FACULTY OF SCIENCE & MATHEMATICS

SULTAN IDRIS EDUCATION UNIVERSITY

SSI3013: INFORMATION AND COMMUNICATION TECHNOLOGY IN SCIENCE

ASSIGNMENT 1:

SMART SCHOOL

Group A: En. Azmi bin Ibrahim

NAME ID MATRIC
Nur Aina binti Zainuddin D20152072026
Norazlin Nafisah binti Suhaimi D20152072040
Norbayu binti Ghazali D20152072046
1.0 Introduction
We are examining our education system to create a curriculum where
people learn how to learn so they can continue their education throughout
the rest of their lives.
Tun Dr. Mahathir Mohamad
Retrieved from The Malaysian Smart Schools:
Developing 21st Century Skills.

According to the Malaysias National Philosophy of Education, one of the education

objectives in Malaysia is to produce Malaysian citizens who are knowledgeable and
competent. To fulfil the objective of National Education Philosophy and Tun Dr. Mahathirs
words, the Smart School was launched in 1997 as one of the seven of Malaysias Multimedia
Super Corridor (MSC) flagship applications. The definition of Smart School based on the
Smart School Conceptual Blueprint, it is a learning institution in which the teaching and
learning process and school management has been systematically reconstructed in order to
prepare students for the Information Age. In addition, according to Abd.Ghani et al., (2005),
Fiske (1991) state that Smart School are oriented to learning rather than teaching. The
operation of Smart School is based on Teachers as Coach, Students as Workers concept.
Furthermore, education happen when students think. Besides, Dr. Nor Hayati (2003) state
that Smart School do not refer to the students whose are smart, but it refers to the smart
ways to ensure that all the students have a chance to improve their self. Smart school
concept that based on ICT help to ensure that curriculum in Malaysia is suitable with
Information Age. Based on the Smart School Blueprint, all 10,000 of Malaysias primary and
secondary schools will be Smart School on 2010.

2.0 Smart Schools History

The idea of Smart School has been inspired by Tun Dr. Mahathir Mohamad on 28th
September 1992 and was launched in 1997 as one of the flagship applications of MSC.
There are four waves that related to the implementation of Malaysian Smart School, which
are:

a) Wave 1: Pilot Phase (1999-2002)

b) Wave 2: Post-Pilot (2002-2005)
c) Wave 3: Making All Schools Smart (2005-2010)

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 d) Wave 4: Consolidate and Stabilize (2010-2020)

The Pilot Phase start in 1999. There are 88 Smart Schools were established where
the number of existing schools are 82 schools and the remaining are new schools. The
six new schools are Sekolah Menengah Kebangsaan (SMK) Putrajaya 1, Sekolah
Kebangsaan (SK) Putrajaya 1, SK Putrajaya 2, SMK Seri Bintang Utara, SK Seri Bintang
Utara and SK Seri Bintang Selatan. The 88 Smart Schools are furnished with 261
computer technicians and 5809 computer sets. The Wave 1 end in December 2002.
From 88 Smart Schools that was selected in 1999, only six schools got A level, two
schools for B+ level and the remaining got B level. During the Pilot Phase, teachers and
principals were trained in use of Smart School applications. Furthermore, ICT
infrastructures and systems as an enabler for quality teaching and learning, using Smart
School Management System with nine modules for major school functions, teaching and
learning for four core subjects which is Malay Language, English Language, Science and
Mathematics. In addition, there also has Help Desk and Call Centre.

The main goals of Smart School are:

a) To provide all-round development of individual.

b) To provide opportunities to enhance individual strengths and abilities.
c) To produce a thinking technology-literate workforce.
d) To democratize education.
e) To increase participation of stakeholders.

In order to achieve the objectives, Smart School should have these characteristics or
qualities:

a) A philosophy that says all students can learn if taught, coupled with high expectations
for all students.
b) A broad curriculum that considers the different capabilities and needs of all students.
c) A school climate that is conducive to learning.
d) An on-going assessment that supports good instruction.
e) Strong and professional principals and teachers.
f) A high level of parent and community involvement and support.

