Malaysian ECE curriculum and International Approach

Malaysia ECE curriculum in ICT 

The government also launched the Multimedia Super Corridor (MSC) during this development period. The MSC has since grown into a thriving and dynamic ICT hub, hosting multinationals, and foreign-owned and home grown Malaysia companies involved multimedia and communication products, solutions, services, and research and development. The council was tasked with policy formulation, setting the strategic direction, policy coordination and evaluation and techologyy assessment and adoption, as well as industry promotion. In Malaysia, the most recent framework for early childhood education is the National Standard Preschool Curriculum (Ministry of Education Malaysia, 2010). The world today is full of gadgets and internet. So, no wonder it also involves ICT in schools to children. ICT is essential in Malaysia. Since yesterday, the evolution of the ICT industry in Malaysia has developed and now almost reached it's highest level. Society nowadays are surrounded by technology thingy and make their lives easy way. In  class ICT facilities have also been provided for teachers to teach children with a more forward. ICT in classroom of early childhood education offered by fusing, combining and teaching the three disciplines in the elementary school level to higher institutions of learning. A review of literature and case study research design revealed ways in which the trio could be used to reinforce understanding of abstract concepts in the entire curriculum. ICT for early childhood education in this 21st century conceptual age that demands a host of new and complex thinking and cognitive skills and as such teaching priorities have to adjust to accommodate and foster these new demands such as encourage communicate accountable and ethical manners, mathematical knowledge and skills.

ECE International Approach in ICT 

This literature review was commissioned as part of the process of developing an ICT strategy for early childhood education in New Zealand. Data from a 2003 national survey NZCER the service of early childhood education used to develop images during access and use of ICT in New Zealand early childhood education. Literature says that at least three reasons why ICT in early childhood education. First, ICT has a huge impact on the people and the learning environment of the child that they see around them. Second, the technology offers new opportunities to strengthen many aspects of the practice of early childhood education. Third, for the development and integration of ICT in education policy, curriculum, and practices need support and interest of the whole entire education sector. Studies show that the use of ICT can provide a context for collaboration, cooperation, and positive learning experiences between children, or between children and adults.This concept is based on a modern approach to meet regulatory requirements in ECE. In the midst of this that it is a multi-level data platform to collect, share and records maintained in the ECE archive. Early childhood system in New Zealand as a model of best practices for the recognition of the rights of children in early childhood education, and the threat posed by fiscal policy during the ongoing integrity.

ICT in Early Childhood : Pro's & Con's

ICT can be defined as “anything which allows us to get information, to communicate with each other, or to have an effect on the environment using electronic or digital equipment”. In early childhood education (ECE), the term ICT could include computer hardware and software, digital cameras and video cameras, the Internet, telecommunication tools, programmable toys, and many other devices and resources.

The literature suggests at least three reasons why ICT matters in early childhood education. First, ICT already has an effect on the people and environments that surround young children’s learning. Second, these technologies offer new opportunities to strengthen many aspects of early childhood education practice. Third, there is support and interest across the whole education sector for the development and integration of ICT into education policy, curriculum, and practice. However, there is a clear consensus in the literature that the introduction and use of ICT in early childhood education should be grounded in a clear understanding of the purposes, practices, and social context of early childhood education. 

The Pro's

The key is to ensure that children have access to ICT which offers them opportunities to develop general skills and also extends their specific knowledge of that technology. Secondly , higher quality lessons through greater collaboration between teachers in planning and preparing resources. Thirdly through ICT , images can be used in teaching and improving the rentetive memory of student. Moreover through ICT , teacher can easily explain complex instruction and ensure students comprehension. Through ICT also teacher are able to create interactive classes and make the lessons more enjoyable , which could improve student attendance and combination.

 The Con's

ICT is not a thing where all teacher knows how to use , by this setting up the devices can be very troublesome. Secondly , not all nursery , kindergarten , preschool or school can afford it , especially the rural area its too expensive. Next , hard for teachers to use with lack of experience using ICT tools. Moreover , too much early exposure to screen - based technology can be very 

detrimental and make it more difficult to learn to read and write. Next up , some of children not being able to hold a pen or pencil but we are giving the kids instant gratification all the time with ICT and it makes it for them to presevere with something that takes a while to learn. As a conclusion , not having access to digital technology in the early years will put children at a disadvantage to those who have been expose to it.

