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TASK 2
As the entire world is being swept slowly by globalisation, some developing countries
transform their education system to cope with the demands of globalisation. In our prime
minister's speech, Dato' Seri Najib bin Razak that published in Malaysia Education Blueprint
(2013), he said that In order to meet our high aspirations amidst an increasingly competitive
global environment, we cannot stand still. Our country requires a transformation of its entire
education system. Thus, despite of government organisation, the most suitable person that
responsible for this pivotal role in education transformation is the teacher.
One of the roles that teacher should possess in order in order to uphold our
education system in Malaysia is teacher is a decision maker. Fuller (2014) defines that
decision making involves giving consideration to a matter, identifying the desired end result,
determining the options to get to the end result, and then selecting the most suitable option
to achieve the desired purpose. Apparently, teacher's decisions about the issues just
mentioned ultimately will influence student learning. Being decision maker needs boldness
as the teacher is taking risk to decide of what is best for the students. In today's curriculum,
as School Based Assessment (SBA) was implemented, teacher who is responsible and
accountable of the school assessment as school assessment is done by teachers as
formative assessment to gauge students mastery in order to improve teaching and learning.
Teacher has authority in assessing the students based on their progression throughout the
teaching and learning process. Thus, teacher has to be critical in making any decision so
that it will assist students' development. As suggested in Wave 1 (2013- 2015) in Malaysia
Blueprint (2013) on assessment," upgrading assessment framework to increase questions
that test higher-order thinking skills". To achieve the education aspiration, teacher needs to
always upgrade the assessment framework and emphasize on higher order thinking skills
evaluation to mould competence students. For example, teacher might provide the students
with more enrichment activities such as project-based learning. In the summary of Malaysia
Education Blueprint (2013) mentions that project and group- based work will provide
students with richer school experience, both academic and non academic, help them to
develop students higher-order thinking skills and ability to work both independently and
collaboratively in groups. With the qualities that teacher foster to the children, it will develop
their potential to serve the common good of this nation.
more critical and analytical in their teaching, and more open and committed to professional
development. Rust (2007) supports that being a researcher also helps teachers become
more deliberate in their decision making and actions in the classroom. Teachers who are
used to research will carefully identify and make revision before implementing any learning
strategies in class so that it will cater students learning styles and differences. For instance,
the teacher might try to see the effectiveness of using ICT in class to trigger students'
interest to learn. Thus, the teacher should do some research of how to utilize the ICT in
order to cater the students' needs. Besides that, role of teacher as a researcher in fulfilling
the aim to make transformation, develop a better understanding of their practice which helps
in developing the professional dispositions of lifelong learning, reflective and mindful
teaching, and self-transformation (Mills 2000; Stringer 2007). Example of initiative that
shows teacher is responsible for his/her own professional growth is by attending courses
such as online learning course and English proficiency training for self enrichment which
help them to be competent in order to serve the best for students' development. With close
reference to the Malaysia Education Blueprint (2013), National Education Technology
Standards (NETS) requires the teachers to engage in professional growth and leadership by
improving their professional practice and model lifelong learning. Thus, the courses might
help the teachers to improve their professional growth for their students' progression.
Davis (2009) ever claims that students and teachers demand relevant, current, local
examples to increase their understanding and reach the ultimate goal of curriculum change
in the classroom: curriculum improvement and increased student learning. Teachers hold
vital roles in order to gear the younger generation towards transformation of education.
According to Fullan (2012), the developmental role is helping students to become self
learners, with teachers not playing a passive role, but a very active agent change agent role.
By playing the active roles as decision maker, critical analyst and constructive researchers,
teachers will be able to work hand in hand with the government to improve our education
system to be competent globally and internationally.
REFERENCES
Borko, H., D. Liston, & J. Whitcomb. 2007. Genres of empirical research in teacher
education. Journal of Teacher Education 58 (1): 311.
Davis, H. C. (2009). Curriculum Improvement: The Teacher Perspective On Change In The
Classroom. Curriculum
Instruction.
Retrieved
from
http://etd.lib.umt.edu/theses/available/etd-10022009140421/unrestricted/Davis_umt_0136D_10044.pdf
Elliott, S. N. (2000). Educational psychology: Effective teaching, effective learning.
Retrieved from http://www.engbooks.cz/fotky31847/fotov/_ps_742mixed.pdf
Fullan, M., (2012) The Teacher is the Change Agent. Retrieved on 18th August 2015, from
http://dailyedventures.com/index.php/2012/01/16/putting-education-reform-intopractice-ontario-canada/
Fuller, A. (2014). The Teachers As A Decision Maker. Retrieved from
https://www.pearsonhighered.com/assets/hip/us/hip_us_pearsonhighered/samplecha
pter/0132698161.pdf
Malaysia. Kementerian Pendidikan, issuing body. (2013). Malaysia education blueprint
2013- 2025: Preschool to post-secondary education. Retrieved from Kementerian
Pendidikan Malaysia website:
http://www.moe.gov.my/cms/upload_files/articlefile/2013/articlefile_file_003108.pdf
Mills, G. 2000. Action research: A guide for the teacher researcher. Upper Saddle River, NJ:
Merrill/Prentice-Hall.
Rust, F.O. 2007. Action research in early childhood contexts. In Early childhood qualitative
research, ed. J.A. Hatch, 95108. New York: Routledge
Stringer, E.T. 2007. Action research. 3rd ed. Thousand Oaks, CA: Sage.
Victorian Curriculum and Assessment Authority. (2008). Analysis of Curriculum/Learning
Frameworks for the Early Years (Birth to Age 8). East Melbourne, Victoria: Author.