In addition, Malaysian Smart School key components is Teaching and Learning. The
teaching and learning has four parts. The first part is curriculum, which was designed to help
students achieve overall and balanced development. Next is pedagogy which allow for
appropriate mix of learning strategies to ensure mastery of basic competencies and
promotion of holistic development. The third part is assessment that was designed to give

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accurate feedback of student readiness, progress, achievement and attitude. Last but not
least, teaching and learning material is a final part. It cognitively challenging and motivating
by combining the best of network-based, teachers-based, and courseware materials.

Smart School have their own logo. The logo consists of heart which means the heart
of their students, the bulb that indicate the mind of students and square shape to show the
reconstructed of Malaysias curriculum system. Besides, the logo also coloured with six
different colours and the colours have their own meaning which black for creativity and
critical thinking, yellow for learning optimist, purple for knowledge, white stand for
democratize of education, blue for comprehensive development of students and red stand
for function of education for Malaysia.

3.0 Smart Schools Challenges

Smart School provide the best way for student to learn about new knowledge by
using ICT (internet and communication technology). The technologies that are used in
teaching and learning process can make the students become excited to learn and gain new
knowledges. In order to transform all schools in Malaysia to Smart School, there are so
many challenges to face. The challenges are divides into three aspects which is
government, school and parent.

3.1 Government

Ministry of Education (MOE) Malaysia play a big role to transform the curriculum in
Malaysia. In order to transform all schools in the Malaysia into Smart School, there are many
challenges that MOE need to face.

The major challenge is MOE need to spend a lot of money for Smart School project.
They need to provide the technologies such as computer and projector to all school in
Malaysia. The cost for one device is very expensive. Furthermore, they need to provide the
new school syllabus that suitable with the Smart Schools curriculum. Other than
technologies and syllabus, they also need to spend a lot of money to build or reconstructed
unused room into computer laboratory at all school in Malaysia.

The next challenge is to convince community to support the Smart Schools project.
Ministry of Education must find effective ways how to make the community not
misconception about the Smart Schools concept especially community that live in rural
areas. Most of the rural communities think that Smart School is same with normal school.
The difference between the school is Smart School use technologies, but not for normal

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schools. In addition, some communities think that Smart School is a part of Non-Government
Organization (NGO). So, they do not want their children study at the Smart School. To
overcome this challenge, MOE must do an exhibition at all school in Malaysia. Besides,
MOE can promote the Smart Schools concept by using media such as electronic or
newspaper.

3.2 School

For school aspect, the Smart Schools challenges can be divided into three
categories which is challenge for school principal, teachers, and students.

3.2.1 Challenges of school principal

The success of a school depends on a principal. This is because they are

responsible in making the plan to develop the school. To transform normal school become a
Smart School, there are many challenges that school principal need to face. The major
challenge is to build up school infrastructures. The school at the city has limited space. To
save the cost and space that is used to build the computer laboratory, the principal need to
identify suitable classroom that can be transform into computer laboratory. when the
computer laboratory is finish, the computer devices and other medias can be stored in it.
After that, principal must make sure that the Internet connection at the school is strong
enough to support the system. The biggest challenge for principal at rural area is to provide
strong Internet connection. As we inform about that, rural area such as village, the Internet
connection was so poor. It makes the system cannot be function very well.

The next challenge for principal is to provide the relevance and quality teaching and
learning materials that is suitable to the Smart Schools curriculum. According to Yahya Don
(2007), Ministry of Education provide a teaching and learning packages for Smart School,
but the packages only suitable to use by Form One students. To overcome this problem,
principal need to find others source. Besides, there is a problem to find the original source.

The other challenge is to convince teachers and parents. Before start the Smart
School programme, the principal need to explain the concept to the teachers and school
staffs. By doing this, teachers and school staffs can be prepared to face the new school
management and environment. In addition, they can give any suggestion and opinion about
the ways to transform the school. Other than that, principal need to convince parent too by
explain to them about Smart Schools concept. When the parent understands about the
concept, misconception can be avoided.

