SSI3013(A)

INFORMATION AND COMMUNICATION TECHNOLOGY

IN SCIENCE

THE SMART SCHOOL IMPLEMENTATION IN

MALAYSIA

NAME MATRIC NO.

NABILAH ‘ALIAH BT AMER AZHAR D20151071575
NUR HAZWANI BT OTHMAN D20151071573
DEWI BT SALAM D20151070973
 CONTENT

INTRODUCTION………………………………………………………….……………..1-2

Main goals of smart school………………………………………………………….2

Primary objectives…………………………………………………………………..2

Characteristics of smart school in Malaysia………………………………………...3

Smart school components…………………………………………………………3-5

CHALLENGES OF SMART SCHOOL IMPLEMENTATION…………………………5-7

CONCLUSION…………………………………………………………….………………..7
INTRODUCTION

In 1999, there was a dramatic change in the Malaysian

education system where the Smart School Project was
implemented. The laws of Smart School concept were
created in 1996 and the experiment ended in 2002. This
project aims systematically to reinvent the teaching and
learning processes in schools, whereby information
technology (IT) is utilised in every aspect of education
(Ministry of Education, 2004). Smart School project
was one of the seven great design by Multimedia Super
Corridor (MSC). MSC is a national initiative
spearheaded by government to promote national ICT industry, to provide a test-bed for the
global ICT industry and to provide a conductive enabling environment.

In the current Malaysian education perspective, rapid advancement of multimedia

technology also plays one of the most important roles in classrooms as interactive courseware
used in presenting content and information (Norfadilah Kamaruddin, 2015). The Malaysian
Smart School is a learning institution that has been systematically reinvented in terms of
teaching-learning practices and school management to prepare children for the Information
Age. Smart Schools program focuses on the establishment of the infrastructure of ICT in the
education system which consists of virtual network equipment, data centre and software
packages based on the teaching and learning of four subjects of "national language", "English,"
"science" and "mathematics" in Malaysian schools (Hassan, Mehraneh, Meysam, Seyede, Ali
& Hasan, 2016). In this way, the Ministry of Education in Malaysia and smart schools are better
connected.

Smart schools teaching and learning

concepts emphasise student-centred
learning, active knowledge construction, as
well as critical and creative thinking (Ng
Lee Yen, Kamariah, Samsilah, Wong, and
Petri, 2005). It moves away from the
conventional pedagogy, which focuses on
teacher centred learning, facts acquisition,
and memory-oriented learning. This means that students cannot rely too much on teachers, but
they must self-direct, self-access, and self-pace in learning. To be short, smart schools promote
self-regulated learning among students. The Malaysian Ministry of Education hopes that with
the Smart School Project, the current scenario will be changed, and more self-regulated learners
can be produced by the school system (Ng Lee Yen, Kamariah, Samsilah, Wong, and Petri,
2005).

Main goals of smart school

Produce a thinking and Provide all-round development

technology-literate workforce of the individual (intellectual,
physical, emotional, spiritual)

Provide opportunities to
enhance individual strengths and
abilities

Increase participation of Democratise education

stakeholders

Primary objectives

1. To produce a knowledge society that is critical, creative and innovative.

2. To produce a technology savvy individuals for the Information Age.

3. To bridge the digital divide.

4. To cultivate life-long learning based on ICT.

Characteristics of smart school in Malaysia

1. Student centred teaching and learning.

2. Student exhibit a higher order thinking skill.
3. Teacher and administrators skilful using ICT in daily task.
4. Creative and innovative teacher using ICT as enabler and accelerator for better teaching
and learning.
5. Smart partnership with various agencies.

Smart school components

The smart school program is planned based upon the teaching-learning concept. The main
components of this concept includes four aspects, which are curriculum, pedagogy, assessment,
and teaching-learning materials. First, the smart school curriculum in Malaysia is constructed
based on the other successful smart schools program in other countries. It is design to help
students achieve the balanced development and prepare them for the information age such as
communication, cognitive, affective and physical. In the aspect of pedagogical, this program
allows for appropriate mix of learning strategies to ensure mastery of basic competencies and
promotion of holistic development.
 As for the assessment, the smart school program does not only cover achievement, but
is also design to give a feedback of students’ readiness, progress and aptitude. This approach
is done by the integration of technology as a tool to innovate how the assessment is made.
Assessment can now be done on-line in various forms, and can be engaged by teachers and
students at any time. The fourth aspect is the teaching-learning materials. These materials will
not just include information from libraries, homes, government departments, but also the
internet. With the internet as one of the source of material, teaching and learning will acquires
from a wide range of knowledge source, and not limited by resources in school only. Thus,
students different needs in learning, as well as teachers teaching innovation can be
accommodated.

The teaching-learning concept is supported by other components of smart school program.

These components administer and regulate the teaching-learning concept to implement this
smart school program.

1. Management and administration

The nine primary elements of smart school management include :
 School governances
 Student affair
 Educational resources
 External resources
 Finances
 Facilities
 Human resources
 Security
 Technology
2. Skill
Implementation of smart school required a specific skill and knowledge base so the
stakeholder can play their role effectively. Stakeholder refer to teacher, principal,
ministry of education officer, support staff and parents.
3. Technology
Implementation of smart school will need a technical requirement and technology
solutions when practices in teaching and learning management, and communication
with external constituencies.
 4. Processes
Smart school viewed as a system. When the system is provided with input, the smart
school processes will work to produce the desired output.
5. Policies
To ensure the successful implementation of smart school, changes in existing policies
and regulation, as well as now policies and regulation will be formulated.

