CONTENT

TITLE PAGE
INTRODUCTION 1
WHAT IS SMART SCHOOL? 2
MAIN GOAL OF SMART SCHOOL 23
ADVANTAGE AND DISADVANTAGE OF SMART SCHOOL 3
TEACHING AND LEARNING COMPONENT OF SMART SCHOOL 4
CHALLENGES OF SMART SCHOOL 56
RESULT AND PROGRESS OF SMART SCHOOL 7-8
THE SMART SCHOOL ISSUES AND CHALLANGERS 89
CONCLUSION 9 10

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INTRODUCTION

Early in 1996, the Ministry of Education was involved in intense discussion about Smart
Schools: the concept and its implications on the Malaysian education system. By late 1996, the
Smart School had become one of the seven flagship applications of the Multimedia Super
Corridor. In January 1997, the Ministry of Education conceptualized the vision of the Malaysian
Smart School in the document Smart Schools in Malaysia: A Quantum Leap (Appendix 1).
This Blueprint is an elaboration and refinement of that vision and its features. A project team,
comprising industry representatives, Multimedia Development Corporation officers, and officers
of the Ministry of Education, worked at producing this Blueprint. The team was convened in
February 1997 and continued its work until June 1997. The team was charged with the task of
proposing the necessary guidelines for launching the Smart School. A set of golden rules were
developed to guide the team, so that, despite representing various interests, the team would be
united in working towards common national goals. Team members worked collaboratively by
ensuring their solutions are acceptable to all members, creating visionary solutions, and
practicing open communication within the team. In addition, they were also guided by
confidentiality provisions that prevented vendor competition. A set of these rules are attached in
Appendix 2. To produce this Blueprint, the team drew on various kinds of resources. Team
members made study visits to Smart Schools in various parts of the world and reported on their
findings. The combined resources of the team produced an extensive bibliography of
publications on the philosophy, concepts and planning of Smart Schools.

This Blueprint reflects the Malaysian Smart School concept. It should be read together with the
Malaysian Smart School Implementation Plan and the Concept Requests for Proposals (CRFPs).
These documents enable companies to respond and participate in the Smart School system to be
established. The CRFPs present a set of requirements to guide companies to use their creativity
and initiative to produce the best sets of applications for Malaysias Smart Schools. In addition to
using the expertise and experience of team members, the team also sought the advice of a wide
range of experts in the fields of education and industry. The Smart School Steering Committee of
the Ministry of Education deliberated on an earlier draft of this Blueprint and provided useful
insights and comments towards its finalization.

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WHAT IS SMART SCHOOL?

In Malaysia, smart school are learning institutions that are reconstructed to fit the globally
evolving world of information institutions and technology. These learning institutions are
designed in terms of teaching and learning practice in school management in order to prepare
children for the life in this information Age. In this age, the development of ICT witnessed to be
occurring fast. Therefore, to adapt whit this ever changing condition smart school will evolve
over time, continuously developing and advancing its professional staffs, its educational
resources and its administrative capabilities.

Based on the purpose of smart school to prepare children for the information Age, smart school
is provided with all the technology needed extending from the school level up to national level.
Smart school is equipped with technology that can facilitate teaching and learning process such
as multimedia and assists the school management.

Smart school is not about the technology around the school only. Is is also about the technology
that interconnecting the smart school and educational technology in district and national level.
The network is maintained for the communication between schools and the national authorities.
Districts will also need to maintain extensive databases for information like assessment record of
student and teacher performance, human resource records, matters of government, financing and
security and educational resources.

MAIN GOAL OF SMART SCHOOL

The smart school initiative has five main goals which focus on the need to develop a skilled
workforce for the information Age and to promote the goals of the National Philosophy of
Education :

1. Produce a thinking and technology literate workforce

2. Provide all-around development of the individual (intellectual, physical, emotional,
spiritual)

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 3. Provide opportunities to enhance individual strengths and abilities
4. Increase participation of stakeholders.

ADVANTAGE AND DISADVANTAGE OF SMART SCHOOL

Advantage
Interactive learning was improved
i. Contact other student through email
ii. Using smart board ( give students a hands on approach to classroom
concepts)
Equipped with the latest technology
i. Provide a range of education software for teaching, school and colleges
ii. Various methods of teaching and learning are use
Curriculum is more flexible and open ( More on self evaluation )
i. Learning lesion are student centered
ii. Promote self learning to creative and independent
iii. Can be learn in variety way as they like

Disadvantages

Higher cost
i. Government spend a lot of electronic facilities and new book
Not much democratization in education
i. Student have no choice on what to learn and when to sit for exam
ii. They dont have enough time to study and understand the lesson as they
have different ability to learn.
Lack of technological infrastructure and teaching material in school in rural area
i. Dont have much change to be expose to technology
ii. Limited internet connectivity

TEACHING AND LEARNING COMPONENT OF SMART SCHOOL

Teaching and learning component in Smart school will be shaped in 4 main areas :

1. Curriculum
Designed by incorporating the element that enables the education system to
achieve the goal of National Philosophy of Education.