The last challenge for principal is they need to know about ICT knowledge. According
to Yahya Don (2005), there are only three percent of principal that know about ICT. The

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remaining did not expert about it. These result is based on scientific research that was
carried by Ministry of Education. To establish the Smart School, principal also need to
increase the knowledge of ICT among the teachers. Not all teachers in school know about
the ICT especially the senior teachers. Teaching and learning process in Smart School use
the computer and projector. Most of the teachers in school did not know how to set up the
projector and display the teaching and learning material in front of the class. To overcome
this problem, principal need to force the teachers to attend the ICT programme. To do the
programme, the school need to spent some money to hire someone who is expert in ICT.

3.2.2 Challenges of teachers

The teachers also faced the challenge in order to transform the school into Smart
School. The challenge is teachers must have some skills in ICT to create effective teaching
and learning process and to manage the computer system. But, almost teachers do not have
knowledge how to use, handle and manage the computer system. As a result, teachers
prefer to choose chalk and talk when teaching because it save time. This is because when
using ICT in teaching, they required a lot of time which is around five to 10 minutes to
prepare the system. It will disturb the process of teaching and learning and waste the time.
Besides, students will be bored waiting too long without nothing to be doing. But, to fulfil the
Smart Schools concept the teachers need to know about ICT. This is because Smart School
was provided with computer, projector, CD and other. The function of the CD is to attract the
students attention and help them to understand more about the knowledge they gain. The
CD contains of simulation and animation that related to their curriculum. Teachers must use
the CD provided in teaching and learning process. The CD must be run by using a computer.
So, teachers must have ICT skills. Other than making teaching and learning process
become more effective by using the technologies, teachers also can motivate all students to
explore about ICT field.

Next, teachers must have other initiative or prepare various strategies in teaching
and learning if computers or other devices cannot function properly. For example, the
system be updated or down because internet connection was weak especially in rural areas.
Furthermore, the computers must be maintained frequently to make sure computer was in
good condition and all the software inside the computers must be updated to make sure that
the teaching and learning process can be proceed without any problems and to fulfill the
Smart Schools curriculum. Besides, in the classroom, LCD projector was provided to make
learning process more amazing and wonderful. But, is it easy to damage if not manage in
the right way. When the devices cannot be function very well, teachers cannot teach the
students. To overcome these problems, teachers must have others facilities or creativity to

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create wonderful teaching and learning environment. In addition, teachers must be
innovative when teach the students without using computers. For example, play a game that
related to the lecture or do problem based learning activity or others activities that can give
positive impacts to the students.

Being a teacher nowadays is very challenging. This is because they need to carry all
the responsibilities that related to school such as office jobs. The challenge for Smart
Schools teachers especially ICT teacher is play a role as technician because they are
professional in ICT field. When the computers or other devices broken down, and school do
not have enough technician, the school principal will punish the ICT teachers to repair the
devices. The school can get benefit from this action which it can save a school budget. If
school hire someone to repair the broken devices, they need to spent a lot of money
including money for spare part and services. But, if teachers repair it, confirmed there is no
any hidden payment. Sometimes they need to used their money first to buy the spare part of
devices without claim the money. In addition, they need to do part time job at school. When
all the school staff going back to their home, ICT teachers still stay at the computer
laboratory to repair the broken devices. This is because during the school time, they need to
teach the students and settle other jobs such as marking the students books, checking the
students marks, key in all the data in the school system and many more. As a result, when
the school time off, they need to work very hard to repair all the devices and make sure it
can be function as soon as possible because other teachers need it in teaching and learning
processes. This situation will burden the teachers and will cause them depressed because
they work harder time by time. So, to face this challenge, every teacher must be professional
in ICT.

Students at the rural school less expose to any technologies especially technology
that was used in teaching and learning process. They just know how to read the books to
gain the knowledges and listen to their teacher during the lesson in the class. When
government decides to transform all Malaysian school including schools at rural areas into
Smart School, the challenge that need to face by the teachers is how to make the student
adapt with new learning environment. Furthermore, teachers at rural schools must cultivate
students interest in the field of ICT. This is because, in the Information Age everything is use
technology. The ways to adapt the students with Smart Schools environment is by convince
them that technology is fun, interesting and give a lot of advantages to the people. In
addition, teachers must teach skills to use technology step by step to increase their interest
in ICT field. For example, teachers teach how to the computer during the computer practice
lesson. So, here teachers must play their role to make sure all the students are interest and
want to explore more about ICT.

