Mr Hon: We are determined to enable our students to learn beyond the physical boundary of Singapore. |
Immersive 3D and 4D environments, avatars powered by artificial intelligence, virtual field trips, real-time classes over the Internet and computer-based games will soon be a reality for Singapore's pioneer batch of FutureSchools: Beacon Primary School, Canberra Primary School, Crescent Girls' School, Jurong Secondary School and Hwa Chong Institution.
For Crescent Girls' School, it is all about changing the way the children learn. "To excel in an increasingly complex and globalised economy, students need to be active self-driven learners with a passion for lifelong learning. They also need to acquire ease in working collaboratively, leading virtual teams, and harnessing technology to achieve effective outcomes," said its principal Ms Eugenia Lim.
Not only is technology being used to make learning more engaging and experiential at Crescent Girls' School, it will also personalise each student's journey. It will be used in the assessment of key concepts and skills, and to track the student's learning progression. The role of the teacher thus becomes more of a designer, facilitator and manager of learning.
Ms Lim: It is an opportunity to re-examine our assumptions about teaching and learning. |
Technology also changes the nature of teaching. "It is an opportunity to re-examine our assumptions about teaching and learning, and to adopt a more comprehensive approach to developing more effective ways to help children learn," said Ms Lim Boon Cheng, principal at Beacon Primary School.
According to Ms Lim, the possibilities offered by the FutureSchools@Singapore programme extend to the area of professional development. "We want to grow a more reflective staff who not only draw findings from research to inform their practice, but who also actively contribute to the body of knowledge in educational research which can then be used by the local teaching fraternity and beyond."
Beacon Primary's 3D Virtual Learning Environment will enable the school to study the potential impact of such environments on the pupils' development and the effective ways to leverage such tools for teaching and learning and subsequently add to existing research in this area.
For Hwa Chong Institution, the key enabler of infocomm technology is the ability of teachers and students to transcend physical space.
Ms Ratnasingam: I am looking forward to the
day when all the solutions are fully developed
and integrated. |
"We are determined to enable our students to learn beyond the physical boundary of Singapore, and to help them experience cross-cultural and passion-driven learning at a touch of a few buttons. Students will get to learn the things that fascinate them, from the people whom we trust, without the constraint of geographical divide," said Mr Hon Chiew Weng, principal of the High School Section at
Hwa Chong Institution.
This trusted virtual learning community includes Hwa Chong Institution's alumni, parents and friends who are experts in various fields. "Teachers will then assume two important roles: as motivators; and as learning and thinking skills trainers. We teach them the skills to learn and help them acquire the will to learn. They will learn from the world. The sky is the limit under this model," said Mr Hon.
Most of all, technology is seen as a deeply transformational journey. "We seek to push the frontiers of teaching and learning. We will explore using tools such as immersive multi-user virtual reality environments, simulations, role-playing, educational games, mobile learning and interactive field trips to bring lessons to life," said Ms Ratnasingam Selvarani, principal of Canberra Primary School. This diverse range of technology solutions is meant to target specific teaching and learning domains to provide a holistic learning experience.
"Ultimately, I am looking forward to the day when all the solutions are fully developed and integrated. Our vision of providing a vibrant and diverse experience through different technologies will then be truly realised,"
she added. |