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 The curriculum shall be meaningful, socially, responsible, multicultural,
reflective, holistic, open-minded and technological.
2. Pedagogy
The Smart School pedagogy is student - centered
The innovative teaching method is used to provide the different learning
experience for student
The pedagogy in Smart School will incorporating high level thinking skill &
values in classroom
3. Assessment
The Smart School assessment system is holistic, that covers not only achievement
but also progress and aptitude
This approach will give various information regarding to the student learning
styles and abilities
4. Teaching - learning material
Designed to support the teaching and learning concept of Smart School
The materials used must consider the students learning preferences because each
students have different learning styles.

CHALLENGES OF SMART SCHOOL

Malaysia intends to transform its education system, in line with and in the support of the nation
drive to full fill vision 2020 to make Malaysia a developed nation. The vision calls for sustained,
productivity driven growth, which will be achievable only with a technologically literate. There,
the implementation of smart school is one way to increase the educational system. The concepts
of smart school is very different to the current system which is many changing need to adapted
with students, teachers, and school management.

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There are several main problems that need to be faced by the school systems as a challenge to
achieve the smart school level. Firstly, lack of technological infrastructure and teaching materials
in school. The limitation of infrastructure such as computer labs and continuous limitations to
access the network hamper the effectiveness of technology supported teaching and learning.
Without the basic infrastructure and connectivity, the integrated system such as encompassing
web-based courseware, online management tools, and technical support provided by the smart
schools project was wholly inaccessible to rural areas. The geography of the country itself posed
a real challenge for the ministry of education.

The other challenges is smart school teacher development. This is because we know that teacher
is the one who delivers smart school teaching. Being a technology-based education, they need a
versatile teacher who expert in many knowledge and skills. However there are some teachers
who cannot expect the changes to learn to use technology in their teaching method. This senior
teacher are more prefer traditional method chalk and talk to teach their students. They might
not interested to use technology during their teaching-learning process because they are not
ready to change their mindset to learn new ICT programmed and to achieve the objective of
smart school concept. Thus, the teachers should be given an intensive training in ICT and
technology integration in classroom to enhance thinking skills and creativity. The teacher also is
allow to explore the technology and then they can accept the reality that they have to faced as an
excellent teacher. The learning process is not stop until here but teachers have to learn it from
time to time and they have to practice in class so that they will become more confident to use
ICT during the teaching process.

As the teachers are using technology equipment and infrastructure intensively in teaching
process, there must be a problem when computers or equipment are damage or unable to use.
This problem may cause teaching process distrusted. The best solution is always keep in
maintenance. However, the cost of maintenance is very high and this may cause the repairmen
and maintenance process delayed or take long time. To sustain the programmed also need a high
cost. As we know, the smart school program will build the modern school which involved a lot of
investment. The government also have to spent a lot of money in order to give classes for those
teacher who is blind in ICT.

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The other challenge in implementation of smart school is to change the mindset of teachers
themselves so that they might use the courseware effectively and creatively. A common
misconception among teachers was that using courseware simply meant assigning atopic for
students to learn or search. At the other extreme, some teachers claimed that teaching with the
courseware required much preparation time and effort than previously. Also, the computer labs
are not in adequate number. There are also hardware problems related you LANs , PCs and
servers. In addition, the computer software also have to update year by year. This is because,
technologies development is very fast and all the software in computer must be update in order to
run smoothly. Otherwise, many program cannot be used. Sometimes, the computer device also
have to change in order to follow the technologies development. This happen causes by a new
software come, not all computer device can run it. So, the way to solve this problems is by
changing the computer device. This take a lot of money to spent and the victim of this problem is
our country.

Finally is the problem of time. Teachers as well as students feel that teaching and learning using
ICT is a time consuming. The teachers feel that it is time consuming because to set up the
computer devices it takes at least 10 to 20 minutes. The time for one lesson in school is two
period which is about one and half hour. But if 20 minutes already spent to set up the computer,
teachers might have difficulty to finish all the syllabus on time.

RESULT AND PROGRESS OF SMART SCHOOL

The smart school flagship is one of the few initiatives in the region that incorporates strategic
planning elements into its implementation roadmap. It was implemented with four waves include
Wave One which is Pilot Project basis between 1999 and 2002, Wave Two consist of Post Pilot
between 2002 and 2005, Wave Three by making all schools smart between 2005 to 2010 and
Wave Four which are includes consolidation and stabilization of the smart school.

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1) Wave 1 The Smart School Pilot (1999 - 2002)
In order to implement the pilot project, a smart partnership was form between MoE, TSS
and MDeC. These ensuring involvement from both the central and state levels. This
synergy and combine expertise is to ensure the development and implementation of a
comprehensive teaching-learning product of the Smart School Integrated Solution.
There are eighty-seven pilot schools were involved in the pilot project phase which
experienced three models of technology which include a computer laboratory model, a
limited classroom model and a full classroom model. All the pilot school gets the
provision of training for teachers, principals and school heads in smart teaching and
learning, the use of smart school applications software and ICT literacy. This project was
successfully concluded in 2002.

