STELLA

STELLA SIMULATION

Introduction.

            Simulation is one of the technique that teacher can use to increase students interest toward the topic. It is also a useful technique that can illustrate a complex and changing situation. If teachers choose simulation as the teaching technique, they need computer stimulation as teaching tools. Computer simulation is the discipline of designing a model of an actual or theoretical physical system, executing the model on a digital computer, and analyzing the execution output. The principle of simulation is “learning by doing” which means the learner acts, the stimulation reacts and the learner from this feedback.

 Before we learn about the system, we must first build the model and then operate the model. The model that being build must be related and relevant to the topic and also can be handling by teachers and students. Simulation also can be used to provide the students with the fertile learning environment. By doing this, teachers can trigger students interest about the topic and also they can become more active during the class.

Simulation can be used as an activity that closely related to student like students who role plays. Students especially students learn by using simulating like toys. When teacher used abstract teaching tools, students are more excited because they can see more clearly about the topic.  To make students more understand the reality and the complexity about the topic that being teach, teachers must build some artificial object that can be use as teaching tools. Teacher can also act out roles with students while teaching especially when explaining the complex system like respiration for human and also excretion in human body. Computer simulation can be use as electronic equivalent of this type of role playing and also serves to drive synthetic environment and virtual worlds.

When planning to create the simulation there are three primary sub-field that should be taking into consideration. The first one is model design followed by model execution and lastly model analysis. In order to build the simulation model, we must first design the model by create a mathematical model which represents that physical object. The models can take many form like functional and multimodel which the model contain multiple integrated models each of which represents a level of granularity for the physical systems. After that, the model that has being design will be execute the model on a computer that needs computer program. The last sub-field that need to be complete while create the simulation is model analysis. This last stage will go through the model that have being create whether it practical or do not practical. Model analysis is also need to find any mistake about the simulation model so that when it is being used during teaching and learning process, there is no error when the data is collected.

 As being mention before, simulation is closely related to computer and the compute also a great source for simulation educational activities. Simulation as also known as virtual reality, this term implies all things to all people. There is a lot of basic material and application that available in the computer that teachers can use as simulation. There are three ways that we can the computer for simulation activities.

First, run a simulation program on a computer. This is very simple but yet very effective. There are a lot of simulations inside a computer, for example Microsoft Office Excel. This software can be use to collect data, tabulate the data and also present the data in a form of various types of graph and chart. Students can change the data, so that they can see the result and also the change in pattern of the graph. By this way, students can predict the outcome if they change some of the variables but, this software only limited to number variables only. Second, use the simulation on the World Wide Web (WWW). There is a lot of simulation in the internet nowadays. What a teachers need to do is just spent some time to explore the internet to find the suitable simulation that can be used when teaching. Do not afraid to explore the internet and try different simulation, understand the application and then choose the simulation that can be handled easily and also practical. The third way that we can use is by enhance the simulation with computer. Many of the simulation that you run can be enhanced by using computer. To add reality to the simulation, the computer can be used to display the images and pictures. The computer can make the pictures or images more real. Simulation or virtual reality does not have to be complex but simple.

Some people will get confuse whether simulation is a games or not. There is a lot of differences between simulation and games. Games create competition but simulation not. Simulation is used to help the process of teaching and learning in the class. Simulations also illustrate relationship and create insights and also allow people to practice behaviours. Since simulation do not create any competition it will make the users practise the positive behaviour like patient. Games only focus on the attention on extrinsic motivation (gamification) but simulation focus attention on intrinsic motivation. Extrinsic motivation is the motivation that come from outside of an individual, rewards like money or grades and these reward provide satisfaction that the game or task itself may not provide. Intrinsic motivation is the motivation that comes from inside of the individual like the pleasure one get from the task itself or the sense of satisfaction when completing the task or work. 

As a teacher, we need to make sure that the students learn something from the simulation. For the students learn something from the simulation, teacher must do the discussion during the simulation or after the simulation and teacher can do both session. This is very important as an integral to the student’s learning. There are here phases that can be use to make sure that this simulation can be done smoothly during the class. The phases are orientation, the simulation and debrief.

For the first phase which is orientation, teacher will give briefing and explanation to the students about what the simulations are about and for. Teacher must fully describe the simulation so that students can fully understand the concepts of the simulation. Other than that, teacher also has to ensure the students completely understand the purpose of the simulation. If the simulation needs rule or any safety precaution, make sure to outline it for the students. Write the rules or the safety precaution on the board so that the students can apply it during the do the simulation.

The second phase is the simulation, where the students will do the simulation. Teacher will monitor the students to make sure that they can work properly with the simulation and also can cooperate well with the other students. Guide the students during this session so that the students can get familiar with the simulation and also try to relate the simulation with the topic that students should learn that day. Simulation can also give other benefits to students for example good moral values. Every time in the class, teacher must include moral values.

The last phase that should be taken when using simulation is debrief. In the end of the simulation, there is always part discussion. At this part student will do their reflection on what they have learn when using the simulation. There is much different method or strategy that can be done by teacher when doing debrief. One of the ways is, by group the students into small group of 5 or 4 students. Then, each group will be given one learning objective for the simulation. The group will discuss about the learning objectives and also the teacher will give another question about what the students think about the simulation. Each group then will present to the class. Comment from the students then can be use to make improvement for the simulation. 

