Teaching of ICT/ Embedding ICT in subject areas
- By Christian Li Luen Ching
- Published 9/01/2007
You are invited to post your queries or request for additional support in the teaching of ICT in both primary and secondary schools.
Note: This area is provided in order to encourage debates and discussions which can help to enhance the quality of education in Mauritius. The comments posted in the blog DO NOT reflect the official position or views of the MIE. Views expressed are entirely the responsibility of the person putting the comment.
Note: This area is provided in order to encourage debates and discussions which can help to enhance the quality of education in Mauritius. The comments posted in the blog DO NOT reflect the official position or views of the MIE. Views expressed are entirely the responsibility of the person putting the comment.
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20 Responses to "Teaching of ICT/ Embedding ICT in subject areas" 
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said this on 06 Apr 2007 7:25:51 AM MUT
I have been outside Mauritius for the past 8 years except for the odd holidays to the island. I teach ICT in the UK in a boarding school(Secondary). I was quite pleased to hear about ICT being taught in Primary and Secondary School.
As an ICT coordinator, I have helped in the implementation of ICT in various subject. A well structured ICT Audit has to be carried out in order to spot any use of ICT in departments.
A suitable action plan will then help in deciding time frames and objectives.
Ideas of how subjects could use ICT in their subject:
General subject: Using a website or local intranet. Pupils will be able to view lesson plans, scheme of work, classwork and homework.
Physical Education: Use of Camcorder where pupil's performance are captured and showed to whole class. It boosts confidence and motivates performances.
Arts: Using packages such as photoshop or ImageReady or Macromedia Flash and Fireworks. Photography. Mauritius does not lack fantastic landscapes and views!
Mathematics: Use of simulation software. Programming software for children. Use of LOGO software.
English: Organise Plays which could be captured of digital camcorder.
The list could go on...
I must also insist that resources is the key in order to implement all of the above.
Hope these will help!
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said this on 25 Feb 2009 10:57:16 AM MUT
When i started reading, I started dreaming, but the dream came to an end with your last sentences... of course we need resources! Your boarding school school offer free education ?
I think here in Mauritius we expect a lot from the Government without realising that it is already doing much. May be we can think of open sources software, free materials from sites like wikieducator.org, etc believe me there is load of them out there!
As for the basic requirements like PCs (here am not talking about any proprietary software that most mauritians normally think of when buying a PC), the PTA has got a lot to do in our local system for the betterment of our own children...
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said this on 10 Feb 2008 10:24:25 AM MUT
I have been teaching ICT education for the last 5 years in Primary schools.. at first no facilities were given .. 5 computers to teach 40-42 pupils n ICT room cannot even accomodate 25 pupils!!however this year its changing .. every schools is being given 10 pcs.. more will be coming soon.. hope that Mins changes our work from contract basis to permanent .. just not to be discouraged to work harder n give more comtribution to the nation.
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said this on 12 Jan 2010 10:44:16 AM MUT
please tell us what you did to become ict educator in primary schools..(courses etc..)
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said this on 01 Feb 2008 11:32:44 AM MUT
I wonder why there has not been any response to the very interesting suggestions made by Krishna. I guess we have not yet got into the cyber culture and are still in the phase of using the internet for surfing without any objective or attempt to use it constructively and share with others. I would expect teachers in the field to contribute, initiate some personal actions in their classroom and use this forum to report good practices. Let's see where we go from here.
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said this on 28 Feb 2008 10:46:40 PM MUT
I agree with Krishna on the use of ICT at school as it fosters a solid relationship among the different stakeholders . I am currently teaching in a private independent school in Melbourne and ICT is an integral part of our school culture. Reporting, bulletins,parent teacher interviews,online blackboard, accessing students files,podcasting are a few amongst others, that form the basis of our online work requirements.
I do believe in the highly professional nature of Mauritian teachers and we do have the required resources to implement these teaching tools for the education to be up running. It just needs a little step in the forward direction to make a leap for the future generation.
