16 November 2007 - Speech By RADM(NS) Lui Tuck Yew, Minister Of State, Ministry Of Education, At The Infocomm Club 2nd Anniversary And Awards Ceremony, The Arena, Clarke Quay.
Speech By RADM(NS) Lui Tuck Yew, Minister Of State, Ministry Of Education, At The Infocomm Club 2nd Anniversary And Awards Ceremony on 16 November 2007, The Arena, Clark Quay.
Distinguished guests,
Ladies and gentlemen,
Good morning.
Introduction
1. I am pleased to be here at the Infocomm Club 2nd anniversary and Awards Ceremony. The strong turn-out this morning is indicative of our schools’ growing efforts in the realm of Information and Communications Technology, or ICT. I am also delighted to see so many interesting and creative projects produced by our students. Indeed, this is a wonderful display of the enterprising and community spirit of our aspiring infocomm talents.
Cultivating The Next Generation Of Infocomm Talent
2. The knowledge based economy that now drives the world’s growth is fundamentally about innovations in science, technology and infocomm. ICT use is pervasive in our daily lives – we see its use in manufacturing and media, in finance and banking, in retail activities and healthcare.
3. In education, we can harness ICT to give individual students a greater degree of control over their own learning, its use can help in facilitating a better understanding of concepts, provide alternative assessment options and varied virtual experiences for our students. Used appropriately and judiciously, it connects, it simulates and it empowers.
4. Learning is no longer bound by written texts or the physical walls of the classrooms. With the use of infocomm, students can tap on a wealth of interactive digital resources either individually or collaboratively through virtual communities. Students are also exposed to a plethora of learning opportunities inside and outside the classroom. At the school level, new ideas are constantly being generated to facilitate the use of ICT in teaching and learning. For example, pupils in Rosyth Primary are learning the techniques of manga drawing using technology through the Manga Alive! Programme their formal Art curriculum. In Greenridge Secondary, English lessons have come alive as students adopt a hands-on approach to learning by using multimedia tools to produce news bulletins, documentaries and short films. The school even has a fully-functioning studio and post production house for students! And the finalists today bring together some of the best ideas and showcase interesting ways of using ICT to bring about engaged learning in our children.
5. The Infocomm Clubs programme is one of the more interesting initiatives in the Student Infocomm Outreach Programme under the National Infocomm Masterplan, Intelligent Nation 2015 (or iN2015 in short). The Club serves as a platform for our students to express their innovative, enterprising and community spirit. Student members have the opportunity to work closely with industry partners especially in the growth industries like 3D animation, Games Development and Digital Media. In June this year, 39 students from various clubs met industry gurus from Adobe, Cisco Systems, Google and Oracle during a study trip to Silicon Valley in the United States. I am sure the experience was exhilarating and inspiring for our students.
6. Although only in its second year, I am pleased to note that the Infocomm Club is one of the fastest growing CCAs. The number of Infocomm Clubs grew from 80 in Nov 2006 to 150 in Nov 07. Over the same period, membership in the Infocomm Clubs increased by 100 per cent from 3,500 in 2006 to almost 7,000 in 2007.
7. The Infocomm Club programme is aligned with MOE’s Co-Curricular Activities (CCA) framework for LEAPS (Leadership, Enrichment, Achievement, Participation and Service) which encourages sustained participation, rewards contribution and achievement, and recognizes leadership qualities.
8. Another initiative that is worth highlighting is the Infocomm Club Ambassadors programme. Through this programme, student leaders or Infocomm Club Ambassadors are identified and appointed to lead in the planning and execution of Infocomm Club activities. During their one-year term, the Infocomm Club Ambassadors work closely with IDA to help promote infocomm in a fun and exciting manner. Infocomm Club Ambassadors will also be offered priority for industrial attachments and opportunities to attend major infocomm conferences. Last year, 13 Infocomm Club Ambassadors were appointed. 16 more will be appointed this year.
Conclusion
9. Let me conclude by offering my heartiest congratulations to all the finalists of the National Infocomm Club Awards and to the Infocomm Clubs on your second anniversary.
10. Thank you
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