ICT AND SCHOOL LINKAGES

by

Dr. SALBIAH BINTI ISMAIL

Director
Educational Technology Division
Ministry of Education, Malaysia

Abstract
The utilisation and application of ICT in the Malaysian education is a key
factor in producing a new breed of knowledge workers for the Information
Age. ICT provides support to learning, teaching, administrative and
management processes within the education system. This paper reviews the
policy and development of ICT in Malaysian education. The Ministry of
Education Malaysia has formulated three main policies in education: ICT
provided to all students as an enabler to reduce the digital gap between
schools, ICT in education as a teaching and learning tool, as part of a subject
and as a subject by itself, and using ICT to increase productivity, efficiency
and effectiveness of the management system. This paper also discusses
some school linkages in Malaysia, i.e. connecting classrooms with
neighbouring schools and across the globe via participation in virtual field
trips, one-to-one e-learning experiences and school-community projects. The
learning process is enhanced significantly by ICT, enabling increased access
to knowledge and promoting collaborative and interactive learning techniques
at primary and secondary levels. Through the sharing of resources and
expertise using ICT, teachers and students develop ICT competencies and
skills in effectively dealing with information overload, and in the process
promote the enculturation of ICT usage in schools.

Dr. Salbiah Ismail, Educational Technology Division, Ministry of Education (drsalbiah@moe.edu.my) 1/13
 ICT AND SCHOOL LINKAGES
by

Dr. SALBIAH BINTI ISMAIL

Director
Educational Technology Division
Ministry of Education, Malaysia

“More pertinent to education, networking supports the

formation of new learning communities that transcend
traditional classroom boundaries. For example, distributed
groups of students and teachers can engage in
knowledge-building activities through communication and
information exchange. In this way, we might think of
information as bricks, and constructed buildings as the
resulting knowledge.”

Recker (1997)

Introduction

To prepare the nation’s youth for the challenges of the Information Age, ICT
literacy is emphasised in the Malaysian education system to develop learning
skills such as critical thinking, analysis of information, effective
communication, and problem-solving. Multiple Intelligences thinking,
essential for personalised learning, is incorporated into the school curriculum
to enable students understand concepts and ideas. Technology plays a

Dr. Salbiah Ismail, Educational Technology Division, Ministry of Education (drsalbiah@moe.edu.my) 2/13
significant role in developing these intelligences. Personal, social, knowledge
acquisition, scientific, generic, mathematical, environmental, creative and ICT
skills are integrated across the curriculum.

The Ministry of Education Malaysia has formulated a national ICT policy in

education, and a master plan to implement policies, with sufficient allocation
of budget to ensure effectiveness. Malaysia’s school curriculum has been
revised to ensure that ICT becomes integrated nationwide. This can be seen
in the delivery of education becoming increasingly online, and the wide
access to the Internet and connectivity to facilitate e-learning.

To promote professional development, in-service and pre-service training

courses for educators, administrators, school heads and teachers to develop
computer literacy are conducted regularly by various Divisions in the Ministry
to support the teaching and learning process, teachers’ skills in online
learning and developing websites, and active involvement in electronic
discussions, teleconferencing and telecollaboration.

Using ICT in schools enhances the teaching and learning process, and this
can lead to positive changes in the following areas:

• students’ performances;

• school management and school administration;

• increase in student-teacher engagement;

• enthusiasm and motivation;

• student-centred learning, improvement in students’ higher-order

thinking skills and behaviour;

• better communication within and between schools;

• improvement in the ability to use emerging technologies; and

• improved home-school links.

Dr. Salbiah Ismail, Educational Technology Division, Ministry of Education (drsalbiah@moe.edu.my) 3/13
Malaysia’s ICT Policy and Development in Education

The Ministry of Education sees ICT as a tool to revolutionise learning,

produce richer curricula, enhance pedagogies, which, in turn, leads to more
effective organisational structures in schools, produces stronger links between
schools and society, and empowers learners.

The Ministry of Education has formulated three main policies for ICT in
education. The first policy deals with the provision of ICT to all students as an
enabler to reduce the digital gap between schools. Major ICT in Education
initiatives are carried out to enable all schools to have greater and more
effective access to the Internet. One such initiative is provision of access to
the Internet through the Ministry’s SchoolNet. All schools in Malaysia are
connected to the Internet through the SchoolNet. Another initiative is the
provision of greater access to the Internet in school by providing Access
Centres in schools. These Access Centres are run along the lines of
cybercafes in that they allow students as well as teachers additional contact
time with the Internet after school hours. Schools are also encouraged to
incorporate computer lessons as part of the school curriculum.