Result:

Graph 1:

          

Graph 2:

Graph 3:

 Graph 4:

Discussion:    

In an ecosystem, there is always an interaction between organisms. That is the nature of this world. Some people might think that it is cruel to kill other organism but, if some animal do not kill other animal, they will not survive. There are a lot of interaction between organism in this earth like mutualism, parasitism and prey-predator interaction. In this graph, we will discuss more about the interaction between prey and predator.

            A predator is the organism that eats another organism while prey is the organism that predator eats. All four graphs above show the interaction between predators (lynx) and prey (hares). Lynx is the type of wild cat. Hares may be looks like rabbit but they are not from rabbit family. Hares have 48 chromosomes while rabbit only 44 chromosomes. As being mention before, the interaction between lynx and hares is prey predator. We will see the pattern of the interaction in the graph above.  

            For graph 1, it shows that the number of lynx and hares is stable throughout the years. This means that there is no environmental complexility in the ecosystem. The number of lynx is balance with the number of hare. The birth rate of hares can afford the needed from lynx. That is why from the graph we can see that the interaction between the predator and prey is constant throughout the year. There is no increasing or decreasing number for both predator and prey.

            For graph 2, it shows that the size of 1 time lynx harvest is increasing as the number of hares increase. At the beginning of the graph, the lynx is drop a little bit as the hares constant. This is because when the number of hares becomes constant for such a long time, the number of lynx will decrease because there is no food for them. If the food source decreases, the competition between predators will become tight. There is no increasing in food source so the predator will die thus the shows the decreasing in number. The following pattern shows that the increasing of food source for predator (lynx) which is prey (hares) will simultaneously increase the number of predator.  

            For graph 3, compared to graph 2 the number of both prey (hares) and predator (predator) is slightly increase. The concept is still same as is mention at graph 2. Graph 4 also shows the same pattern with tremendously increasing number of both lynx and hares. This shows that the lynx have enough food supply from the increasing number of hare.

            The conclusion that we can make from the relation between prey and predator is when the prey is numerous their predators increase in numbers this then will reducing the prey population which then make the number of predator to decreases. After sometimes, the relation is expected to recover and starting a new cycle. According to the recent research, the predator and prey systems are potentially unstable because predators often extinguish their prey and then starve. In nature, there is at least three factors that can promote stability and coexistence.   

All of the graph shows above is one of the example of simulation. From the graph itself we can see that by using the simulation the learning and teaching process will become more interesting and effective. There is a lot of benefits that teacher can get by using simulation as one of their teaching tools. Simulations are low cost to create than the real life counterparts. Simulation is also easy to use and less risky. Other than that simulation can be repeated over and over again whereas real life cannot.

To the students, using the simulation can give them motivation. This motivation will develop when using the simulation. The motivation that students will get is they will highly anticipate learning more about the topic. The most important things when using teaching tools, teacher must choose the one that can increase student interest and simulation is one of the best choices. When students involve in the activity they will be interested to learn more about the activity and also the subject or topic.

Simulations are “hands-on” that involve students. Students will become participants not just a listener or observers. Students observe and learn more from their own experiences than having other’s experience related to them. They will experience on how to do their own experiment that related to the topic. Since simulation is “hands-on”, students will explore the topic by playing with the simulation. By doing this, students can relate the topic with the simulation and see clearly the concept behind the topic. Simulation stimulate an activity that is “real” ,this means that simulation are “virtually real”. The purpose why simulation is being create is because they stimulate activity that are similar with the real situation and environment. From this creation, students can learn the real experience.

Simulation is tailored to the students. Simulation is designed specifically for students the user and they take development improvement into consideration. This means that, when simulation is developed, the students will be the user and from time to time there is always be an improvement that can be made. This is the advantage of simulation where we can improve the model from time to time. This improvement will produce better simulation model that can be use by students and teacher. The developing of simulation also considered students development level. Slow students will use simple simulation while high develop students will use more complex simulation but yet easy to handle. This is not a bias to anyone but, simulation that being use must suit with the development level of the students. Suitable simulation is very important to make sure that students can learn something from the simulation.

Using simulation will increase student’s interest to learn more about the topic. Since students will experience their own experiments, they will find that the topic that being taught is really interesting. Students are more excited when being introduce to something new. When teacher first introduce simulation in the class, students at first will feel burden because they are not familiar with the concept and functional of simulation. After sometimes and a lot of practices, students will get familiar with the simulation and thus become more excited to learn. Simulation is also empowering. This is because, students are given a chance to be responsible, find ways to succeed and also they will develop problem solving tools as a result of the interaction with the simulation.

Simulation can encourage student to do more prediction like what scientist always do. Simulation model will have parameter that can be change and adjust by users. This application allow user to predict what will happen if they change some parameter. Students that use this simulation can predict what will happen to the experiment or task that they are doing if they change the parameter. Students can also add other adjustable parameter. The try and error method will help students to understand more about the topic. In the real situation, it is impossible to change any parameter and also see the result immediately. Just like in the example above, the prey-predator interaction. It is impossible to see the interaction pattern of predator (lynx) when we decrease or increase the number of prey (hares) because in the real situation it takes many years to see the pattern. By using simulation, students can predict on the pattern outcome when we increase or decrease the number of hare and see the pattern result for both prey and hares immediately.   

