Science teachers must be `switched on' to ICT

IMPROVING science education and infrastructure, as well as strengthening network-based education through training are essential in order to reach required standards of the new age, said the Universiti Brunei Darussalam (UBD) Head of the Teaching and Learning Centre yesterday.

Speaking to The Brunei Times during the opening of the National Workshop on New Information Technologies and Tools in Scientific Education held at UBD, Dr Hjh Jamilah Hj Mohd Yusof said that it was important to train teachers with ICT tools in science education because of the era we are living in.

She said: "In today's world, students can even submit their projects online. Some students are even interacting with their teachers on the Internet through chat-rooms, Twitter and even Facebook. That is why having workshops like this one is important as all students must be educated about (utilising these mediums through their teachers)."

The three-day workshop which commenced on Tuesday, is jointly organised by the the Ministry of Education (MoE) through UBD's newly established Teaching and Learning Centre (TLC) and Institut Teknologi Brunei (ITB), as well as The Islamic Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organisation (Isesco).

Dr Hjh Jamilah said that the workshop was one of the programmes planned and carried out by Isesco, within their framework of Action Plan for 2009.

However, because of time constraints from both Brunei parties and Isesco, the programme had to be postponed to 2010.

Dr Hjh Jamilah said that the main objective of the workshop was to reform new standards through integrating information technology into scientific schools, colleges and universities leading to the improvement of the quality of education.

"I hope that the teachers at this workshop will pass on their knowledge on what has been learnt, not only to their students but to their colleagues as well. Teachers are expected to do a multiplying effect in disseminating information gained at their respective schools," she said.

The workshop will cover a variety of topics and introduce new softwares on Information Technologies in Science Education, which include Moodle, eXe, Wikis, Prezi and Genius Maker.

In a press statement, MoE through its International Affairs and Public Relations Unit stated that participants are expected to promote qualitative and quantitative measures for effective learning and teaching by incorporating advance digital technology tools, as well as to have a better apprehension of effective best practices and successful innovation using IT in science education, after attending the workshop.

Spearheading the workshop is Egypt's Assiut University Vice Dean Graduate Studies of the Faculty of Engineering Prof Dr Mohd Abo-Zahhad Abo-Zeid, who is also assisted by three experts in Science and Mathematics from Brunei's tertiary education sector.

A total of 30 science and mathematics teachers from secondary schools and sixth form centres, as well as lecturers from UBD and ITB have accepted the invitation to participate in the workshop, which concludes today.

The Brunei Times