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Students: I would consider integrating technology as a tool to enhance students’ learning in positioning technology for my students. Digital technology has made a paradigm shift in education ever since the Covid-19 pandemic. Research findings indicate that students are spending significant amounts of time online, both during the week and on weekends. Younger generations are more connected to technology than ever before. The advantages of technology in education include gamification, personalized learning, virtual and augmented reality experiences, and the creation of modern classroom environments. It also improves communication and cooperation, replaces traditional textbooks with online resources, and leverages artificial intelligence (AI) for tailored learning experiences.

However, excessive screen time, which can lead to health issues and limit physical activity is a concern. Additionally, technology's accessibility and students’ online personal data are areas that surface from the use of technology in education. Low-income or disadvantaged families may lack the necessary devices or internet access for online learning and there may be hackers that hijack the school system for students’ information.

Teachers in Collaboration and me as an educator: Teachers are encouraged to integrate technology into their teaching methods, utilizing gamification, the flipped classroom model, personalized learning, and VR/AR to optimize students' learning and engagement. However, some educators may struggle with digital technologies due to lack of experience. Nevertheless, the availability of free and open content and tools has facilitated knowledge sharing among teachers, leading to economies of scale in terms of learning.

Integrating technology in teaching also allows the teacher to design classrooms that resemble modern work environments. This approach promotes group work, inter-class collaboration, and idea sharing, mirroring the practices of contemporary workplaces.

However, teachers are urged to assess the security implications of technology integration and implement safeguards against these potential risks. Furthermore, digital literacy is seen as a crucial skill that teachers need to educate students so that they can critically evaluate online information, as online content quality can vary greatly.

Parents: Parents are encouraged to use interactive activities and gamification to spark their children's interest in learning. Online educational resources, including courses, textbooks, videos, and instructions, are readily available and often free, offering opportunities for parents to supplement their children's schoolwork.

Parents are also advised to be aware of the potential risks their children may encounter online, including exposure to aggressive, sexual, or dangerous content, as well as concerns about privacy on social media. To address these issues, parents should educate their children on online privacy and employ security tools to block age-inappropriate content.

Conclusion: To conclude, while technology can enhance students' learning, it is essential not to overlook issues such as excessive screen time, the effectiveness of technology use by instructors, and equitable access to technology. Technology alone is not a guaranteed solution to improving learning outcomes. Instead, teachers must judiciously leverage technology to support and enhance the learning experience.

Leng Leng

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Students:
Technology has certainly been crept in into students in their learning. Teachers has frequently incorporated digital tools into different curriculum and popular platforms some as koobits has certainly been part of their life. I have never imagined teachers announcing students that has competed the most points during school assembly is our embracement to technology in our learning.
Certainly the data of feeling bad when not connected to the internet is intruiging to me.

Colleagues have been scrambling to make technology work. Covid has taught us to try to conduct our lessons through not so efficient platforms such as zoom. Many of us are forced to upgrade our skillsets when it comes to teaching through different platforms. Zoom meetings has become inevitable tools of communication with parents and expectations has certainly changed over the Covid years.

Previously, we did speak to parents in the limitation of technology for students as the way to go. But from reading all of the articles, it seems that to embrace the internet, technology and the gamification of content is unavoidable and not something we can reduce for the future generation. Certainly, teaching students internet resilience, responsibility has become a topic for us with parents now.

In my own teaching and learning, this course has proved invaluable in my exploration to this area. I would certainly be more upfront and less hesitant when it comes to using of technology in my daily teaching. Sometimes I just need a spark in this area to keep going.

-Jack

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"Ensuring an inclusive and equitable education for all using digital technologies."

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"Ensuring an inclusive and equitable education for all using digital technologies."

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For my fellow students, I am constantly learning to introduce and pitch the right kind of tech tool for the intended objective in our sessions.
I am motivated to go digital in the many repetitive tasks that I am currently doing and plan to try our different tools to professional improve myself in
this area. Digital tools facilitates tasks in the classroom/sessions in a more organised and less time-consuming manner but they are not meant to replace
the current tasks.
For many, I am teaching low/high tech tools to support them daily in areas of oganisational skills and independent learning aimed at improving their
qualities of life after secondary school. These are inevitably skills necessary to empower them to navigate life in general. The challenge will be in
teaching students how to utilise these tools correctly and effectively for themselves and independently using these tools without requiring
the need of an adult to constantly oversee their need.

For my fellow educator colleagues, there may be a need for a mindset change as there is no way digital tech can be
avoided in fulfilling 21st century competencies in the current students generation. As students are exposed to a myriad of tech tools and social media already,
keeping to a traditional classroom is not sufficient for the intended engagement in lessons
As a SENO, I can introduce some useful tech tools and features to teachers such as recently, enabling captions in powerpoint slides which is useful for
students with hearing loss, proper use of the FM system and how audio can be more audible and clearer using audio cables
when playing videos in the classroom. In fact, for my colleagues who are tech-savvy, during HBL, I have also learnt from them that the use of certain tech tools
are indeed engaging students that I am supporting. Seeing this, such digital tech have successfully engaged a diverse range of students indeed.
So we learn from one another!