Future Of ICT In ECE

As we have known, in most parts of the world today, the technologies has become part of almost everyone’s lives, and including those of young preschool. Some examples of technologies are a projector, computer, touch screen board and so on. But the most widely used is the computer. Research has shown that 74 per cent of educators support the use of technology at school in 2013. Most preschool used computer as the main technology.  Computer can help support children learning, and that it is especially useful in developing the higher-order skills of critical thinking, analysis, and scientific inquiry. There are few journal that researcher say about ICT or technology in early childhood education.

In the first journal that I reed said, technology emphasis benefits for young children, this research is significant in that it studies current teachers beliefs of their practices and experiences with the Internet and their general ICT use.  Teachers can promote positive use in early childhood classroom. This shows that beliefs and attitudes influence their technology usage. The journal also said that nowadays, children at early age already involved in technology education, which is positive learning skills for my opinion, but at the same time, the children also need to engage in curriculum that the teachers planned. Young age technology experiences can influence the children learning in classroom because if they already has skills and know how to use it, it can be easier for the teachers to explain and show them without worries and it also easy for the children to work with. Other than that, children are encouraged to use technology and communication by using ICT resources that suitable for them to increase their learning skills which mean educators teach them by their level. These whole goals can create individual that cleaver, creative and innovative that high in thinking skills.

Furthermore, the study had emphasized four variables for this change which is knowledge, self-efficacy, pedagogical beliefs, their subject and school culture. These factors are undeniably important as teacher’s attitudes and pedagogical beliefs are indicators towards readiness and positive use of technology. For teachers to successfully integrate technology in their daily pedagogical practices there is a need for careful planning. Also important is the opportunity for teachers to experiment with strategies to empower them to discover the best ways to integrate ICTs in their classrooms for the optimum engagement of young children. A chi-square test showed that there were statistically significant differences in the availability of ICTs devices in the classroom, reflecting higher reported availability of computing devices in the classrooms. These studies suggest that the various Web-based activities that engage these young children benefit their development of literacy and numeracy skills and knowledge, and also the ability to multitask when using Internet activities as multi-faceted tools.

Second journal said that technology can change children learning in schools. Cognitive research has shown that learning is most effective when four fundamental characteristics are present by active engagement, participation in groups, frequent interaction and feedback and connections to real world contexts. When used technology effectively, it can provide ways of teaching that are much better matched to how children learn in class because children will be more focus. Usability technology for promote cooperation could improve the extent to which classroom socially active and productive, and can encourage class conversations that expand student's understanding of the subjects. Students can work with other students from their classroom or school, or from around the globe, to build a common understanding of some topic. Other than that, computer-based technology also can improve what children learn by providing exposure to ideas and experiences that would be inaccessible for most children. For example, because synthesizers can perform music, students can now experiment with composing music even before they can play an instrument. The research in this area has demonstrated that technology can lead to profound changes in what children learn. Numerous surveys of the literature link student achievement using technology to the extent to which teachers have the opportunity to develop their own computer skills.

Moreover, using technology to improve education is not a simple matter. There are many kinds of technology, and many ways that an attempted use can fail. Sometimes referred can be used to guide these future explorations. First is cognitive learning. Much more is currently known about how children learn than was known years ago. Technology applications selected for future research should engage the cognitive characteristics of learning as a constructive, collaborative, interactive, contextualized process. Second are curricular reforms. They are particularly important to explore technology that is adopted in along with curricular reforms that make complex subject matter accessible to a higher percentage of children. Third are coordinated interventions. Successful implementation of technology requires a context of coordinated interventions to improve curricula, assessment, teacher development, and all the other pieces of the education jigsaw puzzle.

Explorations of technology implementations should focus on schools that are striving to have all these pieces of the puzzle in place. Today’s schools are not all equally well-prepared to accept technology and use it to achieve improvements in student learning. For improvements that include technology to take hold, schools need to develop their capacity for change with appropriate resources and processes that enable all the involved parties to manage the challenging transition. Thus, effective uses of technology should be explored in schools that are well prepared for change. To maximize the effectiveness of computer technology as a tool to enhance learning in the classroom, education policymakers must incorporate technology selectively into educational reform as part of an overall program for improvement, and continue to study its progress and results to improve efforts over time.