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 The last challenge for teachers is to control students attitude when using
technologies. Other than teaching their subject in the classroom, every teacher must teach
ethic of technologies to their students. This is because to avoid students from misused of the
technologies such as use the computer to access porn, access media social and download
unbeneficial videos or audios. Furthermore, teachers must be alert in the class to avoid
students from misused the technologies. For example, when they are doing their work by
using the computer, teachers need to make sure that all the students are doing the right
thing, not misused the technologies.

3.2.3 Challenges of students

Smart School is a school that used technologies in teaching and learning process. By
2010, Ministry of Education aims to transform all schools in Malaysia into Smart School. The
next challenges are focused on students. The main challenge to students is to adapt new
environment. As mention before, the one of Smart Schools main goal is to produce a
thinking technology-literate workforce. For sure the Smart School is more to technologies.
Before Smart Schools concept was launched, students learn by using the books only. When
Smart School is established, Ministry of Education provides technologies that suitable for the
Smart Schools curriculum such as computers, projectors and books with CD. Students can
learn by using the CD provided in the book. There is no any problem to students who study
at city school because mostly of them are advanced in technologies and easy to adapt with
Smart Schools environment. But, students who study at rural school will had culture shock
when the curriculum was changed. Most of the rural students less exposed to technologies.
There were some students who never know the basic skills of computer. When their school
transformed to Smart School, they will be loss. This is because Smart School prefer to use
technologies in teaching and learning process instead of chalk-and-talk concept.

Another Smart Schools challenge for students is they will become passive when
technologies is used in teaching and learning process. When every student is provided with
computer, they just focus on their computer only. In addition, the task will be given by
individual. As a result, they just sit at their place and do their activity. Then, the task will be
submitted to their teachers through online. But, Smart School will allow students to learn at
their own pace and harmony. If students learn through ICT medium, they can get individual
attention from their teachers. Teachers acts as an adviser for them and provide
psychological support and encouragement. Students are less intelligent will be given more
attention by teachers.

Furthermore, they need to improve their skills and knowledge about ICT. This is
because students need to learn using CD to strengthen their understanding. The CD

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consists of animations, simulations, videos and audios. If students lack of ICT skills and
knowledge, they will have a problem when doing their homework or tasks. The basic skills
that they must have is computer skill. Having the skills will make students easier to adapt
and follow the Smart Schools environment.

3.3 Parents

The successful of school not only depends on school principals, it also depends on
parents support. Every school in Malaysia has a club that involved teachers and parents.
The club is known as Persatuan Ibu Bapa dan Guru (PIBG). The one of the PIBGs function
is to help in development and achievement of school and students. In order to transform into
Smart School, parents must involve in this project. Here, there are challenges of Smart
School from parents.

The first challenge of Smart School is parents did not concern about Smart Schools
concept. In this modern age, everyone is busying pursuing their careers. For urban areas,
such as Ipoh, Kuala Lumpur and others, peoples that lived there are very hard-working
person. Parents are always busy with their work until they did not get chance to spend their
time with their children. This cause the parents did not know how their childrens
development. Not only that, the parents also do not have much time to get involve in PIBG at
school. This also cause parents did not know about the development of the school. Besides,
there are parents that assume the Smart Schools project is the responsible of government
and school only. But, to transform normal school into Smart School, not only the Ministry of
Education Malaysia (KPM), principals and teachers should play a role but the parents should
be participated in the development of Smart School too. For example, parents who are
classified as in high-income individuals can contribute to the development of school
infrastructure such as contribute a sum of money to build a computer laboratory, buy
computer devices and so on. In addition, parents who have knowledge and skills in ICT can
contribute in terms of give lessons to teachers who lack knowledge in ICT. However,
because parents nowadays are very busy with work, it causes them to ignore the problem
and the development of the school.

