Connected Learning at Choa Chu Kang Primary School

When pupils from Choa Chu Kang Primary School were learning about Total Defence in National Education, they could read about the real-life experiences of a fireman on their school portal, contributed by a parent in that profession. Another parent, a doctor, provided tips on first aid.

The children’s online buddies from around the world also participated in the forum: one talked about how frightened she had been when she witnessed an angry crowd throwing stones at a factory, another described the emergency evacuation drill in her school. With such interesting input from different sources, the National Education lessons came alive and fuelled the pupil’s enthusiasm to learn better and learn more. Such a participatory, resource-rich online environment will soon be a reality for all Choa Chu Kang Primary School pupils, says Principal Mr Francis Foo.

“We introduced problem-based learning in late 2006 and were looking to enhance the model using ICT,” Mr Foo recounts. “SingTel and its partner UniServity approached us with the idea of an online platform for community-based learning, underlined by the principles of problem-based learning. It sounded like what we were looking for, so we piloted the connected Learning communities (cLc) Learning Platform in 2007.”

The cLc platform has a community of some three million learners, teachers and educators in 17 countries, and connects users to a wealth of resources – teachers to authentic pedagogies, and pupils to instruction and information through different media like the computer and iPod. Mr Foo explains that this type of multi-task, multi-track learning platform is suitable for today’s connected generation.

“For example, I’m told that a US school teacher has uploaded on YouTube video clips of himself conducting science experiments,” he says. “These clips get a lot of hits because they appeal to students both in the US and overseas, and in turn they’re motivated to learn about science theories.”

Similarly, Choa Chu Kang Primary School teacher Mr Vincent Tan is tapping on the sharing platform for his “Teach Less, Learn More” project. He directs pupils to appropriate YouTube links to discover how the jet engine turbine and turbo fan work.

The school has been making the most of cLc platform’s capabilities. “It’s easy to use, with self-help guides for teachers and pupils to create everything from personal pages to content to design and layout,” notes Mr Foo. The technology is sufficiently sophisticated to handle teaching and learning through a global network, and users can connect in a safe online environment. The school portal also differs from other standard sites with its numerous links to reference websites like BBC Encyclopaedia and Awesome Library.

Study trip to the UK

To deepen their familiarity with the cLc platform, Mr Foo and four teachers went on a UniServity-organised study trip to its headquarters in Reading, UK from 24 to 28 November 2008. They visited schools that were already on the programme, and met teachers who had won awards for their ICT innovation.

“For example, Coombes Primary School has taken a unique approach to ICT – most teaching and learning is done outdoors. At Colleton Primary School, we saw how pupils used the platform to create an interactive story. This is the type of creative teaching and self-directed learning we want to see at our school. We hope to empower our pupils to make decisions, learn at their own pace, and be motivated to explore areas of interest beyond the textbook,” says Mr Foo.

The delegation was also impressed by the keen interest exhibited by students at Bradon Forest School, Wiltshire, the only secondary school they visited. Mr Foo notes, “Lessons are put online, so students can access these materials on their computers or iPods wherever they are, 24/7.”

Enhancing the ICT programme

“We like the cLc platform as it allows the user to take control of the site. Unlike other learning management systems where the content is already there, this is like a blank page and we are given the tools to construct the content,” explains Mr Foo. “With so many schools on the cLc platform, we can capitalise on existing materials and also share our content with the community. It’s a great way to collaborate on new projects.”

Looking ahead to 2009, the teachers at Choa Chu Kang Primary School will focus on creatively engaging the pupils with new media using the tools available. “We want to encourage pupils to go off on different tangents, and be motivated enough to explore topics that excite them,” Mr Foo enthuses. “John F Kennedy said that a child mis-educated is a child lost – we certainly don’t want any of our pupils to be in that group!”