The second policy emphasises the role and function of ICT in education as a
teaching and learning tool, as part of a subject and as a subject by itself in
order to make lessons more interesting, relevant and meaningful, bring the
world into the classroom and improve information literacy.

The third policy emphasises the use of ICT to automate and mechanise work
processes in order to increase productivity, efficiency and effectiveness of the
management system.

The Malaysian government has included the implementation of ICT in its

Ninth Malaysia Plan (2006 – 2010) through sufficient ICT equipment to all
educational institutions, roll-out of ICT curriculum and assessment, integration
of ICT in teaching and learning, upgrading of ICT knowledge and skills, use of
ICT in educational management, and the upgrading of maintenance and
management of ICT equipment.

Dr. Salbiah Ismail, Educational Technology Division, Ministry of Education (drsalbiah@moe.edu.my) 4/13
The ‘Making Schools Smart’ Programme, a holistic on-going programme that
leverages on all major ICT initiatives is being implemented by the Ministry of
Education in the 10,000 schools across the country to promote the culture of
ICT usage in education to improve the quality and effectiveness of teaching
and learning and school management.

School Linkages

An effective school is no longer a stand-alone school. Schools must look

beyond their fences in order to exploit the vastness and richness of resources
outside the school. Increasingly, schools have become “connected” or “linked”
to the outside world. ICT is used to enhance the learning process in the
classroom and, in particular, on interactive teaching and learning in which
students and teachers collaborate with those of other schools. If teachers are
convinced of the value of collaborative work to themselves and their students,
and constantly attempt this within their own classrooms, it is likely that their
students will have the skills to collaborate with students in other schools.
Collaboration with students from other schools increases students’ range of
contacts, provide opportunities to make new friends and improve their
communication skills. Collaboration via video-conferencing, for instance,
develops students’ oral skills.

Collegial interaction within and between schools using ICT facilitates the
sharing of resources, expertise and advice among teachers. Such school
linkages may be in the form of involvement in activities that can be both
entertaining and educational, such as virtual field trips, projects involving the
school and the local community, and one-to-one e-learning.

ICT in Teaching and Learning

Schools need to work towards increasing the use of ICT in education. ICT
has the potential to be an effective teaching and learning tool. The use of ICT
provides greater efficiency throughout the school, increase in communication

Dr. Salbiah Ismail, Educational Technology Division, Ministry of Education (drsalbiah@moe.edu.my) 5/13
channels through email, discussion groups and chat rooms, and a
motivational influence on students learning. Students’ learning experiences
and learning outcomes can be improved by the use of ICT. Students and
teachers also develop new strategies and ways of thinking in response to new
experiences and the lifting of existing constraints.

In order to make the best use of ICT and to develop personal competencies in
ICT, teachers need to know how to identify appropriate contexts for its use.
They also need to be able to judge when and how and even whether to use it.
In a project conducted by a team from Newcastle University and Durham
University, the following were outlined as factors that teachers need to take
into account in order to harness ICT effectively in the classroom:

• clear identification of how to use ICT to meet specific objectives within

subjects of the curriculum to improve students’ attainment;

• ensuring that students have adequate ICT skills to achieve those

subject specific objectives;

• a planned match of pedagogy with the identified purpose of ICT

activities and learning outcomes;

• finding appropriate starting points for development for particular

teachers in accordance with their teaching styles and approaches;

• adequate access to, and intensity of use of, the necessary equipment
by students and teachers; and

• effective technical back-up and support to overcome any difficulties

encountered and the provision of adequate resources.

To strengthen their teaching, teachers therefore need considerable support

and adequate training both in learning to use technology and in thinking
through how to integrate its use into the day-to-day work of the class. This
provides opportunities for development in ways in which they themselves feel
appropriate. It is helpful for teachers to have knowledge of ways in which ICT

Dr. Salbiah Ismail, Educational Technology Division, Ministry of Education (drsalbiah@moe.edu.my) 6/13
can improve student understanding when planning learning sequences, and
guidance on what is available and how and when it might be used.

Good communication among teachers can be fostered and instilled when

everyone has the confidence to use the network and exploit it as fully as
possible. Teachers may even willingly participate in extra classes, sometimes
at their own expense. Situations where only some teachers are heavily
involved and consequently highly experienced in ICT initiatives, while others
play no part, should be avoided.

Teachers should not be daunted if they cannot keep up with latest

developments in ICT. What is more valuable is their ability to explore
particular technological innovations, though few, very thoroughly and use
them well to enhance teaching and learning in the classroom.

Using ICT Resources

Resources selected by teachers should be relevant, should support students

in their work, be appropriate to the literacy skills of the users, are readily
available and can assist students to acquire skills necessary to the learning
they are undertaking. Resources, however, should only be provided if they
are accessible by students and those resources support them in learning, like
finding out, taking action, assessing of understanding, and so on.

