In the past week, we have covered the issues which explain on how ICT has been used to improve learning. Specifically, we touched on how ICT has introduced E-learning and its benefits towards helping in learning. This week, we will be covering on in-depth discussion on how ICT has been used to improve education in Malaysia.
In this new era, Information and Communication Technology (ICT) is the most effective tools in improving the education.ICT is a technology that used to acquire, producing, storage and processing,recording, reporting and presenting the information in the form of data, voices and pictures. The emergence of ICT makes people get the information and knowledge faster and easier. According to Duta (2012), ICT comprise electronic which is a base technology that supports the development of the computers, audio visuals and telecommunications technology. After that, ICT has changed the way of life and gave enormous impact in many areas such as business, education, gender empowerment, workplace, political participation and social behavior in the borderless world. In the area of education, ICT is beneficial to both teachers and students. Now, I would like to discuss about some of the actions taken in utilizing ICT to improve the education in Malaysia.
Tun Mahathir Mohamad has inaugurated the digitizing education in Malaysia to achieve the Vision 2020. “Vision 2020” was the visions introduced by Tun Mahathir Mohamad in which he want to turn Malaysia to become a fully developed nation in the year 2020 (Economic Planning Unit, 2015; Economic Planning Unit, 2010; Prime Minister’s Department, 2010) and it has pushed its plan towards the digitalization. The preliminary of ICT and digitization in Malaysia was socially and politically grounded by the fourth prime minister Tun Mahathir Mohamad during the year 1990s. In Malaysia, the education policy was slowly integrated the information and communication technologies (ICT). Malaysia government’s Multimedia Super Corridor (MSC) was established in 1996 in order to make the country as ICT hub of region. The digitization of the dimensions such as education, governance and health in Malaysia was conducted by the MSC.
The Ministry of Education (MOE) of Malaysia has given many contributions in the ICT of education. The Ministry of Education focused on developed new media as tools to enhance the relationship of schools and society, improve the teaching method and richer the curriculum. It also believes that the appropriate implementation of ICT in education can improve the learning process of the students. The computerization programme in schools was developed by the Ministry of Education in 2002 in order to decrease the digital divide among the students and introduced ICT literacy to the schools in Malaysia. There are three stages in the computerization programme. The first stage was a pilot project that carried out during March to June in the year 2002.The pilot project was developed in 18 schools in six chosen states which the laboratories in those schools was constructed in November 2000. The second stage, also called as the Phase I was started in November 2000, 2400 schools in Malaysia was chosen to add a computer laboratory in each of the schools. The third stage, also called as the Phase IIwas started in 2001, the Ministry hopes that those computer laboratories can complete by the third quarter of 2002. From my experience, there are computer laboratory install in my primary and secondary school as well as having two hours computer class per week.
Next, the Ministry of Education also established a website called MySchoolNet to increase the use of ICT in education. MySchoolNet provides a variety of links to let the teachers and students get the information of education easily. In 2001, the Ministry was initiated the Electronic Book Project (e-book) which is a pilot project in 35 schools. E-book is an electronic device that stores electronic textbooks and links the user to the internet.It can be used to replace the traditional textbooks and solve the problem of heavy school-bags. The findings of this pilot project showed that the use of e-book can engage the students in learning and reading. However, e-book is not so prevalent in Malaysia because many schools are more prefer to use traditional textbooks than the e-book.
Malaysia government has developed the Malaysian Smart School in July 1997 and it is one of the seven Flagship Applications which are the part of Multimedia Super Corridor project. The aim of the Smart School was to capitalise on the leading-edge technologies and the rapid deployment of the MSC’s infrastructure to jumpstart deployment of enabling technology to schools (Chan). The pilot project of the Smart School involved 90 pilot schools in Malaysia and this project was implemented from1999 until the end of 2002. Malaysia Government has provided the ICT tools and manages change to incorporate ICT into teaching and learning in the pilot schools. Those pilot schools willserve as the eventual nationwide roll-out of Smart School concepts, technologies, skills and materials. In 2003, there already have 87 Smart Schools established in Malaysia. In addition, the Smart School was used to change the memory-based learning in Malaysia’s primary schools and secondary schools to become an education that stimulates creativity and thinking of the students.
Furthermore, the Ministry of Energy, Communication and Multimedia as well as the Ministry of Education Malaysia was initiated the Universal Services Provision Project in 2004 which is in charge to provide the basic infrastructure, electricity and telephone lines to the schools in “Infrastructure Deficit Areas” in Malaysia. The purpose of this project was to connect all the schools in Malaysia via Internet access and also reduced the digital gap and digital divide. From my experience, the government has provided the new set of computers to replace the old computers in the computer laboratory of my secondary school when I was a Form 5 student. There also have internet access in my primary and secondary school which offered by the government to help the teachers and students get the information readily.
