Some thoughts on IT learning
● By Chua Chim Kang
The Ministry of Education has spared no efforts to promote IT learning.
What is its main aim? Is it to teach students how to learn the computer or is it meant to change the traditional method of teaching in order to match students keen interest in computers?
Teaching students computer knowledge and skills is different from conducting class lessons through the use of computers. And schools are beginning to place emphasis on using computers to teach students.
There is no denying the fact that IT learning plays an important role as a new teaching tool in this era of technology. However, views differ on whether the schools can achieve their targets, as success depends largely on whether they can make use of computers effectively.
Lets take the subject of Chinese as an example and see what challenges the authorities face in their IT quest. At present, 20 per cent of lessons are conducted with the help of computers.
In other words, in a period of 10 weeks, a Chinese-language teacher must spend two weeks to teach the subject the high-tech way.
In implementing such a major policy as IT learning, the authorities should not neglect the fact that different teachers teaching different subjects have different demands, thus making it tough to see the policy through.
Some teachers may have already acquired basic computer knowledge, but under the not-so-flexible rules and regulations, they will be compelled to attend training courses with those who have zero knowledge about computers.
Another problem is that new teachers may be assigned to work in schools where IT learning has just started.
Hence, all teachers -- including the seniors who are very experienced in teaching, but who are suddenly at a loss when it comes to computers -- will have to start from scratch and will have to progress together.
Eventually, they will become frustrated and their teaching performance may be adversely affected. Based on this scenario, the cons seem to outweigh the pros.
The authorities have ascertained the proportion of each subject to be taught via computers in every school, and have instructed all schools to achieve this allocated target.
A hard-pressed teacher may load the daily teaching programme or the content of courses onto the computer just to chalk up the required time for IT learning and then conduct his lessons the traditional way.
Furthermore, he may leave school assignments to his students through the computer before class dismissal in a bid to "fulfil" his IT learning duties.
As far as the teaching of the Chinese language is concerned, do computer lessons really achieve the desired goals, that is, to raise the students level of Chinese, pass on traditional values, et cetera? I am not so sure.
(The writer is editor of Thumbs Up, a weekly Chinese-language newspaper for primary pupils. Translated by Huang Miao) |
电脑教学的一些观察
● 蔡深江
教育部不遗余力推行电脑教学，到底是要教导学生掌握运用电脑的知识和技巧，或者是要改变以往其实相当有效的非电脑教学模式，顺应学生热衷电脑的学习兴趣？
教导孩子掌握运用电脑的知识和技巧，与通过电脑教学是完全不同的两个方向。目前学校全力以赴的，是希望达到当局规定的运用电脑教学比例，并且非常注重各科的电脑教学进展。
无可否认，新科技时代的教育方式，电脑教学举足轻重。可是，学校能否按规定完成目标，却是一个见仁见智的问题，也往往得视运用是否恰当适宜而定。
从一些学校的学生连上体育课都不得不接触电脑的做法，我们可以想像这个政策在执行的过程，产生的误差。
以华文科来窥电脑教学的全貌，就可以感受当局的用心与困扰。目前一般的电脑教学比例是百分之二十，也就是说，一个学段十个星期中，必须有两个星期的华文课要通过电脑教学。
且不论听、说、读、写四个语言教学目标是不是都可以完全通过电脑教学取代，单是笔试、口试、听力测试等规定的考查项目，目前都没有运用电脑测试的事实，假设你是华文老师，你会如何分配教学的时间？
电脑教学的推行还涉及许多材料的准备和消化的过程，语文老师除了一般性的事务，还必须接受训练、制作电脑教材、寻找材料等工作，在电脑科技成为主流并且风起云涌之际，老师要如何保持心态平衡，需要绝佳的各方面技术。
当局在推行像电脑教学这么一个重大的政策时，难免会顾此失彼，忽略了不同科目不同老师的不同要求，更使过程坎坷。有些老师可能已经掌握了某些基本电脑知识，却碍于不够灵活的规定，又得和没有基础的老师一起接受训练。
在庞大的运作体制下，通常很难顾及个别老师的特殊情况。新老师可能被分派到电脑教学刚刚启步的学校，大家必须从头学起，一齐开步走；资深的老师空有丰富的教学经验，在运用电脑教学的大前提下，却突然无法施展，不但士气受挫，也可能影响教学表现，得不偿失。
当局很理想的规定了每一所学校每一个科目必须利用电脑科技教学的百分比，要校方按理想前进。学校里则由下往上逐一呈报用电脑教学的时数。
一些学校逼得紧了，极端的情况是老师一进课室就将当天要教的内容大纲通过电脑投射出来，然后进行本来就不需要运用电脑的教学活动和过程，下课前再通过电脑交待作业，名正言顺配合电脑上课，而且是从头到尾充分利用，填写教学记录时也心安理得。不老实的则自欺欺人，反正大家关心的好像是数据多于成效。
到底运用电脑教学对华文的学习、学生华文程度的提升、传统价值的传承等方面，是不是达到了预期的成果？
对体制的嘲笑，台湾“表演工作坊”当年的经典是《那一夜我们说相声》里对增产报国的描写。
上层要了解农村的生产情况，派了一个瞎眼的干部验收成果，农村里的人排成一列，用同一只母鸡轮着往下递，干部逐一用手抚摸点算，不知道摸的是同一只母鸡，于是大家心满意足。
在大力推行电脑资讯科技的同时，希望我们睁开眼睛的时候，看到的是美好真实的成果。
作者是学生报纸《大拇指》主编 |