In conclusion, the traditional method of teaching should change because students nowadays are totally different from 20 years ago. Simulation is one of the new teaching method that teacher can use nowadays. Teacher role nowadays also different from before, they are not only give knowledge to students but also guide them. Simulations give new dimension to the learning experience and develop the teacher’s role even further. Students also will experience new method of learning.

Reference:

1.      http://www.slideshare.net/enspirelearning/how-simulations-can-change-the-future-of-learning

2.      http://www.creativeteachingsite.com/edusims.html

3.      http://www.creativeteachingsite.com/virtual.htm

4.      http://www.usask.ca/education/coursework/mcvittiej/methods/simul.html

5.      http://www.cise.ufl.edu/~fishwick/introsim/node1.html

6.      http://www.globalchange.umich.edu/globalchange1/current/lectures/predation/predation.html

Data Logging (Essay)

Data logging: Speed Of Sound

INTRODUCTION

Data logger is an electronics instrument that records measurements of all types at set intervals over a period of time. Data logger also can record a wide variety of energy and environmental measurements including temperature, speed, light intensity, pressure, electric currents and more. The characteristic of a data logger is the ability to take sensor measurements and store the data for future used. This is how data logger works, a data logger works with sensors that then will convert physical phenomena and stimuli into electronic signals such as voltage or current. These electronics signals are then converted or digitized into binary data. The binary data is then easily analyzed by software and stored on a PC hard drive or other form of storage like memory card and CDs.

While we talking about data logger, data logging is the process of using a computer to collect data through sensors, analyze the data and save and output the results of the collection and analysis. Data logging is also implies the control of how the computer collects and analyzes the data. It is commonly used in scientific experiments and in monitoring systems where there is the need to collect the information faster than we do it manually especially when the experiments need accuracy. Figure below shows the complete data logging applications elements. 

A data logger has an additional recording and storage facilities. It can store readings from events taking days or week to unfold. Afterwards, the computer can read the data from it. There stand alone devices can often record data at high speed for example they can record the flicker of a lamp and take 100’s of readings in second. The data logger has buttons to start and stop according as well as an independent power supply. The buttons allow us to alter the recording speed when the recording would start. The data logger may have an LCD display to monitor what it is doing. In nearly every system that find, data logging sensors plug into a box. The sensor send its ‘readings’ to the box and informs it which type of sensor it is. The sensor identifies itself using pins on the sensor plug while some systems place a resistor across the pins and use its value to identify it. Others sensor have a PIC chip which ‘tells’ the data logger all it needs to know. Some sensors have their own power supply but the best derive all their power via the interface. Some devices get all their power through a USB connection o Parallel port and these tend to be the most reliable. The interface box has a circuit that converts an analogue sensor signal to a digital signal. It also has a way communicating with the computer and most systems use ‘serial’ communication. Serial connections are compatible with almost every type of computer. While this is not fast communication, they transfer data fast enough for most purposes. If we want to show sound waves with these data loggers, we can record the sound at high speed and transfer the data to the computer afterwards. Data logger can collect readings independently of the computer, allows results collected in the lab to be downloaded to the lab computer, can be set to start recording during the night, record very fast, can be set to start recording at a certain sensor reading and can store the results of many experiments. Data logger has a rechargeable battery and uses alkaline batteries.

In every PC data logging and controls system, there are few basic components which are sensors, connectors, conditioning, Analog to Digital (A/D) Conversions, Online-Analysis, Logging/Storage, and Offline-Analysis. A few additional components also required in a dta logging and Control system including D/A Conversions and actuators.

Sensors

There are many type of sensors that are used in data logging. Sensors often process data before we can see it. The types of sensors that have are sensors to measure motion. Sensors that used to measure motion are accelerometer, light gates and switches, force or dynamic or mechanic pulley, rotation sensor, shock sensor, sonar distance sensor or ranger and strain gauge. The sensors that used to measure heat and temperature are heat flow sensor, full range temperature sensor, low temperature sensor, body temperature range sensor and thermocouple and high temperature sensors. Sensors for light and sound, we used light sensor, calorimeter sensor, infra-red sensor, sound sensor, microphone sensor, sound switch sensor and ultra-violet sensor. Sensors that used in physiology are pressure sensor, breathing monitor sensor, heart rate sensor and electrocardiogram sensor.

Any device that is used to convert physical parameters into electrical signals is called sensors. The sensors must be calibrated so that electrical output they provide maybe used to take meaningful measurements. For examples, flow meters, pressure transducers, accelerometers and microphone.  After we have the sensors, it must be connected to the connectors to transmit its electrical signal to the systems. There are variety of signal connectors that each have their own advantages and disadvantages. The simple connectors can be as simple as tightening a screw around a wire to the more complex like connectors typically used in NDT shown below.

