ICT e-learning 2 reflections part B

After watching the video on Singapore’s iN2015 vision, I can imagine Singaporeans no longer using cash (as in coins & dollar notes) in transactions, going through the hassle of travelling to & fro just to get paperwork done, having to worry about the availability of parking lots, taking the trouble to visit the library etc… with all the information and functions available in one small handheld gadget. I see the possibility of Singapore going increasingly digital in these essential day-to-day communication processes. With all these further technological advances, it may possibly reduce paper usage and hopefully help to alleviate environmental problems caused by deforestation (for paper manufacturing). In fact, with more and more Singaporeans possessing iPhones and Blackberry devices that allow access to the internet, newsgroups and emails while on the move, as a nation I believe we are somewhat heading there.

With such further advances in technology, I can picture ICT being incorporated as a very important tool in classroom lessons. Sure, students would be wowed by the frills in accessing information with just a click on the handheld device but over time, will they become jaded as such tools become more common? Will their attention span decrease during lessons & teachers would then have to again go through the vicious cycle of brainstorming even more interesting lesson ideas just to captivate the students’ attention after having exhausted all the possible ICT tools? What if technology breaks down? Will teachers & students be prepared to revert back to the old approach of using the whiteboard, markers and worksheets?

To a certain extent, I think NIE is preparing me by training me in the necessary to develop a balance between a teacher-centred and student-centred approach in lessons. Unlike the days of old, teachers would no longer function as the ‘information bank’ for students, with information now being readily available through the internet and other ICT tools. Nonetheless it is of utmost importance that we keep abreast with what’s happening in the world to remain relevant to our students and be well-read in the subjects we are teaching.