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said this on 22 Apr 2008 4:50:17 AM MUT
Definitely the potential of using ICT at school is immerse and no doubts are beneficial to both learners and teachers. Gradually all primary schools are being equipped with computers. An initial of five computers were given to all primary schools, then another five computers were given which makes a total of ten computers in all primary schools. Eventually during this year another five computers will be added to the existing ten computers. With the computers at schools teachers will use these teaching tools to help learners for better understanding
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said this on 14 Apr 2008 5:10:44 AM MUT
I agree that ICT is indeed a tough task for kids aged 6yrs-12 yrs.Teaching kids that computer is not only games and internet but an educational tool can be viewed as a challenge especially if the majority of the kids of modern age think fun at all levels rather than education.like Mr krishan said many aspects of ICT still needs to be developed in mauritius curriculum,as our means and tools differs a lot from the european style of living.This new innovative idea of introducting ICT at primary level is a good stepping stone for the development of child.GOOD LUCK TO ALL ICT TEACHERS!!there is much more challenging tasks awaiting
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said this on 31 Jul 2008 1:15:49 PM MUT
I personally believe that all this talking about ICT wont bring the expected results as long as those who have the capacity to take proper actions dont do it effectively. In a country where everything is revolving about information and communication technology, where in every sector of the economy people are being trained to be IT procient (in our own department HT's and DHT's are being called upon to learn IT), our Honorable Minister has found nothing better than to phase out ICT as a subject at primary level. We teachers will be called upon to use ICT as a support to teach our core subjects. I ask myself what's the use if the child has not got a basic knowledge about computer handling. And our friends the ICT teachers will be recycled as support officers and will be in charge od a cluster of school. How are they going to deal with it when they will be asked to help in two or three schools at the same moment? And how will they move about from one school to another if their services are required in another school during the course of the day? For me it's all just a big bluff. The big question is: WILL THIS TASK ALSO BE THE RESPONSIBILITY OF THE CLASS TEACHER?
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said this on 25 Feb 2009 10:43:41 AM MUT
You have a very plausible reason to be desperate and am sure you are as in favour of promoting ICT at primary level than myself... but it seems you have given the answer yourself! Can the class teacher do IT ? I mean, why not ...?
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said this on 05 Aug 2008 2:41:27 PM MUT
i'm a primary school teacher and though i'm conversant with a computer it does not mean that i'm proficient enough to guide children in the use of a computer. Many a times I've been at a loss when I encounter troubles using this device. So just imagine the predicament of practising teachers who can not properly handle a computer let alone type a text, be faced with a problem that too in the midst of pupils. This will affect our images as pupils will feel that we are incompetent. Just being given a crash course is not enough for us teachers. As suggested by Krishna ICT is indeed a great tool to enhance learning but as it is rightly said it is not right to give a tool to someone who can cause more harm than good. Like suggested by Ally let our ICT teachers remain in our midst in a permanent capacity so that children can learn to interact with the different programs from professionals and at the same time be there to help us implement certain components of the schoiol curriculum th'ru ICT.
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said this on 22 Sep 2008 2:20:47 AM MUT
Hi. I am a great fan of ICT, working in a secondary school in mtius. I just wish and pray that one of these days whatever krishna said wld be a true fact in mtius.... Some months back (1st term) i used to visit websites and do research works together with my upper six students and show them how to build up their own learning materials from the virtual tool... but unfortunately as from mid 2nd term, we hardly get any internet connection from the adsl at the school... so we r back to sq one ... bookish outdated notes (some ofthem). However, it has to be highlighted with great concern that form v and vi papers are including new terms and technology that are still not defined in the book.
Also, what's the use of staying back at school, if we can't make use of these tools to enhance and achieve what the new updated papers are aasking for...
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said this on 23 Sep 2008 5:40:38 AM MUT
How long can our educational system ignore emerging trends and the benefits of implementing ICT across the curriculum? where is the bug? Are we too poor a nation to provide quality education or do we lack the will?