Conditioning is the next steps needed for the electrical signal provided by the sensor to be useful. It is including all actions performed on the signal to improve its usability before it is digitized. There are few types of conditioning that can be used. Amplification is used when the voltage levels being measured are very small. Amplification is used to maximize the effectiveness of the digitizer. The typical sensors that require amplification are the thermocouples and strain gauges. Attenuation is the reverse of the amplification and necessary for measuring the high voltages. Filtering is the required to remove unwanted frequency components from a signal that will prevents the aliasing and reduces noise.

Excitation is used to provide the required currents and can be voltage or current source depending on the sensor type. Linearization is a type of sensors produce voltage signals that are not linearly related to the physical quantity they measuring. Isolation is used to in conjunction with attenuation to protect the system and the user from dangerous voltages or voltage spikes. It also can be used to when the sensor is on a different electrical ground plane from the measurement sensor. Lastly, multiplexing. Multiplexing allows you to automatically route multiple signals into a single digitizer. Most of the sensors required the combination of two or more of this conditioning technique like thermocouple.

There is also other components that build the data logging systems like A/D conversion that convert analog electrical signal into digital values and transmit those signal to the computer and these is done by the using the data acquisition (DAQ) board. Online analysis is used after the analog signal has been converted to raw binary values. For logging or storage ,PC based data logging systems generally use the hard drive of the PC to store data, but may also use tape drivers, network drivers, or RAID drivers. After that, offline analysis is the performing mathematical analysis on data after it has been acquired to extract information. There are two forms of control part of the PC system. The first one is open – loop control which is independent of the current state of the process and the second one is the closed-loop control in which the PC measures one or more input variables and uses software to make decisions about what control signals should be output. Other than that, there is also D/A converter which the function is to takes the digital values output by the computer and turns them into analog signals which can be conditioned and then connected to actuators. Actuators is any device that converts electrical signals to physical parameters. 

 People we ask why we use data logging. Data logging help us do a lot of things. Data logging help us to perform the experiments in a short time. If we do a manual experiments, we will take time to construct the apparatus, adjust the parameters, collect the data and to analysis the data. By using the data logging, we also can perform the experiments online and also perform the online analysis. For online analysis, this step will include any analysis that we could like to do before storing the data. The most basic example is, when converting the voltage measurements to meaningful scientific units, such as degree Celsius. We can complete these complex calculations and data compressions before logging the data. Controlling part of a system based on current measurements. Every data-logging software applications have to complete the conversions from binary to voltage and the conversions from voltage to scientific units. 

There is also step in data logging which is log that refers to the storage of analyzed data including any formatting required for the data files. When doing the experiment, it is very important to save all the data from the experiment, therefore by doing data logging, we can save all the data that need to be analyzed and also the format. Other than that, data logging also help you to do the offline analysis. Offline analysis is the analysis that we do after storing the data. For example, we can use the data stored to look for trends in historical data or data reduction.

Data logging also will help us by displaying, sharing and reporting the experiment that had be done. This application can save our time and also the experiment can be repeated over again to get the result that we need. This does not means the data logging application will prepare for you the full report of the experiment like the full writing report but it can help you to create any reports that need to make present the data. Data logging also can present the data straight from the online analysis. This means that the monitor able to display the data you need and also analyzed the data and also viewing the historical data.

 DATA LOGGING : SPEED OF SOUND

Engage :

  

Last weekend, my family decide to go to Gua Kelam in Perlis. As we walk through the cave there is a lot of nice things to watch. Then, I notice something interesting, when we talk in the cave, we can hear our voice be reflect. We hear our own voice echo. Why this happened? I also notice the same phenomena occur when I talk in empty house or when I shout in the tunnel. How can this happen and what is the cause?

The speed of sound is the distance travelled during a unit of time by a sound wave propagating through an elastic medium. In dry air at 20 °C, the speed of sound is 343.2 metres per second. In fluid dynamics, the speed of sound in a fluid medium either gas or liquid is used as a relative measure of speed itself. The speed of an object (in distance per time) divided by the speed of sound in the fluid called the Mach number.

The speed of sound in an ideal gas depends on frequency, but it is weakly depends on frequency for all real physical situations. Sound speed depends on pressure only because the air is not quite an ideal gas. For different gases, the speed of sound is inversely dependent on square root of the mean molecular weight of the gas, and affected to a lesser extent by the number of ways in which the molecules of the gas can store heat from compression, since sound in gases is one type of compression.

Speed of sound refers to the speed of sound waves in air and the speed of sound varies from substance to substance. Sound travels faster in liquids and non-porous solids compared in air. It travels about 4.3 times as fast in water, and nearly 15 times as fast in iron. Sound waves in solids are composed of compression waves just as in gases and liquids, but also exhibit a different type of sound wave called a shear wave, which occurs only in solids. The different types of waves in solids usually travel at different speeds. The speed of a compression sound wave in solids is determined by the medium's compressibility, shear modulus and density.

Sound is a longitudinal wave that is created by a vibrating object, such as a guitar string, the human vocal cords or the diaphragm of a loudspeaker. Moreover, sound can be created or transmitted only in a medium, such as a gas, liquid and solid. To see how sound waves are produced and why they are longitudinal, consider the vibrating diaphragm of a loudspeaker. When the diaphragm moves outward, it compresses the air directly in front of it. The compression causes the air pressure to rise slightly. The region of increased pressure is called condensation, and it travels away from the speaker at a speed of sound. The condensation is analogous to the compressed region of coils in a longitudinal wave.

