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

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

 

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

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. 

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/ 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. 

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

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

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

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

 

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

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. 

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

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-

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

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