Something to ponder...

I have to say this semester in University of Malaya mostly on ‘technology explosion’. It is wonderful experience to learn new things about computers. Since I have being as a ‘computer dummy’, I really feel that this new knowledge has indirectly changed the way I do things. In the pastime (which is during my time at IPIK), I have only known few things of computers such as Microsoft Word, Microsoft Power Point and little experiences to perform Microsoft Movie Maker. This array of software is commonly used for presentation and microteaching. Nevertheless, when I encounter UM, school of education, I know how to operate with interactive whiteboard (SMARTBOARD), participate in on-line forum, express my feelings and share some thoughts at blogspot.com etc.When I seat back and listened attentively to the lectures on ‘digital citizens’, it’s remind me to my schooling experiences. When I was at primary school, the word ‘computer’ is still bizarre to me as a young kid. Since I was schooling in rural area which is FELDA, (it emphases more on the agriculture land project), the using of computer is not really popular since people merely use the computer as medium of communication. The school itself also did not have any computer tools and services. Most of the teacher also hardly seen use the computer during teaching and learning process. Until one day when I was in year 6, my father had bought us a computer by using loan provided by his company. At that time, most of the government workers are given opportunity to apply loan on buying personal computer in order to bring the technology into the society.Meanwhile, there are adequate provision of the technology based infrastructure and facilities in my secondary school systems. I’m really shy to say that I was taking IT (Information Technology) for one of my SPM elective subject. In my opinion, the subject is quite tough and challenging. Based on my experiences, I have to memorize a lot of computer formulae to make the programmes work smoothly, besides that it was also compulsory to create creative homepage and websites for that subject. My memory like a sieve, I have forgotten every single formula that I had memorized during my schooling time.Although, I am not too technology savvy, I believed that ICT is important for our lives. Undeniably, we could access the information faster than traditional way of using books. The power of knowledge is just at our finger tips as ‘World without boundaries’. The expression http://www/ is known to us even slightly familiar with computer-based communication. The www refers to the world-wide which uses the internet to make available various types of information to people all around the world. Certainly, it uses a browser programmes such as Microsoft Explorer or Netscape Communicator.Technology in primary education is kind of interesting course and an eye-opener for me to become as IT literate. I should use the technology wisely and integrate the tools into teaching and learning process. Technology is a powerful tool that can be used in the engaged learning process. This process creates a classroom that is an environment for continuums learning community. Information technology will provide a means of placing the industrialized and developing societies on an equal footing.