For parents, I would encourage them to embrace technology when navigating their child's learning experiences together. That may mean they also need
to self-teach or learn from others on how such tech can support their child's learning. Close communication with parents done digitally is already
a step ahead in the partnership with them for example when using Class Dojo for communication and MOE's initiative of Parents' Gateway has been well
received among parents that I work with. However, parents may also be informed of how such tech tools such as social media can be misused and misterpreted
especially when information is not properly explained to students.

~Maya

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Students: Technology offers students the opportunity to avail themselves of an extensive range of resources, ed tech tools, and platforms that have the potential to enhance their learning experience. It has the potential to enhance active involvement, critical thinking, and creativity by means of interactive learning activities, simulations, and multimedia information. I find the gamification features in tech tools highly effective in increasing my students’ engagement and participation in lessons. I believe that gamification will continue to play an important role in the future of education, and that educators should embrace this trend to create more effective and engaging learning experiences for students. I also feel that digital media literacy training courses should be made mandatory for all students. The ability to read laterally and identify misinformation online are important skills for our students to have, especially in this day and age.

Collaboration with colleagues: COVID-19 pandemic sparked digital acceleration and forced many of us to adopt digital formats for conferences, lectures and meetings. It has positively impacted my speaking and presentation skills and enhanced my ability to interact and engage with my audience in a more effective manner. It has also allowed me to engage in collaborative efforts pertaining to lesson design and curriculum creation. In the future, I am keen to share the different types of ed tech tools that I was exposed to in this module with my colleagues. As technology is constantly moving at a rapid pace, I also feel that there should be ongoing training to equip us educators with the skills needed to leverage on the tech tool, so that we do not feel overwhelmed or left behind.

Partnership with parents: Parents are our partners in their child’s learning journey. As educators, we can leverage on various online communication platforms to bridge the communication gap between parents and teachers. Online apps such as Class Dojo can facilitate the dissemination of timely information about student progress, assignments, and important announcements.

Personal: Digital technologies can enhance my teaching practices as it provides me with access to a wide range of resources, tools, and platforms. These resources can help me deliver content in innovative ways, create interactive learning experiences, and tailor instruction to meet the individual needs of my students. Technology can also facilitate data analysis, allowing me to track student progress, identify areas for improvement, and adjust my teaching strategies accordingly.

I am also more cognizant of how EdTech companies market their products as curriculum-centered or technology-oriented solutions and primary or secondary content. It has helped me comprehend the purpose of these products as well as how various products can be used to meet our diverse needs. Due to the availability of many tech tools in the market right now, it can be difficult to narrow those that are aligned to meet my needs. The categorization of these tech tools as mentioned in one of the articles have provided me better clarity in searching for products that can fulfil my teaching objectives.

- Liyana

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I am intrigued by how similar the classroom setup is in 1920 and 2022, as illustrated in the EdTech article. We have the digital tools available in schools like laptops and iPad, however, we are not utilizing them enough in our classroom teaching to benefit our young learners. Nowadays, a lot of companies are improvising their workspace settings to make it friendlier for their employees. I believe that schools can benefit from the same adjustments, for example, carefully thought furniture setup in the classrooms to encourage more effective discussions and mobility, and use of digital signages for real-time notifications.

The OECD Education Working Paper identified that more and more children are learning to use the tablet before they can talk, assisted by the introduction of touchscreen and icons in tablets. Children (0-8 years old) have earlier access to the internet and spend a significant increase in the hours of internet usage. As much as we want to reduce negative internet exposure to children, limiting its use may not be the best strategy. Building digital resilience in our children would mean that they will need to have sufficient access to the internet in a controlled and supervised environment. Both parents and school will need to be equipped on how to guide children, through monitoring and guiding them in the digital world.

The digital world provides a limitless platform for me to increase my knowledge or clarify the information that I have. As a Special Needs Educator, I would look for high quality web resources, peer reviewed digital interventions, up-to-date information on digital security, and stay connected with the special needs community locally and abroad to keep up to date with recent developments and interventions.

As for my students, we will include the use of tablets and the computer to access the internet and guide them on the usages, for example, teaching them on how to use YouTube and Google Chrome to search for information that interest them. In addition, we can utilize digital apps to enhance learning, for example, quizzes to reinforce newly taught concepts, audio or read-along storybooks, and reading apps that they can install on their personal devices to further practice their phonological awareness.

Overall, it is important to include teachers and parents in this process together because their inputs are as equally important. They are the main stakeholders that spend the most time with the students. I would want to get more information from parents on the hours spent by their children on the internet and types of devices used. Of course, I would also actively engage parents to equip them with the up-to-date information on digital security and challenges. This will help parents to reinforce the skills taught in school on digital literacy.

-Zulhilmi Akmal-

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As previously discussed, we all are convinced that technology is here to stay; there's no running away from that. Thus far I have really enjoyed using technology for increasing productivity. Amongst others, my favourite function at work is ctrl+f, which saves me time to look for something I already know is in a document or webpage. When I imagine a time without ctrl+f, I envision a painful process of sieving through chunks of text to find something in a sea of words.

When it comes to teaching and learning for our students, there is really no complete substitute for classroom teaching and learning. If we strip it down to bare-bones, the teacher who is the subject matter expert wants to deliver or share expert knowledge (information) to a less-knowledgeable individual - it involves two human beings, and therefore the human connection must be present in the equation. These days, the word 'connection' or 'connectivity' connotes digitisation.

