Technology in Education: Good or Bad?

The hottest topic in education today has got to be technology. Well, come to think of it, technology is pretty much the hottest topic in any field nowadays. I mean, movie producers are scrambling to include 3D technology to their blockbuster hits, iPads are selling like mad in the international market, and the newest digital camera has an extra LCD screen at the front of the camera, so that people can take their own pictures without having to risk snapping an out-of-focused photo of themselves. Etc. Etc. Without technology, life would be boring.

Likewise with education. Kids that have grown up surrounded by technology are not going to sit down obediently for 6 hours or more in a day listening to a teacher preaching from the textbook and scribbling notes on the board. It would take more to capture their attention and make sure that whatever we teach register in their minds. Therefore, teachers are always encouraged to make full use of technology in the classroom to maximise the learning experience. But the question is, exactly how big a part does technology play in the teaching-learning process? Does it complement the teacher or does the teacher take a step back and let technology run the whole show?

Some 6 or 7 years ago, when the Malaysian government decided that Science and Mathematics in all schools should be taught in English instead of in the national language, which is Malay, many steps were taken to ensure that this major change in the national education policy would be successfully implemented. Among them was equipping schools with laptops, LCD projectors and teaching softwares, which was hoped to arouse students interest in these two subjects and help them master the topics through interesting animations, colourful graphics and interactive activities.

If used correctly, these softwares would certainly engage the students and make learning more fun, apart from relieving some of the stress that comes from their lack of proficiency in English. Looking at animations and graphics would help them understand better than to just listen to the teacher talking and have no idea what he or she means half of the time.

Sadly, some teachers 'hide' behind the technology. They come into class, put the CD into the laptop, turn on the projector, and let the CD run. Students merely watch the presentation and listen to the narrator teaching them about a topic. There was no interaction between the teacher and students during the whole learning process. Needless to say, the students learned little and hated the subject. One disgruntled student complained to me that if that's how teachers are asked to teach nowadays, then anyone can be a teacher. All they need to do is to make sure that the CD runs properly from beginning to end.

As they say, too much of a good thing is a bad thing. No doubt technology is good, but it can never take the place of a teacher. Humans are social beings; we need to communicate and interact to get our ideas through. So, it is up to the wisdom and skill of the teacher to have a balance between using technology and human interaction to make a lesson work. Technology is just a tool, and like any other tools, it works best when it is used in the right place at the right time.

Will My Students Make It?

I teach exam classes every year. This year, I'm not just teaching SPM students, but PMR students as well. You can imagine my stress level now. PMR trial exams are coming soon in September, followed by the actual exam in October. Then it's the SPM trial exams in October, and the actual exams in November and December. I find myself constantly counting down to those dates, getting stressed up realising that I've not taught them certain topics in the syllabus, or wondering if I have given them enough exercises to help them master certain language or writing skills.

Recently, my SPM students sat their English mid-year exam. Looking at their answers, I could sense all my worries coming back. I thought I had given them enough practice all this while, and I was confident that the majority of them could score well. On the contrary, it seems that they had a lot of wrong answers. Usually, I would start marking their papers first, but now, I'm a bit apprehensive. Looks like I need to double my efforts if I want them to improve further. Well, on the bright side, this is a timely feedback for me which helps me to evaluate my teaching strategies.

My PMR students will start their mid-year exam next week. If they are nervous about it, they surely don't show it at all. In fact, their English teacher (that would be me) seems to be more worried about it. How ironic! I'm keeping my fingers crossed that they will fare well. I've taught them all I could, but I don't know if it will be enough. Let's hope that it is...

Well, one thing is for sure. Teaching exam classes is a tough job! I just hope that all this effort will be worth it in the end...

Happy Teachers' Day!

Here's a shoutout to all teachers in Malaysia... "Happy Teachers' Day!" Some say being a teacher is a 'work of heart'. I've been in the profession for quite a while, and believe me, I can't stress enough of the truth in this statement.

Teachers do not just teach, we educate. Teaching is easy, but educating can prove to be quite the challenge. Anyone can teach, but only teachers who are passionate about their job can educate a child. Alongside parents, teachers are given the noble responsibility to shape young minds, help them find their goals in life and guide them in every possible way to grow up as a wholesome and responsible individual. This is the ultimate mission of a teacher, but as many in the country have rightly pointed out, education in Malaysia today puts too much emphasis on intellectual excellence, so much so that personal and spiritual development takes a backseat. Many teachers go to class just to impart intellectual knowledge, but have little regard of the welfare of their students, or the personal struggles they go through.

