument is that science teaching and student
learning can be made more efficient and enabling with the use of technology.
The
blueprint gives examples of IT-enriched teaching and learning practices and
their implications for IT. For instance, in self-exploratory learning, the
implication would be, “every computer shall have access to the latest
educational materials available locally, as well as to external resources”
(ibid., p. 102). Nevertheless, the blueprint suffers from a lack of specific
examples as to how technology could be used as enablers in science classes.
This void is only partially filled when one refers to the science syllabuses
that provide one or two-sentence descriptions on the suggested IT-enabled
science teaching approaches such as the use of simulation, modeling, and computer-assisted
experimentation to teach certain concepts.
5.
CONCLUSION
In
conclusion, the Malaysian government has made an ambitious and bold initiative
and has laid the foundation for our school children, the future citizens, to
progress towards achieving Vision 2020. It is now up the various stakeholders
to play their part and ensure that the path towards achieving the goals is
obstacle-free.
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