Sound travels through gases, liquids and solids at considerably different speeds as shown in the table below:

Substance	Speed (m/s)
Gases Air(0º C ) Air (20º C ) Carbon dioxide (0ºC ) Oxygen (0º C ) Helium (0º C )	331 343 259 316 965
liquids Chloroform (20º C ) Ethyl alcohol (20º C ) Mercury (20 º C ) Fresh water (20º C ) Seawater (20º C )	1004 1162 1450 1482 1522
Solids Copper Glass (Pyrex ) Lead Steel	5010 5640 1960 5960

Near room temperature, the speed of sound in air is 343 m/s and is markedly greater in liquids and solid. For example, sound travels more than four times faster in water and more than seventeen times faster in steel than it does in air. In general, sound travels slowest in gases, faster in liquids and fastest in solids. Like the speed of a wave on a guitar string, the speed of sound depends on the properties of the medium. In a gas, it is only when the molecules collide that the condensations and rarefactions of a sound wave can move from the place to other place. It is reasonable, then, to expect the speed of sound in a gas to have the same order of magnitude as the average molecular speed between collisions. Sonar is a technique for determining water depth and locating underwater objects, such as reefs, submarines, and schools of fish. The core of a sonar unit consists of an ultrasonic sound, and at a later time the reflected pulse returns and is detected by the receiver. The water depth is determined from the electronically measured round-trip time of the pulse and a knowledge of the speed of sound in water. In a liquid, the speed of sound depends on the density and the adiabatic bulk modulus. For the speed of sound in liquid for example in seawater, the speed is 1522 m/s, which is more than four times as great as the speed in air. The speed of sound is an important parameter in the measurement  of distance. Accurate distance measurements using ultrasonic sound also play an important role in medicine where the sound often travels through liquid-like materials in the body. A routine preoperative procedure in cataract surgery, for example, uses an ultrasonic probe called an A-scan to measure length of the eyeball between the lens of the eye and the retina. When sound travels through a long, slender, solid bar, the speed of the sound depends on the properties of the medium.

Empower :

Ø  Equipment required

v  2 microphones-crystal Mics were used since they are cheap and give a large output

v  1 metre wooden rule

v  Fast digital storage oscilloscope-the ADC-212 was used

v  A balloon-to burst for a sudden loud sound source

Ø  Experiment set up

The experiment was set up as shown below with two crystal microphones placed 1 metre apart.

RESULT:

·         The balloon was burst approximately 2 m away from the foremost Mic. The plot below shows the results clearly.

—  The lefthand “BLUE” trace is from the foremost Mic (Mic1) and the righthand “red” trace is from Mic (Mic2)

—  The waveform from Mic1 between -164µs and 500 s is clearly visible in the trace from Mic2 delayed by 2929 µs. There is second variation , in the waveform from Mic1, around 1.5 ms caused by an echo  from one  wall or ceiling. 

Enhance :

—  Telling how far away a person with a starter’s gun, at a running race, is by comparing the time difference from when you can see the gun’s smoke to when you hear the sound.

—  Telling how far away a cliff is by making a sound and measuring how long it takes for the echo to return

—  Telling where an enemies gun was fired.

—  Telling  how far away a lighting strike.

REFERENCES :

—   http://www.ni.com/white-paper/2946/en

—                        http://www.ndt-ed.org/GeneralResources/DataLogging/DataLogging.htm

—  http://www.onsetcomp.com/what-is-a-data-logger

—  http://www.webopedia.com/TERM/D/data_logging.html

   —  John D. Cutnell and Kenneth W.  Johnson  (2010). Introduction to Physics. Asia : Wiley.

—  Roger Frost. Data Logging in Practice. United Kingdom : IT in Science Publishing.

Data Logging (Slide Presentation)

Data logging final!! from Fazreena Ma'amor

Smart School 2 (Essay Report)

Title : 
Issues and Challenges in ICT Application

 Objectives :
 1. To determine the teaching and learning component in smart school concept.
 2. To improve the teaching and learning method by using ICT applications.
 3. To identify the challenges that teachers faced in integrating ICT in school.
4. To know the progress of the smart school concept.

 Introduction : 

       Malaysia intends to transform its educational system, in line with and in the support of the nations drive to fulfill vision 2020. The Smart Schools initiative is one of the seven flagship applications that are part of Malaysia’s Multimedia Super Corridor (MSC) project. The Government of Malaysia aims to capitalise on the presence of leading-edge technologies and the rapid development of the MSC’s infrastructure to jump-start deployment of enabling technology to schools. This will be done by creating a group of 90 pilot Smart Schools by 1999 that will serve as the nucleus for the eventual nation-wide rollout of Smart School teaching concepts and materials, skills, and technologies. By 2010, all 10,000 of Malaysia’s primary and secondary schools will be Smart Schools. For a Smart School to achieve its educational objectives, its internal processes must be co-ordinated. Ensuring coordination entails viewing these processes as a system: if the system is well designed, providing appropriate inputs will yield the desired outputs - namely, students ready for higher education or active and productive participation in the work force. The Smart Schools initiative offers an ideal opportunity to reassess the current schooling system, identifying problems and finding potential solutions, many of which can be enabled by technology. For the Smart School system, the major inputs are the resources - students, teachers, technology and tools – and the Ministry of Education, in the form of curriculum specification, financing, and management and control functions. The system proceeds through a series of subprocesses identifying and localising teaching plans, selecting and organising teaching-learning materials, determining a student’s entry level, planning the student’s experience, holding classroom sessions, assessing achievement internally, providing feedback – before delivering the student for external achievement assessment, and ultimately for higher education or the work force.