The human element is all the more important for us as we support our students with SEN. Knowing that neuro-divergent individuals (e.g. students with ASD or ADHD) have a tendency to become extreme internet users, we need to impart self-management skills for them to reap from the benefits of technology, and not be dragged into the darker side of technology use. Gaming addiction, exploitation, cyber bullying or crime - these impact quality of life. Hence, a whole-school approach is so crucial to help build a generation of responsible digital citizens capable of adapting and using technology not just for good and for advancement, but for learning as well.

Our students' parents also play a significant role in role-modeling for our students what responsible use looks like. On another front, technology has helped educators communicate with parents seamlessly now more than ever. I started using Parent Gateway recently for purposes of seeking parents' consent and find it very convenient. Similarly, this cuts down time from either calling parents one by one, or have our students pass on physical copies of consent forms, with the risk of not ever seeing the form again.

While technology is here to stay, but needing that human element at the same time, perhaps what can evolve is to look at how classrooms are designed. It was interesting to read from one of the articles that classrooms in the 1920s were designed based on workspaces in the 1920s. But workspaces in 21st century has evolved, but not our classroooms. Some companies create co-sharing workspaces that allow workers to flexibly utilise for meetings or individual work. This concept might even sound familiar to teachers in schools as improvements are done to staffrooms. Rethinking the classroom model incorporating technology might meet the needs of the modern day better, and prepares our students to be future-ready.

Benjamin

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We need to embrace and deliberate on the use of Technology in learning and teaching and schools need to take a proactive approach to develop digital literacy in school personnel and students.

Tech frameworks such as TPACK and pedagogical, technological and social affordances are useful guidelines for educators to consider when planning IT based lessons. They can help educators to think deeper about the intent of the deliverables and the processes involved for purposeful learning to occur.

As educational websites, AR and VR are increasingly being used in the classroom, educators would have to work closely with the school ICT team to put in place security tools to protect all users. Issues such as the need to secure users’ accounts, monitor inappropriate usage, have technical audits and incident response plans need to be resolved or established. For instance, AR and VR is gaining popularity as a Tech tool, we need to be careful that students do not wittingly or unwittingly encounter haunting experiences that will have a profound negative impact on them. Training from HQ for school ICT teams could help them to better support school staff in IT.

Supporting students and their families.

As we recognized the importance and benefits of leveraging on Technology in learning and teaching and have heighten our awareness of on-line safety, we also need to remember to work with parents as well. We can support students’ digital development and build up their digital resilience by equipping them with e-safety knowledge and skills. To this end, schools have proactively delivered cyber wellness lessons during CCE and PLDs have controls set in place by the school to prevent inappropriate usage of MOE subsidized devices. On the home front, it is also pertinent for parents to educate as well as monitor their children’s digital usage. Very often, feedback gleaned from parents is that they have no control over their usage at home. Their children’s “free time” is their “screen time”. Schools need to work with parents and share with them how they can better support their children’s digital skills by giving their children enough opportunities to benefit from digitalization and to reiterate to them the safety measures they need to take to protect themselves from cyber harm.

To stay relevant and connected, IT is definitely a very powerful tool to leverage on. I continue to explore and use it to enhance learning, teaching and communication with stakeholders moving forward.
Beth

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Students in their learning

Customised learning: Technology offers the potential for personalised learning experiences. I would use learning platforms and digital content creation tools to tailor lessons to individual students’ needs and learning styles. This approach could help students engage more actively with the material.

Digital responsibility: It is essential to teach students not only how to use technology but also how to use it responsibly. This includes educating them on digital etiquette, privacy, and critical thinking. By empowering them with these skills, we can prepare them for a digital future.

Fellow colleagues in my collaboration

Professional development: I would encourage my colleagues to embrace technology by providing opportunities for ongoing professional development. This could include training sessions, workshops and resources to help educators become proficient in using digital tools effectively.

Collaborative platforms: Collaboration among educators is vital. By utilising collaborative platforms and digital communication tools, we can share best practices, resources, and insights. This collaboration can lead to more innovative teaching methods.

Students' parents in my partnership

Transparency and communication: Parents should be informed about the technology integrated into the classroom. Clear communication about the educational goals of technology and how it benefits students is essential. Regular updates and open channels of communication can help build trust.

Parental involvement: Encouraging parents to be involved in their children’s digital learning journey is crucial. They can support their children by providing a conducive learning environment at home and helping with digital literacy.

Myself as educator in my own teaching and learning

Lifelong learning: As educators, we need to model lifelong learning by continuously improving our digital literacy skills. Staying updated with the latest technology trends and how we can enhance teaching is vital.

Balancing technology: While technology is a powerful tool, it is essential to strike a balance between traditional teaching methods and digital tools. The human connection in the classroom remains invaluable.

Incorporating technology into education can offer numerous benefits, from personalised learning experiences for students to more efficient collaboration among educators. However, it is crucial to do so thoughtfully, ensuring that technology serves as a means to an end - improving education - rather than an end in itself. This approach can empower students, foster collaboration among educators, build trust with parents, and help educators adapt to an ever-evolving teaching landscape.