By using ICT resources, ideas and concepts can be illustrated using

animation, video, sound and hyperlinks, so information is not static or linear.
Students can explore a range of resources focusing on the ideas that are
most relevant for their learning needs and even produce and publish
resources for use by other students. This gives their work a real purpose and
audience. Digital resources, many available free of charge, can be adapted
and modified to suit the learning needs of students. Teachers can contribute
ideas and expertise in creating quality resources and leveraging those
resources for others to use.

Dr. Salbiah Ismail, Educational Technology Division, Ministry of Education (drsalbiah@moe.edu.my) 7/13
Teachers should be familiar with the resources, particularly software or
websites, before students use them. Teachers should support students in
accessing the resources needed in looking for information, for instance by
indicating to them favourite websites and directions to sub-webs of useful
websites. Students should also be guided in their selection of resources and
be taught search skills and information literacy skills to assist them in easily
finding and selecting appropriate resources. No matter the type of resources
they are using, these skills are just as applicable to print-based resources as
they are to digital or electronic resources.

Personalised learning plans and resources are increasingly being explored

and used in the teaching and learning environment. A team from the National
Institute for Community Innovations in the United States is conducting a Web-
Based “Personalised Learning Plan” pilot in K-12 schools, pre-service teacher
education programs and local agencies. Using the online Personal Learning
Plan, the student controls the planning and action as well as access to their
work. Via an email alert, students can also invite teachers, parents, peers,
mentors and relevant advisors to post comments and feedback on their
assignments, and upon completion, share them with the public.

Malaysia’s Experience in School Linkages

Case Study 1: Virtual Field Trips

Virtual field trips provide opportunities for new discovery in the classroom.
Just like regular field trips, virtual field trips may simply be a photo tour of a
famous place, or even extremely detailed and high-tech interactive field trips
using video and audio segments. Virtual field trips can also be created prior to
students’ actual trips, where teachers prepare students for a particular
adventure and also focus on particular points of interest.

Another form of virtual field trip is the one that is created after the actual trip.
Concepts taught in this type of trip can be reinforced by doing a "scrapbook"
of the trip. Students experience the adventure of a field trip, even though the

Dr. Salbiah Ismail, Educational Technology Division, Ministry of Education (drsalbiah@moe.edu.my) 8/13
only trip they make is a virtual visit to a destination via the web. Videos,
graphics, sounds, and other special effects are often used to make students
feel that they are actually visiting the location.

A primary school in Malaysia participated in a virtual field trip to Karamea,

New Zealand in 2005 to learn about the Blue Duck, a protected species. The
virtual field trip was meant to help the students learn Science in a more
relevant and authentic context.

The trip included the following items:

• A Diary – completed by the virtual teacher everyday. Still images were

included to explain aspects of the trip. The participating class also
received emails summarising the daily activities, all of which were
accessed over the Internet.

• An Audio Conference – an opportunity for the students to formulate

questions based on their understanding of the background information
provided before the field trip

Schedule – a schedule of the main activities, location and audio

conferencing topics, as well as the times these topics can be
accessed

Questions – sent before the start of the Field Trip. All participating
classes were given copies of the questions before the audio
conferencing commenced

Summary – this was sent by the class and displayed on the website,
and consisted of activities that helped strengthen the main concepts
discussed during the audio conferencing

Streaming – the audio conferencing was conducted using audio

conferencing POLYCOM/speaker phones and audiostreaming over
the Internet (accessed by clicking on a hyperlink in the website).

Archive – all audio conferencing sessions were made available after

the activity, by accessing the archived version in the website.

Dr. Salbiah Ismail, Educational Technology Division, Ministry of Education (drsalbiah@moe.edu.my) 9/13
• Photo Gallery – all images taken during the Field Trip were made
available by password-enabled searches

• Panorama – panoramic images over the website gave a wider perspective

to the Field Trip location

• Video – a complete list of short video recordings that were recorded help
give insight into the places that were virtually visited, the individuals who
were interviewed, and the topics that were discussed. Each video
recording was accompanied by captions.

• Web Board - the web board served as the place for sending additional
questions to be answered by the virtual teacher or some expert in the field.

• Ambassadors - Soft toys were a popular component of the Field Trip

experience. The soft toys accompanied the teacher conducting the actual
Field Trip in New Zealand, and they were, therefore, able to see, hear, feel
and smell everything that the students in Malaysia were not able to. Every
ambassador had a website and an email address.

• Competition – Every Field Trip had a series of competitions and quizzes.

