Background
SEAMEO has become aware of some common emerging concerns within Asia in relation to the provision of education. .In this regard, SEAMEO and the Australian Government developed a proposal on pre-service teacher training and teacher professional development in the use of ICT in the teaching of mathematics and science. The proposal was approved by the 37th SEAMEO Council Conference in March 2002 in Chiang Mai, Thailand.
1. Study Visit and Workshop in Australia
a. Study Visit
(1) Objective
The general objective of the study visit in Australia was to examine Australian best practices and to enable Task Force members to observe, in practice, some of the principles of training in the use of ICT. Specifically, the visit aimed to give the task force opportunities to acquire new ideas, information and insights on how the educational institutions at all levels of education in Australia:
i. develop their curriculum;ii. improve teachers’ performance;iii. create conducive learning atmosphere;iv. encourage school-community participation;v. integrate the use of ICT in the teaching-learning process;vi. evaluate student achievement and teachers’ performance; andvii. make use of ICT in pre-service education and in-service training of teachers.
(2) Activities
The visit in Australia was conducted in Brisbane and Sydney. The institutions visited and focus of the discussion during the study visits are presented in Appendix I.
(3) General Observations
Some of the general observations are:
i. Australia, especially in Brisbane and Sydney also has a problem on teacher shortage. In spite of that, the Government of Australia does not provide special incentive or reward to teachers. Like Southeast Asian Countries, only a few teachers accept teaching jobs in the remote areas.ii. School principals have no limit on terms of office. As far as they are doing right, their tenure of office can be for a long period of time.
• Curriculum
The influence of technology emphasizes the importance of some aspects of curriculum content and process, while diminishing the role of others such as repetitive and rote learning. It implies a fundamental shift in educational priority, from accumulating knowledge to the management of information, and suggestions and increasing need for citizen who are informed, critical and capable as decision-makers in a technological world.
• Teaching Practice
The effective use of technology encourages a move away from teacher-centered approaches and towards a more flexible and student-centered environment. A technology-rich learning environment is characterized by collaborative and investigative approaches to learning, increasing integration of content across the curriculum and a significant emphasis upon concept development and understanding. .
• Student Learning
Students who use calculators and computers within an appropriate environment can improve their basic skills by increasing their number sense and strengthening their understanding of arithmetic operations. It is not necessary for students to learn about numbers and number operations before they can effectively use calculators; rather, such understandings and skills follow naturally from appropriate access to technology.
• Professional Development of Teachers
Appropriate teaching resources and professional development are important in the widespread use of ICT in science and teaching. Online professional development of teachers enables teachers to develop themselves and be updated on the trends and techniques of integrating ICT in teaching.
Strategies need to be developed for the provision of training and professional development, and for making available teaching and learning resources which are tailored to teachers’ needs.
SEAMEO has become aware of some common emerging concerns within Asia in relation to the provision of education. .In this regard, SEAMEO and the Australian Government developed a proposal on pre-service teacher training and teacher professional development in the use of ICT in the teaching of mathematics and science. The proposal was approved by the 37th SEAMEO Council Conference in March 2002 in Chiang Mai, Thailand.
1. Study Visit and Workshop in Australia
a. Study Visit
(1) Objective
The general objective of the study visit in Australia was to examine Australian best practices and to enable Task Force members to observe, in practice, some of the principles of training in the use of ICT. Specifically, the visit aimed to give the task force opportunities to acquire new ideas, information and insights on how the educational institutions at all levels of education in Australia:
i. develop their curriculum;ii. improve teachers’ performance;iii. create conducive learning atmosphere;iv. encourage school-community participation;v. integrate the use of ICT in the teaching-learning process;vi. evaluate student achievement and teachers’ performance; andvii. make use of ICT in pre-service education and in-service training of teachers.
(2) Activities
The visit in Australia was conducted in Brisbane and Sydney. The institutions visited and focus of the discussion during the study visits are presented in Appendix I.
(3) General Observations
Some of the general observations are:
i. Australia, especially in Brisbane and Sydney also has a problem on teacher shortage. In spite of that, the Government of Australia does not provide special incentive or reward to teachers. Like Southeast Asian Countries, only a few teachers accept teaching jobs in the remote areas.ii. School principals have no limit on terms of office. As far as they are doing right, their tenure of office can be for a long period of time.
• Curriculum
The influence of technology emphasizes the importance of some aspects of curriculum content and process, while diminishing the role of others such as repetitive and rote learning. It implies a fundamental shift in educational priority, from accumulating knowledge to the management of information, and suggestions and increasing need for citizen who are informed, critical and capable as decision-makers in a technological world.
• Teaching Practice
The effective use of technology encourages a move away from teacher-centered approaches and towards a more flexible and student-centered environment. A technology-rich learning environment is characterized by collaborative and investigative approaches to learning, increasing integration of content across the curriculum and a significant emphasis upon concept development and understanding. .
• Student Learning
Students who use calculators and computers within an appropriate environment can improve their basic skills by increasing their number sense and strengthening their understanding of arithmetic operations. It is not necessary for students to learn about numbers and number operations before they can effectively use calculators; rather, such understandings and skills follow naturally from appropriate access to technology.
• Professional Development of Teachers
Appropriate teaching resources and professional development are important in the widespread use of ICT in science and teaching. Online professional development of teachers enables teachers to develop themselves and be updated on the trends and techniques of integrating ICT in teaching.
Strategies need to be developed for the provision of training and professional development, and for making available teaching and learning resources which are tailored to teachers’ needs.