I guess the solution lies much more on devoting quality time,a few resource person, as well as coordinators, and obviously the ministry of education approval to make us go ahead. I believe that we have the basic infrastructure, at least a strict minimum. I know that all secondary schools do have a computer lab with an average of about 20 PCs. So the secondary school can be a starting point. Lets make it happen. Educators, Computer science, can be motivated to implement technology in the teaching/learning process. Gradually, IT infrastructure in schools can be improve to make the secondary school education reach the forefront of technology in Pedagogy. I am sure the primary school system will not delay to follow the trends.
Where there is a will, there is a way.....
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said this on 30 Sep 2008 3:34:57 PM MUT
Hi. Went to MIE today for Diploma courses. But much confused about ICT session as i noticed that the terms (such as "interface", main memory of the computer-RAM ROM and all) are not easy for me to remember. However the lecturer is a Top one as i've learnt things i didn't know before about my PC. Thanks a lot.
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said this on 19 Jan 2009 8:43:30 AM MUT
Hello, am an ICT teacher and i like to know what the future will bring to us...that is what will be our scheme of work, etc....thnx
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said this on 25 Feb 2009 10:36:04 AM MUT
I have heard recently that there is lack of teachers in our schools... do schools recruit freelances? Today we are talking about www.mauritius24by7.com and i think people like me who are working in the private sector can help meet those requirements.
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said this on 03 Feb 2009 8:21:54 AM MUT
hello!! everyone has given their views about ict being taught as a subject n primary schools. soem even said that ict can be used to teach other core subjects as well at primary level. naybe this is a very good idea.,, since we( i mean Mauritius) are moving towards a computerised world, we are following the computerised trend which has been established in other developped countries! i agree in one way we need to form to our children such that later on they can face and adapt t the world outside!
but on the other hand there is also the health hazards!!! during teacher's training we keep on learning about child-centered education! we also say that a child needs to develop and become someone active! how can a child be active ,lively by sitting infront of a pc to learn other subjects!! other strategies need to be applied! i beleive ict should be implemented only in upper primary classes,,and not lower primary!! because pupils of std 1 to std 3 are still kids!! they need to develop other skills,,like gardening, painting, drama,acting,singing,dancing... rather than becoming computer-driven-students! build uo the child's personality first,,praise the kid's talent first then in upper classes teach ICT as an academic subject!
but i do agree that ict skills too are important,,but there should be a proper time to implement it in the primary curriculum!
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said this on 01 May 2009 1:02:30 PM MUT
I am a primary school teacher and I was very glad when ICT was introduced in schools a few years back. BUT now, from what I have noticed in schools where I have taught, I can say that the implementation of ICT is not well coordinated in schools and it is not serving its purpose. Even if ICT labs are well equipped , they are being under utilized or not utilized at all by ICT teachers.
Even if there are 20 PCs in my school, the class I am teaching had never entered the ICT room last year and this year also it is the same case. The ICT teacher just comes to the classroom, fills the blackboard with notes on computers and ask pupils to copy in their exercise books.
When pupils finish copying before 75 mins(3 ICT periods), they are asked to copy a second time so that the ICT teacher is not disturbed.
I think this is happening as there is no supervisor or inspector to MONITOR the work of ICT teachers.
It is also the same everywhere from what I have learned from teachers in other schools. In other cases, even if pupils do go to ICT labs, they just spend the 75 mins playing games that the ICT teacher has installed and loaded. Pupils are not allowed to even switch on the PC and launch the game themselves. IS THIS TEACHING OF ICT?
I think that the project has to be revisited and ICT teachers have to be under the supervision of inspectors just like other teachers, be it GP or Asial languages teachers, are.
As for the idea of integrating ICT in the teaching of other subjects, i think it is very interesting BUT it it should not be implemented by ELIMINATING the 3 ICT periods per week. Both should go in pair as pupils will then learn basic computer manipulation skills in the ICT periods AND use the skills to do exercises in other subjects.
If the 3 periods of ICT are eliminated, then I think the ICT project in primary schools will collapse as I don't think GP teachers will have time to teach ICT together with Maths, English, French,Science,H & Geography,Arts,Creative Education and Physical Education.
With such a workload, I think teachers will neglect ICT and concentrate on examinable subjects as they are under pressure from parents, Headteacher and inspectors to improve the pass rate
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