 Discussion : 

TEACHING AND LEARNING COMPONENT IN THE SMART SCHOOL CONCEPT 

    The smart school teaching and learning system will covered four main scope which is curriculum, pedagogy, assessment and also teaching and learning material. All four scopes will play a major role in conducting teaching and learning to children in the Smart School system. For the curriculum scope of the Smart School, the curriculum is designed with the incorporating element that enables the education system to achieve the goals of National Philosophy of Education. The vision of the curriculum must be meaningful, socially responsible, multicultural, reflective, holistic, open – minded and technological. The benefits from this curriculum are children are educated with critical and creative thinking skills that will help them in the future. They also will improve in language skills and student also shoe progress in varying capabilities and interest. Curriculum for Smart School is designed to help student achieve overall and balanced development. The development in a student should covered four domains which are in communication, cognitive, affective (emotional) and also physical (social). For domain communication, students should improve in their oral and writing skills in Malay and English. They also should emphasis multiple languages, interpersonal skills and also networking. While for cognitive, it is concentrate on acquiring knowledge. Student should learn on how to collect information or knowledge then analysis it and solve the problem in creative way. Domain affective is about the religious value, team player characteristics and also emotional balance and intelligence. The last domain is physical (social). It is about social responsibility and consciousness of health and environment and also about global orientation like workplace orientation. Smart School pedagogy will be student – centred. This pedagogy is the mix of learning strategies to mastery the basic competencies and promotion of holistic development. It is also must capable to allowing students with different learning style to boast performance. This pedagogy also highlighted about the classroom atmosphere. The classroom must suitable with different teaching- learning strategies. The benefits of this smart school pedagogy are the learning process is become more interesting, motivating, stimulating and meaningful. The students also will actively involve in the learning process. By this way, students will be more prepared to the challenge in the future. The innovative teaching method is used to provide the different learning experience to the students. If before this teaching and learning in school only involved teacher centred, now Smart School has introduce a new method of teaching and learning which is student centred. In student centred method. Student will actively involve or participate in the teaching and learning process. They also will communicate well with teacher and friends. Student will experience different learning method that using innovative teaching method. For example, in the process part, it will involve specific learning goals, active learning process and also personalised. For modes, the learning process can take part in alone, in pairs or in small team with an expert like teacher. They also will be provide a source like computer-based source. The task given also will be different and challenging with real life environment. This will train them to master or complete a task before progressing to the next task. For assessment system in smart school, it will involve a significant departure from traditional assessment system. There are some characteristics in smart school assessment which are holistic, element-based, criterion – referenced, learner- centred, on – line, conducted in various forms, using multiple approaches and instruments and also on – going. The benefits that can be obtain from this Smart School assessment is to help realise the National Philosophy of Education Assure quality flexible and learner – friendly. Other than that is to provide more accurate picture of a student’s achievement, readiness, progress, aptitude, learning styles and abilities. Smart School assessment shall be holistic in that it does not cover only achievement but also readiness, progress and skills. Such assessment will give various information depend on the students learning styles and abilities. For element- based assessment, the focus is on the elements that students possess or must develop through the subject in the school curriculum. This type of assessment provides information on the mastery and achievement of elementary of elements by a student. Area of study that may be develop is like communication (ability to demonstrate idea), social-emotional development (ability to work co-operatively in a group) and cognitive (ability to estimate quantities). Assessment system for Smart School also shall be criterion – referenced which means a form of assessment that evaluates an individual performance based on a predetermined set of criteria. The assessment will also be learner – centred. This assessment means that a flexible system of assessment which is administered on an individual basis. Other than that, the assessment will be on –line. This type of characteristics means that the item for smart assessment will be stored in a computerised item bank and be made available to users on terminals through networking. Assessment also will be conducted in various form such as classroom assessment (done prior to, during and after instruction), school - based assessment (done after each learning area ended) and centralised assessment (conducted on demand when learner is ready) to allow demonstration of strengths, abilities and knowledge. Assessment system will use multiple approaches and instrument to perform authentic, alternative and performance assessment. Authentic, alternative and performance assessment will make student involve in the process that combines what is taught, how it is taught, and how it is evaluated. Classroom and school – based assessment by means of authentic, alternative and performance that approach using the various instruments like checklist, exhibition and project. For centralised assessment by means of criterion- referenced like standardised tests. Last but not list is Smart School assessment will also be on – going and continuous. Assessment is always be the part of teaching and learning and therefore must be on – going. Hence, certification is a living process as an important part of assessment. The certification must come along with the nature of assessment, therefore to make sure that the assessment is on – going living certification system is introduced. This living system allows students make improvement and the data is updated. The last strategies for Smart School is teaching and learning material. This characteristic is designed to support the teaching and learning concept of Smart School. There are three characteristics for this strategy which is meets curricular and instructional needs is cost effective, cosmetically and technically adequate, cognitively challenging and lastly combines the best of network – based, teacher based and courseware materials. The benefits from this teaching and learning materials characteristics are accommodates students’ different needs and abilities resulting in the fuller realisation of students’ capabilities and potential and also students take responsibility for managing and directing their own learning. The material used must consider the students learning preferences because each student has different styles. 