~ Man Ling

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One of the article have mentioned that technological improvements have made life easier for students. I find this is so true. I recalled I had a student who would cry during composition writing and could not write a single sentence. She was a smart girl who did well for all her subjects and did not have any special needs. Everyone was puzzled on why she could not write a single paragraph for her composition. It turned out that she was a very perfectionist in her work. She did not like to cancel or erase her writing as she finds it messy. A teacher came up with the idea of letting her try using an iPad to write her composition. She was able to edit her composition easily with no mess and she handed in a good piece of writing.

After reading the articles, I have
learnt more useful tools like Cognii, Doodlemath via Discovery Education.  It is good to share useful tools with my
fellow colleagues

The rest of the articles on using online technology safely sets me
thinking about a recent article I read on straits time. The article was dated
20 October 2023. Scammers in Lisbon stole an estimated US$1.02 trillion
globally between August 2022 and August 2023 with Singapore victims losing the
most money on average. The study found that scam victims in Singapore lost the
most money on average, at US$4,031 per victim. Switzerland was second at
US$3,767 per victim, followed by Austria at US$3,484. According to the article,
the three nations are affluent and attractive targets to scammers. the most
prevalent scams worldwide are those involving online shopping, identity theft
and investments. Scammers are winning at the moment by adopting more
sophisticated methods for their ruses. Back to education using tech tools, The more time children spend online, the
greater their exposure to online opportunities and risks are. These go hand in
hand, as children must encounter and explore online risks in order to learn and
develop digital skills. Attempts to minimise risks can limit children’s online
opportunities, while efforts to maximise opportunities can also increase
digital risk .  When students become more
comfortable in using technology, their level of vigilance may be lower. They
may only see the positive side of technology. While educators promote the use
of tech tools in teaching and learning, we have to also play a part in teaching
students both the pros & cons of using technology in learning.

Joice

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This course has made me think more deeply about using technology for my students. In all honesty, I have always felt that technology tools are confined to teachers in the classroom for teaching and learning. I am just a SEN Officer that sees my students twice a week for 30 minutes withdrawal sessions. Do I really need to bring out the bells and whistles to engage them especially in a 1-to-1 setting? My role is about building human connections, modelling behaviour, and developing literacy skills. How does technology function in the whole scheme of things?

As a result of this course, I had the opportunity to experiment with different tools and these are my thoughts on positioning technology for the different stakeholders:

Students - I will still go back to asking myself this basic question - "What are my student's needs and how can technology make it better?

Colleagues - I would advise them to take the leap of faith (if they have not already) or learn from them on how they have been conducting HBL lessons or incorporating technology into their lessons. This sharing allows for exchange of ideas and continuous learning beyond this course.

Parents - Technology such as email and text allow for more effective parent-teacher communication. However, it is important to create initial relationships with families in-person. Subsequently, email and text can be used to communicate short-term information (e.g. homework) rather than long-term plans (e.g. academic progress, classroom behaviour). Some parents text after school hours and expect a reply. Some text requesting for homework extensions when it is not within our purview. Therefore, it is important to establish a clear line of communication, maximize parent trust, minimize parent entitlement, and reinforce student accountability. When we set boundaries parents will, over time, respect our time in the online space.

- Ee Kheng

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Positioning Tech to Student, Colleagues, Parents and Self.

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Positioning Tech to Student, Colleagues, Parents and Self.

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Students

We can’t stop students from using technology but we can empower them with the skills and knowledge to be good digital citizens. It is undeniable that the use of technology in teaching and learning offers many benefits in terms of engagement, flexibility, speed, accessibility and collaboration. Students are more excited when lessons allow them to use their PLD, when they are able to engage through platforms like Kahoot and Nearpod, or even just simply by watching a video. The potential that technology has to enhance their learning is tremendous and technology becomes like a superpower for our students but with great powers comes great responsibility.

Students must be able to discern reliable and accurate content from fake content. They must be able to validate and verify the information derived from the internet. They must also be able to exercise the discipline to manage their screen time while gaining knowledge and to exercise the responsibility of being good digital citizens. Technology allows for collaborative work, co-learning and assessment of each other’s work from the comfort of their PLDs. However, even in its digital form, there are social etiquettes and norms to follow when communicating digitally.

While any information can be obtained from the internet, students must also not negate the value of their teacher’s experience, care and passion for educating them. The human touch that a teacher has can never be replaced with technology. I would want to have open dialogue and discussion with my students on their take on technology for learning and use that opportunity to get them to think beyond using social media for mindless scrolling, AI for answers, and to think more about the less visible factors like security, digital footprints and the impact on social interactions.

Colleagues in Collaboration

In working with colleagues, there will be apprehension in the use of technology for fear of overuse and student’s over-reliance on technology. These are genuine concerns that have crossed my mind too. Hence, the availability of frameworks like TPACK, SAMR etc. allows us to make a more informed decision if the technology used is necessary, suitable and useful for the student.

I will encourage my colleagues to embrace the use of technology in the classrooms with proper structures and routines in place to minimise the need to constantly manage class on the inappropriate use of the technology. Sharing with them evidence-based strategies that include the use of technology, the success stories of using technology in learning and being present to support them when they do conduct lessons that involve technology will help in convincing my colleagues to use technology as their superpower and not their nemesis.