Based from the two journals I had reed, it shows that technology play a very important role for children's learning nowadays. With the advances of technology in this century, could increase the children thinking skills, social and problem solving skills. It can help facilitate learning in a more effective and a success way not just in the classroom but also outside the classroom. Apart from that, the sophistication and effectiveness of this modern technology can also help teachers to gain better skills, creative, innovative and more effective ways to teach children. I hope the worlds of advanced technology can transform children's learning skills to more advanced and effective in the future and can create a new generation of advanced and more wisely In Shaa Allah.

History - A short history of early childhood education ( ECE figures with their theory/ideology )

In my course, we use psychology theories as our guideline during teaching-learning process with children. It will somehow help creating something new and does not necessarily need to follow the theory theories. We as an educator need to be more creative in creating the teaching-learning process for the children and not just following the same method of teaching.

As for me I like to refer to Jean Piaget and Albert Bandura theories as my guideline in being more creative to create the best way for the children learning process. 

This is Albert Bandura, he was born in 1925. He is one of the psychology theories, he has been responsible for contribution to the field of education and to many fields of psychology and that includes social cognitive theory and also was influential in the transition of behaviorism and cognitive psychology. Albert Bandura is most famous with his influence in "Bobo Doll" experiment.

The bobo doll is to experiment how the children will react after seeing the adults behavior. Some of the adult will show some bad behavior and some will show the good behavior towards the bobo doll. After observing the adults actions, they subconsciously will follow the behavior. From there we could see that the children can learn by imitating an action and behavior that they have observe before.

Jean Piaget is famous for his Cognitive Development theory. There are four(4) stages of Piaget's cognitive development. Sensory-motor stages (0-2 years), Pre-operational stages (2-7 years), Concrete Operational stage (7-11 years) and Formal Operational stage (11 years - adulthood).

Sensory motor stage is an understanding of the infant about the world by coordinating sensory experience with physical action. For example, mouthing, sucking, smelling and looking. Children understand that object are both separate from self and permanent. This is one of the most important infants accomplishments. Example that we can see is that when the children toy is blocked from their view, they will not search for it. After a few month of experiencing the same thing, the child are able to search for their toy due to reflecting the presence of object permanence.

In pre-operational stage the child began to represent the world with words. Egocentrism is present and magical beliefs are constructed. It is an inability to distinguish between one's own perspective and someone else perspective.

Concrete operational stage has becoming the part where the children can think logically and classify objects into different sets. Children uses logical operations to solve problems. Conservation is the idea that altering and object or substance's appearance does not change its basic properties. It involves recognition that the length, number, mass, quantity, weight and volume of object and substances are not changed by transformation that merely alter their appearance.

Formal pre-operational is an adolescents begin to think more as a scientist thinks, devising plans to solve problems and systematically testing solutions.

We passionate to Early Childhood Education

Well hello there anonymous reader. My name is Siti Hadijah Binti Mohammad and I am 20 years old this year. Cause I was born in the 90's and the 90's kids is who we are. Teehee, okay so basically I have to introduce myself so you guys will know a little bit about me. There is this saying "People are more what they hide than what they show". So let me show you the other side of me and please just bear with me because I am just an amateur.

I came from a very small family, and I am the youngest among my three siblings. So usually I was treated in a very special way by the people around me just because I was the youngest. Like obviously people pay more attention towards the eldest and the youngest child. When I get all the attention, I just feel like I am all about receiving and not giving. I have always wanted to feel responsible towards others, towards little children. I wanted them to feel the way I feel, to be loved and cared for.

That is why I decided to take Early Childhood Education as my course of study. At first I thought getting in this course it will be easier and there will be no history and such. Because history is kind of a burden to me. I just thought that we will be learning on how to take care of children, and opening up or managing a kindergarten. But I was wrong, there is so much more to it.

Surprisingly after I get to know about there will be history, there is nothing I could do but to follow with what has planned out. And also I thought there will only be one subject that connected with history. But yet again I was wrong, every semester, different subject, there still have history. Come to think of it, learning history in early childhood education is quite fun. Because I could get a lot more information on their theory about a child. 

Learning about all these theories, I feel like applying it to the younger children so they will be trained since they were younger. But in Malaysia our learning style for the children is by letting them sit for an exam. We put more emphasis on paper qualification. I feel like if our learning structure is more flexible to include attitude moral values, play based learning and creativeness in fine arts.