Case Study 2: 1:1 eLearning

In 2007, Intel Malaysia and the Ministry of Education jointly spearheaded an

ICT for Education initiative that was intended to equip schools with 21st
century classrooms for 21st century students. The first phase of this ICT
initiative was a 1:1 eLearning model implemented in 2007 with Intel’s donation
of Classmate PCs to ten public schools nationwide. All the students in one
selected classroom in each of these ten schools were given a Classmate PC
or CMPC.

Preliminary studies show that learning is more collaborative and connected

with the outside world. The CMPCs provide students and teachers the
freedom to access information and resources anytime, anywhere, beyond
textbooks and the classroom.

Dr. Salbiah Ismail, Educational Technology Division, Ministry of Education (drsalbiah@moe.edu.my) 10/13
The second phase of the project is expected to begin in the year 2008. This
phase will involve the provision of CMPCs to the majority of the students in
one selected school.

Case Study 3: Oracle Think.com

Think.com is defined as a “software environment for schools that is accessed

from the Internet.” It offers a secure environment, available to schools and
educators. Access to think.com is through a personal login and password,
thus it is only for accepted members. The project is funded by the Oracle
Corporation and aims to help students develop 21st Century skills such as
technological skills, communication skills critical thinking, cross-cultural
understanding, and self direction.

A smart partnership arrangement between the Ministry of Education Malaysia

and the Oracle Education Foundation enabled the participation of selected IT
Coordinators from schools in Malaysia in a teacher professional development
programme called the 21st Century Learning Institute.

The 21st Century Virtual Training Programme is an online training period that
provides a baseline understanding of 21st century skills and project learning.
In this virtual training, teachers used two different systems to complete each
lesson, that is, Oracle iLearning to access all curricular materials including
lessons, practices and additional resources, and Think.com to complete the
practice activities associated with the lessons.

The In-Class Training Programme provided the opportunity for teachers to

network with their peers in person and develop a 21st century learning project
using Think.com that they will facilitate for their students upon returning to
school. Teachers will have the support of project learning experts and their
peers and have 90 days to complete their projects.

Dr. Salbiah Ismail, Educational Technology Division, Ministry of Education (drsalbiah@moe.edu.my) 11/13
Conclusion

Creating awareness of what happens in schools can facilitate the integration

of ICT in education and promote successful partnerships between schools
and the community. School-community partnerships have the potential to
make significant contributions to the economic and social well-being of
communities. Communities and schools that work together and share the
belief that education is the responsibility of the whole community will
experience benefits that extend far beyond producing a well-educated group
of young people.

Integration of ICT in teaching and learning will yield numerous benefits.

Students need to develop the skills that will enable them to benefit from new
opportunities offered by ICT. ICT can also be used to support teachers who
lack adequate skills and content knowledge, thus contributing to improving the
quality of learning.

The enculturation of ICT in Malaysian schools will contribute greatly in the

nurturing future Malaysians that are information-literate individuals having the
ability to find, select, evaluate, and use information effectively to solve
problems and make decisions on their own.

ICT enhances the quality of teaching and learning in schools and contributes
to the raising of standards of achievement in education. To achieve and
sustain quality education, various projects have been implemented by
Divisions and departments within the Ministry of Education to encourage ICT
use among Malaysian students and teachers.

The Ministry also collaborates with different organisations both local and
international in ICT-related projects. Through smart partnerships and strategic
alliances between the Ministry of Education Malaysia and local international
organizations, Malaysian schools are not only provided with professional
expertise and advise on technological strategies, but are also assured a
continuous flow of ideas and practices that can be used to enhance teaching
and learning and school administrative processes.

Dr. Salbiah Ismail, Educational Technology Division, Ministry of Education (drsalbiah@moe.edu.my) 12/13
 “…the skills of digital-age literacy, inventive
thinking, effective communication and high
productivity (are) necessary for the present and
future workforce…and (should) be incorporated into
current subjects and curriculum.
David Thornburg (2002)

References

http://www.extension.iastate.edu/communities/news/ComCon63.html,
Retrieved March 3, 2008

http://www.think.com/en/training/what.shtml, Retrieved March 3, 2008

Thornburg, David D. (2002). The New Basics: Education and the Future of
Work in the Telematic Age. Association for Supervision and Curriculum
Development, Alexandria, Virginia.

Ways Forward with ICT: Effective Pedagogy using Information and

Communications Technology for Literacy and Numeracy in Primary Schools,
http://www.leeds.ac.uk/educol/documents/00001369.htm, Retrieved 3 March
2008

Dr. Salbiah Ismail, Educational Technology Division, Ministry of Education (drsalbiah@moe.edu.my) 13/13