TECHNOLOGY AS ENABLERS CONTAINED IN SMART SCHOOL CONCEPT 

      Technology is used as enablers especially in teaching and learning process. The government believes that education to be the most important use of technology, so it need a comprehensive plan for using technology in the smart school. To fulfill the vision 2020, the need of Ministry of Education to put a lot of attention to ICT in schools especially in teaching and learning aspect. The concept of Smart School is not only based on curriculum but the technology plays an important part as a prime enabler and also one of the main success factors for the Smart School. Information technology can enable the process of transforming traditional schools into Smart schools. Consequently, a nation-wide system of Smart School will depend on advanced information technology at the school. Technology has many roles to play in a Smart School, from facilitating teaching and learning activities to assisting school management. Fully equipping a school might include the classrooms with multimedia courseware and presentation facilities and email for collaborative work, library or media centre with a database centre for multimedia courseware and network resources like access to the internet and computer laboratory for teaching such as a subject and readily accessible multimedia and audiovisual equipment. The technology insfrastructure facilitate the teaching and learning applications such as in self exploratory learning, collaborative learning, distance learning, experiental learning and research, reference and data collection. One of the applications of technology in teaching and learning process is self exploratory learning. In this case, the uses of computer become very important part. This is because, students shall have access to the latest materials available locally, as well as to external resources. This process of learning provide the students to gain more knowledge by themselves. They can search anything or information and knowledge on their subjects. In this matter, learning will not only depends on teacher but students must take initiative to involve and they will try and manage to gain information by themselves. Others than that, students can access to the homeworks assignments or materials. Usually , they only depends on the reference books , but technology of Smart School able them to search materials through internet. This is in order to broaden their mind with new discoveries about the subjects that they learnt in the school. Others than that, the technology also apply in collaborative learning. This learning process involve computer supported. It is a tool that facilitate group work within and across classes. The collaborative learning support with computer take place via social interaction using a computer or through the internet. This kind of learning is characterized by the sharing and the combination of knowledge among the students in group by using technology as the main means of communication. It can be implemented in online and classroom learning environments. The goals of collaborative learning are to improve the new knowledge of a person, construct the communication skill to each other and help students to construct meaningfull learning rather than individual learning. One of the common approaches to this kind of learning process is collaborative writing. The process of planning and writing together encourages students to express their ideas. Tools like blog and interactive whiteboards can be used to share work,form idea and write smoothly. Interactive whiteboard is a large interactive display that connects to a computer and projector. A projector projects the computer’s desktop onto a board’s surface where the users control the computer using a pen or finger. Others than the collaborative writing, there is also a technology-mediated discourse that refers to debates and discussions. This allows students that separated by time and distance to build knowledge together. Students can do their exploring in an online environment or reflect their experiences together through the internet. In this learning process, teachers act as facilitator that monitor their students to facilitate learning. The teachers must pay attention to the students that have a problem when involve in online communication. The benefit of this collaborative learning based on computer supported, is students can use technology to build learning found with their friends. Distance learning is a medium that apply technology in teaching and learning process. This field of education focuses on teaching methods and technology with the delivering teaching to students who are not physically present in a classroom. This is separated by time and distance. This kind of learning able the communication with other students using technology such as video conferencing,email,video-on demand. Actually, the types of distance learning are divided into two, which are synchronous learning and asynchronous learning. Synchronous learning is technology where all participants present at the same time. It requires a timetable to be organized such as web conferencing and video conferencing, while asynchronous learning does not require students present at the same time that include message board forums, email , video , print materials , voicemail and fax. This kind of learning enable students to keep abreast of assignment when they are not physically in school. Parents can also access the school for feedback on their children’s progress. Others than that, technology can apply in experimental learning. The use of software or courseware helps the students to stimulate learning in experimental learning process and very useful for drill and practice purpose, where it allows the students to practice on their own or with their friends. Basically, the use of courseware is basic in Smart School component. Courseware is part and parcel in e-learning. E-learning is defined as learning with the aid of information and communications technology tools. These may include the internet ,computer-based technology or interactive television. This may also include the use of technology to support traditional methods of learning for example electronic whiteboards or video conferencing. In teaching process , teachers use courseware so that it is more interesting , interactive and suitable to use in classroom. The courseware that usually used are video, interactive video, slide, audio, CD and pictures. Technology can also used in Smart School in reference, research and data collection. It is a tool to search, collect and collate data. For examples , in library in Smart School, technology able the students to make research on their subjects. They can search information or find out the materials for their homework. Technology apply also in teachers room with online access to courseware catalogues and databases and also information. It is equipped with professional tools such as email. In the administration offices, it is capable of managing databases of students and facilities and distributing notices and other information electronically. The technology will enable the school to draw on a variety of external resources, while also making the school more accessible to the community. Students and teachers will be able to tap into public and university libraries ,investigate museums or other archives and keep up to date with local authorities. Similarly, parents, students and other members of the community can stay in touch with the school. Students can keep abreast of coursework from outside of the school and while parents can monitor their children’s progress or communicate with teachers from home. People in the community can also use the school as a centre for continued learning. 