The use of technology in teaching and learning is not only for teachers and students but also for collaborative work inter and intra-departments. Resources for students can be co-created and shared for everyone to access. However, due to the plethora of tools in the market out there, it can be overwhelming for teachers to be experts in every tool. Hence, the sharing by colleagues who have leveraged these tools, and the collaborative work between the “experts” and the “newbies” will aid in alleviating the apprehension towards exploring a new tool.

Parents in Partnership

Parents/ Caregivers are key stakeholders in our student’s education journey and it is important to partner with them in our student’s education journey. We can involve parents/caregivers to be their child’s mentor in becoming a good digital citizen. While students are with us for most of their weekdays, time spent at home and on the weekends is with their parents/ caregivers. Hence, it is also important to empower them with the knowledge and skills to mentor, monitor and teach their children the use of technology for learning.

We can share with the parents/ caregivers about the platforms being used for T&L and encourage them to explore the platform with their children. Schools should provide them with guidance on having structures, routines and discipline with the use of PLDs at home. Materials that are shared with students regarding ensuring security to safely navigate the internet should also be shared with the parents/ caregivers. It is also important to increase parent’s/ caregiver’s awareness of the pros & cons of technology for learning so that they will be a better position to mentor and guide their child.

Self

I must always remind myself to decide on the technology based on the needs and suitability of the tool for the child. While it is good to know all the various technologies available out there, it is important to find a tool that fits my needs as an educator and be an expert in some of the tools. I want to keep up with the trends in the student’s digital journey in order to be up to date with what is relevant to them. I would want to tap into these tools to enhance my student’s learning experiences and share with them how these tools can be used to their advantage beyond school life.

-Liza

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Covid 19 has changed the world’s landscape in many areas. One significant change is the accelerated use of technology in education, commercial world and the way we communicate.

Students
Enhance their learning experience - With digital technology, class has become more interactive and feedback loop is also faster. The world is more connected and virtual tours/ learning journeys have become a reality. VR and AR has also made learning experiences more immersive.
Emphasise on digital citizenship - It is important to feel safe using technology, just like how we want our students to feel safe in school. Like in real life, we need to teach our students to uphold values like being respectful and be responsible for our actions.

Colleagues
Communication - Communication is so convenient and much faster via call, video or text to one person or in groups. Discussions and meetings can be done online which saves time on travelling.  It can also be easily recorded for future reference. With technology, group members can also work on the same piece of work concurrently.
Collaboration - With digital technology, there is greater synergy between teachers. Online resources can easily be shared to benefit the fraternity, community support is also stronger.

Students' parents
Safety and control - Parents are often concerned about their child's online presence, so security and privacy measures are paramount. It is important for parents to communicate and rationalise with their child the dangers of online.
Communication - Digital technology is a fantastic platform where teachers can connect with parents e.g. keeping parents in the loop on school's activities via online post, pictures or videos.

Myself
Continuous learning - Digital technology has made information so easily available online. As an educator, I will embrace technology for my own professional development as well as sharing good practices.

Technology has brought tremendous advantages to our lives.  At the same time, all stakeholders need to do our part to ensure that we use it with responsibility.
- Su Yin Charlott

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Whenever the teacher takes out iPad in class, all the students get excited although they are aware that they are only using iPad for learning purposes. Some of my teachers in school recognise the benefits of using technology in class. They see that the students are more engaged and as a result, they produce good quality work. On the other end, there are teachers who are more conservative because they are not so familiar with the technology. They also have some reserves because they think the introduction of technology into the lesson may open another can of worms. Thus, the teachers stick to the traditional way of teaching, which is often not well-received by the students.

Like one of the articles says, the increased amount of time spends online expose the students to all the online risks such as cyberbullying. Parents and teachers are careful about the use of technology as they cannot guarantee that the child is not using it for other purposes. Some teachers also get feedback from parents on why the learning is done online as they do not encourage their children to use the device. Some of the students in the lower primary are also not taught how to use the e-learning platforms because they have little opportunities to use it and thus, they require close parental guidance. If the students would use the online learning platforms more often, they would be more familiar with them and eventually, they might not even need parents to supervise. Instead, parents ask teachers to give pen-and-paper assignments which help to free up the parent’s duty and time to monitor the child.

The articles also talk about the other side of the coin which is the opportunities that students can get online. I find that this is something that is less discussed and shared with the students. We often tell students the dark side of the digital world but very little information about its usefulness is conveyed to them. We always tell students that screen time is bad and discourage the use of devices. I find that it is not the technology itself, but how it is being used which requires us to educate the younger ones.

I hope to share the benefits of using technology with the teachers, parents, and my students. It is hard for us to live without technology in this day and age. We also need to prepare our students for the future workforce where they will have more collaborative work, discussion, and the exchange of ideas. I find that this is also a good opportunity for me to teach the soft skills required to navigate in this environment. Otherwise, they will have difficulty adjusting to the workforce in the future. This is personally felt from my experience as a student in school. I find that the lessons that taught me skills on how to use certain technology benefit me the most till today.
-Shi Li

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Students
As stated in the OECD Paper, there are both opportunities and risks in the areas of content, contact and conduct.  As I work with younger children, my concerns are still on the risks involved when children are exposed to too much screen, resulting in lesser physical activity, poorer sleep quality, brains/executive functioning skills being affected due to multi-tasking, etc. There are so many fundamental skills for young children to learn, so technology can only complement what I do in sessions but never to replace.