Despite this, I have had the good fortune to come across many teachers who are still passionate about their job and care enough for their students to guide and advise them about matters beyond the curriculum. They have taken the road less travelled. These teachers are truly inspirational, and remind me that all hope is not lost. They motivate me to be a better teacher each day, not just to impart knowledge to my charges, but also be a good role model to them. Even though I need to be firm and authoritative in class, I allow myself to be approachable enough for students who need a listening ear. Many students in my school come from broken or dysfunctional families, or are too shy to discuss their problems with their parents, so teachers become the next best source of advice or guidance. If teachers do not show them the way, who will? Without anyone to guide them, they might end up making the wrong decisions in life. And if nobody cares enough to reprimand them for their misbehaviour, they will grow up to be broken individuals.

So, I'm thankful for all the teachers who have guided and educated me throughout my school years. Now, as a teacher myself, I always keep them in mind, giving the best that I can to my students, to carry on this tough yet fulfilling profession. What can be more exciting to know that you helped shape the mind of the future Prime Minister of Malaysia, or a future doctor or architect, or for that matter, any ordinary person who makes this country a better place to live in?

To all educators, have a happy Teacher's Day today!

Lessons From Our Children

We can learn so much from children and teenagers... For the past few years, Malaysia has had a tough time dealing with inter-racial issues. People were saying discriminatory and stereotypical things about other races, so much so that there is a general feeling of unease in the country. Politicians are not helping much either by bickering over trivial matters and making things more complicated. Many people were saying that they were not proud to declare themselves Malaysians anymore. It's just so sad...

No matter how much of these negative sentiments were splashed over the media day in and day out, I'm proud to observe that ordinary Malaysians are still sane enough not to get too emotional about these issues. Life still goes on. And despite what is being said in the media, Malaysians of all ethnic origins are still capable of getting along with each other. At least, in my school, I can still laugh, joke or show concern to my Malay or Indian colleagues. In fact, everywhere I go outside, I see people being courteous and helpful to each other, regardless of colour or creed. What I think makes me proud to be Malaysian is the fact that we are in fact a peace-loving nation, that despite all the negativity, we maintain our solidarity and keep a cool head.

There are also complaints from many quarters that schoolchildren are increasingly segregated in school according to their ethnicity. Even though they all study in the same school, Malay students generally prefer to hang out with other Malay students, Chinese students with their Chinese friends, and so on. As a teacher, I've seen a lot of this in school. It's true and it's really happening. I guess this is all due to the influence of the society at large. Somehow, the children absorbed these values and behaviours they see and hear from adults and the media. If this trend goes on, what will the country be like in 10 to 20 years' time?

Recently, some of my students showed that there is still hope for the future. I had given some work for my students to complete in an English lesson, but as usual, they sat with their friends of the same ethnicity. But as the lesson went on, they started fooling around with each other and cracking jokes. I had to say, it was fun watching them being genuinely tickled by their classmates' jokes and responded with their own jokes! In all my 6 years of teaching, this was indeed the first time I see students of different skin colours get along so well. Of course, as the lesson was still going on, I had to keep a straight face and made sure they didn't get too carried away with it, though in my heart, I was deeply touched. These children show that there is truly no barrier between us, except the ones that we set up ourselves.

As a fellow Malaysian, I sincerely hope that I can live to see the day when all Malaysians put the individual person above ethnicity, language, religious beliefs and culture, and truly be One Malaysia! Tunku Abdul Rahman would be so proud of us then.

Music for the Soul

It's amazing what a little music can do to lift our moods, especially if it's our favourite song that we're listening to. For me, it's "Truly Madly Deeply" from Savage Garden. Too bad they're not singing anymore... Anyway, it has been a while since I have heard this song. Two days ago, I decided to play it through my computer, and I can't tell you how exhilarated I felt after that. I played it over and over again, and it felt so good! I sang on top of my voice (thank God I live alone) and even danced a little, which is something I seldom do.

Working life is, needless to say, stressful. This is especially true if one has to deal with energetic teenagers who have short attention spans and most likely see school as a prison for innocent adolescents. Yes, teaching life is only fun on Teacher's Day! That's about the only day when teachers are treated like kings and queens... That's why it's so important that I need to de-stress myself every day, and listening to music is one way.

I'm going to collect as many nice songs as possible and put them all in one folder on my laptop, so I can access them easily when I need to. In fact, I'm even thinking of buying an MP3 player soon so I can bring my songs along wherever I go! Isn't that great?

I hope everyone can find their source of joy and use it as food for their souls, as we plod on day to day in this busy world. When life puts us down, we've got to find a way to lift ourselves up again! Cheers to life...