2) Wave 2 The Post Pilot (2002 2005)

The Post Pilot contains three key outcomes includes ICT as a key enabler for learning,
monitoring and corrective action key in attaining target and seek further enhancement of
Smart School Management System (SSMS) utilization.
First outcomes is ICT as a key enabler for learning. This is more to implement ICT in
school to make effective teaching and learning.
Secondly, monitoring and corrective action key in attaining target include the critical
monitoring and corrective measures .
Lastly, seek further enhancement of smart school management system (SSMS) utilization
include the measurement of the SSMS improvement and schools transition to
acknowledge culture.

3) Wave 3 making all school smart (2005 2010)

During the milestone of smart school, a strategic roadmap has been developed in order to
put in perspective the objectives, the time-frame, the stakeholders and their key
responsibilities. Furthermore, they must make teaching and learning that can engages and
drive students to increased their knowledge as a students, they must to reap the benefits
of learning via technology in schools. The steakholders in charge more to the unification
of the management structure and expand career path for teaching professionals to become
educational specialist. All the steakholders must responsible in smart schools ICT
infrastructure and system in teaching-learning. They also must recognize the best
practices.
4) Wave 4 Consolidate And Stabilize (2010 2020)

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 The period between 2010 and 2020 will present opportunities for the advancement of the
smart school applications being implemented in schools. Applications of the smart school
and other ICT initiatives would have converged into effective smart school solution and
advanced applications built on it. By 2020, the teaching-learning scenario could be very
much different from the one we have today. The smart school and the accompanying
technologies, coupled with growth in broadband and communication infrastructure would
pave the way for pervasive learning environments. These learning environments would
be formed through a programmed of interconnected networks that increase
communication, connectivity, shared and experiential learning.

THE SMART SCHOOL ISSUES AND CHALLANGERS

The have a lot of issues and challenged that the Ministry of Education (MoE) will need to focus
on to drive the education system forward towards a virtual school environment where digital
content will be the norm. Such issues will include innovative budgeting along with the
strengthening of leadership, improving on teacher training and on their career prospects.

The main issues and challenge of the smart school is the budget to maintain that type of
education. As the use of technology in the smart school in the norm, therefore it will be very
costly. As we know, the price of each technology such a computer and LCD Projector are very
expensive and costly to maintain. It will be the big issues and challengers when we need to take
all the school in Malaysia as the smart school of Education to maintain and but the equipment for
all school in Malaysia.

Besides, the other issues and challengers of the smart school is the supporting e-learning. As we
know the proses of teaching and learning in the smart school is based on the ICT, so it needs a
large scale of the e-learning in the smart school. E-learning meant the knowledge and the study is
based on the ICT to get the information. But to get the e-learning the smart school need to supply
the internet wireless around the school so that all the teacher and student can access the internet
to have their e-learning. But to supply the internet wireless around the school need a big cost and
it also depends on the strength of the wireless can supply. Other than that, the software of the e-
learning also difficult to access and to find because its limited. To overcome this problem, the

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Ministry of Education should give more budgets to the smart school to help them to get the
enough software of e-learning and to maintain their ICT equipment in the school.

Other, the issues and the challengers of the smart school are the qualities of the teachers. Mostly,
the old teacher at the school does not know how to use the ICT because the ICT is the newest
technology for them. Their more prefer to each the student by using by using the white board and
text book because its save their time and dont have any preparation to run their teaching. Other
than that, the equipment at the school are always not function well and make the teacher fed up
to use the technology such computer and LCD Projector. Therefore, to overcome this problem ,
the ministry of Education should give an incentive to the teacher that use the ICT in teaching and
give the training to all the teachers to use the ICT equipment in the school.

CONCLUSION

As a conclusion, the Malaysian smart school project signifies a dramatic change in the local
educational system whereby information technology is utilized in every aspect of education and
students are required to take much greater responsibilities of their own learning. As Malaysia
want to fulfill Vision 2020, Ministry of Education intends to transform the education system.
Information from this study may help smart schools authorities and teachers to further promote
and enhance self-regulated learning in these schools. Here, the students are required to be
responsible on their own education while seeking more active participation from their parents
and others.

Thus, as we want to realize the smart school concept in our education system, everyone have to
give a good cooperation. Ministry of education have to look forward in rolling out the smart
school initiatives with supports from others party. However, teachers are the one that plays a
major role in order to ensure these concepts are success because they are the one that will deliver
the teaching process. It is significant to ensure that curriculum innovation is worthy of its
implementation in order to enhance pupil progress, achievement and development of pupils
according to gender, ethnicity, social economic status and background of study.

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