Fellow colleagues
As learnt in Dr Wong's lecture, to be more successful in integrating technology into classroom learning, we need to have the technological, pedagogical, and content knowledge (TPACK framework). Individual educators may be more knowledgeable in one or some of the areas. Perhaps to help us collaborate, there can platforms or opportunities for us to share how we leverage on certain tools for teaching & learning. Fellow educators may then share their views, and collectively, we all contribute to the evaluation of the tech tools for teaching and learning.

Parents
Technology can be used to ease the communication between school and home, thus improving our partnership. There is a group of parents whom we need to give that constant nudging/reminder, for instance, remind their child to do an online task daily. I learnt from social workers who use Business Whatsapp with their clients. Not all parents use emails but many of them use Whatsapp. Business Whatsapp allows me to set auto-reply messages and help me to reach some parents. We still need to be mindful of what type of messages we put on such platforms. Some matters are still better to be sent officially via emails or having a formal face-to-face conference.

Myself
Nearly a decade ago, I discovered Coursera, one of the pioneers of Massive Open Online Courses (MOOCs). At that time, I started to realise learning could be made available to anyone. For my own teaching and learning, as long as I am clear of what I am seeking to learn, there is virtually no barrier to how I can improve myself.
~ Soo Ting

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How I would position technology for

fellow colleagues: I will encourage colleagues to embrace technology- have
support groups to exchange knowledge, explore and try out selected technology
with.

myself as an educator: Technology can serve as interactive tools with students, enhance our work and help us to save time. It can also be a differentiated form of
engagement – some pupils prefer to learn on online platforms.

students:
Many things can be learnt online, but students need to be taught to validate
the source of information, and not believe everything. Cyber safety is
important. I feel adults should not reject video games totally, but we can try to understand the children’s interest. Video games can even build skills, such as teamwork and problem solving skills, but play in moderation (at home). They also need to develop interest and skills in other types of activities.

parents: Supervision is crucial to ensure that that the children are accessing age-appropriate content at home. Screen time has many health consequences – eye sight, sleep, physical activities. I will encourage parents to monitor and balance screen time and physical activities at home.

Chi Ki

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Technology plays a vital role in education and it is more significant than ever. Here are my thoughts for the following group of people:-

1) Students: My main goal is to turn technology into an empowering tool rather than a source of distraction. Utilise technology to offer individualised possibilities for learning. Educational applications and adaptive platforms can assist in customising information to the student's level and pace, allowing them to advance at their own rate.  As students require the guidance and supervision, it is also vital to set screen time limit to ensure balance between online and offline activities.

2) Colleagues: Frankly as adults, we are also learning to keep up with the various tech tools. The concern is how they utilise and make good use of these available tools. Promote continual professional development for teachers using technology in the classroom. This can be by sharing the latest technologies out there, encouraging them to attend workshops or webinars. Also, there can be a shared platform where the best practices can be shared with other colleagues as well.

3) Student's Parents: Collaboration with parents is key. Hence, we can leverage on technology to our advantage when it comes to communicating with them. Till date, we are already communicating with them via the various tech tools such as emails and messages. However, I acknowledge the pool of parents who may not be tech-savvy hence, they may require the help in using such tech tools. Not only are they learning to use these tools, they are also actually exposing themselves to the tools or platforms that their child are using. This can address their worries and give them the confidence to become more active in their child's educational process.  Parents can also be offered suggestions to regulate their child's screen time and content, as well as the rules for ethical technology usage at home.

4) Educators like myself: I am a firm believer in the concept of lifelong learning. This entails actively pursuing courses and resources to stay current with the latest developments, and this principle is equally relevant when it comes to incorporating technology into my teaching practices. I have to practice what I preach.  It is essential for me to consistently engage with and explore a variety of tech tools, and I should also be willing to share my discoveries with my colleagues if I expect them to embrace these tools in their teaching practices.

Integrating technology into education requires both balance and purpose. Utilising technology's potential to improve learning is essential, but it must be done so while being aware of potential risks and difficulties.

- Soffiah

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As educators, we're living in an era where digital tools and resources have become such an importance when delivering lessons. No thanks to the pandemic, it has become an expectation to be tech savvy or at least be up to date with tech tools that are available out there, and use them. Be it parents or educators, we really have to keep up with the fast moving world of technology and learn as quickly to infused them into our lessons.

Students:
Engagement
Technology has been a crucial power in keeping the students positively engaged in lessons. A good reminder to choose the appropriate tools to promote their learning, where they will also be able to learn at their own pace so that they wouldn't be too overwhelm by the demands or expectations. Hence they will look forward to lessons and will be able to stay engaged. At the same time, with the possibility or the use of technology tool during lessons or in class, it will provide them with the autonomy to be responsible for their own learning (especially for the older ones). As for the younger students, guide them through the lessons prior but at the same time teach them how it is possible to learn on their own.

Educators/Colleagues:
With the demands of the use of technology in classrooms, there is a need for continuous sharing of technology tools that they can use to facilitate or compliment for their lessons. It is crucial to keep teachers up to date with the wide range of tools out there for them to experiment during lessons to continue engaging their students positively. This can be done during CT or PD sessions where there can be a live demonstration in using the tools. Keep the sharing hands on and teachers will be more forthcoming in wanting to learn and use the tools in class! :)  But I also believe it is important to start small and not overwhelm our fellow colleagues with too much tech tools as we wouldn't want them to be turn off. Find tools that are manageable and easy for them to try out first, before introducing more into their tech bank!