CHALLENGES IN THE IMPLEMENTATION OF SMART SCHOOL IN MALAYSIA

There are some challenges the country has to face since the establishment of smart school in
Malaysia. First, in order to enable a smooth transition to implementing smart school, certain
policy in education needs to be changed. These changes include schooling structure, training
and personnel requirement and certification conditions. With the implementation of smart
school, there is a huge budget to overcome the increasing number of smart school in Malaysia.
This has significant implications particularly on multimedia infrastructure deployment, training,
and material development.

In the aspect of the curriculum, there is constrains in syllabus. In the early stage of the
implementation, with most teachers not familiar with technology and computers, teaching
students by using a computer spend a lot of time. It requires a lot of time to access and navigate
information and difficult to use the technology as a one of the teaching method to teach students.
The introduction of ICT technologies also give a new challenge to the teaching profession and
the education system in secondary school due to lack of any experience in terms of technology.
The student required a lot of time for them to adapt with the new system. Thus, it is difficult
for the teacher, to finish all the syllabus within the set time.

Another trial of smart school in Malaysia is the negative attitude of the teachers. Most
teachers resist to the smart schools and are not prepared to teach in such schools. They also
worry that the insistence on the use of ICT in teaching, increase the amount of work (Puteh and
Vicziany, 2004). Some of them especially the senior teachers, who are already content with the
traditional method refuse the implementation of smart school and they feel troublesome to
adapt with the instructional technology. They still think that the traditional way is the best
method in teaching process. In addition, the teachers complain that their free time is not enough
to prepare for the course in which the use of ICT is a must. It takes time to surf the Internet,
search for information, review and selection of information.
 Not just that, there is also the case of lack of infrastructure and support materials.
The use of computers in the learning process in smart schools is the most important thing to
introduce the student with ICT. Hence, the biggest challenge of education in smart schools is
to provide computer facilities for all students. This means that the computer facilities should
not be limited to the certain groups of people but involves the entire students regardless of
economic status, social, ethnic, and religion. However, with limited budget, it is not easy to
provide enough facilities for every school. Internet access is one of the most facility to provide.
Without internet access, the computers are not optimally utilized because the students cannot
access the internet to search for information. Limitation of infrastructure such as computer labs
lead to ineffectiveness of technology supported teaching and learning.

In realizing the objectives of smart school system, the government has been giving
heavy investment on the facilities. The implementation of smart schools makes the
government spend a lot of the country’s budget in electronic facilities and new books. Besides,
the cost and maintenances fees for the facilities are high. The effectiveness of smart school
system requires a funding for the building of new school with its entire multimedia
infrastructure, upgrading facilities in exiting school, teacher training institution and
maintenances of the technology.

Even though the heavy investments on the facilities, there is still inadequate financial
resource especially for maintenance of the facilities. This problem always happen for the
school at the rural area. This is because, they don’t have enough budget to fulfil all the criteria
of smart school. For school at the urban area, mostly of the student come from rich family or
educated family. So, their parent will give the best for their children by donating and give
financial support to the school. While at the rural area, most of the student parent are a farmer
with low income cannot do anything to support the school financial.

Next, there is also a challenging issue regarding the teachers’ skills in technology.
Due to the lack of skill in using computers and technology, teachers need to undergo intensive
training and counselling to adapt to the new teaching and learning environment. Even though
the facilities are provided, not many of the teachers use the Internet as an alternative that
provides access to information to help enhance teaching and learning materials. Although the
Ministry of Education in Malaysia held short-term and intensive courses for teachers, but
research has shown that these efforts did not help much to improve the ability of teachers to
implement ICT in teaching.
 Since this program requires a lot of use of computers and internet, the administrator’s
role as effective managers is very important. With professional administrator at work, there
will be improved efficiency and access to all concerned. However, that is not the case in smart
school program in Malaysia. There is always problems occurred related to using software
or website from the ministry. The software used in schools and the ministry of education often
has the problem to key-in data. Example of case such as the SAPS issue where all teachers in
Malaysia complained that they could not key-in the data of their students because of the
database problem. Other than that, the processor also takes longer time and slow and the
hardware are outdated.

CONCLUSION

Smart schools is one effort initiated by the Ministry of Education towards the enhancement of
education in Malaysia to a more competent level. The main aim of smart school is to prepare
the citizens for the information age through an innovative education delivery process. However
in the implementation of this program, there are challenges happened that need to be overcame
by the Ministry of Education and the schools. The challenges faced during the implementation
of smart school does not mean that this program must be terminated but be reinforced with
better plan and strategies. All the identified weaknesses and problems must be taken into
account and be prevailed to enhance the program.

As teachers, it is a must to be prepared to raise our own capability of using new

technology in teaching to the level of excellence. This is because teachers are the core pillar of
the nation’s education system, thus acting as agents of change for the nation. The effort to
realize Malaysia as a centre of education excellence at par with world standard must be
managed together and not thrust upon the shoulders of the teachers alone. Support from the
management and organization including the government and private organization will
strengthen further the effort and seriousness of teachers to make this program a reality.
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