While, for parents who reside in urban areas, they are less exposed to the concept of
Smart School and just assume that the school is for students who are intelligent only. Smart
Schools teaching and learning process are different with a normal school. This process is
related to curriculum, pedagogy, assessment and learning materials that are re-designing to
help student learn more effectively and efficiently. So, Smart School will encourage students
to practice self-access learning and self-directed learning as well as the rates themselves.
Smart School is not only emphasizing on student achievement, but it also emphasizes on

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the effectiveness and readiness, progress and talent. So, parents do not have to worry and
think that smart school is only for intelligent student. Furthermore, in rural areas there are
also parents who are aged that do not understand how to use ICT materials causing they
cannot help their children who are bring homework to home that have to be done using by a
computer. But, some parents mistakenly assume that their children use the computer to play
games, watching video but their children are complete their schools work that needs to use
the computer.

The other challenge of Smart School in aspect of parents is some parents could not
provide the computer at home for their children uses. Since of Smart School use the
computer during learning session, sometimes their teachers will give an online assessment
during school break and must completed it by using computer and submit it on the same
day. To overcome this problem, parents who cannot provide the computer for their children
must accompany their children to go to the cyber caf especially primary schools student. In
addition, they need to spend some of money for their children who go to the cyber caf just
for to complete the homework that needs to use the computer. Besides, if there is no any
cyber caf at their areas, parents must find another initiative to help their children complete
their work.

Furthermore, parents also must have at least knowledge of ICT. This is because
when students have been exposed to computers and the internet, then the parents should
always monitor how they use the computer and should know what their children do with the
computer. For example, avoid their children from watch movie by online, access to
pornography and so on. Besides, parents must know how to monitor the computer contents
and always be beside them while they use computers either making homework or play
games. If they were making homework, trying to learn how to use computers or provide
tutoring to children. Parents must ensure that children use the computer in the right way, so
that bad things will not happen.

4.0 Conclusion

As mentioned before, Smart School is learning institution in which the process of

teaching and learning and management of school has been systematically reconstructed to
prepare students for the Information Age. The idea is from Tun Dr. Mahathir Mohamad. On
1997, Smart School was launched and being one of the flagship application of MSC. Four
implementation waves are Pilot Phase, Post-Pilot, Making All Schools Smart and
Consolidate and Stabilize wave. During Wave 1, 88 schools around Malaysia was selected
and at the end of Pilot Phase, there are six schools which get A Level. Furthermore, there

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are five objectives which one of it is to produce a thinking technology-literate workforce. In
order to establish Smart School, there are so many challenges. The challenges are divided
into three categories which is Ministry of Education Malaysia, schools and parents. Based on
the challenges that has been discussed before, it shows that to transform all schools in
Malaysia into Smart School is not quite easy.

5.0 References

Abd. Ghani Jaafar, Bazrulzaman Baharom, Chan, H.L. &C. Karuppaya, K.S. (2005)

Konsep dan perlaksanaan Sekolah Bestari di Malaysia. Retrieved on 28th

February 2017 from

http://www.fp.utm.my/ePusatSumber/listseminar/5.IsuPendidikan05/Kertaspenuh/Ker
tas%205.pdf

Smart School Project Team. (1997). The Malaysian Smart School an MSC flagship

Application. Retrieved on 28th February 2017 from

http://www.mscmalaysia.my/sites/default/files/pdf/publications_references/Smart_Sch
ool_Blueprint.pdf

The Malaysian Smart Schools: developing 21st century skills. (n.d.). Retrieved on 28th

February 2017 from www.jaet.jp/katuduo/seminar_ict/Malaysia.pdf

Yahya Don. (2005). Kepimpinan pendidikan di Malaysia. Retrieved on 28th February 2017

from
https://books.google.com.my/books?id=8trcvLzhuLwC&pg=PA39&lpg=PA39&dq=cab
aran%20cabaran%20sekolah%20bestari&source=bl&ots=XwGYKtj44k&sig=8p3vAdr
h2OfcOwjB9qEJR-
OOFuI&hl=en&sa=X&redir_esc=y#v=onepage&q=cabaran%20cabaran%20sekolah
%20bestari&f=false

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