 THE PROGRESS OF SMART SCHOOL HAVE BEEN MADE SO FAR. 

 In June 2010, smart technologies have announced the SMART classroom suite 2010 interactive learning software. SMART classroom offers an integrated solution that enables teacher to easily manage and assess the entire class while addressing the needs of individuals’ students. This is because we know that each students have their own learning style. So, they need a variety of materials to maximize their learning potential. This software will combine the classroom management, assessment, lesson creation and assignment tools in one offering. So, this software will facilitate the teachers to teach, encourage and motivate their students. The latest version of SMART Classroom suite features a number of upgrades including improved wireless capability, greater support for formative assessment and enhancement to teacher tools.

CHALLENGES CONCERNING THE IMPLEMENTATION OF THE SMART SCHOOL CONCEPT

1) PARENTS NEEDS TO INCREASE PARTICIPATION IN EDUCATIONAL PROCESSES

        Parents should plays an important roles in the Smart School development. There is the need to increase the participation of parents in educational processes such as teaching-learning, development of educational materials, assessment and many more. Parents can be educational resources, and get benefit for themselves as their own learning needs become a life-long effort. With the support from the parents, students will be more motivated and this will lead to student’s delightful performance. Parents should take part in student’s education and make sure the students get exactly what the Smart School can give. The roles and responsibility of Smart School parents must be widely acknowledged and accepted, in order for parents to assume a much stronger role in the Smart School education process. Parents’ takes personal charge of children’s learning experiences. They can guide, motivate and counsel their children on the Smart School way of teaching and learning. Every student have different ability on learning something new like the Smart School progress which most of the teaching and learning using the technology tools. Parents also have to be familiar with the technology so the children can talk comfortably about it with their parents. If the parents know zero about the technology so, there is a gap between the parents and their children. The skills and knowledge needed by the parents like ability to access school public database to know their children’s result. There are many possible strategies for the parents like National campaign on parents in Smart School, briefing on Smart School educational process, learning basic IT skill training at school level and doing school tours or exhibition of the technology available in school. Most of the activities provided to give the parents knowledge on today’s technology where their children are very familiar to it. Other than the above techniques, there are also parent’s support group monthly meeting and IT camps at school for the parents. From the meeting, parents among parents can discuss the problem with each other and together solve the problem. This is done for the children’s future.  

2) TEACHER NEED MORE TRAINING ON ICT PROGRAMS THAN THE STUDENTS

         One of the challenges of implementation of Smart School is teacher need more training on ICT programs than the students. This training is done in order to achieve Smart School mission. Besides, we know that teacher plays an important role in school as primary deliverer of Smart School teaching. These teachers will need intensive training on information technology skill and technology integration into classroom instructions to enhance thinking and creativity. It is important to ensure teachers capability to deliver their curriculum. This training allows the teacher to explore a wide variety of areas and strategies. Besides that, a continuous learning is also necessary for teachers to develop their professional practices and in order to be confident to keep in touch with technology. Moreover, teachers also need to have ICT skills, thinking skill, educational values and language proficiency. This is because teacher responsible to plan and prepare learning activities, manage technology enriched environment, deliver effective instruction and handle professional tasks. In addition, Smart School principals will also need to go through an intensive management training course to equip them to manage the new facilities, technologies and method to be used in Smart Schools. ICT facilities are accessible for the school members even when the school is not in session, the students are able to explore their studies at all the time. 

 3) SMART SCHOOL STAFF DEVELOPMENT

        The next challenge to make the smart school implementation successful is not only students and teachers cooperation but also the staff school must gets involved. Staff are the school clerks, typists and office boy which also known as despatch boy. Cooperation of clerical staff very important to ensure the Smart School management works smoothly and systematic. Clerical staff must have qualification academic like have IT knowledge which can gives easier to them to complete all documents and works in Smart School. In addition, to give easier, clerical staff can also be introduce to basic IT skills such as word processing and spreadsheet applications. This is because in Smart School, all tasks such as school finances, school communications and school inventories must be accomplished with the aid of technology. So, all members of clerical staff would need to know and understand how this office management is done. Most important thing is the clerical staffs must have right attitude. Although like not necessary but if the clerical staff is lazy, wasting time which spend for chatting and etc, no wonder if expert in IT also did not help the implementation Smart School successful.

Conclusion :

      As a conclusion, we are able to find out the solutions to improve the teaching and learning method by using ICT application and we can identify the challenges that teachers faced in integrating ICT in school. Besides, we can determine the teaching and learning component in smart school concept and the progress of the smart school.

References :
 http://www.slideshare.net/mike07/integrating-ict-into-the-classsroom retrieved on 17th October 2012

http://legacy.oise.utoronto.ca/research/field-centres/TVC/RossReports/vol7no1.htm retrieved on 17th October 2012