If we compare Malaysia and in the United Kingdom, educators prioritize play based learning more than academic because they know, children at that age still need their freedom on playing having fun spending time with peers. They subconsciously learn, while playing. For example, when they play beach material in a water. They can learn that some object can float and some will sink. It will instigate their curiosity and ask for further explanation on how come it sinks. 
To point out on why I became more interested in learning all these matter, it is because I have the opportunity to learn the different ways our people impart their knowledge to the children through diverse teaching methods. I am hoping that I could be one of the many to introduce play based learning method for Malaysia to have a better future generation.

I have so much to talk about me! But hey! I’ll give it shot! hehe

My name is Alisya Rosli. I'm 20 years old this year. I'm currently studying in Management And Science University since 2013 and I'm in my last semester. I've been living in Shah Alam since i was born. i have three sisters that included me and I'm the second or the middle one hehe!  My hobbies is walking around going no where and eating ice cream.I am also a very outdoor kind of person.

Why am i passionate to Early Childhood Education ? Because of course who ever that is taking ECE loves children , i think. I love being around children eventhough sometime they are annoying. Ever since i was a little girl i've always wanted to become a teacher or an educator. I've always wanted to stand infront of the classroom and teach. Being a teacher or an educator you can always experience the joy of making differences. Teachers get incredible joy in seeing the difference they make as students gain new insights , become more interested in a subject and learn about themselves.

              

Greetings to all readers! My name is Nur Suhailah Binti Mohd Akmal. I was 20 years old. I have a younger brother and a younger sister, I am  the eldest. Honestly, I'm an avid fan of outdoor activities and food. Furthermore, I am a talkative when with my friends, but those who do not know me would certainly think I'm an arrogant and snobbish. Even my own dad said if I did not wear my spectacle, I looked very fierce and arrogant. Until that's all I can tell about myself, which has many shortcomings, now I want to tell you why I was interested in early childhood education. Actually, my dad pulled me into the field of early childhood education. He said he saw my abilities in teaching although at first I was difficult to accept the situation, but as I see and learn how each child grow up, I fell in love with this course. I started taking care of every developing my cousin who was a child and an infant. In my opinion, infants and toodlers is like empty cans, their parents who are responsible to meet it with a piece of tin that is useful for stabilizing the tin it to stand. Someday, I want to prove to my father that he did the right thing by putting me in this field and I want to worshipe in the future in this early childhood education. 

Assalammualaikum and hi everyone! My name is Anis Hamizah Binti Mohd Amin, you can call me Anis. I am 20 years old. I am studied at MSU, in the course of early childhood education and this is my last semester. A little about myself, I have eight family members which is both of my parents, my two eldest brothers, my sister-in-law with two adorable nieces and me the youngest. What I can describe myself is as a person who loves children but assertive, friendly and happening. My passion in early childhood education it is because I love the children and it easy to communicate with them. Besides, what impressed me is that I can see the child's development in learning, from their infancy until they growth. ECE also taught me a lot about patience, because the children have a variety of behaviors that sometimes makes us unable to control anger. It makes me more confident because I have two nieces which are still young, I watched them grow from baby until now, I not just learn from the lecturer, notes but also from the two boys. Apart from that, we learn how to control children, persuade and how to speak proper words in front of children because they are imitate the adults either positive or negative because they are learning. This course also a bit challenging sometimes because we learn the child's growth from year to year starting from birth until they are big. It is because every stage there is a separate explanation. It is not easy to be a teacher, but he would be happy if we know the right way to teach children. This course is very fun if we seriously to learn it. The main things that we should know is that children never listen to us but they were observe us and imitate it in their daily life. Show good behavior, the children will show positive manner.

My name is puteri aiezun binti rohaizad . I want to become an early childhood educator because obviously yes i love children other than that i enjoy around children. I enjoy guiding and watching them as they explore the world around them. I like work with children because they are filled with curiosity i have the chance to teach and motivated them to do

everything correctly. Children have interest in learn different things and i want to be an prefect educator for them. I like being ask by children. As we all know young children like to ask many question ,  its shows their interest level in their learning. And also  I like to play games with them. I always like to solve young children problem. I want to be an good role model towards young children.