The FutureSchools have adopted a variety of infocomm innovations to enhance their teaching methods. |
The future of Singapore education is shaping up well with two more schools, Nan Chiau Primary and Ngee Ann Secondary, joining the FutureSchools@Singapore programme. Mr S. Iswaran, Senior Minister of State, Ministry of Trade and Industry and Ministry of Education, announced this at the MOE ExCEL Fest at the Suntec Singapore International Convention and Exhibition Centre on 1 April 2011.
Since 2008, the FutureSchools have adopted a variety of infocomm innovations to enhance their teaching methods. Before the two latest additions to the scheme, the FutureSchools were Beacon Primary, Hwa Chong Institution, Canberra Primary, Crescent Girls’, the School of Science and Technology and Jurong Secondary.
Nan Chiau Primary and Ngee Ann Secondary are fitting additions to this programme as they possess a strong capacity for research and robust infocomm innovations which improve the teaching and learning experience on a school-wide level.
The FutureSchools work closely with the Ministry of Education, the Infocomm Development Authority and institutes of higher learning, and are supported by the National Research Foundation and infocomm industry partners. This synergy has resulted in the development of new tools and applications that have transformed the classroom experience for teachers and students.
The six existing FutureSchools have significantly raised the levels of student engagement, which augurs well for the development of 21st-century learning skills such as self-directed and collaborative learning. They are currently moving into a new phase of consolidating their innovations and experiences. The intention is to extend what they have learned into the wider education community.
On April 2011, Crescent Girls' School established the Crescent Academy for Digital-Age Learning (CrADLe), to facilitate sharing among schools eager to utilise digital learning. In 2010, Hwa Chong Institution organised its first Education Conference with the theme, "Borderless Learning" while Beacon Primary has held an annual Research Conference since 2008.
The FutureSchools have also presented over 50 research papers at local and international conferences. Beacon Primary launched its first research publication, "A School's Journey into the Future - Research by Practitioners for Practitioners", with teachers' research findings and strategies for ICT integration. The book has even been published and sold in Japan.
Other FutureSchools have hosted visits by local schools and foreign delegates to showcase the developments of the programme and its consequent products such as the AmBook - an interactive digital textbook which takes an inquiry-based approach to learning.
The AmBook, which is being used by several local schools, provides students with simulations and interactive learning content to enliven Science lessons. Such products have been adopted by more than 50 schools locally, and some have even been marketed overseas.