Issues and Challenges in Integrating ICT in Our Malaysian School

Question:

ICT application have become an important part of teaching and learning. The Ministry of Education has invested a huge effort in term of funding and training to equip teachers and students with ICT skills. In your opinion, what are the issues and challenges in integrating ICT in teaching and learning in our Malaysian Schools. Give your idea to this issues in not more than 500 words.

ISSUES AND CHALLENGES IN INTEGRATING ICT IN TEACHING AND LEARNING IN OUR MALAYSIAN SCHOOL

Introduction

The rapid growth and improvement in Information Communication Technology (ICT) has lead to the diffusion of technology in education. It is believed that ICT would bring many advantages to the students  if it is use under the right circumstances. Due to its belief that ICT can make a changes in education and learning, the Ministry plans to integrate ICT into education on a fundamental level, incorporating systems to facilitate management, information gathering, access, and various forms of communication. However, there are some issues and challenges in integrating ICT in teaching and learning in our Malaysian Schools.

Teachers

People still perceive the lack of ICT-related knowledge of teachers as a major obstacle to the realization of their ICT-related goals. Some kind of skills that teachers may need when integrating ICT in new student-centered learning approaches. The skills of ICT competency included three approaches such as technological literacy, knowledge deepening and knowledge creation. One of the solutions for this issue is the Ministry of Education had sent the teachers to attend the course to enhance their skills that related with using the ICT in the class.  The successful of integrating of ICT into the classroom depends on the ability of teachers to structure their learning environment in non-traditional ways, merging technology with new pedagogies.  This requires a different set of classroom management skills to be developed, together with innovative ways of using ICT to enhance learning.

Management In School

In my opinion, the biggest challenger in integrating ICT in teaching and learning in our Malaysian schools is weak management of ICT. The ICT infrastructure such building, computer hardware and software is well managed. In rural area the infrastructure are not enough even though The Ministry of Education has invested a huge effort. As the consequent, the teacher cannot enable used the ICT in teaching and learning. Other than that, the not proactive maintenance the network infrastructure cause the problem happen when the teacher used ICT equipment. The management must make sure technician always follow the schedule for the maintenance if not, the broken equipment continuously increases from time to time. This problem comes due to lack of expert technician especially in remote area.

Students

Students attitude toward the use of ICT play an important role in integrating ICT in teaching and learning in our Malaysian Schools. Attitude could influence the person on the use of ICT. Nowadays, most the ICT application use the English language as the content. Some students might feel uncomfortable with the new technologies especially students in rural area because of their weak proficiency in that language. This situation might discouraged them to use ICT tools so they feel not motivated. Hence, actions need to be taken to help the students to overcome their problems. Before the ICT can be successfully integrated in students language learning, teacher must at first changed the students’ perception and their attitude towards ICT. Teachers could instil students’ confidence level on ICT through encouragement of using the ICT tools and guide the students step by step on the way to use ICT meaningfully. Parents also should provide all the facilities to their children to access the internet at home.

Conclusion

Implementing academic computing is a long and expensive process. It may take many year for Malaysian Schools to be successful. Although funding is an important factor, many other factors must be taken into account before and during the implementation of academic computing initiatives. Thus, government should take appropriate ways to ensure that the vision 2020 can be achieve.

 Below is the PBL:

Problem statement

ICT application has become an important part of teaching and learning. The Ministry of Education has invested a huge effort in term of funding and training to equip teachers and students with ICT skills. In your opinion what are the issues and challengers in integrating ICT in teaching and learning in our Malaysian Schools.

Fact	Idea	Learning Issue	Action Plan
-ICT application have become an important part of teaching and learning. -The Ministry of Education has invested a huge effort in term of   funding and training to equip teachers and students with ICT skills. -Issues and challenges in integrating ICT in teaching and learning in our Malaysian schools.	-Teacher lack of ICT-related knowledge and lack of skills of using ICT -Teacher did not completely used ICT in their teaching. -Maintenance less effective -A lot of broken equipment - Staff not enough at rural area -Equipment not enough. -Students not interested in ICT	-What types of skills teachers must improve in their knowledge? -What factor that contribute the successful integration of ICT? -What is the way of     teachers to improve their skills in ICT? -Why equipment not enough? - What happen to the student when a lot of equipment broken?  -Why maintenance less effective?    -Why technician  not enough in rural area.    -Why student not interested in  learning ICT? - What is the effort of parents to enhance their children in learning ICT?	-The skills are technology literacy, knowledge deepening, knowledge creation. -Successful depend on ability of teacher.    -Teachers must attend the course to improve their skills in ICT every weekend - A lot of school in Malaysia -All student can’t use technology in learning, feel uncomfortable. -Maintenance not follow the schedule, lack of expert to handle the maintenance -Technician refuse to work at rural area -Weak in English proficiency among students. -Parent provide facilities to access internet at home

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