Parents:
I believe parents are also aware of the wide range of tech tools available out there. As educators, I believe we can share with them some ways to manage and educate them with the use of technology at home. For example, how lessons will be conducted on SLS or google classroom. Where tools and contents are in a controlled space. Remind parents how to limit screen times or restrict access to some tools or websites.
At the same time, share with them some simple tools that they can use at home with the students. This will continue to create that positive social interaction time but at the same time, it is a great opportunity for the parents to learn and stay informed of the technology tools too!

Personal:
I would need to continue to keep myself up to date with the tech tools that are available out there. I must not be afraid to try and experiment by myself or even during lessons, and if its successful or I feel that the tools are appropriate for the students, I should not gate keep and actually share with my fellow colleagues on the wonders of such tool and how it benefits us. I would definitely tap on such digital tools whenever I feel that there is a need to change the pace of the lessons, or perhaps at the start of the lesson to catch the attention. Overall, technology is a positive add in our learning and I must continue to learn and adapt accordingly.

-Sheril

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The integrating of Edtech has become not just a choice but a necessity. The 3 years of pandemics has forcing schools to adapt quickly to remote and online learning. The rapid shift triggered a significant increase in the use of ed tech. The benefits are evident! However successful integration requires a strategic approach. Edtech empowers students to take control of their learning. It fosters self-directed learning, critical thinking and prob solving skills. In my opinion, in the era of technology, students should not just be the consumers of information but the CREATORS and educator plays the facilitator role.

For ed tech to be effective, as an educator, we should sccess to professional development opportunities to enhance our technological skills. Workshops, online course and peer-topeer learning platform can facilitate this. Ongoing support and mentoring within school community is crucial. We should be encouraged to experiment with various tools and methods that allowing us to choose  what best aligns with our teaching style and students' needs.

Parents are essential stakeholders in education. Parental involvement in a child's digital education journey foster a sense of responsibility and continuity between home and school learning. Providing parents with resources and guidance on how to support their children's tech use at home is also crucial.

As a SEN-Officer, I will always ensure that all students have equal access to all resources out there. Collaborate with teachers and parents, external agencies, government bodies and NGO can help in providing necessary  resources to my students.

The landscape of ed tech is constantly changing. Regular evaluation of the effectiveness of the tools being used is necessary to provide insights into what is working and what needs to be improved. Flexibility and adaptability are the keys, we must be WILLING to adapt and change our approach based on the evolving needs of our students.

Integrating ed tech is not just about bringing the gadgets into the classrooms, its about transforming ways students learn and preparing them for the future. By working together, ed tech can be harnessed to create engaging , inclusive and effective learning environments, ensuring our students are well-equipped fir the challenges of the modern world.

Wai Ling

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There is no doubt that technology in the educational landscape is here to stay. In the fast moving and ever-evolving tech climate, it is important for us as educators to not only be updated with what us available out there, but to also be able to facilitate learning using the tools available.

For students, I would:
1) Engage and Empower: Introduce technology as a tool to amplify their learning experiences and show them how it can make complex concepts more accessible and engaging.
2) Personalize Learning: Highlight how tech allows for tailored learning experiences. With all kinds of adaptive platforms and resources, each student can progress at their own pace and there is no shame or pressure in doing that.
3) Promote Digital Citizenship: I strive to teach responsible and ethical use of technology by actively discussing digital etiquette, and the importance of respecting others' work.

For teachers and colleagues, I would:
1) Provide Training and Support: Recognize and understand the varying levels of tech proficiency. I can offer workshops, peer mentoring, and resources to help colleagues feel confident in integrating technology into their teaching
2) Facilitate Collaboration: Showcase tools that enable seamless collaboration and resource sharing. I can also demonstrate how technology can enhance teamwork and PD.
3) Share the Time-Saving Benefits: I can demonstrate how technology can streamline certain admin tasks, leaving more time for impactful teaching, student interaction and leaving time for other miscellaneous duties that teachers are bogged down with.
4) Share Success Stories: A good way to get buy-in is to share examples of how technology has positively impacted student learning outcomes. I will seek to highlight the achievements of colleagues who have effectively integrated tech.

For parents, I would:
1) Provide clear communication of how technology is being used in the classroom. I can also address any concerns about screen time and online safety.
2) Involve Them in the Learning Process: Encourage parents to explore the same educational platforms at home and offer resources and tips for using technology to support their child's learning.
3) Showcase Student Work: This year, my school has embarked on a year-long SIL (Student Initiated Learning) on their HBL days and in about 2 weeks time during PTM, students will be sharing with their parents about what they have been doing. Many of them have used tech tools either in their SIL experiences, or to prepare for their presentation. This engagement with their child's digital projects and assignments  allows parents to see firsthand the value technology brings to their education.
4) Provide Resources for Digital Literacy:
Offer workshops or resources for parents who may need support in understanding and navigating the digital tools being used.