Fujitsu Systems Business (Malaysia) Berhad (FSBM) has submitted a proposal to the Ministry of education offering their on-line teacher training software, the Malaysian Teacher Training Program (MTTP). This software is an on-line learning tool which launched by Internexia and it is use to train the teachers to obtain the skills and knowledge of ICT. The teachers can use this software to study at their own place, time and pace. In 2004, BPPT (BimbinganPerguruan Professional dalamTeknologiMaklumatdanKomunikasi) was become a new title of this software. Prestariang Technology was re-worked the on-line program into a face-to-face, full-time and 10-day training course because the Malaysia Ministry of Education want to accommodate the style of learning preferred by the teachers through the face-to-face instruction. After that, Prestariang Technology nominated Internexia to train the first-level Master Trainers who will train 100,000 teachers from nation-wide.
According to Cheung and Hew (2015), they mentioned that most students have started doing collaborative learning using numerous technology devices to promote self-directed learning skill in today’s digital age (as cited in Asfar & Zainuddin, 2015). Knowles (1989) defined that self-directed learning is “a process in which individuals take the initiative, with or without the help from others, in diagnosing their learning needs, formulating goals, identifying human and material resources, choosing and implementing appropriate learning strategies and evaluating learning outcomes”. As a university student, I personally experienced using the email and Facebook Messengerto discuss the assignments or projects with my group members and asking the teachers questions.
References:
Susan, R. (2009). Enhancing ICT Application in Science and Mathematics Education.Multiple Literacy and Science Education: ICTs in Formal and Informal Learning Environments. Retrieved from https://books.google.com.my/books?id=-nRBj7mpNmcC&pg=PA146&lpg=PA146&dq=Universal+service+project+in+malaysia+education&source=bl&ots=FCFKPQqrQD&sig=zFyW4BnUEoJVKlN1cCdo5gz5UK8&hl=zh-CN&sa=X&redir_esc=y#v=onepage&q&f=false
Nailul, A., &Zamzami, Z. (2015).Secondary Student’s Perception of Information, Communication and Technology (ICT) Use in Promoting Self-Learning in Malaysia. Online Journal of Distance Education and e-Learning, 3(4), 67-82. Retrieved from http://www.tojdel.net/pdf/v03i04/tojdel-volume03-i04-08.pdf
Soon, S.B.S., Grant, K., & P.V.B. (2013).A Conceptual Framework for Assessing the Impacts of GIS on the Motivation and Achievement in Geography Among Underachieving Students of Smart School in Sabah, Malaysia. US-China Education Review, 3(2), 100-107.
Nicoleta, D., & Oscar, M.R. (2015). Between theory and practice: The Importance of ICT in Higher Education as a Tool for Collaborative Learning. Social and Behavioral Sciences, 180(2015), 1466-1473. Retrieved from http://ac.els-cdn.com/S1877042815016407/1-s2.0-S1877042815016407-main.pdf?_tid=6ac0d7b6-ec40-11e5-854c-00000aab0f6c&acdnat=1458219891_38a6270acb75c2835d3a0cf72c4a76aa
Bismillah, K.B.A.K. (2008). Malaysia’s Experience in Training Teachers to Use ICT.ICT in Teacher Education: Case Studies from the Asia-Pacific Region, 10-22. Retrieved from http://www.unescobkk.org/fileadmin/user_upload/ict/e-books/Teacher_Education_Case_Studies/Malaysia_s_Experience_in_Training_Teachers_to_Use_ICT.pdf
Phaik, K.C., & Ahmad, M.M. (2012).Education Policy: A Case Study of Digitizing Education in Malaysia. Social and Behavioural Sciences, 69(2012), 1714-1718. Retrieved from http://ac.els-cdn.com/S1877042812055863/1-s2.0-S1877042812055863-main.pdf?_tid=94b15c32-ec43-11e5-85b2-00000aab0f01&acdnat=1458221250_c574567bb083bc6ab62a6eb6834d293d
Chan, F.M. ICT in Malaysian Schools: Policy and Strategies. Retrieved from http://unpan1.un.org/intradoc/groups/public/documents/APCITY/UNPAN011288.pdf
Salbiah, I. ICT in the Classroom: A Malaysian Perspective. Retrieved from http://www2.unescobkk.org/elib/publications/ICT_Classroom/Country_malaysia.pdf
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