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How does COTF promote student-centred learning?

Synthesis of CoTF visit

A visit to the COTF has shown many interesting and futuristic gadgets and settings. We were brought on a tour to different “venues” inside the COTF. Each venue has different kinds of technology available which would serve the learning needs of the students as per se. As we walked through the different settings, what impresses me most was the advanced technology used to promote student centered learning.

The UMPC 

The most utilised and essential tool is the ultra mobile touch screen (UMPC). It very much resembles the PDA in terms of purpose and functionality. It is a tool which every student will get and will need, in order to collect, store and use the various forms of information made available to them.

A) In the classroom:

The UMPC allows sharing of information between individuals in the group. It encourages what is known as Incidental Learning in the classroom. This means whatever information is available whether on the internet or through the teacher, is instantaneously shared among all. Students can view what their peer are writing and it works based on touch screen function. The UMPC also contains a great deal of on-line tools such as the translation software. It enables students from different countries to communicate instantaneously; the software will also do translation of the different languages real time. 

Another interesting note is that the seats in the classroom are automated such that attendence is taken when a student sits on his allocated place.   

The UMPC also allows better quality organization of data. It allows information that the student is presenting  to be arranged via a mind-map approach. This serves to enable them to view the data in a cluster format rather then in any linear forms which is presently the case.

B)In the laboratory:

We were shown an illustration whereby a student from a european country could easily communicate with us via the UMPC real time which was absolutely amazing. It closely resembles the msn messenger, which is commonly used nowadays. It is particularly significant as there is an application in the UMPC which allows real time sharing of information such as scientific data between two different geographical locations.   A student can communicate and ask relevant questions to a professor who is overseas with the simple aid of the UMPC. Incredible!    

C)In the MRT

We are brought to a place which closely resembles the setting of a MRT train. We are told that the UMPC has an inbuilt GPS tool which will allow students to track the location of their peer. This is particularly useful for field trips whereby the UMPC also has a “dip” technology, which allows downloading of any kinds of information for example, information on plants by merely moving the UMPC within close range of the source. (the source refers to a contact point at the location with the corresponding technology which is able to transmit such relevant information to the UMPC)

D)At the home  

The home will be apparently given another name called the multi user virtual environment (MUVE). The entire place is linked up via voice recognition software. Different applications will automatically come on with the owner’s verbal consent. It allows the user to multi task as well with the many different software applications, such as gaming, video conferencing and others. All these is happening at the same time using one common platform.

In short, the UMPC is an effective pedagogical tool which allows student to multi task and it creates a more customised learning experience for them. They will have control over their work and can learn as much at their own comfortable pace. The onus is also on them to individually tap into the many functions available to improve on their knowledge and skills and thus enriches the learning process. The teacher, we were informed, has the ability to view what the students are doing, but their roles, based on the design of the ICT tools, will be more as facilitators.

 All in all, it was an informative and eye catching display of how future technology would become. It is set to change the whole concept of what it means now to imply “student centered learning”. It is definitely a revolution that is not to be missed.  

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