For myself, I would want to encourage a culture of lifelong learning; Advocate for more training in emerging technologies and pedagogical best practices. Where possible, I would want to demonstrate how technology can enhance my own teaching methods. I would also want to share successful strategies with colleagues.  In the time I have been an SENO, I have come to learn that some of my strategies come across as "ideal" to the teachers in the classroom, hence I would want to be more proactive in seeking feedback and reflect more about practicality of my tech and teaching tools. I can do this by regularly soliciting input from students, colleagues, and parents about the effectiveness of technology integration and how I can better refine my approach. Lastly, I want to be more inquisitive and stay adaptive by embracing a growth mindset towards technology. I have been hesitant in trying new tech before this module but now, I am encouraged to be more open to trying new tools and approaches, and would like to share my discoveries with my school.

Shuxian

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Just as we have discussed at the start of this module, technology is here to stay and it has become very important in the education landscape today. COVID-19 has also led to the quicker adoption of technology worldwide. Technological tools have become pervasive in today's education landscape, and it will be hard to imagine lessons going back to merely pen and paper format.

Technology allows for students to learn independently and at their own pace. Just like how HBL is common, and teachers have increasingly gamify the SLS lesson packages in my school to let learning be fun and engaging for the students. I have been using technological tools for my lessons with my students. Moving forward, I would also like to tap on technology for their independent learning at home (e.g. some take-home tasks to ensure continued learning during the school holidays). However, I will also need to take note of their socio-economic status and access to technology. There are students without access to laptops and/or devices, and they may not be able to borrow their parents' phones or tablets for learning purposes. It is also important to teach my students critical thinking skills, digital citizenship and literacy to ensure that they can navigate the digital world safely.

For educators, technology has provide important tools for communication and collaboration. Our school-wide meetings have been streamlined to monthly instead of weekly, and important updates are done through virtual forms (such as emails, WhatsApp messages, shared documents, Zoom meetings etc.). Meetings are also shorter, as the school has adopted a "flipped classroom" format, whereby teachers look through meeting materials prior to the meeting and meeting time is used for questions and answers. There are however teachers who might not be so tech-savvy and do not really know how to tap on these technological tools. We will need to ensure that there are avenues for teachers to engage in professional development to better leverage on the technological tools.

In communication with parents, technology has been a very useful tool. I have used ClassDojo, WhatsApp, Zoom and email to engage parents, and these platforms have been very useful, especially when parents are busy with work. However, I feel that a face-to-face meeting may be crucial in certain circumstances. For example, when engaging parents on the topic of SEN for the first time, or engaging parents on right school placement, I find that a face-to-face meeting will be a better platform as we can better read parents' body language and understand their position in the topic before furthering the discussion.

- Shi Min

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In this digital era, technology has played a pivotal role in the education landscape.

For students, technology serves as a powerful tool for personalized and interactive learning as it caters to the diverse learning styles of the students. It also offers engaging content and real-word connections/applications. To prepare students for the digital world, digital citizenship and literacy should be taught to them.

For educators, technology can be positioned as a way to enhance collaboration. For example, virtual meetings, shared documents and communication platforms facilitate team work and resource sharing. These are clearly evident from our daily work and even in our current group work in ADISE! With the use of technology, it can increase work efficiency and save manpower. Because of the digital era, it is therefore essential to provide professional development to educators to level up the tech proficiency.

For parents, technology should be seen as a valuable tool in their child's education. Regular updates, digital resources and open communication channels can keep them updated of their child's learning and progression. This can foster stronger school-home partnership. While parents have concerned over the excessive screen time and potentially addiction, it is therefore vital that parents are also equipped with parenting tips or skills to manage their children.

For myself, I can integrate digital tools to enhance engagement and collaboration my sessions. I can also create a rich depository of resources online for my students to access (this can be in collaboration with teachers) at their own pace. This can promote self-directed learning. It is important that I strike a balance between traditional and digital classrooms to create an adaptive educational experience.

Huiying :)

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A. Students in their learning
Incorporating tech tools in the learning process can help students engage and participate in lessons more effectively. The use of gamification features also adds to the overall learning experience, making it more compelling and engaging. However, it is important to complement these tech tools with knowledge of the role and responsible use of technology, the law, and the morality of using technology to be a responsible digital citizen.

B. Fellow colleagues in your collaboration
- COVID situation has forced us to accelerate the use of technology in our work. With the implementation of Home Based Learning (HBL), we were compelled to join the bandwagon whether we like it. There is a need to support the staff in their technology journey with structured professional development, teacher technology buddy, and technology device support. The technology partnership may also extend to our fellow educators overseas in sharing knowledge and expertise in our respective areas.

C. Students' parents in your partnership
The COVID situation again compels the needs for me to work with parents closely. I can create an excellent Home Based Learning package but if I cannot get the students to work with me during the one-to-one online intervention session, there is no way I would be able to carry out my intervention. Here the close partnership with the parents is vital as I have learned that with the help of the parents, I am able to get students to participate in my online intervention more effectively.

D. As an Educator
Technology has opened up a world of opportunities for students with special needs, allowing them to learn, live, and work on an equal footing with their peers. As educators, it is our responsibility to leverage the benefits of technology to complement and supplement our teaching and learning and empower our students to explore new possibilities that were once impossible. I will continue to advocate for the use of technology in my teaching and learning for our students with special needs.

Anuwar Abdul Wahab