"What's that?" I pondered as my Principal introduced it to us. Having just been a contract teacher for 2 months, many initiatives and acronyms (DGE, DOS, CoL, SDL) were still just as foreign as they were when I was a student.
Aiya, what masterplan 1,2,3... It's just about using IT in the classroom only what. How come still need to plan this MP1, MP2, MP3. But probably it's something more than meets the eye.
So as a history student, I decided to dig deeper into the history of the MPs.
The 1st MP was conceived in 1997 which ties in closely with the proliferation of the internet. The whole basis of MP1 can be summarized into one word, Introduction. It was implemented to introduce teachers and students to the capabilities of ICT in education. Curriculum was devised in such a way that learners needed to have a basic technical knowledge of PCs in order to utilize them in the classroom. Also, teaching how to use programs like Microsoft Word, Powerpoint, Printshop Deluxe were included as part of the timetable.
In short, with globalization hot on the heels at the end of the century, it was henceforth necessary to equip 'our future' with 'the future'. Hence MP1.
By year 2000, all teachers were equip with core knowledge of ICT. It was then that the Ministry decided to upgrade MP1 to MP2.
This was done so because after all the equipping of hardware in schools and teaching technical know-hows to teachers, it was time to move on to the next step. MP2 looks beyond using ICT in the classroom, what it does is that it explores the avenues of using ICT effectively and extensively in schools.
With that 'successfully' attained, MOE came out with MP3 recently in 2008.
The three MP were developed by the Ministry in order to meet the challenges of the 21st century. ICT has moved beyond a single user and his PC but it's communicating with the world out there. With the advent of social media, the world is closer and information is even more readily available than through mainstream media. As globalization kicks into higher gear, the classroom needs to be open to the world to engage in Collaborative Learning. Furthermore with that much information outside the textbook, a student can be a Self-Directed Learner if taught how to use ICT in the correct manner.
I supposed this image would be a good conclusion to sum up the rational for MOE's masterplans.
Source: ICT in Education [http://www.ictineducation.org/]
Has any of the Masterplans impacted you as a student?
As a student in Maris Stella High School (MSHS), I had the benefit of being the first batch of students in a new school building. Hence, all the IT equipment were all in good and working condition. Went in as a Sec 1 student in 1997, just when MP1 was introduced and I must say, MSHS stuck to this MP as close as they could. Not only were there computer lessons for students as part of the timetable, teachers were not spared from the computer lessons. I managed to witness the teachers attending computer lessons as I was one of the 'lucky' few made to stay back (due to disciplinary issues) to help set up the lab for the teachers.
When we were in upper secondary, we were also introduced to 'weird' equipments in the science lab. They were used as part of the physics experiments and were connected to a laptop to log in the data at set intervals. This made looking at a thermometer or stopwatch easier and more precise data could be taken.
I'd say MP1 was quite a success in MSHS.
MP2 was lost to me in my NS and NUS days.
Based on your enhanced school experience, how do you think the current Masterplan 3 may affect your role(s) as a beginning teacher ?
The MP3 would require me to change my teaching style on a whole new scale. My Principal said that how we teach students usually is modeled by how we were taught as students. This was something which I totally agree and was doing during my 10 months as a contract teacher. So considering that my teachers were under influence of MP1 or even MP0, it would be a big chasm for me to cross over to MP3.
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